Hmong Leng in China

People Name:	Hmong Leng
Country:	China
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	326,000
World Population:	326,000
Primary Language:	Hmong Daw
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	0.20 %
Evangelicals:	0.20 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Miao / Hmong
Affinity Bloc:	Southeast Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Hmong Leng have been included under the official Miao nationality in China. Their self-name is Hmong Len or Hmong Shib which means "light Hmong." In Jinping County one subgroup is called Hmong Liab (Red Hmong) or Hmong Liab Haut (Red-Headed Hmong), but they speak the same language as the Hmong Leng.

The Hmong Leng are "a geographically widespread and populous group. There are a number of Hmong Leng ethnic and geographic subgroups speaking identical or extremely similar dialects. The differences amongst the subgroups are mostly obvious in clothing styles, geographical locations, and autonym but some sociocultural differences may also exist. The closeness within the group indicates that they probably formed a single ethnolinguistic group, with no internal variation, in the southeast Yunnan area only a few hundred years ago."

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Hmong Leng are among the most economically progressive minority groups in south China. Hmong Leng youth frequently travel to cities and towns in search of employment and have a reputation for being good businessmen. Hmong Leng women wear dresses made from hemp cloth. They also wear a flat, round turban consisting of black and white cloth. In Jinping the clothing style includes a black or blue shirt and a flap of red cloth with sharply pointed corners at the back of the neck.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Hmong Leng homes customarily have a spirit and ancestral altar that is placed in a prominent location on a wall in the main room of the house. Offerings of fruit and incense are placed on the altar to honor and nourish the souls of their dead ancestors and to seek the spirits' blessings.

There are few believers among the Hmong Leng in China, although in Southeast Asia and the United States, Hmong Leng Christians number in the thousands. Generally speaking, the Hmong Leng near the Vietnam border have a far greater chance of hearing the gospel than their counterparts farther north. Around Kaiyuan County there are few Christian communities and the Hmong Leng remain largely untouched. There may be a small number of Hmong Leng believers mixed in with the Hmong Daw churches in Jinping County and other parts of Wenshan Prefecture.

What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people will be lost in this life and the life to come. They need someone to go to them as Christ-bearers.

Prayer Points

Pray for the spiritual blindness and bondage to the evil one to be removed so they can understand and respond to Christ.

Pray for the Lord to provide for their physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of his power and love.

Pray that the Hmong Leng people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.

Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.