Shan State Tai land

Kachins: They are found in the northern region where the Shan State borders with the Kachin State. The Kachin breed livestock and grow vegetables, corn and rice in remote mountainous villages.
Dhanu: These people are settled in the lowlands on the western slopes of the Shan Plateau bordering with Burma. The Dhanu work on their paddy fields and vegetable farms.

Intha-s: These people live on the Floating villages and vegetable plots in the largest inland lake called Inlay where silk weaving and local handicrafts have been their home industry for generations.
Lahu: They are found east of the Salween along the mountainous border region between the Shan State and Thailand.
Akha: Akha mostly live in the border areas between the Shan State and Laos.

Kokangnese: Kokangnese are found in the Northeastern Shan State close to the Yunnan Province. They farm, breed livestock and conduct cross border trading with China.
Padaung or Kayan: Padaung settled in the south around Mong Pai Township where farming is their livelihood. Their womenfolk are known as ‘giraffenecks’ because of the brass or silver rings worn round their necks as adornments.
Lisu or Lisaw: Lisu are scattered in the north and southern Shan State remote mountainous regions on large and permanent settlements, because of their accustomed slash and burn farming traditions.

Yang-lam: Yang-lam are found around Ming-su and Kesi-wansam in the central region living on primitive farming.
Liju: Liju are found around Kokang State in the north. They rely on livestock raising and hill-farming.
Chinese and Indian immigrants are found throughout the country and are mostly traders, shopkeepers and money-lenders. Some also live on farming and livestock breeding too.
Burmese or Burmans: Burmese are scattered throughout Shan State as government employees in offices, schools and administrative centers. They also came in to find work as manual laborers and hired hands doing various jobs in towns and in the countryside. Many ethnic groups such as the En, Dhanor, Palay, and others can be found making their living on primitive farms with contentment. All the different national groups have lived harmoniosly together for thousand of years sharing hardships and prosperity in times of peace and war.

RELIGIONS

The Buddhist religion, spread into the Shan society nine years after the Lord Buddha attained His enlightenment (Mong Mao Chronicle) and came to Loi Seng monastery to teach Buddhism among the Shans (Dai/Tai) people. The Loi Seng monastery is still at the same place situated near the Mong Mao district town known to the Chinese as Ruili today. Naturally, Buddhist religion emphasizes respect to the elderly. It became a tradition of the Shans since then. Religious learning, self-training through meditation, reflection on one's deeds and the study and the assessment of the Law of Nature as Buddhism teaches made them acquire wisdom. The younger generation's respect for the elders' wisdom also became a tradition.

The Shan believe in spirits, which can cause good or evil in a person’s life and must be appeased. They also believe in reincarnation and that the good or evil done in one’s life will determine their status and fate in the next life. In order to atone for wrongs done, a person must participate in merit-building activities, such as suffering a punishment of some sort or doing good deeds such as giving to and worshipping the monks. The lowest form of life is to be an animal such as a dog or a cat, and the highest is to retire into a state of passionless peace.
All Shan boys about 12 years old enter the novicehood for a short period of time. Some become monks again later for a longer period of time( about 20 years old to enter the monkshood). They believe that the way to happiness it to renounce the world and carnal desires. They also believe that the physical and the spiritual are closely intertwined.

Languages: The Shan language is part of the Tai languages group of the Tai-Kadai language family, and is related to Thai and Lao. The spoken language are Shan, English and Burmese. Minority ethnic groups have their own languages. Tai with dialects varying for each group.
literature: The Shan have their own alphabet related to ancient Sanskrit. Shan, like Thai, is built on 5 different tones(Chinese Shan have 6). The Shan Phonology Committee including the representatives of the Tai long,Tai Mao, Tai Khamti, and Tai Hkun devised a Common Shan Script in 1974. For precision in writing the various Shan languages, the committee decided to have six tone marks in the Common Shan Script.

CULTURE
The Shan have a rich cultural heritage and are a proud and sophisticated race. They are a gentle and peaceful people. Many of their customs are related to the Chinese and the Thai. They have their own centuries old literature, art, agriculture and history. Tattooing is common among Shan men. The tattoos are often Buddhist connotations or signs, placed there in an effort to ward off evil spirits and protect the person from danger. Tattooing is also considered a sign of manhood in Shan society.
Instead of shaking hands, the Shan usually greet with a "wai", or placing the palms together in front of the face or chest and say “ Mai Soong Kha ”. The one lowest in status should initiate the greeting. How high the palms are placed reflects the status of the person being greeted in relation to the person greeting. In addressing each other, the Shan use titles (such as "Pa: grandmother", "Loong: uncle", “Pi: elder”, "Nawng ying: little sister", etc.) to express the person’s status or relationship to others. It is not acceptable to show affection between the sexes in public.The Shan are traditionally wet-rice cultivators, shopkeepers, and artisans. Most Shan are Theravada Buddhists and/or observe their traditional religion, which is related to animist practices.