Ayi, Anong in China


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

Although the Ayi are included as part of the official Nu nationality, they possess their own distinct customs and speak a language mutually unintelligible with other Nu varieties. The Ayi culture shares many similarities with the Lisu. The exact affiliation of the Ayi language has yet to be determined, except that it is part of the Tibeto-Burman language family. The Ayi language consists of four tones and has borrowed words from the Chinese, Tibetan, Lisu, Bai, and Burmese languages.


History

The Ayi have historically been viewed by outsiders as more culturally backward than the Bai, Naxi, or Han Chinese people farther to the east. In the eighth century the Ayi came under the control of the Nanzhao Kingdom centered in Dali. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties the area was controlled by a Naxi headman. In 1907 the Ayi joined an uprising in protest against the British who had entered China from Burma. Alcoholism has long been a curse on the Ayi people. Often in villages, all the people, including children, were addicted, but since the arrival of Christianity the problem has subsided.


Customs

The Ayi live by subsistence farming. Their major crops are maize, buckwheat, barley, potatoes, yams, beans, and corn. They supplement farming by hunting with crossbows. Those who live near the rivers fish from two-man flat boats. Ayi society has traditionally been monogamous, although some wealthy landlords kept extra wives and concubines. The youngest son among the Ayi inherits the family property.


Religion

It is estimated that more than half of the Ayi are professing Christians. A recent report stated, "Fugong County, which is in China's northwestern Yunnan Province, has so many Christians that it is known as 'Christ County'. Ninety percent of the people there are believers. The Christians report that authorities, impressed by the falling crime rate, are actually encouraging people to believe."


Christianity

The Ayi have received a vibrant Christian witness from strong evangelistic churches among the nearby Lisu and Nu. Most Ayi attend mixed-nationality churches where Lisu is the language used in worship. Many Protestant and Catholic missionaries lived in this part of China prior to the 1950s which has resulted in strong churches today among the Lisu, Bai, Nu, and Derung minorities. The New Testament is available in the Nu language based on a dialect in Myanmar, but it is not known to what extent the Ayi can understand it.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Ayi, Anong in China.


Profile Source:   Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Anong
People Name in Country Ayi, Anong
Pronunciation Ah-yee, ah-NONG
Alternate Names Ah-yee
Population this Country 8,200
Population all Countries 19,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 6  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 10519
ROP3 Code 107509
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 Approximately 2,000 people speak the Ayi language, out of a total of 27,000 in the Nu nationality. Other Nu subgroups in China include the Lama and Zauzou. The Ayi live in parts of Fugong and Gongshan counties in Nujiang Prefecture. They inhabit the remote mountains of northwest Yunnan near the Myanmar border. Although the region is off-limits to foreign travelers, it is one of the most Christianized areas in China. Most of the remainder of the Nu minority live farther north of the Ayi.   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 Approximately 2,000 people speak the Ayi language, out of a total of 27,000 in the Nu nationality. Other Nu subgroups in China include the Lama and Zauzou. The Ayi live in parts of Fugong and Gongshan counties in Nujiang Prefecture. They inhabit the remote mountains of northwest Yunnan near the Myanmar border. Although the region is off-limits to foreign travelers, it is one of the most Christianized areas in China. Most of the remainder of the Nu minority live farther north of the Ayi..   Source:  Operation China, 2000

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 50.00 %)
59.00 %
Ethnic Religions
35.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
6.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Anong (8,200 speakers)
Language Code nun   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Anong (8,200 speakers)
Language Code nun   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Anong

Primary Language:  Anong

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2005-2010)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1981)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2015)
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
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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