Phù Lá people

The Phù Lá are an ethnic group of Vietnam and China. Most Phù Lá live in the Lào Cai Province of the Northeast region of Vietnam, and their population in Vietnam is approximately 9,000. There are also approximately 4,200 Phù Lá in China, where they are classified as members of the Yi ethnic group.

The Phù Lá speak various Loloish languages, though many are shifting to the Vietnamese language.

The Phula sing Êmê kha bá and play the ma nhí (bamboo mouth organ), pi tót, and cúc kẹ (nose flute) musical instruments. They celebrate the Gù Shư Mu festival and Ga Ta Ma Chu festival.

Subdivisions

According to Edmondson (2003), a 1978 Vietnamese report called "Ethnic minority peoples of Vietnam" had described 6 groups of peoples belonging to the Phù Lá ethnic group. However, since 1978, the statuses of many of these groups had changed considerably.

  • Phù Lá Hán (Phu Kha, Phu Khla, Chinese Phù Lá, autonym pʰu˧˩kʰa˧ or pʰu˧˩kɬʰa˧): Lùng Phình Commune, Bẳc Hà District, and Tả Chu Phùng, Mường Khương District, Lào Cai Province, Vietnam. The Phù Lá Hán are said to have arrived in Vietnam in two waves, once in the 15th century, and later in the 18th century. Mai (1995) reported that the Chù Lá Phù Lá and Phù Lá Trắng are regarded as part of the Phù Lá Hán as of 1995.
  • Phủ Lý

    Phủ Lý is the capital city of Hà Nam Province of Vietnam 60 km south of Hanoi on the river Đáy.

    History

    Phủ Lý was taken by the French canonnière l'Espingole and 28 men captained by Adrien-Paul Balny d'Avricourt on October 26 1873, shortly before Balny's death together with Francis Garnier at Hanoi's West Gate.

    In the aftermath of World War II, Phủ Lý was where a significant number of VNQDĐ leaders were captured by the Viet Cong in 1946. The city was attacked by retreating French forces on June 30 1954, shortly before the country was liberated.

    It was almost completely destroyed by the Americans in five days of bombing between July 14 and November 5, 1966.

    Michael Maclear writes of the area afterwards as 'a wasteland without life':

    Gallery

  • Phủ Lý railway station, Hà Nam

  • Phủ Lý railway station, Hà Nam

  • 21B National Highway, the road from Phủ Lý to Nam Định

  • 21B National Highway, the road from Phủ Lý to Nam Định

  • Phủ Lý City Center, Hà Nam

  • Phủ Lý City Center, Hà Nam

    References

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