Mongol August 11 Customs: Through thousands of RUSSIA bitter winters the Mongols have INNER MONGOLIA lived in yurts, racing their horses, MONGOLIA raising livestock, and worshiping the forces of nature. LIAONING GANSU SHANXI Scale Religion: At the mercy of their 0 KM 800 vast and windswept landscape, Population in China: the ancient Mongols based their 4,505,000 (1990) religion on the forces of nature. 5,811,400 (2000) 7,496,800 (2010) The moon, stars, and sun were Location: Inner Mongolia, Jilin, all revered, as were rivers. In the Liaoning, Hebei, Henan… past many Mongols were Religion: Shamanism Christians: 12,000 Christians, converted by Nestorian missionaries between Overview of the Mongols the seventh and fourteenth Countries: China, Mongolia, centuries. Even a chapel outside Russia, Taiwan, USA Pronunciation: “Mong-goll” the Great Khan’s royal tent Other Names: “resounded with the sound of Mongolian, Menggu, Meng Zu public chants and the beating of Population Source: tablets loudly announcing the 4,806,849 (1990 census);1 3,416,881 (1982 census);2 appointed hours of Christian 1,614,000 in Mongolia (1993 P. worship.”7 Hulagu Khan’s wife Johnstone); 626,000 in Russia (1993); 6,000 in Taiwan (1993); was described as “the believing 8 Also in USA and true Christian queen.” The Location: Inner Mongolia Paul Hattaway Keirats, a Mongol tribe, Autonomous Region; Jilin; 9 AD Liaoning; Hebei; Henan; Beijing; Location: Almost six million Mongols are numbered 200,000 believers in 1007, Jiangsu; Shaanxi; Shanxi; Tianjin; scattered across a wide area of northern while there were about 30,000 Mongol Shandong; Shanghai China. Approximately three times as many Catholics recorded in China by 1368.10 Status: An official minority of China Mongols live in China as in the nation of Language: Altaic, Mongolian, Mongolia. The population of Mongols living Christianity: At times during the thirteenth Eastern Mongolian, Oirat-Khalka, in Inner Mongolia fell from 450,000 to and fourteenth centuries it seemed that the Khalka-Buriat 300,000 in the 173 years between 1772 Mongols were on the verge of adopting Literacy: 71% 3 Dialects (9): Chahar, Ordos, and 1945. Although their numbers have Christianity as their religion. Kublai Khan Tumet, Shilingol, Ulanchab, since grown again, they are now swamped issued this challenge to Marco Polo: “Go to Jo-Uda, Jostu, Jirim, Ejine by the multitude of Han who have migrated your Pope and ask him to send me a Religion: Shamanism, Tibetan Buddhism, Animism, Christianity into their homeland. In 1982, 1,863 of hundred men learned in your religion, who Christians: 12,000 China’s 2,369 counties and municipalities in the face of these sorcerers… will show Scripture: New Testament 1952; contained members of the Mongolian their mastery by making the sorcerers Work in progress nationality.4 powerless to perform these marvels in their Jesus film: None Gospel Recordings: presence.… Then I will be baptized, and all Mongolian #00292 Identity: The Mongols — who consist of my magnates and barons will do likewise, Inner Mongolian Chahar #04947 “as many as sixty separate Mongolian and their subjects in turn.… Then there will Sheeringgul: Hohhot 5 Christian Broadcasting: tribes” — are one of China’s official be more Christians here than there are in 11 Available (FEBC) nationalities. your part of the world.” In 1992 there ROPAL code: MVF00 were about 2,000 Mongol believers 12 Status of Evangelization Language: The main Mongol language in reported in China. Today there are 77% China is similar to Hahl Mongol in believed to be between 5,000 and Mongolia, “but there are phonological and 12,000.13 In 1998 a German-based important loan differences.”6 ministry claimed at least 200,000 Mongol Christians in China.14 This has been 22% History: In the thirteenth and fourteenth strongly challenged by people close to the 1% centuries the Mongols brutally established situation who say this source is unreliable the largest empire the world has seen, and the claims are grossly exaggerated. A B C stretching from Southeast Asia to Europe. The size of the Mongol church in China has A = Have never heard the gospel They instituted the Yuan Dynasty and ruled long been a matter of dispute. Many have B = Were evangelized but did not become Christians China from 1271 to 1368. The terrified been unable to distinguish between Han C = Are adherents to any form of Europeans called the Mongols Tatars, believers living in Inner Mongolia, and Christianity meaning “people from hell” (Tartarus). ethnic Mongols.15 MONGOL 363.