Kucong language

Kucong, or Lahlu, is a Loloish language of Yunnan, China and Vietnam, primarily spoken by the Kucong people. In Vietnam, the speakers' autonym is , and they are also known as the La Hủ Na 'Black Lahu'. The language is very closely related to Lahu.

Distribution

Kucong is spoken in China and Vietnam.

Vietnam

Kucong, or Black Lahu, is spoken in the following villages of Ca Lăng Commune, Mường Tè District, Lai Châu Province, Vietnam.

Nậm Phìn
Nậm Khao
Nậm Cấu
Phìn Hồ
Nậm Xả

The Kucong, or Black Lahu, live adjacently to the La Hủ Sủ and La Hủ Phung. The Yellow Lahu are distributed in the following locations.

Pa Vệ Sủ Commune
Pa Ủ Commune
Ca Lăng Commune

The White Lahu live in the following locations, often together with the Yellow Lahu.

Pa Ủ Commune
Ca Lăng Commune

The Kucong and related Lahu groups had originally come from the Jinping County area of southern Yunnan, China.

China

Sun Hongkai reports 30,000 Kucong speakers in Yunnan, China. Chang recognizes three branches of Kucong.

Black Kucong 黑苦聪 is spoken in Zhenyuan, Mojiang, Jiangcheng, Yuanjiang, and Mengla counties, and in Mường Tè District, Vietnam. Chang Suanzhi covers the Black Kucong dialect of Shaohuiqing, Dangduo Village, Yangjie Township, Yuanjiang County. Their autonym in Yuanjiang County is '.
Yellow Kucong 黄苦聪 is spoken in Jinping County.
White Kucong 白苦聪 is spoken in two villages of Zhemi Township, Jinping County.

Li & Zhang report that there are about 30,000 Kucong people in Yunnan. Zhenyuan County has more than 13,000 Kucong people, western Jinping County has more than 6,000 Kucong people, and Xinping County has more than 4,000 Kucong people. Li & Zhang cover the Kucong dialect of Kudumu Village, Pingzhang Township, Xinping County. In Xinping County, their autonym is ', which means 'mountain people.'
In Yuanjiang County, Kucong is spoken in the following villages.

Xingfu Village, Dong'e Town
Damansha Village, Mili Township
Shaohuiqingzhai, Yangjie Township