Western Daur in China

The Western Daur have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Daur in Xinjiang are the descendants of a group of Daur troops who were sent from Manchuria in 1763. The Chinese include them under the Daur nationality, despite the fact that their customs are now markedly different from the Daur living on the opposite side of the country.

The Western Daur are related to the Daur in Heilongjiang Province, who came under Chinese control in 1698. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) the Daur were called up for military service a total of 60 times. One assignment in 1763 took a group of Daur soldiers all the way across northern China to Xinjiang. After completing their service, the soldiers decided to stay in the northwest, rather than face the demanding two-year journey back to their homeland.


What Are Their Lives Like?

On his wedding day, the groom sets off to fetch the bride the moment the sun rises. "As soon as the bride in her red wedding gown arrives in a car, firecrackers are let off ... and the bride's hair is combed with a part in the center. She wears gold, silver or jade earrings, bracelets and rings, and an embroidered tobacco pouch is attached to the front of her dress. She does this because it is the custom with the Daurs to offer each other a cigarette."


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Western Daur are polytheists, worshiping five sky gods. "All humans and animals are believed to have a sumus, or spirit, which at the time of death, leaves the body and is presented to Irmu Khan, the lord of the underworld. He decides how each spirit will be reincarnated. Those whose owners have behaved best might become barkans (gods) while those with the worst record are condemned to perpetual hell."


What Are Their Needs?

There has never been a known church among the Western Daur. The recently established Daur church in northeast China, however, has a burden to reach their brothers in the northwest and were planning an evangelistic trip to Xinjiang in 1998.


Prayer Points

Pray to Lord Jesus to intervene in their families, calling people close to him.
Pray for loving servant workers.
Pray for them to be drawn to the Lord of lords.
Pray for church plants to thrive in their communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Daur, Western in China.


References

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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Daur, Western
People Name in Country Daur, Western
Natural Name Western Daur
Pronunciation Dao-urh
Alternate Names Sinkiang Daur; Turkestan Daur; Xinjiang Daur
Population this Country 7,500
Population all Countries 7,500
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18434
ROP3 Code 114031
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 A total of 4,369 Western Daur were counted in the 1982 Chinese census. They live in the Gurbansher Daur Commune near the city of Tacheng, in the Ili Prefecture of northwest Xinjiang. The region has long been a crossroads for many peoples. In 1936 it was described as "a riot of color… whose community is an amazing mixture of tongues. Here in the winter, old-style Russians in gay troikas race to and fro from all-night parties; solemn processions of Mongol lamas parade through the streets on horse-back, and long-robed Chinese and Turki merchants shout and gesticulate in the crowded market places."   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 A total of 4,369 Western Daur were counted in the 1982 Chinese census. They live in the Gurbansher Daur Commune near the city of Tacheng, in the Ili Prefecture of northwest Xinjiang. The region has long been a crossroads for many peoples. In 1936 it was described as "a riot of color… whose community is an amazing mixture of tongues. Here in the winter, old-style Russians in gay troikas race to and fro from all-night parties; solemn processions of Mongol lamas parade through the streets on horse-back, and long-robed Chinese and Turki merchants shout and gesticulate in the crowded market places.".   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
5.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
90.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Daur
Language Code dta   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Chinese, Mandarin Uyghur
Primary Language Daur
Language Code dta   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Chinese, Mandarin
  Uyghur
People Groups Speaking Daur

Primary Language:  Daur

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2003)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
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 Daur Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Paul Noll 
Map Source Bryan Nicholson / cartoMission  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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