Who are the San Chay people and what is special about their name?
San Chay is the self-designated name of an ethnic group in the list of Vietnam's 54 ethnic peoples. The group is also known by other names such as Hon Ban, Chung, Trai, and in some documents Hon Ban, Hon Chung, and Son Tu. Notably, San Chay is not a single linguistic block but consists of two local groups: Cao Lan and San Chi. The difference in speech between the two groups makes San Chay an interesting case for studying Vietnam's ethnic structure.
According to the Survey of 53 Ethnic Minorities of 1 April 2019, the San Chay population was 201,398. Earlier, the 2009 Population and Housing Census recorded 169,410. The gap reflects both natural growth and changes in data collection methods between the two surveys.
Why does one ethnic group have two groups speaking two different languages?
This is a common question when researching the San Chay. The answer lies in migration history and the process of ethnogenesis. The San Chay migrated from China to Vietnam about 400 years ago. During migration and settlement, different groups brought their own linguistic traditions. The Cao Lan speak a language of the Tay, Thai group (Thai, Kadai language family), close to Tay and Thai. The San Chi speak a language of the Han group (Sino-Tibetan language family).
This difference does not erase the unity of the San Chay people, because the groups still share many cultural elements such as the organisation of stilt houses, the system of worship, and community activities. This is also not unusual in the northeast, where many peoples are close in residence but differ in linguistic origin.
Summary table of basic information
| Criterion | Information |
|---|---|
| Self-designated name | San Chay |
| Other names | Hon Ban, Chung, Trai, Hon Ban, Hon Chung, Son Tu |
| Local groups | Cao Lan and San Chi |
| Population | 201,398 (Survey of 53 Ethnic Minorities, 1/4/2019) |
| Language | Cao Lan: Tay, Thai group; San Chi: Han group |
| Migration history | From China to Vietnam about 400 years ago |
| Main area | Northeastern provinces: Bac Thai, Tuyen Quang, Quang Ninh, Ha Bac, Lang Son, Vinh Phu, Yen Bai |
Where do the San Chay live and in what kind of house?
The San Chay live in the northeastern provinces of our country. Their traditional area spans many provinces such as Bac Thai, Tuyen Quang, Quang Ninh, Ha Bac, Lang Son, Vinh Phu, and Yen Bai. This is a region of hills and mountains interspersed with valleys, suitable for both wet-rice farming and swidden cultivation.
As for housing, the San Chay live in stilt houses like those of the local Tay. The stilt house is the traditional dwelling of many peoples of the Tay, Thai language group. A notable feature in the arrangement of houses is that the house usually has its back to the hill, faces the fields, and is surrounded by long-term tree gardens. This choice of orientation is tied to terrain and farming customs.
Choosing land, orientation, and the date and time to build a new house is highly valued by the San Chay. This is one of the important rituals in the family life cycle, reflecting the idea of harmony between people and their living environment.
What is special about worship in the San Chay home?
In a San Chay house there are many altars. Besides ancestor worship, they also worship heaven and earth, the land god, the midwife goddess, the rice god, and the livestock god. Most common is the worship of Ngoc Hoang, Phat Nam Hoa, and Tao Quan. This system of worship shows the blending of indigenous folk beliefs with influences of Daoism and Buddhism.
Notably, San Chay altars are quite simple, sometimes just a bamboo tube for incense. However, every year before Tet Nguyen Dan, the altars are cleaned and a piece of red paper is pasted on them. Simplicity in material but care in ritual shows that the focus of worship lies in sincerity rather than in the scale of the altar.
Why do the San Chay worship so many deities?
This rich system of worship can be understood as the result of several cultural layers stacked on one another. The indigenous belief layer includes ancestor worship, the rice god, and the livestock god, deities tied directly to agricultural life. The second layer is the influence of Daoism with Ngoc Hoang and Tao Quan. The third layer is Buddhist influence with Phat Nam Hoa. Worshipping many deities at once is not an isolated phenomenon but reflects how the San Chay receive and harmonise different belief traditions in the same living space.
