Born in 1963 in Phùng village, Sa Pa district, Lào Cai province, long a center for the Red Dao community, Siểu’s family later migrated to new land in Sín Chải village. Since childhood, young Siểu showed a deep fascination with ancient books and strange handwritten characters inked on dó paper (paper made from the inner bark of the dó tree and traditionally produced), these were Dao Nôm characters, a unique script reflecting the depth of Dao culture and beliefs.

At just 13 years old, while peers were still playing, Siểu sought to learn Dao Nôm script from village shamans. Along with learning the script, he studied rituals and began stepping into the sacred world of ceremonies like the “cấp sắc” (maturity) ritual, peace prayers, and warding off misfortune, rituals intimately tied to Dao spiritual life. By age 20, he became an independent ritual master, serving as the village shaman. Nearly five decades later, he remains one of the very few locally who can both write and understand, and perform traditional rites proficiently.

Dao Nôm script, also called “Quá Tha” script, is a system derived from borrowing Chinese characters to phonetically represent the Dao language while creating many unique symbols. It is usually handwritten with a brush and used in ritual books, medicine texts, folklore, and religious ceremonies. Though lacking the uniform standardization of Chinese script, it holds profound value in preserving Dao folk knowledge, history, and spiritual beliefs.

Today, under the pressures of modern life, the number of people who can read and write Dao Nôm is dwindling. In Sín Chải village, according to Mr. Siểu, only a few elderly can still write it. In terms of ritual practice, besides himself, only four others participate in traditional ceremonies. Most youths have left the village for work elsewhere, losing interest in ancestral writing and rituals.

“No one to inherit, the script disappears, the rituals vanish, then we lose the very soul of our people,” lamented Siểu.

In 2022, his tireless efforts were recognized when he was awarded the title of Distinguished Artisan by the State President for his contributions to preserving and promoting the Dao intangible cultural heritage. But for him, the honor is not just glory, it is a responsibility to continue safeguarding and passing down this precious legacy to future generations.

He frequently travels, participating in local and provincial cultural festivals, notably the 2025 Ban (Bauhinia) Flower Festival, where he performs the crucial “cấp sắc” ritual, marking a Dao man’s passage to adulthood. There, he not only conducts ceremonies but also introduces, explains, and educates visitors from home and abroad about the significance of each ritual step, bringing the ethnic culture’s essence closer to modern audiences.

However, his greatest concern remains the lack of support and formal training for successors. In Huổi Cơ Dạo village, another Dao village in the commune, summer classes teaching Dao Nôm script are held annually by three instructors. The students are mostly teenagers, with exams at the end of each course. Yet, all activities rely on voluntary community contributions without official financial or professional backing from authorities.

According to the Nậm Pồ district Sub-department of Culture and Information, there is currently no clear guideline or plan for preserving Dao Nôm script. Ethnic cultural activities are mainly short-term events such as publicity campaigns or art contests, lacking sustainability and continuity.

In the eyes of the community, Siểu is a warm-hearted person always willing to help and support villagers, regularly participating in Party building activities and national security efforts. Entering his home, one can easily see certificates of merit hung proudly on the walls.

But behind this exemplary artisan, the “living treasure” of Dao culture, lies a story full of hardship. His family once happily included six members: himself, his wife, their son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. Though the son and daughter-in-law were self-employed, they worked diligently, helping the family become one of the better-off households in the commune.

Tragedy struck in July 2020 when the young couple died in a landslide accident caused by heavy rains while traveling to the provincial center to buy a motorbike. They left behind two orphaned children. The news devastated Siểu.

Since then, he has been the sole pillar of the family. His wife is chronically ill, and two young grandchildren are still in school. He plays the roles of ritual master, father, mother, and grandfather. Poverty once again enveloped their small home. Yet, he continues to bear the family burden and has never abandoned his mission to preserve the Dao cultural soul. The neatly hung certificates in his modest home testify to a lifelong, tireless dedication.

Now over 60 years old, what he desires most is not a sturdy house or material aid but a successor to continue the cultural preservation path he has walked for half a century. He hopes for regular, systematic Dao Nôm classes, and that local youth will return, learn their ancestral script, and continue performing rituals and setting up ancestral altars according to traditional customs.

“Our Dao people have our own language, script, and rituals. If they’re lost, only the name remains, that would be so sad. I’m old and won’t live forever. I only wish to see a new generation take over before I close my eyes,” confided Siểu.