MONG - DAO
This language group includes three ethnic groups: the Hmong, Dao, and Pa Then, with a population of nearly 2.3 million people (2019). They reside in most northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam, and some are found in North Central Vietnam. The Hmong generally live in highland areas, while the Dao and Pa Then mainly inhabit mid-mountain regions.
The Hmong and Pa Then live in ground-level houses. The Dao, depending on the group, live in ground houses, stilt houses, or semi-stilt/semi-ground houses. Most of these three ethnic groups practice shifting cultivation (slash-and-burn), and some also cultivate wet rice paddies. Their textile weaving and fabric decoration techniques—including embroidery, appliqué (colorful fabric patching), and batik wax-resist dyeing—have reached a high level of sophistication. Hmong men are especially skilled in blacksmithing and metal casting.
Family relations among the Dao are close-knit, with middle names used to identify each person's position within the lineage. Among the Hmong and Pa Then, people sharing the same surname are considered to have the same ancestors and are forbidden from marrying each other. The Dao use Chinese characters in a unique way called Nom Dao script to record ritual texts, poems, and prayers. Their culture is heavily influenced by Taoism and Confucianism.
(Source: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology)
