The Hung kings rule Van Lang in feudal fashion with the aid of the Lac lords, who control the communal settlements around each irrigated area, organize construction and maintenance of the dikes, and regulate the supply of water.

Besides cultivating rice, the people of Van Lang grow other grains and beans and raise stock, mainly buffalo, chickens, and pigs.

Pottery-making and bamboo-working are highly developed crafts, as are basketry, leather-working, and the weaving of hemp, jute, and silk.

Both transport and communication are provided by dugout canoes, which ply the network of rivers and canals.