In funerals, the ceremony led by the tao priest includes many rituals deeply influenced by Daoism and Buddhism. In particular, the funeral house is made very elaborately and beautifully. This is one of the rituals that most clearly shows the combination of folk beliefs and religion in the spiritual life of the San Chay.
What stands out in the festivals and cultural life of the San Chay?
The San Chay celebrate Tet like the Tay and follow the lunar calendar. During Tet and festivals, wine is used heavily. Men often smoke pipe tobacco, women chew betel. These are activities tied to hospitality and community culture.
In arts, besides telling fairy tales and reading poetry, the San Chay also love singing. Most popular is sinh ca, a form of male-female duet singing with two types: singing in the village at night and singing on the road or at the market. There are also wedding songs and lullabies. Sinh ca is not only entertainment but also a channel of communication and expression of affection in the community.
As for games, badminton and spinning tops are popular among the San Chay. During festivals, some places also perform the planting banana and twisting mustard greens games. These are folk performances of a communal nature, often appearing on festive occasions.
The San Chay use Han characters in worship and in copying songs. The use of Han characters in rituals and song texts shows the role of this script in transmitting traditional culture, alongside oral transmission.
How are San Chay clothing and cuisine described?
The traditional women's outfit of the San Chay includes skirt, blouse, bodice, belt, and scarf. The mandarin-duck blouse, which they call pu dan dinh, is decorated with patterns on the back and the flap. The common pattern is an eight-pointed star. Women wear indigo skirts and long blouses decorated with patterns on the flap and back. On ordinary days, only one indigo belt is used, but on Tet and festivals they use two to three belts of silk or brocade in various colours. This change shows that clothing is not only for wearing but also a sign distinguishing ordinary days from festivals.
As for food, the San Chay mainly eat ordinary rice. Wine is used heavily, especially during Tet and festivals. As for carrying, the San Chay often wear a net bag on the back in backpack style.
Production activities and traditional social relations
The San Chay are agricultural people, skilled at wet-rice farming, but swidden fields still play a large role in economic life. The method of dibbling holes and sowing seeds still exists today. Fishing holds an important place. With the scoop net and the basket with a trap, fishing has provided additional protein-rich food, helping improve meals. The combination of wet rice, swidden fields, and fishing shows a diverse economy adapted to hilly terrain.
Before the August Revolution, land gradually became private property and class differentiation became increasingly clear. Landlords and rich peasants appeared in society. Depending on the locality, the colonial-feudal administration set up several positions such as quan man, tai cha, and quan lanh. In addition, there was self-governing organisation in villages elected by the people, called khan thu. There are many lineages, including large and populous ones such as Hoang, Tran, La, and Ninh. Sub-lineages and incense groups hold an important place in community life.
Marriage and childbirth according to San Chay customs
Before welcoming the bride, the gifts and clothing of the welcoming party are gathered in the middle of the house for the quan lang to bless. When setting out, the quan lang stands under the drip of the giang tree and raises an umbrella for everyone to pass under. On the way to the husband's house, the bride must go barefoot. After the wedding, the bride still stays at her parents' house until she is about to give birth, then moves to her husband's house. The matchmaker is respected by the bride and groom as parents, and when the matchmaker dies, mourning must be observed. This custom shows the special role of the matchmaker in traditional marriage.
As for childbirth, within 42 days after birth, strangers are forbidden to enter the house. If someone enters by mistake and the newborn later falls ill, they must bring offerings to perform a soul-calling ceremony. Three days after birth, the three-mai ceremony is held. These customs are tied to the idea of protecting the health of mother and newborn during a sensitive period.
What should be noted when researching the San Chay people?
When studying the San Chay, one should clearly distinguish the two local groups Cao Lan and San Chi, because many cultural and linguistic features may differ between them. Existing sources often describe them together, but one should not automatically attribute every custom mentioned to both groups if the source does not specify the scope. In addition, different population figures between surveys are normal and should be cited with specific sources when used.
Some old documents may use other names such as Man and Son Tu. These are names that once appeared in administrative texts or old documents, but the official self-designated name today is San Chay. When researching, priority should be given to official sources such as the list of 54 ethnic peoples and publications of the state agency managing ethnic affairs.
