Ghao-Xong, Eastern March 28 Yunnan. This contributed to to the feet of the crucified their reluctance to adopt a Christ, no peals of thunder new faith.”4 to announce the herald of the Great King.”9 Customs: For centuries the HUBEI Ghao-Xong have been SICHUAN “growing mulberries and •Yuanling raising silkworms, spinning HUNAN GUIZHOU •Hongjiang and weaving, making paper- •Guiyang cuts and, of course, •Kaili •Chengbu embroidering.”5 Many Ghao- Scale Xong festivals feature music GUANGXI played on the suona horn 0 KM 160 and on drums. Population in China: 80,000 (1990) 103,200 (2000) Religion: The Ghao-Xong 133,100 (2010) have the custom of Location: Hunan worshiping Pan Hu, the Religion: Animism dragon-dog they claim as Christians: 1,000 their ancestor. Today the Overview of the Ghao-Xong of Maxiang County in Hunan have a Eastern Ghao-Xong carved stone tablet Countries: China Pronunciation: “Gaow-Shong” inscribed “for sacrificing to Other Names: Hmong: Eastern Great King Pan Hu” and Xiangxi, Red Miao, Meo Do, topped by two dragon Hsianghsi Meo, Eastern Xiangxi heads.6 Certain kinds of Miao Population Source: trees are also worshiped as 80,000 (1995 Wang Fushi – deities. In many villages the 1990 figure); front door of a family’s 70,000 (1985 Wang Fushi – Miao Messenger 1982 figure); home is considered a god. Out of a total Miao population of Location: Approximately under the Miao nationality in The doors in these villages 7,398,035 (1990 census) 100,000 speakers of the China. The Ghao-Xong were are worshiped annually in a Location: NW Hunan: Luxi, Jishou, Eastern Ghao-Xong language labeled Red Miao by the ceremony where a pig is Guzhang, and Longshan counties 2 Status: are found in China. Western early missionaries. They sacrificed and the blood is Officially included under Miao 7 Ghao-Xong is spoken by far have also been called sprinkled on the doorposts. Language: Hmong-Mien, greater numbers, claiming Huayuan Miao and Northern Hmongic, Northern Hmongic close to one million Miao. Christianity: In the 1920s Dialects: 0 speakers. The Eastern Father Theopane Maguire of Religion: Animism, Polytheism, Ghao-Xong inhabit the far Language: Eastern and the Catholic Passionist Ancestor Worship, Christianity northeastern extent of Miao Western Ghao-Xong have Fathers — based in Christians: 1,000 Scripture: None territory in China, near the been combined by linguists Brighton, Massachusetts, Jesus film: None Xiang (Hunanese) Chinese. to form their own language USA — commenced work Gospel Recordings: None They are located in parts of branch within the Hmongic among the Ghao-Xong in Christian Broadcasting: None Luxi, Jishou, Guzhang, and (Miao) language family. three counties of Hunan ROPAL code: MUQ00 Longshan counties in Province. Their work, which northwest Hunan Province. History: During the Song was based in Yangshui Status of Evangelization Most of their villages are on Dynasty (AD 960–1279) the County, suffered a setback 80% the top of mountains where Ghao-Xong staged 112 wars when rebels killed three of they are able to maintain to save their tribal lands and the missionaries in 1929. their customs in privacy. A preserve their way of life.3 By 1934 they had won Miao proverb states, “Fish Ralph Covell notes, “The 2,500 converts, but no 19% swim in water, birds fly in Miao [Ghao-Xong] people in record was made of how 1% the air, Miao live on the Hunan seem to have been many were Ghao-Xong mountains.”1 badly oppressed by the compared to Han Chinese.8 A B C Chinese over a long period In 1946 Maguire was forced A = Have never heard the gospel B = Were evangelized but did not Identity: Ghao-Xong is the of time, but remained more to concede, “Here are no become Christians autonym of this group, who independent in spirit than startling mass conversions, C = Are adherents to any form of have officially been included those in Guizhou and no pilgrimages of the mighty Christianity 156 GHAO-XONG, EASTERN.