Pumi in China

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

Introduction / History

According to Pumi legends and historical records, the ancestors of the Pumi were a nomadic tribe who roamed areas hundreds of miles farther north of their present location. They were forcibly moved to Yunnan by the Mongolians in the 1300s.

The Pumi are one of China's officially recognized minority groups. In 1960 the government combined various tribes and labeled them Pumi. Prior to that, each tribe called themselves by a different name, including Boukhai. The Pumi today call themselves a name which means "white men." The 30,000 Chrame people in Sichuan speak a language related to Pumi, but they have been counted in the Tibetan nationality.

Pumi - which has five dialects - is a member of the Tibeto-Burman language family. Some scholars believe it was originally a Qiangic language. Today after centuries of interaction, 15% of Pumi vocabulary consists of Chinese loanwords.


What Are Their Lives Like?

On the 15th day of the first month of the Pumi calendar, all Pumi, "clad in their holiday best, go camping on mountain slopes and celebrate around bonfires. The holidays are devoted to sacrifices to the 'god of the kitchen'. They celebrate with wild feasting, horse racing, shooting contests and wrestling." At the age of 13, Pumi youth are considered adults. When a Pumi dies, they blow a conch three times to beckon villagers. A shaman then holds a Gei Yangzi Yishi (Sheep Guide) rite. The Pumi believe a sheep will lead the spirit of the deceased into the land of their ancestors.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Pumi live in fear of the spirit world. If offended, the deities can release a deluge of fierce, predatory beasts against their livestock. All Pumi worship Suoguonaba, the god of the mountains. They worship this powerful spirit on the 5th, 15th, and 25th day of each lunar month. They also practice ancestor worship. The Pumi do not eat until food has been placed on the guozhuang, or tripod, to signify an invitation to the ancestors to eat first. Spirits are also believed to dwell in the wooden center post of their homes.

Because of their linguistic variety and isolated communities, the Pumi have been largely neglected with the gospel. Prior to 1949, German missionaries reportedly witnessed to the Pumi, but little fruit remains. Although there is no organized church among the Pumi today, visitors report that they are a people "ripe unto harvest." In the early 1990s several Pumi were baptized by a Mosuo believer near Lugu Lake. There was a potential breakthrough in 1997 when 30 Pumi people prayed to receive Christ after viewing the JESUS Film in Mandarin.


What Are Their Needs?

Based on their current beliefs, the Pumi need to learn about the true good shepherd, Jesus.


Prayer Points

Ask God to send workers to build upon the foundation of baptisms and the JESUS Film, leading them to a Disciple Making Movement.
Ask God to remove their fears and to fill those places with the peace of Jesus.
Ask God to give them a great spiritual hunger as they learn about Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Pumi in China.


References

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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

The Naxi, Mosuo, Pumi, and Lisu

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Pumi
People Name in Country Pumi
Pronunciation Poo-mee
Alternate Names Baju; Chrame; Hsifan; Pimi; Primmi; P'rome; Prummi; P'um; Sichuan Pumi; Southern Pumi; Tshomi; Xifan
Population this Country 50,000
Population all Countries 50,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 14474
ROP3 Code 108172
ROP25 Code 306837
ROP25 Name Pumi
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 More than 37,000 members of the Pumi minority inhabit the mountains of northern Yunnan Province. They live in approximately 500 villages, some of which are located 3,200 meters (10,500 ft.) above sea level. In many locations the Pumi live beside members of the Naxi nationality. Despite 2,000 years of history, the Pumi population has remained relatively small because of disease, plague, famine, and assimilation to other tribes.   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 More than 37,000 members of the Pumi minority inhabit the mountains of northern Yunnan Province. They live in approximately 500 villages, some of which are located 3,200 meters (10,500 ft.) above sea level. In many locations the Pumi live beside members of the Naxi nationality. Despite 2,000 years of history, the Pumi population has remained relatively small because of disease, plague, famine, and assimilation to other tribes..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.08 %)
0.10 %
Ethnic Religions
97.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
2.90 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Pumi, Southern
Language Code pmj   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Pumi, Northern
Primary Language Pumi, Southern
Language Code pmj   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Pumi, Northern
People Groups Speaking Pumi, Southern

Primary Language:  Pumi, Southern

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Needed

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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