vietnam culture - Choo Communication

VIETNAM CULTURE
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FOREWORD
The Culture of Vietnam which is the agricultural civilization based on the wet rice
cultivating is one of the oldest of such in the Asia Pacific region. In terms of prehistory,
most Vietnamese historians consider the ancient Dong Son culture to be one of the
defining aspects of early Vietnamese civilization. There are some other characteristics
that comprise Vietnamese culture: betel- areca nut chewing, teeth darkening, ạo Mẫu,
bamboo, respect for community and family value, hardworking and devotion to study.
Long periods of domination and interaction with its northern neighbor, China, has
resulted in Vietnam's historic inclusion as part of the East Asian Cultural Sphere, known
widely as Chinese Cultural Sphere with the accepting Confucianism as the philosophy of
Mandarin class. However, the major stimulation of Vietnamese culture's development
comes from indigenous factors. That is, Vietnamese culture with village culture as its
representation is foundation that belongs to Austro-Asiatic culture and Chinese influence
and Indianization have just only been enrichment.
Following independence from China in the 10th century AD, Vietnam began a
southward expansion that saw the annexation of territories formerly belonging to the
Champa civilization (now Central Vietnam) and parts of the Khmer empire (today
southern Vietnam) which resulted in minor regional variances in Vietnam's culture due to
exposure to these different groups.
During French colonial period, Vietnamese culture received merchant influences from
the Europeans, including the spread of Catholicism and the adoption of Latin
alphabet—to this day, Vietnam is the only non-island nation of Indochina which uses the
Latin alphabet to write the national language.
In the socialist era, the cultural life of Vietnam has been deeply influenced by
government-controlled media and the cultural influences of socialist programs. For many
decades, foreign cultural influences were shunned and emphasis placed on
appreciating and sharing the culture of communist nations such as the Soviet Union,
China, Cuba and others. Since the 1990s, Vietnam has seen a greater re-exposure to
Asian, European and American culture and media.
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SPECIAL PRINCIPLES OF VIETNAM CULTURE
Rural
Urban dwellers accounted for 29.6% of the population, their numbers rising 3.4% a year
on average, while the head count of rural folks edged up by only 0.4% a year. About
70.4% of Vietnamese citizens currently live in rural areas, and although many are being
influenced by the process of a growing economy, rural tradition and customs still play a
vital role in shaping the national culture. Vietnamese give much to protecting their place
and identity in nature, such that travelling to Vietnam means going to an older world for
many Asian tourists.
Organization
In terms of societal levels of organization, the two most important units are làng (village)
and nước (country). Vietnamese people usually say that "làng goes hand in hand with
nước". Intermediate organizational units like the huyện (district) and tỉnh (province) are
not as important. The culture is like a vast ocean of people.
Kinship
In rural Vietnam, kinship plays an important role. If it can be said that Western cultures
value individualism, then it can also be said that Eastern cultures value the roles of family
and clan. Comparing with Eastern cultures, Chinese culture values family over clan while
Vietnamese culture values clan over family. Each clan has a patriarch, clan altar, and
death commemorations attended by the whole clan.
Most inhabitants are related by blood. That fact is still seen in village names such as ặng
Xá (place for the ặng clan), Châu Xá, Lê Xá, so on so forth. In the Western highlands the
tradition of many families in a clan residing in a longhouse is still popular. In the majority of
rural Vietnam today one can still see three or four generations living under one roof.
Because kinship has an important role in society, there is a complex hierarchy of
relationships. In Vietnamese society, there are nine distinct generations. Virtually all
commemorations and celebrations within a clan follow the principles of these nine
generations. Younger persons might have a higher position in the family hierarchy than
an older person and still must be respected as an elder.
This complex system of relationships, a result of both Confucianism and societal norms is
conveyed particularly through the extensive use of varying pronouns in Vietnamese
language, which has an extensive array of honorifics to signify the status of the speaker in
regards to the person they are speaking to.
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Marriage
Main article: Traditional Vietnamese wedding
In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages
(by today's standards). Marriages were generally arranged by the parents and extended
family, with the children having limited right to say no in the matter.
