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Qiang, Jiaochang October 7 ➤ Location: More than 24,000 speakers a small group intact. of the Jiaochang Qiang language live This group is now in the western part of Sichuan known as the Qiang Province among rugged mountains nationality. near the Min River. The great majority live in Maoxian County, in the districts Customs: Although they of Jiaochang (which lends its name to may struggle to the dialect), Shidaguan, Taiping, and understand each Songpinggou; others live in the Xice other’s language, there area of Zhenjiangguan District in are strong cultural ties Songpan County (which is the between the various northernmost Qiang community in Qiang groups, including China). A small number of Jiaochang the mutual possession Qiang also live in parts of Beichuan of stone towers. The County.1 Qiang believe their common ancestors Identity: The name Qiang is a Chinese constructed them. term. The Qiang refer to themselves as Rimai in Maoxian County; Rima in Religion: The majority Mao Township and Chibusu District; of Qiang people are and Ma in Lixian County. “The polytheists and meaning of these words is ‘the animists, deifying righteousness of people’.”2 mountains, sheep, trees, storms, fire, etc. Language: Jiaochang is spoken by Others are followers of more people than any other dialect of Tibetan Buddhism Southern Qiang in China. The (especially those living linguistic diversity among the various close to Tibetan Luke Kuepfer Qiang groups scattered throughout communities) and Daoism. any of the 11 Qiang languages. Apart Sichuan is bewildering. Captain from the labors of Thomas Torrance, William Gill was one of the first Christianity: There are approximately mission work among the Qiang Westerners ever to pass through 100 Christians among the Jiaochang includes a Catholic church that was Qiang territory in the 1870s. Gill Qiang dialect group. They are the established in Maoxian in 1898 by compiled a brief wordlist from a result of pre-1949 work by both French missionaries. In 1906 a British Qiangic language, but stated, “This Protestant and Catholic missionaries. missionary, whose Chinese name was orthography can convey but a feeble In 1998 the Christian mission Gospel Feigesheng, preached in Maoxian. In idea of the astounding noises the Recordings produced the first 1906 and 1909, the Catholic Church people make in their throats to Christian audio recording in a Qiang of England established a church, produce these words.”3 language. It was recorded in hospital, and school in the Qiang Songpinggou District of Maoxian area. In 1918 an Englishman named History: Between AD 600 and 900 County, within the territory of the Maosenwei also founded a school, many Qiang were assimilated by the Jiaochang Qiang language. There are medical clinic, and churches.4 Han and Tibetan cultures, leaving only still no Scripture portions available in Qiang also live in areas within GANSU Overview of the Status of Evangelization Jiaochang Qiang Beichuan County. •Songpan Status: 87% Countries: China Officially included under Qiang Barkam• •Maoxian •Wenchuan Pronunciation: •Chengdu Language: Sino-Tibetan, TIBET “Chee-Ung-Jeeow-chung” Tibeto-Burman, Qiangic, Qiang, •Litang •Kangding SICHUAN Other Names: Chiang: Jiaochang, Southern Qiang Chi’ang: Jiaochang 12% Dialects: 0 1% Scale Population Source: 19,000 (1998 Religion: Polytheism, Animism, 0 KM 160 Liu Guangkun – 1990 figure); Ancestor Worship, Daoism, A B C Out of a total Qiang population of Population in China: Christianity 198,252 (1990 census) A = Have never heard the gospel 19,000 (1990) Christians: 100 Location: W Sichuan: Maoxian B = Were evangelized but did not 24,500 (2000) Scripture: None County: Jiaochang, Shidaguan, become Christians 31,600 (2010) Taiping, and Songpinggou Jesus film: None C = Are adherents to any form of Location: Sichuan Christianity districts; Songpan County: Xice Gospel Recordings: Religion: Polytheism area of Zhenjiangguan District; Qiang: Song Ping Gou #04835 Christians: 100 Some speakers of Jiaochang Christian Broadcasting: None ROPAL code: None QIANG, JIAOCHANG 449.