By employing philological, textual, and comparative linguistic methodologies, John Phan uncovers the history of a Sinitic language rooted in the Red River Plain of northern Vietnam. This volume demonstrates how language forms a surprisingly intimate record of human interaction—one with unique potential to enrich and expand our understanding of the distant past.

Professor Phan was joined by panelists Mark Alves, Robert Hymes, David Lurie, and Gray Tuttle.