The Qiangyi of China

The Qiangyi of China, numbering approximately 17,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are described as a people of China They are an Indigenous people, with Qiang as their ethnic/kinship group and are in the Tibetan people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. They mostly adhere to Chinese Folk Religion and Southern Qiang is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Tibetan Peoples
Country: China
People Cluster: Tibetan
Primary Language(s): Southern Qiang (qxs)
Primary Religion(s): Chinese Folk Religion
Population: 17,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG022107
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Qiangyi 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

95%
%
Chinese Folk Religion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Southern Qiang
Language Family: Sino-Tibetan

70%
%
Qiang, Southern Speakers

Media Resources in Southern Qiang:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Southern Qiang:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Southern Qiang bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Qiangyi are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Qiangyi:
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

Pray specifically for the Qiangyi of China

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
read1 Chronicles 16:26

Pray that those among them who are lost and seeking after worthless idols will have the opportunity to hear and respond to the good news, seeing that Jesus is better than any idol.

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
readMatthew 16:16

Pray that many will see clearly that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and put their trust in Him.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
readJames 1:5

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will ask God for wisdom when they lack it, trusting that He will generously give it to them.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
readEphesians 6:10

Ask God to strengthen believers with His mighty power so that as they cross cultures to share the gospel, they will stand firm against the schemes of the enemy.

Qiangyi Across Countries (ROP3 - 114296) 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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