“Do you remember the road your ancestors walked? Do you know the history of the Achang people? Do you know the Lord of Heaven and the Mother of Earth, who created the sky and the land?” These words come from Zhepama and Zhemima, the epic of the Achang people in Yunnan. It tells the story of the Lord of Heaven, Zhepama, and the Mother of Earth, Zhemima, who created the world, brought forth humanity, repaired the heavens, and drove out demons. The Achang believe this epic was passed down directly from the Lord of Heaven to ritual specialists known as Huopao, and has been transmitted orally from one generation to the next ever since. To honor the gift of creation, the Achang gather each March to celebrate the Aluwoluo Festival, with lion dances, elephant dances, and the traditional Woluo dance.

But Zhepama and Zhemima is more than the centerpiece of a festival—it also reflects the Achang understanding of life and death. They believe a person has three souls. After death, one is sent to the burial ground, one is kept in the home, and the third returns to the ancestral homeland—the place of the Lord of Heaven, Zhepama. At funerals, some Huopao recite: “The road by the sea is the road of the Lisu; the road of writing and ink is the road of the Han; the road of the bow and crossbow is the road of the Jingpo. Do not take these roads. Follow the road of the Achang ancestors, and you will reach the place of the ancestral spirits.”

The Achang are a small ethnic group of about 43,000 people, living mainly in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in western Yunnan. A smaller community lives across the border in Myanmar, where they are known as the Maingtha. Most follow Theravada Buddhism, though elements of animist belief remain.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for leading us to pray for the Achang people, whom You love. The Lord of Heaven, the Mother of Earth, the Huopao, and the ancestors are central to their identity. You see their search for where the soul belongs—a deep longing for eternity and for home. Lord, You have prepared the true home for every Achang person through Jesus Christ. Through His cross and resurrection, we can return to the Father. We also thank You for the growth the Achang people have experienced through government support. As living conditions improve—with better infrastructure and schools—we pray that their hearts would also know true freedom and fullness. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.