Theravada Buddhism is central to Lao identity, shaping cultural practices and social norms, though animist traditions persist, especially in rural communities.

The Lao people trace their historical roots to the Lan Xang Kingdom (14th–18th century), a major Southeast Asian power that solidified their cultural and political identity.

Subsequently, the term “Hundred Yue” was applied generically to the subjugated non-Han Chinese peoples in the south, with modifiers to denote groups in different locations or with some other distinguishing characteristics (Phomphan 1988).

The term Yue fades from usage around 0 AD as the Chinese gained more knowledge of the southern peoples and began using other descriptors (Barlow 2001, chs.

The possible reasons that actuated Tai migration include migratory pressures stemmed from Han Chinese expansionism, Mongol invasions and incursions into Southeast Asia, the area's temperate climate and suitable land for wet rice cultivation, in addition to the fall of states that the Tais inhabited.

[25][26] According to linguistic and other historical evidence, Tai-speaking tribes migrated southwestward to the modern territories of Laos and Thailand from Guangxi sometime between the 8th–10th centuries.

[27] The Tai assimilated or driven out indigenous Austroasiatic Mon–Khmer peoples, and settled on the fringes of the Indianized kingdoms of the Mon and Khmer Empire.

From this point, one can refer to the Tai states of the Chao Phraya River valley as Siam[29] and, albeit quite anachronistically, Lan Xang as Laos.

From this base Lan Xang extended its sphere of influence to all of modern-day Laos and the Khorat Plateau of Thailand as well as parts of Sipsongbanna in southern China, Sip Song Chau Tai in northwestern Vietnam, Kengtung in Myanmar, and Stung Treng in Cambodia.

The powerful Kingdom of Lan Xang had wealth and influence due to the location of its capital along the Silk Route and also serving as the center of Buddhism in Southeast Asia.

[30] The kingdom prospered with riverine traffic along the Mekong and overland caravan routes to the ports of Siam, which had emerged as a bustling entrepôt of sea-borne trade, and to southern China and other Tai mueang.

[31] During this time, the legends of Khun Borom were recorded on palm-leaf manuscripts and the Lao classical epic Sin Xay was composed.

A brief union of the crowns of Lannathai and Lanxang under Phra Chao Sai Sethathirath (ພຣະເຈົ້າໄຊເສດຖາທິຣາດ, พระเจ้าไชยเชษฐาธิราช) (1548–1572 AD) introduced some architectural and artistic developments.

The remnants of Lan Xang received their final blows in the 18th and 19th centuries, during the campaigns of Taksin, and retribution for the Laotian Rebellion of Chao Anouvong (ເຈົ້າອນຸວົງ, เจ้าอนุวงศ์) against Siamese rule during the reign of Rama III.

By the time the French reached Laos in 1868, they found only a depopulated region with even the great city of Vientiane disappearing into the forest.

This led to French gunboat diplomacy and border skirmishes known as the Franco-Siamese conflict of 1893, which forced Siam to cede its claims to most of what constitutes modern-day Laos.

[citation needed] Laos has garnered several famous tourism awards by successfully promoting its northern city, Luang Prabang, as the newest tourist destination including serving as a religious hub where tourists may participate in almsgiving during morning procession of Lao Buddhist monks.

The area was relatively isolated from the rest of Thailand by the Petchabun mountains until the beginning of the 20th century, when a direct rail link was built to Nakhon Ratchasima.

Primary places of asylum for the Lao refugees included the United States, France, Canada and Australia.

It continues to serve as an important regional language and a badge of Isan (hence Lao) identity, but it is experiencing a decline in the advance of Thai.

Lao cultural and behavioural traits that stem from Buddhist belief include tolerance, respect for elders and family hierarchy, selflessness, detachment to worldly good and concerns, caring for younger siblings, politeness, self-negation, and modesty.

Lao people also believe in thirty-two spirits known as khwan (ຂວັນ, ขวัญ, [kʰwan]) that protect the body, and baci (ບາສີ, [baː siː], บายศรี, [bɑj siː]) ceremonies are undertaken during momentous occasions or times of anxiety to bind the spirits to the body, as their absence is believed to invite illness or harm.

Offerings of flowers, incense, and candles are given, and the spirits are consulted during changes or times of hardness for protection and assistance.

[49] Mophi (mo-phi ໝໍຜີ, หมอผี), "tellers", are locally trained shamans, specialists in the rituals and in communication with their personal spirits and gods in general.

[50] Hinduism was the primary influence over much of the Khmer Empire, and examples of Hindu themes can be found on their temples from that era such as Vat Phou.

Hinduism blended easily into both animism and Buddhism, so many Hindu gods are considered phi thaen and Buddhist monks have incorporated much of Brahmanic rituals.

Although sometimes replaced by noodles or other, less popular varieties of rice, it is commonly served with an accompaniment of various dips and sauces, raw vegetables, and several dishes that are shared together.

Many dishes are very spicy, fired by the numerous varieties of chili peppers and made pungent by the strong herbs and fermented fish sauces.

A rich plethora of vegetable and fruit varieties are grown, including cucumbers, gourds, cabbage, snakebeans, winged beans, yams, water spinach, mangoes, pomelos, papayas, and sugarcane.

[56] As inhabitants of river valleys and lowlands that have been long-settled, ethnic Lao do not practise swidden agriculture like upland peoples.