Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG022115

The Suodi Nosu of China

The Suodi Nosu of China, numbering about 310,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Yi-related people of the Sichuan-Yunnan border highlands who maintain a distinct Suodi identity and language despite official classification with the Yi and long interaction with neighboring Nosu populations.

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 Sichuan Yi.

Pray for the Suodi NosuPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
China
Population
310,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Other Tibeto-Burmese
Primary language
Sichuan Yi (iii)
Primary religion
Chinese Folk Religion
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Suodi Nosu are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Suodi Nosu

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Chinese Folk Religion · Ethnoreligion

95% adherents

Primary language

Sichuan Yi · Sino-Tibetan family

100% speak Sichuan Yi

Gospel resources in Sichuan Yi

  • Bible available, published 2009
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

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

Pray for the Suodi Nosu

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

Download a prayer guide

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.