Nowadays, all have their hair cut short. Dao male attire comprises trousers and short vest. Female attire is more diversified and is decorated with many traditional motifs. Dao women wear their hair long. At weddings, the bride often wears a hat.
Funerals also reflect many ancient customs.
In some regions, the dead from 12 years-old upward are cremated. The Dao believe in the existence of souls and demons, so have to hold a number of complicated and expensive rituals every year. Relationships among members of the same lineage are always very close and the Dao can identify people of the same lineage by their middle names and his or her position in that lineage. The Dao possess a long - standing culture and history. Though their material life is still hard, their intellectual lives are rich, especially through the legacy of traditional medicine.