Operation China

Queyu October 14 ➤

an inventory of the scouts of Christianity have monastery’s possessions barely touched it except at for tax assessment. The one or two points.… What monks refused to oblige. In is more serious is the fact February 1956, the People’s that many border mission Liberation Army responded centers are undermanned or by laying siege to Litang not manned at all.”5 Monastery, which was defended by several GANSU thousand monks and farmers, of whom many •Songpan •Barkam were armed with farm •Wenchuan implements. Litang was •Chengdu TIBET •Litang •Kangding bombed by Chinese aircraft, SICHUAN Xichang destroying the monastery Scale • and killing hundreds of 0 KM 160 people. The Tibetans, Population in China: outraged by the attack, 7,000 (1991) 8,460 (2000) spread the conflict to the 10,420 (2010) surrounding towns of Dege, Location: Sichuan Batang, and Chamdo.2 Religion: Tibetan Buddhism Christians: None Known Customs: Although today the Queyu wear clothing Overview of the similar to the Tibetans, Queyu there are a number of Countries: China ancient tianlu, or stone Pronunciation: “Cue-yoo” watchtowers, scattered Other Names: Zhaba, Hokow

Luke Kuepfer throughout the region Population Source: Location: Seven thousand Tibetan Buddhist religion. 7,000 (1991 EDCL); inhabited by the Queyu, Out of a total Tibetan population speakers of the Queyu Linguistically, however, the revealing this group’s of 4,593,330 (1990 census) language were reported in a Queyu are closer to the historic relationship to the Location: W Sichuan: Xinlong, 1991 study.1 Many Queyu Qiang minority. Qiang. Yajiang, and Litang counties in men are applying to enter Garze Prefecture Tibetan Buddhist Language: Throughout all Status: Religion: All Queyu are Officially included under Tibetan monasteries. Consequently, the places where the Queyu Tibetan Buddhists, although Language: Sino-Tibetan, the population growth of the are located, their language there are also many aspects Tibeto-Burman, Qiangic Queyu is expected to slow. is reported to be inherently of shamanism and black Dialects: 0 The Queyu inhabit the three intelligible. There are no magic within their religious Religion: counties of Xinlong, Yajiang, major dialect differences practices. Tibetan Buddhism, Shamanism and Litang in the large between the different Christians: None known Garze Prefecture which regions. In the Tuanjie Christianity: Protestant and Scripture: None covers a vast area of Township of Yajiang County Catholic missionaries Jesus film: None western Sichuan Province. the people call themselves worked in the Litang area Gospel Recordings: None Litang Township lies at an Zhaba, although the same until the early 1950s. Today Christian Broadcasting: None altitude of 4,700 meters language as Queyu is there is a small Protestant ROPAL code: QEY00 (15,400 ft.) above sea level. spoken there. They should church among the Khampa Status of Evangelization The Queyu area was not be confused with 3 Tibetans in Litang County, 92% formerly part of the Kham another Qiangic language and there are some Province of Tibet, until it group called Zhaba who live Catholics in Yajiang.4 Most was annexed and in the Zhamai District, also people in the area, however, incorporated into China in within the Garze Prefecture. have never heard the name 8% the 1950s. The Queyu language has of Christ, and there are no 0% four tones. known Queyu believers. The Identity: The Queyu have situation has changed little A B C been officially counted as History: In late 1955 since this report in 1922: A = Have never heard the gospel B = Were evangelized but did not part of the Tibetan Chinese authorities ordered “This region is not only become Christians nationality, primarily the monks of the large without a resident C = Are adherents to any form of because they follow the Litang Monastery to make missionary, but even the Christianity

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