Hunan Iu Mien in China

The Hunan Iu Mien have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

There has been great conflict between the Iu Mien (Yao) and the Han for many centuries. Until this century the Chinese character for writing Yao used the radical for "insect" instead of the radical for "people." A series of rebellions occurred among the Iu Mien in Hunan, starting in 1836. The fight was over the control of the opium trade. Most drugs going from southern China to the northern provinces passed through Xinning County, just to the west of the Xiang River valley. The Iu Mien in this region were involved with the trade as well as several Chinese triad societies, including the Qinglian Jiao (Black Lotus Society) and the Bangbang Hui (Cudgel Society). In 1847 another revolt occurred in Xinning, led by an Iu Mien, Li Caihao. The Iu Mien were savagely defeated after fighting lasted for several months. Thousands of Iu Mien were killed.

Although they are part of the great Yao nationality in China, the Iu Mien living in Hunan Province have been found to speak a dialect that differs and is considered mutually unintelligible with Iu Mien varieties elsewhere.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Many of the Iu Mien in Hunan live in isolated villages at the summits of high mountains. Because of their location, the Iu Mien pipe fresh water to their villages through a skillfully constructed system of bamboo pipes.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Hunan Iu Mien share three religious belief systems. They worship Pan Hu, the mythical progenitor of their people, they appease spirits and demons, and they also observe rituals borrowed from Daoism (which includes ancestor worship).

The Iu Mien in Hunan are among China's most unreached people groups. There is very little Christian influence of any sort in Hunan, and few believers have ever dared to venture into the isolated mountains inhabited by the Iu Mien since time immemorial.


What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people will be lost in this life and the life to come. They need someone to go to them as Christ-bearers.


Prayer Points

Pray for the spiritual blindness and bondage to the evil one to be removed so they can understand and respond to Christ.

Pray for the Lord to provide for their physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of his power and love.

Pray that the Hunan Iu Mien people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.

Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.


Scripture Prayers for the Iu Mien, Hunan in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Iu Mien, Hunan
People Name in Country Iu Mien, Hunan
Natural Name Hunan Iu Mien
Pronunciation HOO-nahn YOO-mee-en
Alternate Names Hunan Yao; Mien; Mien, Hunan; Pan Yao
Population this Country 223,000
Population all Countries 223,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 4
People ID 18505
ROP3 Code 114117
ROP25 Code 300794
ROP25 Name Yao (Iu Mien)
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country An official government study in 1995 listed 130,000 speakers of the Iu Mien language living in southern Hunan Province. They inhabit at least 17 different counties within Hunan, including Yongzhou, Shuangpai, Xintian, Changning, Daoxian, Lanshan, Lingxian, Ningyuan, Jianghua, Jiangyong, Dong'an, Linwu, Guiyang, Xinning, and Yizhang. In many locations the Iu Mien live alongside Ghao-Xong and Han Chinese. There are no speakers of the Hunan variety of Iu Mien reportedly living outside of China.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country An official government study in 1995 listed 130,000 speakers of the Iu Mien language living in southern Hunan Province. They inhabit at least 17 different counties within Hunan, including Yongzhou, Shuangpai, Xintian, Changning, Daoxian, Lanshan, Lingxian, Ningyuan, Jianghua, Jiangyong, Dong'an, Linwu, Guiyang, Xinning, and Yizhang. In many locations the Iu Mien live alongside Ghao-Xong and Han Chinese. There are no speakers of the Hunan variety of Iu Mien reportedly living outside of China..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Map of Iu Mien, Hunan in China Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
95.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Iu Mien (223,000 speakers)
Language Code ium   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Iu Mien (223,000 speakers)
Language Code ium   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Iu Mien
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: SIL / WLMS. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



Joshua Project logo    Joshua Project    Copyright © 2024