Shan in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

Shan is an ethnic group in the east Asian countries of China, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. A small number live in the northeastern states of India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

We know very little about how they live in India.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Even living in a Hindu culture, the Shan retain their Buddhist beliefs. Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha, who lived in the 6th and 5th century BC in ancient India. The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths by which one can gain spiritual knowledge and escape the endless cycles of reincarnation. Theravada, one of the two major branches of Buddhism, declares that by following the Noble Eightfold Path of right intentions and right actions that a Buddhist can achieve nirvana or a state of freedom and salvation. Mahayana Buddhism, the other main branch of Buddhism, asserts that by following the six perfections that a Buddhist can move along the path to Enlightenment. Tibetan Buddhism falls within the Mahayana school.

To most Buddhists, however, these things have far less meaning than their traditional beliefs, which are usually animistic. In animism, evil spirits must be appeased through prayers, sacrifices and rituals. Buddhism allows people to mix Buddhist teachings with traditional religion.

Two of the important Buddhist yearly holidays are Vesak, the Buddha's birthday celebrated in May or June and Bodhi Day, the holiday which commemorates the day that the historical Buddha experienced enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.


What Are Their Needs?

These people need to realize that they cannot please God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They cannot have the Holy Spirit without Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Shan communities.

Pray for the Shan people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.

Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Shan people to change their society from within.

Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Shan in India.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shan_people


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Shan
People Name in Country Shan
Pronunciation Shahn
Alternate Names शान
Population this Country 1,400
Population all Countries 1,400
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19740
ROP3 Code 115810
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 3
Largest States
Assam
1,300
Meghalaya
80
Andaman and Nicobar
20
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 3
  Assam 1,300
  Meghalaya 80
  Andaman and Nicobar 20
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
73.62 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
1.55 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
24.83 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Shan (1,400 speakers)
Language Code shn   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Shan (1,400 speakers)
Language Code shn   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Shan
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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