Qiang, Sanlong in China

People Name:	Qiang, Sanlong
Country:	China
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	25,000
World Population:	25,000
Primary Language:	Qiang, Southern
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Portions
Ministry Resources:	No
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Tibeto-Burman, other
Affinity Bloc:	Tibetan-Himalayan Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Sanlong Qiang are part of China's official Qiang nationality. Overall, the Qiang have one of the lowest education levels of any minority group. Only 34% of Qiang children attend primary school. From there the number declines to the 0.1% who attend university.

The overall rate of literacy among the Qiang is 51%. Since the 1950s, the government has put in place an experimental program for primary school-age children (grades 1-3), to learn the Qiang language, with a standardized pinyin script. The writing system uses the Roman alphabet to convey about fifty different plain initial consonants. There is only about 55% shared vocabulary between the Northern and Southern Qiang varieties.

Today's Maoxian County was historically near the edge of Tibetan territory until the Chinese took control of western Sichuan in the 1700s.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Qiang women's clothing differs from men's in that the collar, cuffs, sash, and shoes are often cross-stitched with circles, triangles and other designs. They are also decorated with a row of small silver plum-flower designs. The embroidered designs are mostly drawn from nature, depicting flowers and grass, deer, lions, rabbits, and human figures. Women like to wear especially large silver earrings, hairpins and finger rings, and silver and jade pins, among other decorations. At their waists women wear a silver sewing box, while men wear a silver tobacco box.

What Are Their Beliefs?

During the Qiang's Zhuanshan Festival, pieces of dough in the shape of the sun and half-moon are hung from an ox's horns. Sorcerers then proceed to call on the gods through a ceremonial drum dance. After the religious ceremony, people dance gaily to the sound of flutes, drums, and bells. Qiang folk dances today have evolved from this festival. The male dancers carry sheepskin drums with small handles and keep time with short curved drumsticks. The women dancers carry bells that are sounded in time with the drums.

The Sanlong Qiang are an unreached people group. Few have ever heard the gospel, although some living in Maoxian may have heard of the existence of Qiang Christians in Wenchuan County.

What Are Their Needs?

The Sanlong Qiang people need to submit to Jesus Christ so they can experience the abundant life he offers in John 10:10.

Prayer Points

Pray for the spiritual blindness and bondage to the evil one to be removed so they can understand and respond to Christ.

Pray for the Lord to provide for their physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of his power and love.

Pray that the Sanlong Qiang people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.

Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.