Red Dao people in the Stone Plateau

Visiting the mountainous land of Quan Ba, tourists will meet the simple Red Dao people in the colorful bustling markets, on the terraced fields or under the ancient yin-yang tiled roofs. They seem to be satisfied with their simple life, working hard and "living slowly" in the peaceful mountains and forests. The Red Dao people live in many regions but their community activities are still closed within a certain geographical area.

They maintain communication in the Dao language and are always aware of passing on that language to future generations. When marrying off their children, the Dao also want to choose in-laws within the community to preserve their language and customs. The familiar work of the Red Dao is mainly slash-and-burn farming to grow rice and corn, raise livestock, make silver jewelry, weave, embroider, grow medicinal plants, cotton, make agricultural tools and make incense... The Red Dao and other ethnic groups in the surrounding area often participate in the Trang Kim and Quan Ba markets to exchange, buy and sell, and exchange cultures.

On market days, the Red Dao carry agricultural products on their backs, sometimes even leading their livestock. They wear colorful brocade costumes. The skirts sway with the footsteps of the women, looking very attractive.

The Red Dao people have always maintained their strong traditional identity through their traditional costumes. Mothers and grandmothers teach their children and granddaughters weaving and embroidery techniques from a young age, so every Red Dao woman can sew beautiful costumes for herself and her family.

Dao men's clothing is quite simple, dark in color, when it's cold, they often wear berets and colorful scarves around their necks. Meanwhile, the costumes of Red Dao women are very elaborate. They focus on accents and elaborate decorations on the seams of the shirt, the hems of the pants, the sides of the sleeves, the chest of the shirt and the belt. The embroidery is mainly patterns of plants, flowers and leaves. Women often wear black clothes inside, with elaborate layers of decoration on the outside, including long strips of fabric hanging around the skirt with colorful embroidered motifs. Besides the embroidered patterns on the chest, they also attach colorful beads to the waist.

The Red Dao people love silver jewelry, so on important occasions, they often wear a lot of silver around their necks and waists. As for headgear, the Red Dao women here often use a round black crown pinned with a brocade scarf with two ends pointing straight up. On the back, they wear a pink fringed scarf or a mix of other colors, creating a highlight in a harmonious and graceful whole.

Heritage Magazine