Việt Nam is the home of more than fifty ethnic minorities—such as the Chăm and Thái—many of which have distinctive clothing and weaving traditions linked to antiquity. The tight-fitting tunic called áo dài, widely recognized as a national symbol, has its roots in the country’s 2,000–year history of textiles.
Beginning with silk production in the Bronze Age cultures of the Red River, this book covers textiles in Việt Nam—including bark-cloth, kapok and hemp—through the centuries of Chinese rule in the north, a number of independent feudal societies and the brief period of French colonial rule.

Michael C. Howard is a professor of International Studies at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. He is editor of the series Studies in the Material Cultures of Southeast Asia and author or editor of more than 30 books.

Michael C. Howard
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 228
Bibliographic Info: 94 photos (18 in color), maps, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2016
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6332-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2440-2
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Preface 1

A Note on Spelling 4

A Note on Translation 5

Adminstrative Map of Việt Nam 6

Introduction 9

Technology and Materials  9

Looms 9; Fibers 11; Dyes 18

Change, Status and Identity  19

1. Ancient Clothing 23

Bark-cloth  23

Ancient Bronze Age Northern Việt Nam  26

Ancient Bronze Age Yúnnán  32

Ancient Bronze Age Guìzhōu  40

Nán Yuè and Chinese Ruled Việt Nam  46

Chămpa  54

2. Feudal 66

Đại Việt  66

Chămpa  75

Mekong Delta Khmer and Chăm  76

3. Modern Việt Nam 82

Nguyễn Dynasty  82

French Colonial Period  88

Independent Việt Nam  96

Between pages 100 and 101 are 8 color plates containing 18 photographs

4. Ethnic Minorities in Northern Việt Nam 101

Kadai Groups  103

Cờ Lao 103; La Chí 103; La Ha 104; Pu Péo 104

Tai Groups  104

Tày 105; Nùng 107; Thái 108; Lào 116; Lự 118; Bố Y and Giáy 119;

Cao Lan 121

Mon-Khmer Groups  121

Thổ 121; Mường 121; Khơ Mú 122; Xinh Mun 123; Kháng 123;

Mảng 123; Ơ Đu 123

Hmong-Mien Groups  123

Hmông 123; Pà Thẻn 128; Dao 129

Tibeto-Burman Groups  139

Hà Nhì 139; Lô Lô 140; La Hủ 142; Phù Lá 142; Si La 144; Cống 145

5. Ethnic Minorities in Southern Việt Nam 146

Khmer  148

Chăm  149

Central Highlands ­Malayo-Polynesian Groups  151

Gia Rai 152; Ê Đê 154; Ra Glai 155; Chu Ru 156

Central Highlands ­Mon-Khmer Groups  156

Tà Ôi and Cơ Tu 156; Bru 159; Ba Na and Rơngao 160; Giẻ Triêng

162; Xơ Đăng 163; Hrê 165; Rơ Măm 167; Brâu 167; Mnông 167; Xtiêng 173; Mạ 175; Cơ Ho 177; Chơ Ro 178

Chapter Notes 181

References 197

Index 205