ABSTRACT
The mountainous area of Dien Bien Phu has long been inhabited by various tribal groups. The T'ai, who first arrived in the twelfth century, constitute the largest ethnic group, followed by the Hmong, who settled on the mountain slopes in the eighteenth century. The Hmong grew poppies, from which the T'ai processed opium and then traded it, principally to the Vietnamese and Chinese. To the T'ai, Dien Bien Phu is known as Muong Thanh (Heaven's Country). T'ai legend explains that Muong Thanh was in communication with the heavens and was the cradle of humanity.
