Vietnamese people

The Vietnamese people (Vietnamese: người Việt) is an ethnic group originating from northern Vietnam. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising close to 90% of the population, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam. They speak the Vietnamese language.

Origins

According to legend, the first Vietnamese descended from the dragon lord, Lac Long Quan and a heavenly spirit Au Co. They married and had one hundred eggs, which hatched to one-hundred children. Their eldest son Hung Vuong ruled as the first Vietnamese king. The predecessors of the Vietnamese people emigrated from present southern China to the Red River delta and mixed with the indigenous population.

In 258 BC An Duong Vuong founded the kingdom of Au Lac, in North Vietnam. A Chinese general in 208 BC defeated An Duong Vuong and adopted the Vietnamese name Trieu Da. Trieu Da combined Au Lac with territories in southern China and named his kingdom Nam Viet. Nam means south. Viet is a derivation of Yue, the Chinese name for the Guang Dong, Guang Xi, and Vietnam regions.

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