The Chinese word 'ch?an' means dog, but is also a classifier for non-Chinese people. For ancient Chinese, to be of any other race was to be less than human.

Some thousands of years ago, in the days of the Chinese Emperor Ping Wang (or perhaps Kao Hsing), there lived a dragon-dog, quite different from ordinary dogs. He looked like a man (or alternately, was three feet long, with a striped yellow coat), and could talk.

Emperor Ping Wang was angered by the marauding of King Kao Wang (or perhaps General Wu, a chief of the Cheun Jong tribe), and wanted to plan his destruction. He called his ministers together for this purpose, but none was willing to volunteer to undertake the mission. The dragon-dog, whose name was Pan Hu, was also in the imperial audience hall. When the Emperor, exasperated, offered a daughter in marriage to whichever of his lords would lead a force against Kao Wang and bring back his head, Pan Hu ran forward and made obeisance to the emperor, creating much sensation among those assembled there.

"Your Imperial Majesty need not waste time with plans to field great armies. The execution of Your Imperial Majesty's heavenly command depends rather on secret observation of your enemy."

The Emperor, greatly pleased, thought, "If we send this dog forth, he will surely attain our goal. Kings take measures to defend themselves only from dangers humans present. Kao Wang will never think to protect himself from this lesser creature. But," he asked, "How will the beast manage to go to him, across the vastness of the broad sea with its high waves?"

Pan Hu reassured him, answering, "A man can go without food for a day, but a dog can go without eating for seven. As it won't be necessary to carry provisions, it will be possible to float across. All that is needed is for Your Imperial Majesty to give the command."

This so immensely pleased the Emperor that he ordered a meal of rarest delicacies prepared for Pan Hu, and told him, "You have a spirit like that of a man."

With the help of the Lord of Heaven, Lord Giant Turtle and the Great Serpent, after seven days and nights Pan Hu came to the Kingdom of Yi Guo. King Kao Wang was holding audience in his palace when Pan Hu entered. King Kao Wang realized that this was a truly great beast.

"I have heard folk say, 'A pig brings evil, a dog brings good.' Surely that means that we will triumph over Ping Wang.

King Kao Wang had Pan Hu sit at his side, and fed him rare delicacies.

Now over-confident, King Kao Wang began ignoring affairs of state, either gazing upon flowers or giving himself over to drunkenness. Thus, one day Pan Hu easily bit and killed him.

Pan Hu took the king's head in his mouth and re-crossed the sea to Emperor Ping Wang's audience hall. Ministers gathered around him and said, "You are but an animal, but your deeds are as great as those of a commander of armies. You crossed the great broad sea and returned! It is fitting that we inform Emperor Ping Wang so that he may reward you. But first, please tell us how you were able to carry out your plan."

Pan Hu replied, "My coming to him so moved King Kao Wang that he kept me ever near his person, and I was able to catch him unawares."

The ministers decided to inform the Emperor immediately, so that he could attend the matter. Seeing the head of Kao Wang convinced Emperor Ping Wang that Pan Hu was the equal of ten thousand horsemen, without their need for provisions and strategies. He said, "We are pleased with you, Pan Hu. We rename you Pien Hung (Pan Wang) and thus bestow in you the rank of lord, which shall be passed on in your line of descendents forever." "In truth, it was never my hope to be made a lord," Pan Hu replied.

"What then shall we bestow on you?"

"Mine is but the body of a beast, but I should like my progeny to also be the progeny of a lady."

Emperor Ping Wang sighed, thinking "This affair will never cease to be told beneath the heavens, but he must be rewarded. Let an auspicious day be found that a wedding may take place." He ordered Pan Hu's body be clothed with a striped robe of five colors, a belt about his waist, a floral-patterned handkerchief tied on his head, and striped trousers to cover his privates.

Then he ordered a princess of the court to dress and adorn herself with flowers, at the propitious time. "Although he is a beast, his spirit is equal to that of a man, and his merit no less than that of my lords and generals. Therefor do obey your father's command in the matter of this marriage," he told her.

The lady did exactly as commanded; no one dared oppose the imperial will. Pan Hu was received with feasting befitting a princely son-in-law.

The following morning, Emperor Ping Wang ordered a cavalcade of horse carriages readied, with escort of 3 lords and 500 soldiers, to carry two piculs of gold and silver, twelve rolls of fine red cloth, and all types of goods for a household. The Emperor gave Pan Hu permission to choose a site on the mountain Hui Ji, but stipulated that they remain away there; in whatever house they would build in the wilderness. For their assistance, two servant girls would remain, and money and provisions be brought for them every month.

The lady bore six sons and six daughters. Learning of this, Emperor Ping Wang was pleased, and proclaimed Pan Hu a founding ancestor of a new breed of human being, the Yao (Eu-Mien), and gave clan names to the children. He decreed the 12 clans of descendents watch over the hills, and that they not be subject to conscription, or other taxes or military levies. No demands were to be made on, or harm done to, the good-natured and well-behaved Yao people, who would watch over the hills forever, hunting, growing rice and doing other kinds of farming. They would have the decree of Emperor Ping Wang (Huang) to keep in their possession forever, and to carry about as a passport for their protection.

Pan Hu may have been of, or related to, the tribe whose leader he killed. Depictions of him look quite human. But for the Mien, eating dog is quite taboo. The special privileges accorded the Mien imply some Chinese right to authority over them, these first non-Chinese recognized by the Chinese as human. Yao magic and religion is traceably Chinese. They adopt children when possible, without racial prejudice, and the ancestors of the adoptive family become the ancestors of the adopted.

There's another Yao 'origin legend' involving the crossing of a great ocean (the China Sea) from Nanking and Chekiang south to Kwantung or Kwangsi (Guangxi) in AD 1386-7. There had been great famine, so the Mien relocated to the Shaochow area. Some continued on further west, and during this time, new patronymic clan names were picked up. At the first Yao-French encounter, in Laos, the Eu-Mien presented the Frenchmen with the "Yao Charter."

Yao Taoism:

He who'd use the Tao to help a ruler

Will oppose all conquest by force;

For such tends to reverse, rebounding most dangerously.

The art and philosophy of Taoism has long fascinated many, worldwide. It combines shamanism with ancestor worship, emphasizing loyalty, respect for one's elders, continuity of clan, and justice. The gentle, good-humored Yao, or Eu-Mien, continue to observe ancient Taoist traditions in their unique religion which fuses animism, reverence for their tribal progenitor and Taoism. As far as I know, few Mien have even heard of Lao Tzu, author of the famous Taoist philosophy book, Tao Te Ching. Mien Taoism is more religious than philosophical, though the understanding the complex pantheon at all, requires deep thought. Some have converted to Buddhism or Christianity, but respect for Taoist beliefs remains strong.