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People group profile · PG022210

The Naza of China

The Naza of China, numbering about 2,200 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous Yi subgroup of Yongsheng County in northern Yunnan, also known as Nazaren or Nazasu, maintaining a distinct identity from neighboring Liude and other Yi communities.

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 NazaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
China
Population
2,200
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Other Tibeto-Burmese
Primary language
Sichuan Yi (iii)
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 ?
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Naza 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 Naza

  • 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

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 Naza

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

Download a prayer guide

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