People group profile · PG022178
The Laba of China
The Laba of China, numbering about 293,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a community in Guizhou descended from Han soldiers who settled among Miao peoples, intermarried, and developed a distinct identity that blends Han and Miao cultural traditions.
They are an indigenous people in the Chinese people cluster of the East Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Chinese Folk Religion, and they primarily speak Mandarin Chinese.

Fast facts
- Country
- China
- Population
- 293,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Chinese
- Primary language
- Mandarin Chinese (cmn)
- 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
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Laba 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 Laba
- 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
96% adherents
Primary language
Mandarin Chinese · Sino-Tibetan family
100% speak Mandarin Chinese
Gospel resources in Mandarin Chinese
- Bible available, published 2018
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Chinese, Yunnan (Kunming))
- JESUS (Chinese, Qinghai)
- JESUS (Mandarin, China)
- JESUS (Mandarin (Taiwan))
- JESUS (Hui)
- JESUS (Chinese, Guiliu)
- JESUS (Chinese, Sichuan)
- Magdalena (Mandarin, China)
- Magdalena (Mandarin (Taiwan))
- The Savior (Mandarin, China)
Bibles
- Revised Chinese Union Bible Shen Edition · video, audio
- Tianjing (Huizuban Shengjing) · video, audio, text
- Union Version · audio, text
- Union Version · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Laba
- 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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