Namuyi August 25

Location: In 1983 Chinese linguist grafted into Sun Hongkai listed 5,000 speakers of Province in 1939. the Namuyi language.1 The majority was a violent are located in the western parts of region; murder and the Liangshan (Cold Mountains) banditry were Prefecture in southern Sichuan commonplace. “Much Province. Although small in number, of the banditry and the Namuyi are geographically lawlessness in Sikang widespread, inhabiting parts of [Xikang] can be traced Mianning, Muli, , and Yanyuan to the opium trade. counties in the Liangshan Prefecture, Confusion and violent in addition to parts of Jiulong County civil strife often break in Garze Prefecture. out in opium-growing districts after the Identity: Although they officially harvest.… The belong to the Tibetan minority, the prevalence of such Namuyi — who call themselves lawlessness makes Namuzi in Jiulong and Muli — speak a firearms almost a distinct language belonging to the necessity, even for law- Qiangic branch. The Namuyi, along abiding citizens.”2 For with several similar groups such as more than 200 years, the Jiarong, Ersu, Shixing, Ergong, and up until the 1950s, the Minyak, have been combined into the Namuyi were subject to

Tibetan nationality solely on the basis the powerful Chrame Paul Hattaway of their religion. Kingdom that was based in Muli. The Christianity: The Namuyi have yet to king ruled with “absolute spiritual and hear the gospel for the first time Language: Little is known about the temporal sway”3 over his subjects. because of their geographic, social, Namuyi language except that it is part and religious isolation. There are few of the Qiangic linguistic family. Most Customs: The Namuyi practice Christians among any of the ethnic Namuyi are able to speak the traditional Tibetan wind burial. groups in the region. Of the hundreds languages of their neighbors, Corpses are cut up with an axe into of self-sacrificing missionaries who especially Khampa Tibetan. Those small pieces and placed on a gave their lives for , none is living in Muli County are bilingual in mountaintop. Ravens and other birds known to have worked in the Namuyi Chrame, while some of the of prey descend and devour the flesh area. C. T. Studd, a well-known easternmost Namuyi, who live in parts and organs. The Namuyi believe this sportsman in England, gave up his of Xichang County, can speak the enables the soul of the dead person fame and career to serve Christ in Nosu Yi language. Namuyi does not to be scattered to the four winds. Africa and China. For Studd, the possess a written script. Chinese is decision was not a difficult one to the most commonly used orthography. Religion: Most Namuyi are Tibetan make. He simply explained, “If Jesus Buddhists, but those who live near Christ be God and died for me, then History: Areas of the western the large and influential Nosu group no sacrifice can be too great for me to Liangshan Prefecture used to be in a have adopted their polytheistic make for Him.”4 province called Xikang, which was practices.

Status: Overview of the Status of Evangelization Namuyi Officially included under Tibetan Language: Sino-Tibetan, 97% • Countries: China Tibeto-Burman, Qiangic, Namuyi • TIBET •Ya’an SICHUAN Pronunciation: “Nah-moo-yee” Dialects: 0 •Xiangcheng •Jiulong Other Names: Namuzi, Nameji Religion: •Xichang Muli• Population Source: Tibetan Buddhism, Polytheism YUNNAN GUIZHOU 5,000 (1983 Sun Hongkai); Scale Christians: None known 3% 0% 0 KM 160 Out of a total Tibetan population of 4,593,330 (1990 census) Scripture: None A B C Population in China: Location: S Sichuan: Liangshan Jesus film: None A = Have never heard the gospel 5,000 (1983) Yi Prefecture: Mianning, Muli, Gospel Recordings: None 6,950 (2000) B = Were evangelized but did not Xichang, and Yanyuan counties; Christian Broadcasting: None become Christians 8,570 (2010) Jiulong County in Garze C = Are adherents to any form of ROPAL code: NMY00 Location: Sichuan Prefecture Christianity Religion: Tibetan Buddhism Christians: None Known

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