The Naisu of China

The Naisu of China, numbering approximately 82,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Yi people of northern Yunnan whose ancestors were part of the wider Yi migrations across southwest China, maintaining a distinct Naisu identity, language, and Red Yi cultural traditions in isolated mountain communities. They mostly adhere to Chinese Folk Religion and Wuding-Luquan Yi is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Naisu

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Tibetan Peoples
Country: China
People Cluster: Other Tibeto-Burmese
Primary Language(s): Wuding-Luquan Yi (ywq)
Primary Religion(s): Chinese Folk Religion
Population: 82,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG007322
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Naisu of China

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Chinese Folk Religion
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

92%
%
Chinese Folk Religion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Wuding-Luquan Yi
Language Family: Sino-Tibetan

100%
%
Yi, Wuding-Luquan Speakers

Media Resources in Wuding-Luquan Yi:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film
MagdalenaView Film

2 films

Bible Resources in Wuding-Luquan Yi:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Wuding-Luquan Yi bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Naisu are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Naisu:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Naisu of China

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
readColossians 3:5-6

Pray for God to have mercy and give those who don't yet know Him the gift of Jesus and His salvation for all who call upon His name.

There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
readPsalm 19:3

Pray that God will lead them to His Word, and where it is not available, ask that He will raise up those who will produce gospel media in their heart language.

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
readPsalm 22:27

Pray that all families of the nations will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
readActs 17:30

Pray that those God sends to cross cultures will boldly and lovingly declare that God commands all people everywhere to repent.

Naisu Across Countries (ROP3 - 114238) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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