Adi in China


Population
Main Language
Adi
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Adi do not appear in Chinese government publications. It is likely that they have been officially counted as part of the Lhoba nationality, who have a similar language and live in the same region. In India, Adi is a general name given for a collection of as many as 15 tribes or subgroups, including the Ramo, Bokar, Bori, and Shimong.

The Adi language is part of the Baric branch of the Tibeto-Burman family. Most sources list Adi and Miri as two dialects of the same language, while other scholars describe them as two distinct, mutually unintelligible languages.

After the communist takeover of Tibet in the 1950s, the Indian military went on full alert. In the following decades, several border skirmishes between the two giant nations took place, particularly at the opposite ends of the Himalayan Range. Those Adi who are now located in China did not migrate there but found themselves technically in Tibet as the result of the redrawing of international boundaries after these conflicts. The Adi are perhaps the most remote people in China.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Expression by dance is an important part of the Adi culture. Religious and war dances use aggressive movements to relate the violent history of the Adi against other tribes in northeast India. Adi women are renowned throughout northern India as expert weavers.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Adi in Tibet are an isolated people who follow an ancient form of shamanism. Acting as mediums between the Adi and the spirit world, shamans often fall into demonic trances while communicating with the spirits. In India, some Adi have converted to Hinduism. Some Adi in Tibet outwardly adhere to Tibetan Buddhism more to please their aggressive Tibetan neighbors than from sincere, heartfelt conviction.

There are reports of existing churches among the Adi in India, largely due to the work of the Baptist General Conference. Locked in by massive mountains, few Adi in China have ever heard the gospel. Adi territory is rugged and off-limits to foreigners: It is inaccessible from the Chinese side. The Adi in both India and China remain an unreached people in desperate need of attention from the global Body of Christ. The conversion of the Adi would likely impact dozens of smaller, related peoples throughout this ethnically diverse area.


What Are Their Needs?

The Adi need to hear about God’s love and salvation from sin. They need God to move the hearts of loving workers to go to them.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to rally prayer warriors who will plow spiritual ground for the Adi people
Pray that the Adi people will be pressed by dreams of the loving man in white: Jesus! Ask him to give them visions that will testify to his kingdom.
Pray that as they seek Christ, miracles will testify of his faithfulness.
Pray for workers who are driven by love and boldness of the Holy Spirit to go to them.
Pray for a movement to Christ among them to begin even before workers can physically reach them!


Scripture Prayers for the Adi in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Adi
People Name in Country Adi
Pronunciation AH-dee
Alternate Names Abor; Abor-Miri; Arbor; Miri; आदि
Population this Country 1,200
Population all Countries 83,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18386
ROP3 Code 113979
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 The great majority of Adi live in India, with 482,000 occupying the north hills of the Assam Valley between Bhutan and the Burili River. Approximately 300,000 Adi live on Majuli Island - the world's largest river island - which lies in the mighty Brahmaputra River. There are no more than 1,000 Adi inside China, although some publications have claimed as many as 61,000 live there. Living in remote valleys near the juncture of India, Bhutan, and Tibet, the Adi experience less severe winters than people living on the Tibetan Plateau. The Adi inhabit a beautiful, forested region which abounds with mountain strawberries, hemp, irises, azaleas and rhododendrons. Medog County still contains many Bengali tigers as well as 40 species of other rare, protected animals.   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 The great majority of Adi live in India, with 482,000 occupying the north hills of the Assam Valley between Bhutan and the Burili River. Approximately 300,000 Adi live on Majuli Island - the world's largest river island - which lies in the mighty Brahmaputra River. There are no more than 1,000 Adi inside China, although some publications have claimed as many as 61,000 live there. Living in remote valleys near the juncture of India, Bhutan, and Tibet, the Adi experience less severe winters than people living on the Tibetan Plateau. The Adi inhabit a beautiful, forested region which abounds with mountain strawberries, hemp, irises, azaleas and rhododendrons. Medog County still contains many Bengali tigers as well as 40 species of other rare, protected animals..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
10.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
90.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Adi (1,200 speakers)
Language Code adi   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Padam
Dialect Code 2410   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Adi (1,200 speakers)
Language Code adi   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Padam
Dialect Code 2410   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Adi

Primary Language:  Adi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1932-1986)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1988-2003)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2005-2012)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) 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
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Adi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Adi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Adi YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Ramesh Lalwani - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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