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People group profile · PG007184

The Hani of China

The Hani of China, numbering about 1,960,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Lolo-speaking ethnic group indigenous to the high southwestern plateau of southwestern China's Yunnan province.

They are an indigenous people in the Hani-Akha people cluster of the Himalayan Peoples. Their primary religion is Chinese Folk Religion, and they primarily speak Hani.

Pray for the HaniPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Hani people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Hani

Fast facts

Country
China
Population
1,960,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Hani-Akha
Primary language
Hani (hni)
Primary religion
Chinese Folk Religion
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Yunnan: Jingdong and Jinggu counties, Lancang and Yuanjiang river basins

Where they live

Gospel status

The Hani are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Hani

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Chinese Folk Religion · Ethnoreligion

95% adherents

Primary language

Hani · Sino-Tibetan family

100% speak Hani

Gospel resources in Hani

  • Bible available, published 2016
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Hani

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

Hani in other countries

The same people (ROP3 103712) is reported in 2 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
HaniVietnam21,500Engaged yet Unreached
HaniLaos750Unengaged and Unreached

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