BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MONG PEOPLE

By

Paoze Thao, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

California State University, Monterey Bay

September 26, 2004  

[Click here for the Mong Version]

From time immemorial, the Mong as a people have existed for over five thousand years in China. The Chinese referred to them as the “Miao.” The Laotians and Thai called them “Meo.” However, they call themselves the “Mong.” The Mong is a close-knit ethnic people with a total population of 10 million. They speak a language, which is a part of the pre-Sinitic languages, called the “Mong-Mien,” within the Sino-Tibetan language family of Asia. Having no writing system of their own, their early history was recorded by the Chinese and Western scholars.  The Mong are found in China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), the United States, France, French Guiana, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Argentina.  

The origin of the Mong is unknown.  However, four theories of their origin emerged at the turn of the century.  These theories proposed that the Mong might have originated:   (1) from Mesopotamia, (2) from the South (the theory of Ultimate Southern Origin) which could be from India, Burma or Tonkin, (3) from China, and (4) from Siberia (Russia).  Though the origin of the Mong remains inconclusive, most researchers conclude that the Mong were in China before the Chinese. Then, in the 18th century, some Mong migrated from China to settle in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma).  Since 1975, as a consequence of the Vietnam War, some of the Mong in Laos were resettled in the United States, France, Canada, French Guiana, Australia, Germany, and Argentina.   

The following is a chronology of the Mong history 

  • Mong history is dated back to the confusion of language in Ta Soa;
      
  • Savina asserted that the Mong belonged to a subgroup of the Turanians (a Caucasoid people) originating from the Pamir in Central Asia that was forced out by the Aryans. They migrated through Turkestan, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, Manchuria, Honan, Tibet, and the Yellow River; 
      
  • Shang Dynasty (2497 B.C.) 
    Tseu-You (a Mong leader) led the Mong to attack encroaching Chinese Hoang-ti (later known as the “Yellow Emperor”) of the Shang Dynasty.  Hoang-ti reorganized the Mong into the eight-family system still known today as: (1) Mong Si [Moob Sib], (2) Black Mong [Moob Dlub], (3) Mong Dlang [Moob Dlaaj], (4) Mong Sua Fang [Moob Suav Faaj], (5) Mong Yuapa [Moob Ncuav Pa], (6) Mong Yochua [Moob Yob Tshuab], (7) Flowery Mong [Moob Paaj] or Mong Kuabang [Moob Quasnpaab], and (8) Mong Lahau [Moob Labhaus], according to the colors of their costumes;  
      
  • Chou Dynasty (1028 BC-257 B.C.) 
    The Chou Dynasty sent the Mong to Southern Kansu as a political buffer in an unsecured location.  This particular location was controlled by a group of fierce mountain people led by a chief called “The White Wolf.”
      
  • Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD)
    The Han Dynasty directed a “southern pacification policy” to the Mong;
  • Tang Dynasty (618 AD) 
    The Tang Dynasty launched a campaign to reconquer all territories previously lost to the Mong and brought a great deal of Mong territory under Chinese administrative control;  
      
  • Sung Dynasty (907 AD)
    The Sung Dynasty proposed a fake marriage of a Mong princess, Ngao Shing (Nkauj See), to a Chinese prince next in line for the throne and imposed a policy of fight and flight to the Mong;  
      
  • Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) 
    The Ming Dynasty continued to oppress the Mong and as a consequence a “Mong Wall” (smaller than the Great Wall) was built on the Hunan-Kweichow border to prohibit the Mong to trade with the Chinese; 
       
  • Manchu Dynasty (1644-1911) 
    The Manchu Dynasty imposed heavy taxes on the Mong and continued to suppress the Mong;
  • Mong Migration (1810-1820) 
    The Mong migrated to Laos by way of Vietnam, then to Myanmar (Burma), and Thailand in the late 17th century, but the influx of the migration started from 1810-1820.  The Mong from the basin of the Hoai that sprawled through Hupeh, Kiang-Si, and Hunan, the Blue River from the basin of the West River, continued their journey to the northeast as far as Kweichow.  Kweichow was the base of the Mong concentration where they used to migrate to other provinces, such as Kiangsi, in the south to Kwangtung, in the north to Szechwan, and in the west to Yunan.  
       
  • The Treaty of Tien Tshin (1884) 
    In 1884, France and China signed the Treaty of Tien Tshin and the Mong in Laos assisted France to push the Chinese garrisons (the warlords and bandits) that occupied various sectors of the frontier called “the Black Flags” back to China; 
      
  • Relationship between the French and the Mong deteriorated (1917-1922) 

In 1916, the French applied several taxes in Laos.  In 1917-1922, due to the imposition of heavy taxes on the Mong, Pang Chay Thao led the Mong to revolt against the French known as “The Pang Chay War” (Rog Paaj Cai), also known by the Laotian as “Rog Phi-ba” (“The Mad Spirit War”), and the French called this war as “La Guerre du Fou” (The War of the Madman).

  • World War II (1941-1945) 
    In 1941-1945, the Mong were involved in World War II.  This war was known by the Mong as “Rog Yivpoos” (The Japanese War);  
  • In 1946, it was the beginning of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union;  
  • In 1963-1975, the Mong in Laos were involved in “The U.S. Secret Army in Laos” as part of the Vietnam War;  
      
  • In 1975, the Mong in Laos migrated to the refugee camps in Thailand;  
  • In 1976, the Mong refugees in Thailand began their resettlement in the Western countries, e.g. the United States, France, Germany, French Guiana, Canada, and Australia; 

The Mong in Laos and in the United States can be culturally and linguistically classified into two groups, distinguished by differences in languages, cultures and costumes. One group is the “Mong Leng” (Moob Leeg) who always identify themselves as the “Mong,” spelled “M-o-n-g” with the initial “M.” Westerners also know the Mong Leng as “Blue Mong.” Another group is the “Hmong Der” (Hmoob Dawb) who always identify themselves as the “Hmong,” spelled “H-m-o-n-g” with the initial “H.” Westerners also know the Hmong Der as “White Hmong.” Both groups have a history of intermarriage and harmonious relations at the turn of the century.   

In conclusion, no matter what country the Mong live, whether they are in East Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, Australia and Europe, they have made contributions in almost every field in the economy of the country where they live. Despite their semi-traditional life style, the Mong have adjusted amazingly well. Known for their intelligence, adaptability, and love for freedom, the Mong will continue to adjust as a community. Through hard work, determination, and perseverance, the young Mong have successfully acculturate into those countries, will continue to advance to their full potential and will contribute greatly to the advancement of life to each of the country where they live. 

Paoze Thao, Ph.D., is Associate Professor for the College of Professional Studies at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB).  His areas of expertise include Comparative International Education, History of Education, Policy Studies, Applied Linguistics, Mong Linguistics and Teaching English and French as a Second Language.  He speaks, reads, and writes Mong, Lao, Thai, French and English.

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QUOTE
If we don't know where we came from, we will not know where we are going - Author unknown.