A Cantonese bon kyaung (Chinese Buddhist temple) in Latha Township, Yangon
Generally, the Burmese Chinese in Lower Myanmar fall into three main groups:
Hokkien (Burmese: eingyi shay, or let shay lit. long-sleeved shirts) from Fujian Province
Cantonese (Burmese: eingyi to, or let to lit. short-sleeved shirts) from Guangdong Province
Hakka (Burmese: zaka, lit. mid-length sleeve) from Fujian and Guangdong provinces
The Hokkien and Cantonese comprise 45% of the ethnic Chinese population.[2] Hakkas are further subdivided into those with ancestry from Fujian Province and Guangdong Province, with each called ein-gyi shay ha-ka and eingyi to haka respectively. The groups have different stereotypical associations. The Cantonese are commonly thought of as the poorest of the Chinese, the Hokkiens are stereotypically wealthier, occupying high positions in the economy, and having connections to the government.
In Upper Myanmar and Shan Hills, the Panthay and Kokang, mainly speakers of a Mandarin dialect of the Southwestern Mandarin branch, most akin to Yunnanese, predominate. The mountain-dwelling, farming Kokang are classified as a part of the Shan national race, although they have no linguistic or genetic affinity to the Tai-Kadai-speaking Shan, and the largely trading Muslim Panthay are long considered separate local nationalities rather than a Chinese diaspora community. Combined, they form 21% of Burmese Chinese.[2]
Finally, there are the Tayoke kabya of mixed Chinese and indigenous Burmese parentage. The kabya (Burmese: mixed heritage) have a tendency to follow the customs of the Chinese more than of the Burmese. (Indeed those that follow Burmese customs are absorbed into and largely indistinguishable from the mainstream Burmese society.) A large portion of Burmese Chinese is thought to have some kabya blood, possibly because immigrants could acquire Burmese citizenship through intermarriage with the indigenous Burmese peoples.