Poorest, least literate and Muslim - the Dongxiang of China
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Population: estimate 514,000 (Year 2000 census)
Religion: Sunni Muslims
Fourth Largest
The Dongxiang people is the 4th largest of China’s 10 Muslim peoples. Literally, Dongxiang means “eastern villages” hinting that the Dongxiang came from further west. In fact it is thought that they originally came from the Sarta people of Central Asia. Between the 12th and 13th century, Genghis Khan invaded the Central Asia and captured the Muslim Sarta people - a term that once referred to Muslim traders in Central Asia. He brought them back to China and many intermarried with Mongol soldiers, some of the Sarta became slaves to the Mongols and some were sent to Gansu province as settlers. They fought for the Mongols in war and farmed their land in peace time. The largest concentrations of the Dongxiang still live in rugged and dry mountains of Gansu province, others are found in Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang Provinces in north-western China south of Mongolia and north-east of Tibet.
The Struggles
Over the generations they also mixed with Han, Mongolian, Hui and Tibetan peoples. Due to their seclusion in the remote area of the Northwest China for several centuries, the Dongxiang people formed their own unwritten language which is related to the Mongol language. Even if they do not have a system of writing they do have rich oral traditions including legends, stories, folk songs, riddles and proverbs. Many of them also know spoken Mandarin. However, government statistics show that the Dongxiang are among the poorest and least literate of China’s 56 ethnic minorities. Many of them have only had slightly over one year of schooling. Most Dongxiang children find it difficult to learn Chinese. Some international aide agencies have been spurred to act in collaboration with the Chinese government to begin bringing a solution to this problem. A Dongxiang - Chinese dictionary was recently produced which is proving to be a great help.
Three Treasures
The Dongxiang mainly engage in agriculture. Livestock rearing, especially of sheep, plays an important role in their economic life. Their major products include potatoes, wheat, maize, hemp, rapeseed and other industrial crops. The Dongxiang’s “three treasures”, apricots, melons and other fruits, enjoy good reputation throughout China. There are possibly 200 Christians among the Dongxiang, however most of them are not organised in house groups or churches.
Prayer Requests:
* Ask God to send Chinese Christians to live and announce the Gospel among the Dongxiang people. May there be opportunities to help them with medical, educational, social and agricultural projects.
* May God open the hearts of the Dongxiang in order that they could enter His kingdom.
Background information, map and and statistics for China are here …>>
Love China - Wonderful works of God
A promotional video about the work in China.
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Filed under: Asia, East by TDI
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September 19th, 2007 at 10:25
As I was praying for Dongxiang of China, my hand started to burn and I feel such a release from the Father of healing and restoration, physical healing. Especially eyes, heads, bowls, children with common children disease being healed, even legs that were crooked from birth being restored. I also sense that our Father wants to break down walls of division, in the people’s hearts but also in China. I see many angles coming to that area to teach and train the people - especially the children while they sleep. I see old men being pulled out of religion and with deep hunger towards the true Life … asking questions that were unthinkable to ask before.
My hand is still burning and the burden still on my heart. I wanted to share this for agreement, but also to ask if any miracles come out of this area, I would love to hear about it.
Thank you for what you are doing. May the Lord richly bless you and protect you.
PS. my name is Nerina and I am praying here from Canada
September 20th, 2007 at 5:31
I dont see South Africa on the list. These people and others emigrating from the north and elsewhere need pray as well. Came to our country - many caught with drugs etc. All youth needs prayer to be safe outside the home and not to fall prey of these people. Pray tat all youth will experience a special deliverance of God in their lives. May God waken every child of God to start praying when they saw a Muslim worshipper
September 20th, 2007 at 2:49
God really put on my heart to pray for Christian educators to be called to Dongxiang, especially for the children.
September 20th, 2007 at 11:23
I am a mongolian (outer mongolia). And this summer in July, i visited Dongxiang people in China. Seeing the real circumstance those people live broke my heart. They live on top of mountain in high altitude with little to eat, and people’s hearts are very closed to the Gospel and to outsiders. Whole time I was there, I felt strong stronghold of satan intensely. Please be praying for these beatuiful, yet lost people. Knowing we are the descendants of Gengghis Khaan stirs my heart for Dongxiang.
September 21st, 2007 at 2:23
I requested Day 8 be sent to me again, as I had missed it. When it came , I realized that I HAD seen it in my inbox at some time, but somehow it had disappeared, so I had not read it and prayed. Today, I’ve been praying since before dawn, not only for Dongxiang, but all over China. What is God, the Almighty, up to in these days of unprecedented prayer as He gains more and more focus on His power and glory through our risen, coming-again Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
September 21st, 2007 at 8:38
That is strange because when I went to print out the requests to use in our family devotions, I could not find Day 8 in my inbox. I just now got it by downloading the 30 Days booklet PDF file. Figured out how to copy and paste the text into Word Perfect so as to avoid using a lot of printer ink. We can always view the photos online, if we want to.