The Tay have other names such as Tho, Ngan, Phen, Thu Lao, and Pa Di. The Tay inhabit the valleys and lower slopes of mountains in Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Thai, and Quang Ninh provinces and in some regions of Ha Bac province.

The Tay preserve a traditional and fairly developed agriculture with cultivation of all kinds of plants including rice, maize and sweet potato as well as seasonable fruit and vegetables.

Tay villages are always set up at the foot of a mountain or along a stream and are named after a mountain, a field, or a river. Each village contains about 15-20 households. A large village is divided into many small hamlets. The houses are built on stilts or level with the ground. The houses in the frontier region are called "defence houses" which are often protected against interlopers by a stone wall along with a ditch. The interior is divided into two rooms, the front one reserved for men and the rear one serves as the women's bedroom.

Tay clothes are generally dyed with indigo. Women wear a below knee-length dress split at the right side up to the armpit with five buttons and narrow sleeves.

The Tay prefer sons to daughters. Prescriptions in relationship between the members of the family are strictly observed. Couples live in harmony. Divorce is rare. The practice of married comples living in the wife's family is no longer followed.

The Tay practise ancestor worship. The ancestor altar is placed in a prominent part of the house. Strangers are not allowed to sit on the bed in font of the altar. Moreover, they should not step on burning firewood in the kitchen or in the kitchen area. Those who return from a funeral ceremony must abstain from watching cattle and poultry if they have not taken a bath. After giving birth, women are not permitted to come near the ancestor altar.

The Tay possess a rich traditional folklore with all kinds of poems, songs, dances and music. Proverbs and folk-songs are numerous. Tay folksongs include the luon, a kind of duet between lovers, wedding songs and lullabies.

The Tay are hospitable, open, friendly and talkative. They have respect for same-aged people. Once they have made friends with previous strangers, they consider them their next of kin.