The Dao ethnic group has many local groups such as Dao Quan Trang, Dao Quan Chet, Dao Tien, Dao Thanh Y, Dao Do, Man, Dong, Trai, Xa, Diu Mien, Kim Mien, Lu Giang, Lan Ten, Dai Ban, Tieu Ban, Coc Ngang, Coc Mun, Son Dau.

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* Population: Over 470,000 people.

* Residency: Living interspersed with various ethnic groups from the Vietnam-China and Vietnam-Laos borders to some provinces in the Northern Midlands and Coastal regions. The language belongs to the Mong-Dao language group. Ancestor worship of Ban Ho.

* Language: The Dao people do not have their own writing but use Daoized Chinese characters called Nom Dao.

* Economy: The Dao live mainly by growing upland rice and wet rice fields. In addition to rice, they also grow vegetables. Agricultural tools are rudimentary but farming techniques have made many advances. Some handicrafts have developed such as weaving, forging, carpentry, paper making, oil pressing, etc.

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* Food: The primary diet of the Dao people consists of bamboo shoots and vegetables, with occasional consumption of meat and fish. While they raise a significant number of pigs and chickens, these are mainly reserved for special occasions such as funerals, weddings, and festivals.

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* Housing: The Dao people have three types of houses: the stilt house, the half-stilt half-earth house, and the earth house (single-story house).

* Clothing: Dao men traditionally wear their hair long, either tied at the back of the head or styled as a topknot. Nowadays, most men opt for short hair. Their attire typically includes short pants and shirts or long tunics. Dao women’s clothing is more elaborate, retaining many traditional decorative patterns. Women traditionally wear their hair long.

* Marriage: On their wedding day, brides wear a special hat. Under the old system, marriage ceremonies involved numerous complex rituals. There are two forms of bride-taking: temporary and permanent.

* Funerals: Traditional funeral practices reflect ancient customs. In some regions, there is a tradition of cremating individuals aged 12 and above. The Dao people hold various beliefs in deities and spirits, and their funeral rites can be complex and costly.

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* Family: The Dao people maintain strong family ties and use middle names to identify clan affiliations and the individual's rank within the family hierarchy.

The Dao have a rich cultural and historical heritage. Despite generally low economic development, their traditional knowledge is extensive, particularly in the realm of traditional medicine

          Translated by Huyen Vu