Minorities People

San Diu Ethnic Group

History and Geography of the San Diu Ethnic Group

The San Diu people are one of the 54 ethnic minorities in our country, belonging to the Han-Tibetan language group, concentrated in the midland of Northern Vietnam, within the area from the upper reaches of the Red River to the east.

Historical Origins: Regarding the ethnic origins, based on the self-identification as "Son Dao," many speculations arise about the origins of the San Diu people. Researcher Ma Khanh Bang speculated that the San Diu people have Dao ethnic origins. Since ancient times, the Dao ethnic community was oppressed and dominated by the feudal state of China, leading to displacement and migration for survival and development. The San Diu people are among those groups affected by these circumstances.

Population and Language: Population: According to the data from the 2019 Census of 53 ethnic minorities, the total population of the San Diu people nationwide is 183,004, including 94,743 males and 88,261 females; there are 54,901 households, and the proportion of the population living in rural areas is 89.8%.

Language: The San Diu people are one of the 53 ethnic minorities in our country belonging to the Han-Tibetan language group. Due to their long coexistence with the southern Han people, they gradually lost their native language (Dao language) and adopted the Cantonese dialect of the Han language.

In the past, young people often studied Chinese characters to become ritual masters, but now very few people know Chinese characters.