Longxi Qiang in China

The Longxi Qiang have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Qiang honor white stones, a tradition reportedly started after a conflict many centuries ago. The hostile Geji tribe ambushed the Qiang, who being caught unprepared, picked up sticks and white stones and fought with them. Despite their marked disadvantage, they defeated their enemies and won the right to live in the fertile valley that remains their home today.

Longxi Qiang is a distinct language spoken by members of the official Qiang nationality in China.

Chinese scholars describe the various Qiang languages, including Longxi, as mere "dialects" of Qiang, but they are clearly distinct languages. The Southern Qiang languages have as many as six tones, while Northern Qiang is non tonal.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Qiang families spend much of their time around the fireplace and cauldron, which is located in the middle of their homes. The cauldron "is an iron or steel tripod over which hangs a hook known commonly as a rat's tail, which they raise or lower at will to regulate the heat of the fire.


What Are Their Beliefs?

During their annual sacrifice, the Qiang carry a sacred roll of white paper which represents the Word of God - even though it has nothing written on it. Torrance explains how "each year a fresh piece of white paper is rolled around the scroll to indicate the purity of the Word or Heaven-sent sin bearer which they termed variously Je-Dzu, Nee-Dzu or Rin-Dzu, meaning 'Saviour'. On hearing this my father then read the first chapter of St. John's Gospel which tells of the Word of God made flesh in Jesus Christ. He told the Qiang that they had been tucked away in such a remote part of the world that they had never heard that the Word of God had come in Jesus Christ. As he announced the Good News the priest and all his household believed and were duly baptized."

After all of the Qiang church leaders had been martyred in 1935, missionary Thomas Torrance returned to Scotland. A Qiang Christian, Huang Taiqing, wrote to him: "Because of the communist persecution, this book was hidden in a cave during the year of the Chinese Republic. Thus, the book was saved from destruction. In memory of the Gospel Chapel of Tongmenwai, Lifan County." The New Testament was sent to Torrance as a pledge that the church among the Qiang would rise again. Today there are Qiang believers living in Kegu, Kampo, Lixian, Songpan, and Maoxian counties, but it is not known if there are any Christians among the Longxi Qiang dialect group.


What Are Their Needs?

They need to have a fresh revelation of God, who has revealed himself to them through missionary work in the past.


Prayer Points

Pray that believers in surrounding areas would reach out to the Longxi Qiang people.
Pray that their religious practice of honoring the "scroll of white paper" would somehow show them that God has revealed himself to people through his written word.
Pray that God would transform their hearts so that they will understand and accept the gospel.
Pray that God would remove obstacles to them coming to faith in Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Qiang, Longxi in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

The Qiang

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Qiang, Longxi
People Name in Country Qiang, Longxi
Natural Name Longxi Qiang
Pronunciation Long-shee Chee-ung
Alternate Names Chiang, Longxi; Longxi; Lung-hsi Ch'iang; Qiang, Pingfang
Population this Country 5,700
Population all Countries 5,700
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 18663
ROP3 Code 114289
ROP25 Code 306868
ROP25 Name Qiang
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country More than 4,000 Longxi Qiang are one of at least ten Qiang language groups living in the Aba Prefecture in western Sichuan Province. The Longxi Qiang live in the northern part of Wenchuan County. The 1,155-kilometerlong (712 mi.) Dadu River flows through the region. "It is sandwiched between skyhigh cliffs on both banks and follows a course replete with rocks, precarious shoals and submerged reefs."   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country More than 4,000 Longxi Qiang are one of at least ten Qiang language groups living in the Aba Prefecture in western Sichuan Province. The Longxi Qiang live in the northern part of Wenchuan County. The 1,155-kilometerlong (712 mi.) Dadu River flows through the region. "It is sandwiched between skyhigh cliffs on both banks and follows a course replete with rocks, precarious shoals and submerged reefs.".   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
95.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Qiang, Southern (5,700 speakers)
Language Code qxs   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Longxi
Dialect Code 15829   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Qiang, Southern (5,700 speakers)
Language Code qxs   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Longxi
Dialect Code 15829   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Qiang, Southern

Primary Language:  Qiang, Southern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2023)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Film / Video Jesus Film Jesus Film Project
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Bethany World Prayer Center  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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