Han , April 16 ➤

northern state had fallen to be Christians. Protestants in Tibetan and Mongol number between kingdoms, who set up their 50,0006 and 90,000,7 in own rule in the north, known addition to 30,000 as the Western Catholics.8 (1038–1227) and (1115–1234) dynasties. The rulers were forced to relocate to . • During this time, the world GUANGXI first learned about the mysteries and grandeur of KONG Scale after explorers such 0 KM 400 as Marco Polo visited there. Population in China: 2,000,000 (1987) Customs: Historical records 2,338,000 (2000) suggest were not 2,642,000 (2010) Location: Guangxi always used by the Chinese. Religion: No Religion In ancient times the Chinese Christians: 8,000 used utensils similar to knives and forks, but after a Overview of the prolonged period of famine, Pinghua Chinese food was eaten in small Countries: China pieces, and the use of Pronunciation: “Ping-hwa” chopsticks developed. Other Names: Pinghua, Ping, Pinghwa, Penghua, Penhwa, Religion: The Chinese Book Pengwa of History mentions that at Population Source: More than

Paul Hattaway 2,000,000 (1987 LAC); the dawn of Chinese history Out of a total population of Location: More than two significant disparities, in the days of and 1,042,482,187 (1990 census) million speakers of Pinghua though there are a few Shuen, 2,200 BC, a terrible Location: Guangxi: Between Chinese inhabit the Guangxi common features.”2 The inundation was recorded Lingchuan and Nanning Autonomous Region Northern consists of that had once desolated the Status: Officially included in southern China. They live only five tones, while the land. “In their vast extent under primarily along the major Southern dialect contains the waters embrace the : Chinese, Pinghua traffic routes between eight. One early visitor mountains and over-top the (2): Guibei, Guinan Lingchuan (north of Guilin) noted, “The dialect that Religion: No Religion, Buddhism, hills, threatening heaven Christianity, Daoism and Nanning in the south, results from this mixture of 4 with their floods.” The Christians: 8,000 especially those following races is called Pengwa. A Chinese have now reduced Scripture: None the railway line. “A northern large proportion of the these accounts to merely a Jesus film: None subgroup (Guibei) can be people… evidently do not bad flood of the . Gospel Recordings: None found extending from Guilin, speak or Christian Broadcasting: None through Yangshuo and Mandarin, or at any rate do Christianity: Guangxi, which ROPAL code: None Pingle, to Fuchuan, not speak it freely.”3 means “vast west,” has and Hexian.”1 traditionally been one of the Status of Evangelization History: The parts of China most Identity: Although the (960–1279): Kuangyin neglected by missionaries. 83% Pinghua Chinese are conquered more than a In the 1920s workers counted as part of the Han dozen regional kingdoms lamented that there were nationality, their language is and assumed power in 959. “areas inhabited by 16% clearly distinct from all other The Song period is usually [minority] tribes where no 1% . divided into the Northern Christian worker would be Song (960–1126) ruled from familiar with the A B C Language: Pinghua is City in spoken and where the A = Have never heard the gospel B = Were evangelized but did not divided into two dialects: Province; and the Southern country has not as yet been become Christians Guibei (Northern) and Song (1127–1279) which explored.”5 Today no more C = Are adherents to any form of Guinan (Southern). These had Hangzhou in present-day than 0.3% of Guangxi’s 45 Christianity two dialects “show as its capital. The million inhabitants claim to

184 HAN CHINESE, PINGHUA