Language Information

The Chuang are the largest ethnic minority in China. Numbering about 15 million, they live chiefly in the Kwangsi Chuang Autonomous Region which borders Vietnam.

Of the major languages of Asia, Chuang is most closely related to Thai. The alphabet, developed in the 1950s, is based largely on the Roman. There are thirty-two letters in all—nineteen consonants, eight vowels, and five to indicate tones.

Family: Sino-Tibetan
Subgroup: Tai

Writing Sample

Translation

After Dasam's return, her middle sister began to think of how she could do away with her. Once she invited Dasam to her house for a chat and said, "Sister! You used to say that if you sat in a big tub and were splashed with water, you would instantly become beautiful. Why don't you climb into the tub and let me splash water on you to see if you become beautiful?" Dasam did not suspect that Daney was planning to kill her and slid down to the bottom of the tub. Daney then took some boiling water and poured it all over her. Dasam died instantly.