Thailand Hilltribes

The Yao (Mien)

• The Yao or Mien, as they are commonly known, probably migrated from southern coastal China into South East Asia about six hundred years ago. Legend says they arrived by sea first to Hainan, then to Vietnam and Laos and more recently into Thailand. Many fled the communists in Laos in the 1970's. Nowadays, they are a  homogenous minority living mostly in the Mae Chan area of Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand.
  
  

• The Yao are the only minority that has a tradition of writing, using Chinese script to record rituals, family records and contracts. Nowadays it is only the old men who can still read Chinese but the new generation is literate in Thai.
  
  

• Like the Lisu and the Hmong they celebrate Chinese new year with three days of feasting and merriment. Their religion is ancient Chinese Taoism and the ceremonies are performed by a priest assisted by a shaman, the gods are displayed in a pantheon of paintings, which are displayed during the most important rituals.
  
  

• The Yao can be instantly identified by their costume. It consists of a long black jacket with lapels of bright scarlet wool and loose fitting, ankle-long pants heavily embroidered with cross-stitchings; their tunic is bordered with a red ruff and fastened with rectangular silver buckles. They also wear a large turban with embroidered ends.
  
  

• Yao villages are mostly found on low hills, and their houses built usually of wooden planks on a dirt road. There is a guest platform of bamboo in the communal living area. The Yao are good farmers and traders growing tea, coffee, fruit and vegetables for market. Yao silversmiths also produce lovely silver jewelry of high quality.

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