Qiang, Cimulin October 4

Location: A Chinese source lists a not allowed to 1990 figure of 9,800 speakers of attend. A cow or Cimulin Qiang living in five districts sheep is sacrificed within Heishui (Black Water) County in on an altar to the northwest Province.1 The god of the total Qiang population in the 1990 Mountains. They ask census was 198,252 — a four-fold for a good harvest increase from the 1964 figure of only and peace for the 49,105. Most of the increase can be village. attributed to the reclassification of additional peoples under the Qiang, Religion: The rather than to biological growth. Northern Qiang language groups Identity: The Cimulin Qiang language have embraced is very different from other varieties Tibetan Buddhism of Qiang. “The Chinese character for more zealously than Qiang is a combination of yang the Southern Qiang, (sheep) and ren (people), with the because of centuries composite meaning of ‘people tending of influence from sheep’.”2 neighboring Tibetans. The Northern Qiang Language: Cimulin Qiang, which is a also worship a Northern Qiang language, is not tonal, multitude of Chinese Paul Hattaway whereas Southern Qiang varieties and Tibetan deities, of which the Sky have absolutely no awareness of the consist of between two to six tones.3 god is considered the greatest. In gospel. Many of the Cimulin Qiang are addition, shamans, witches, and bilingual in Tibetan, while others living mediums are located throughout the Christianity: One Christian ministry near the towns are able to speak countryside. In 1994 one Christian has incorrectly reported there to be Chinese. In addition, more than interviewed a Qiang sorceress at a “no Qiang Christians remaining,”7 but 50,000 speakers of Northern Qiang temple reputed to be 1,000 years old. a small Qiang church does exist in dialects have been placed under the The woman told the visitor, “‘I have . There are a very small number Tibetan nationality.4 the power to put people into a trance, of Northern Qiang Christians, and make their spirits leave their including some families living in History: Qiang history dates back as bodies and travel to hell. Usually, we Songpan. “There are no church far as the Western Zhou Dynasty can then call their spirits back, but buildings any more, but still Christian 8 (1100–771 BC), when considerable sometimes it doesn’t work, and the believers.” It is not known, however, numbers of Han people migrated west person dies and is trapped in hell if there are any Christians specifically and formed mixed communities with forever.’ When we told her about a among the Cimulin Qiang. Several the Di and Qiang.5 God who has the power to take her short-term missions teams in the spirit to heaven, she was delighted early 1990s were arrested and Customs: One of the Qiang festivals and wanted to know more.”6 Most expelled from China for distributing is called Jishanhui, which women are , like this sorceress, literature in the Qiang region.9

Status: GANSU Overview of the Status of Evangelization Cimulin Qiang Officially included under Qiang Language: Sino-Tibetan, 99% •Songpan Countries: China Heishui• Tibeto-Burman, Qiangic, Qiang, Barkam• •Maoxian Pronunciation: “Chee-ung” Northern Qiang •Wenchuan •Chengdu Other Names: Chiang: Dialects: 0 •Kangding SICHUAN Cimulin, Chi’ang, Cimulin, Religion: Tibetan Buddhism, Tz’u-mu-lin Ch’iang Polytheism, Animism, Shamanism Scale 1% 0 KM 160 Population Source: 9,800 (1998 Christians: None 0% Liu Guangkun – 1990 figure); Scripture: None Population in China: Out of a total Qiang population of A B C 9,800 (1990) 198,252 (1990 census) Jesus film: None A = Have never heard the gospel 12,600 (2000) Location: NW Sichuan: Gospel Recordings: None B = Were evangelized but did not 16,300 (2010) become Christians : Cimulin, Gewo, Christian Broadcasting: None Location: Sichuan Wumushu, Rewo, and C = Are adherents to any form of Religion: Tibetan Buddhism Qinglanggou districts ROPAL code: None Christianity Christians: None Known

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