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People group profile · PG023112

The Rao of China

The Rao of China, numbering about 14,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of China.

They are an indigenous people in the Bouyei people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak T'en.

Pray for the RaoPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Rao people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Rao

Fast facts

Country
China
Population
14,500
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Bouyei
Primary language
T'en (tct)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
No Evangelicals, Churches or Resources
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Rao 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, there are no evangelical Christians or churches among this people group and there is no access to evangelical print, audio, visual or human resources.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Rao

  • 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

Ethnoreligion

93% adherents

Primary language

T'en · Tai-Kadai family

70% speak T'en

Gospel resources in T'en

  • Bible not available
  • JESUS Film not 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 Rao

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

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