Local legends say the ancestors of the Shangri La Tibetans were Qiang people who came to Zhongdian, fought and overcame the locals in battle, and eventually became assimilated to Tibetan ways. This would explain the linguistic, clothing, and cultural differences they have today with other Tibetan groups. Zhongdian is home to the Shangri La Tibetans. Thus, they are known either as Shangri La Tibetans or Zhongdians.
Their women still wear a different traditional dress from all other Tibetans. Shangri La Tibetan women prefer to wear a cone-shaped headdress which they wrap inside a scarf. They live in two-story wooden houses. Except for a few new roads and electricity lines, life has not changed much in this remote part of China.
The great majority of Shangri La Tibetans adhere to Tibetan Buddhism. The large Jietang Songlin Monastery, which houses several hundred monks, is located just to the north of Zhongdian Township.
French Catholic missionaries commenced work among the Shangri La Tibetans in the late 1800s. Today, a large French-style cathedral still stands at Tchronteu, near Weixi. "The purpose of the monks of Saint Bernard was to minister to all in need who traveled over the high mountain trails in trade and commerce. Their most valuable helpers were huge Saint Bernard dogs - half Swiss and half Tibetan. In the city of Weixi, the monks, helped by the Cluny Sisters of Saint Joseph and two Tibetan nuns, ran a mission school attended by children from Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet." A Catholic priest was responsible for 9,500 Tibetan believers in his area. Of these, about 7,500 belong to the Deqen Tibetan group and 2,000 to the Shangri La Tibetans.
the Shangri La Tibetan people need to allow Jesus to be their Lord and find their identity in relationship with him.
Pray for the Lord to reveal himself as savior and friend to the Shangri La Tibetan people.
Pray for laborers to be sent to these people with a passion to see them come to salvation in Christ.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would be opening and preparing their hearts to receive the gospel.
Pray that they would not see Christianity as an outside movement or religion, but they would see salvation as God’s redemption plan that he’s offered all along.
Pray for discipleship communities to grow and thrive among the Shangri La Tibetan people.
Scripture Prayers for the Tibetan, Shangri La in China.
Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission.
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Tibetan, Shangri La |
People Name in Country | Tibetan, Shangri La |
Natural Name | Shangri La Tibetan |
Alternate Names | Chongtien; Chung-tien Tibetans; Khampa; Rgyalathang; Zhongdian; Zhongdian Tibetans |
Population this Country | 103,000 |
Population all Countries | 103,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | No |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 2 |
People ID | 18700 |
ROP3 Code | 114332 |
ROP25 Code | 308145 |
ROP25 Name | Tibetan |
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 | Most inhabit villages in Shangri-La, Weixi and Lijiang counties in the north-western part of Yunnan Province, China. A few Shangri-La (Zhongdian) families have reportedly migrated to Switzerland. Source: Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004 |
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 | Most inhabit villages in Shangri-La, Weixi and Lijiang counties in the north-western part of Yunnan Province, China. A few Shangri-La (Zhongdian) families have reportedly migrated to Switzerland.. Source: Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004 |
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Primary Religion: | Buddhism |
Religion Subdivision: | Tibetan |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
95.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.10 %) |
3.50 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
1.50 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Tibetan, Khams (103,000 speakers) |
Language Code | khg Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Tibetan, Khams (103,000 speakers) |
Language Code | khg Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Tibetan, Khams |
Primary Language: Tibetan, Khams
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (2020) |
Bible-Complete | No |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | God's Story video | God's Story |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Tibetan, Khams | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | The Hope Video | Mars Hill Media |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Scripture Earth Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
Mobile App | Download audio Bible app as APK file | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Mobile App | Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Text / Printed Matter | Tools for faith conversations | Campus Crusade for Christ |
Text / Printed Matter | Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies | World Missionary Press |
Photo Source | Anonymous |
Video Source | Asia Harvest |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |