People group profile · PG022114
The Suan of China
The Suan of China, numbering about 350 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous Yi subgroup of western Yunnan, maintaining a distinct Suan identity in the Wumulong and Mengban areas of Yongde County alongside the neighboring Pengzi.
They are an indigenous people in the Other Tibeto-Burmese people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. Their primary religion is Chinese Folk Religion, and they primarily speak Xishanba Lalo.
Fast facts
- Country
- China
- Population
- 350
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Other Tibeto-Burmese
- Primary language
- Xishanba Lalo (ywt)
- Primary religion
- Chinese Folk Religion
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Suan 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 No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Suan
- 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
98% adherents
Primary language
Xishanba Lalo · Sino-Tibetan family
75% speak Xishanba Lalo
Gospel resources in Xishanba Lalo
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Suan
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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