Ladakhi in China

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

Introduction / History

Leh, the capital of Ladakh, was the home of an independent Ladakhi monarchy for a thousand years. Today a Ladakhi royal family still exists in Leh, but their influence has been merely symbolic since the independence of India in 1947. The Ladakhi royal family trace their lineage back to the legendary King Nya Tri Tsanpo who ruled in the third century BC.

The Ladakhi are a Tibetan group, but they have major linguistic and historical differences from their counterparts in Tibet. The closely related Nubra people group are also found in China.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Life for the Ladakhi is hard. Hidden away in the highest mountains in the world, the region sees little rainfall, no more than three inches per year. Farmers rely on melted snow to water their crops. Winter temperatures remain constant at minus 30C (-22F).


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Ladakhi share the beliefs of their Tibetan neighbors. Tibetan Buddhism, mixed with images of ferocious demons from the pre-Buddhist Bon religion, has been the stronghold in Ladakh for more than a thousand years. Traces of influence from the dark, distant past are found in the demonic masks and reenactments of human sacrifices that make up their festivals. The Ladakhi believe hell is a miserably cold place.

The first Christians to the Ladakhi were probably Nestorian traders in the eighth century. Georgian crosses have been found inscribed on boulders in Ladakh. In 1642 a Portuguese priest, Antonio de Andrade, established a base near present-day Zanda. The mission was torn down soon after by the king of Ladakh. The Moravians commenced work in Ladakh in 1856 and by 1922 numbered 158 converts. They reported, "There is no very active opposition to Christian work. ... The people are very willing to accept anything we can give them in the way of medicine, education, or even Scriptures and religious tracts." There are no known Christians among the small number of Ladakhi in Tibet.


What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people are like sheep without a shepherd. They need the good shepherd in their families and communities.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to intervene in their families, calling people to his side.

Pray for loving, Holy Spirit sent workers.

Pray for their hearts to be drawn to the Lord of lords.

Pray for a church planting movement to thrive in their communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Ladakhi in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

The Ladakhi

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Ladakhi
People Name in Country Ladakhi
Pronunciation lah-DAH-kee
Alternate Names Bodh; Budhi; Hanu; Kaixien; Ladahk; Ladak; Ladakh; Ladaphi; Ladhakhi; Ladwags; Leh; Lodak; Lodokhi; Mangrik; Mon; Moravian Christian; लड़ाखी (क्रिस्चियन ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 600
Population all Countries 600
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 12939
ROP3 Code 105559
ROP25 Code 304521
ROP25 Name Ladakh
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 Global Evangelization Movement lists a 1995 population of 2,445 Ladakhi in Tibet. Their inclusion in China was unplanned and outside of their control. Before 1949 all Ladakhi lived in India. The Chinese invaded northern Ladakh in 1949, annexing 38,000 square kilometers (14,820 sq. mi.) of the Aksai Chin region in remote Himalayan territory. Those mountain passes near the China-India border have claimed the lives of many men and beasts. Bleached human and animal bones mark the trail like signposts at regular intervals. Approximately 100,000 Ladakhi live on the Indian side of the border. The Aksai Chin area is so remote that the Indian government did not discover the Chinese had constructed a road there until two years after it was completed.   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 Global Evangelization Movement lists a 1995 population of 2,445 Ladakhi in Tibet. Their inclusion in China was unplanned and outside of their control. Before 1949 all Ladakhi lived in India. The Chinese invaded northern Ladakh in 1949, annexing 38,000 square kilometers (14,820 sq. mi.) of the Aksai Chin region in remote Himalayan territory. Those mountain passes near the China-India border have claimed the lives of many men and beasts. Bleached human and animal bones mark the trail like signposts at regular intervals. Approximately 100,000 Ladakhi live on the Indian side of the border. The Aksai Chin area is so remote that the Indian government did not discover the Chinese had constructed a road there until two years after it was completed..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Map of Ladakhi in China Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Buddhism
Religion Subdivision: Tibetan
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
80.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
19.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
1.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Ladakhi
Language Code lbj   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Shamma
Dialect Code 12659   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Changthang
Primary Language Ladakhi
Language Code lbj   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Shamma
Dialect Code 12659   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Changthang
People Groups Speaking Ladakhi
Photo Source Christopher Michel - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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