Asia’s Silk Road regions have been a meeting point for trade and cultural exchange for over 2000 years. In these areas, diverse peoples live alongside one another, like a living mosaic of cultures. Read about them here to discover more about their lifestyles and pray for them to know God’s joy.
We’ve included statistical information on these people groups who reside in China, but also some notes on those in urban areas around the world. Many populations have migrated due to urban and economic development, and you may have noticed them in your local community too.
HAN
| POPULATION | 1.2 billion |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Mandarin Chinese |
| CULTURE | As 92 per cent of the country’s population, the Han are the largest ethnic group in China, and the largest ethnic group globally. Education is important to them, and so they strive to bring honour to their family through personal success. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for the Han Chinese as their influence grows in our world.
Pray for them to thrive in their interactions with those from different cultures and backgrounds. |
HUI
| POPULATION | 10.6 million |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Mandarin Chinese |
| CULTURE | A diverse people group, skilled in trade. Hui people are scattered across China. One of their traditional snacks is sanzi, skillfully hand-pulled noodles that are then folded together and deep fried. Prolific and popular, Hui-run noodle restaurants can be found in cities throughout China, and in cities in other parts of Asia. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Thank God for the trade skills that he has given to Hui people.
Pray for their business deals to be blessed with justice and compassion. |
UYGHUR
| POPULATION | 10.1 million |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Uyghur, related to Turkis |
| CULTURE | An ethnically Turkic people who have traditionally been farmers and traders throughout China’s northwestern regions. The changing culture and economy in that region is leading to rapid changes to Uyghur lifestyle and identity. About 80% of Xinjiang’s Uyghurs live in the southern half of Xinjiang, while the remainder are mostly in the capital city, Urumqi.
Outside of China, Uyghurs have also settled in Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for wisdom and grace for Uyghur people as they attempt to find their place in the fast-paced society of modern China. |
KAZAK
| POPULATION | 1.5 million |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Kazak, a Turkic language |
| CULTURE | Although many Kazaks now live in towns, their hearts are most at home in the hills. They are traditionally nomadic herders who live in yurts made of felt. They place special value on their lineage—so much so that even today, Kazaks can usually recite their family tree spanning seven generations, and tell you which of the three hordes (tribes) their family belongs to. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Praise God for the shepherding heritage of Kazaks. May they see this as a picture of the pastoral heart of God. |
DONGXIANG
| POPULATION | 622,00 |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Dongxiang, related to Mongolian |
| CULTURE | The Dongxiang have a combined heritage from Mongolians, Han and Tibetans who intermarried after converting to Islam around 800 years ago. They are Mongolian by ancestry, Chinese by culture and Islamic by faith. Dongxiang communities are sometimes viewed distinctly because of their difference in education background. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for God’s blessing on government initiatives to bring development to Dongxiang areas. |
PHOTO: Peter Morgan, CC BY 2.0
KYRGYZ
| POPULATION | 187,000 |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Kyrgyz, a Turkic language |
| CULTURE | Semi-nomadic herders who settled in China’s northwest mountainous regions. Today, many Kyrgyz are moving to urban cities in China and abroad. If you were a special guest in a Kyrgyz home, you might have a chance to try Olobo, a special dish of sheep’s lungs marinated in milk and spices. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for the Kyrgyz who are adjusting to working in cities, as they make a transition to urban life. |
SALAR
| POPULATION | 131,000 |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Salar, related to Turkmen |
| CULTURE | The Salar people emigrated to China from Central Asia in the 14th century. Their traditions tell of an epic origin story, explaining how their ancestors followed a white camel carrying a hand-copied Qur’an. This Qur’an is China’s oldest and is now on display in a museum in the Salar hometown. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for Salar people, to find a good balance between holding on to their ethnic heritage and adapting to modern life. |
TAJIK
| POPULATION | 51,000 |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Sarikol, Wakhi and Tor |
| CULTURE | Semi-nomadic herders who live in the mountains in the far west of China. The majority of Tajiks in China speak the Sarikol language, which is related to Persian, but it has yet to have its own written script. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for good communication among the different ethnic groups along Asia’s Silk Road. Mandarin Chinese is China’s national language, but other people groups often struggle with using it fluently. This can lead to frustration and misunderstanding. |
BONAN
| POPULATION | 20,000 |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Bonan, related to Mongolian |
| CULTURE | The Bonan people converted to Islam from Buddhism in the 18th century. They moved east within China to find new territory to settle in. They are famous in China for their hand-made knives. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for the Bonan as they adapt to the changing economy in the region. Their traditional skills often need to be adapted or changed completely, in order to survive.
Pray for wisdom and guidance for those who are struggling to make a living. |
UZBEK
| POPULATION | 10,500 |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Uzbek |
| CULTURE | Silk Road traders who settled in China around 500 years ago, having left their origins in Central Asia. Chinese Uzbeks speak the same language as Uzbeks in Uzbekistan but use some different vocabulary. With their strong literacy, Uzbeks in China have traditionally been city dwellers, and today, they still live in cities as traders or businesspeople. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Pray for good relationships between Uzbeks and other Silk Road people groups within China, and their national territories in Central Asia.
Pray that these countries will also understand each other well. |
TATAR
| POPULATION | 3,500 |
| LANGUAGE/DIALECT | Tatar, a Turkic language |
| CULTURE | A group of mixed Russian and Mongolian ancestry, the Tatars moved to China in the 19th century. They came to engage in business or to find new freedom. Each spring, there is a famous “Plough Head Festival”, where they enjoy sports competitions and feats of athleticism. |
| WAYS TO PRAY | Give thanks for how God has woven together this living mosaic of different cultures.
Pray for opportunities for Silk Road peoples to discover his abundant love. |
