Paxi

According to the available accounts, the Paxi came to know Islam about two centuries ago, through Hui merchants from Dali. Over time, some Hui from Dali also settled in Menghai and married Paxi women, deepening the ties between the two peoples.

In accepting the new faith, the Paxi left behind much of the Tai Lü customs. They faced prejudice from their Buddhist neighbors and ended up gathered in their own villages. Even today it is unclear whether they should be counted as Hui or as Dai.

Paxi life is centered on two villages at the foot of Jingwang Mountain, near Menghai. Because they live as Muslims among Buddhist neighbors, they keep a way of life of their own, set apart from much of the Tai Lü customs, even though they speak the same language.

Faith shapes daily life and the upbringing of the young. Some young people learn Arabic in order to read the Quran and, in the future, serve as religious leaders of the community. The ties with the Hui of Dali, long-standing teachers in the faith, remain present and have been expressed in marriages between the two communities. They are a small people who guard their identity with care and keep their family bonds close.

The Paxi are Sunni Muslims, and faith is at the center of who they are. It was Islam that set them apart from the Tai Lü, with whom they share a language, and it is Islam that gives meaning to their story as a community apart.

In this context, faith and belonging go hand in hand: being Paxi and being Muslim are intertwined in the daily life of the community. For this reason, the idea of following another religion may be seen as turning away from one’s own people, and not merely as a change of personal belief. Practically all Paxi profess Islam, and the gospel remains little known among them.

The Paxi speak Lü, a language that already has a written form and Scripture: portions of the Bible were published between 1921 and 1932, and the New Testament appeared in 1933. The complete Bible does not yet exist in this language. There are also the Jesus film, audio Bible teaching, videos and Bible stories for children in Tai Lü, resources that can reach families who prefer to listen and watch.

For the Paxi, ethnic identity and Islamic faith are so closely joined that coming to know Jesus may feel like leaving one’s own people. The community is small and concentrated in a few villages, which makes access difficult for outsiders. In addition, a history of prejudice from their Buddhist neighbors has led them to live apart, and there is almost no Christian presence among them, nor any work aimed at reaching them.

The deepest need of the Paxi is to know Christ and to discover in him an identity that does not have to be chosen against their own people. Today they live between the Buddhism of their neighbors and the Islam of their tradition, with no Christian community nearby to welcome them.

They need workers who will learn the language and culture, live with humility and build friendship over time. They also need easy access to Scripture, audio and videos in Lü, and the testimony of Christians from Xishuangbanna who can share the gospel in a way that is close, respectful and suited to the reality of the two villages.