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

People group profile · PG022116

The Ta'er of China

The Ta'er of China, numbering about 1,600 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an indigenous Yi subgroup of Ninglang County in northern Yunnan, maintaining a distinct identity from the related Tagu and Talu despite a history of domination by Xiaoliangshan Nosu.

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 Ta'erPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
China
Population
1,600
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
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 Ta'er 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Ta'er

  • 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

97% 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 Ta'er

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

Download a prayer guide

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