Ethnic origin of Zhuang in Guangxi

Introduction

This article explores the origin of the Zhuang people who is the largest ethnic minority in China. They are part of the Tai-Kadai people.

Homeland

The homeland of the Zhuang people is to the south of Nanling (南岭) mountains along the many river basins in Guangdong, Guangxi and North Vietnam collectively called Lingnan (岭南) in ancient times.

Merger of two ancient tribes

Zhao Tuo 趙佗 (214-137 BC), mentioned there were two main tribes in Guangxi and North Vietnam which are Xi Ou (西歐) and Luo Yue (駱越). The boundary was formed by the Yong river (邕江) which to the north lies Xi Ou and to the south lies Luo Yue.

Hundred Yue (aka Bai-Yue) is a collective word to describe the non-Han Chinese tribes who lived in south-eastern China during the Qin dynasty. From research so far, they are found to be mostly Tai-Kadai people.

In 257 BC, Thuc Phan, who was a prince from Sichuan, conquered the two regions of Au-Viet (Western Ou) and Lac-Viet to form Au-Lac kingdom.

The Luo Yue and Xi Ou used to be two different branches of the Tai-Kadai people. The two groups united together to fight battles against the Chinese Qin dynasty invasion of Guangdong, Guangxi and northern Vietnam during 221-214 BC.

Various Yue tribes in ancient China

The merger of the two ancient Tai-Kadai tribes resulted in two main subgroups which are Northern and Southern Zhuang.

The ethnic relationships between the various ethnic groups and their ancestors can be seen from the chart below.

Xi Ou

The Xi Ou (aka Au Viet in Vietnamese) tribe used to live along the Xijiang (西江) basin centered on modern-day Wuzhou city (梧州). Nowadays they live mainly along the You River (右江) and region to north of Yong River; both rivers are located in Guangxi province.

Xi Ou (Western Ou) people migrated from Wenzhou in Zhejiang province and have close ancestors with the Ou Yue (Eastern Ou) people.

The descendants of this ancient tribe are the Northern Zhuang (北壯) tribe in Guangxi and Bouyei aka Buyi (布依) tribe in Guizhou. The Bouyei people are Northern Zhuang people who migrated from northern Guangxi to Guizhou in 10th century AD.

Bouyei tribe

Luo Yue

Luo Yue (aka Lac Viet in Vietnamese) tribe was the southernmost Yue tribe known to China up to the Han dynasty. They came to Lingnan earlier than the Xi Ou.

The word 'lak' 駱 in Zhuang language means 'foothill'. The fields at the foothills is called 'naa lak' in Zhuang. Those people who farm the foothill fields are called Lak Viet aka Luo Yue in Mandarin.

The Luo Yue live in the region extending from around Nanning (南寧) in Guangxi to around Hanoi in northern Vietnam. Specifically, they live to the south of Yong River, along Zuo River (左江) in Guangxi province and also along Red River basin in Vietnam.

The descendants of this ancient tribe are the Southern Zhuang (南壯) in Guangxi and the Tay (岱族) in North Vietnam.

The Nùng (儂) tribe in Vietnam are Southern Zhuang people who migrated from Guangxi to Vietnam around the 11th century AD. They are related to Nong Zhigao aka Nùng Trí Cao (儂智高) who started a rebellion.

Southern Zhuang tribe

The ethnic Tay are the real natives of North Vietnam and they are descendants of Lac Viet people who originally lived in Red River delta but were gradually displaced into poorer lands on the hills or mountains by the Han Chinese migrants.

Tay tribe

Ancient Luo Yue culture

Luo Yue people drew rock painting on the cliffs along the Zuo River (左江) in Guangxi sometime between 5th century BC and 2nd century AD. These rock paintings used red ink and drawings to depict the cultural festivals celebrated by their people. These rock paintings are named Huashan (花山) rock painting .

Huashan rock painting

The video below narrates a more detailed history of Huashan painting, bronze drums, Luo Yue martial arts and folk song singing.

Zhuang culture

Zhuang people still play bronze drums and perform the frog dance during the Luo Yue cultural festival held on 3rd March in the lunar calendar every year. Dancers lifting up their two hands with a half squat stance is called frog dancing. These ancient practices were depicted in the ancient Huashan rock paintings.

Zhuang praying to Luo Yue statue

The video below shows the annual Luo Yue festival which is celebrated by various Tai tribes who came from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to Ningming (寧明) in Guangxi where they celebrate together with the Zhuang tribe. Ningming lies along the Zuo River and situated very near North Vietnam's border.

Annual Luo Yue festival

Conclusion

Tai speaking people are the natives of Guangdong, Guangxi and North Vietnam. The Zhuang people are the descendants of two ancient tribes which are Xi Ou and Luo Yue.

House of Liu Sanjie, a famous Zhuang singer

This article provides cultural proof that the original Vietnamese are Tai speakers and not ethnic Viet-Muong nor ethnic Kinh. The next article will also provide linguistic proof.

Sources

The power of language over the past: Tai settlement and Tai linguistics in southern China and northern Vietnam. Author: Jerold A. Edmondson
https://read01.com/6xNxLA.html
https://read01.com/3zR60G.html
https://read01.com/de3NO7.html
Empire and Identity in Guizhou: Local Resistance to Qing Expansion. Author: Jodi L. Weinstein
The Zhuang: A longitudinal study of their history and their culture. Author: Jeffrey Barlow.
The Birth of Vietnam. Author: Keith Taylor
https://kknews.cc/history/nbqal35.html

East Asian origin, history, language, culture

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