In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriagepartners based on love, and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants.
The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional
Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of Westernization, many of the age-old customs
practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both
Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both Western and Eastern
elements.
Depending on habits of specific ethnic groups, marriage includes various steps and
related procedures, but generally there are two main ceremonies:
Le an hoi (betrothal ceremony): Some time before the wedding, the groom and his
family visit the bride and her family with round lacquered boxes known as betrothal
presents composed of gifts of areca nuts and betel leaves, tea, cake, fruits, wines and
other delicacies covered with red cloth and carried by unmarried girls or boys. Both
families agree to pick a good day for wedding.
Le cuoi (wedding ceremony): Guests would be invited to come to join a party and
celebrate the couple’s happiness. The couple should pray before the altar asking their
ancestors for permission for their marriage, then to express their gratitude to both groom’s
and bride’s parents for raising and protecting them. Guests will share their joy at a party
later
Funeral Ceremony
Formerly funeral ceremonies went as following: the body was washed and dressed; then
a le ngam ham, or chopstick, was laid between the teeth and a pinch of rice and three
coins were dropped in the mouth. Then the body was put on a grass mat laid on the
ground according to the saying “being born from the earth, one must return back to the
earth.” The dead body was enveloped with white cloth, le kham liem, and put into the
coffin, le nhap quan. Finally, the funeral ceremony, le thanh phuc, was officially
performed.
The deceased person’s sons, daughters, and daughters-in-law had to wear coarse
gauze turbans and tunics, and hats made of straw or of dry banana fiber. The deceased
person’s grandchildren and relatives also had to wear mourning turbans. During the days
when the dead were still laid out at home, the mourning went on with worshipping meals
and mourning music. Relatives, neighbours, and friends came to offer their condolences.
The date and time for the funeral procession, le dua tang, must be carefully selected.
Relatives, friends, and descendants take part in the funeral procession to accompany
the dead along the way to the burial ground. Votive papers were dropped along the
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way. At the grave site, the coffin is buried and covered. After three days of mourning,
the family visits the tomb again, le mo cua ma or worship the opening the grave; after 49
days, le chung that, the family stops bringing rice for the dead to the altar. And finally,
after 100 days, the family celebrates tot khoc, or the end of the tears. After one year is
the ceremony of the first anniversary of the relative’s death and after two years is the
ceremony of the end of mourning.
Nowadays, mourning ceremonies follow new rituals which are simplified; they consist of
covering and putting the dead body into the coffin, the funeral procession, the burial of
the coffin into the grave, and the visits to the tomb. The deceased person’s family
members wear a white turban or a black mourning band.
Religion and Philosophy
Main article: Religion in Vietnam
Religion in Vietnam has historically been largely defined by the East Asian mix of
Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, the so-called Tam Giáo, or "triple religion", but
today it has become more diverse including other religions such as catholism, etc.
Vietnamese Buddhism has typically been the most popular. The country also has a strong
cultural norm of ancestor worship as well as animism. This fits perfectly with the triple
religion, making it difficult for many Vietnamese to express exactly which religion they
practice [1]. Of the three, Vietnamese Buddhism has always been the most popular with
commoners.
Besides the "triple religion", Vietnamese life was also profoundly influenced by the
practice of ancestor worship as well as native animism. Most Vietnamese people,
regardless of religious denomination, practice ancestor worship and have an ancestor
altar at their home or business, a testament to the emphasis Vietnamese culture places
on filial duty.
Along with obligations to clan and family, education has always played a vital role in
Vietnamese culture. In the old days, scholars were placed at the top of society. Men not
born of noble blood could only wish to elevate their status by means of studying for a
rigorous Imperial examination which could potentially open doors to a position in the
government, granting them power and prestige as Mandarin officials.
Cuisine
Main article: Cuisine of Vietnam
See also: Vietnamese wine
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Vietnamese phở noodle soup with sliced rare beef and well done beef brisket.
Vietnamese cuisine is extremely diverse, often divided into three main categories, each
pertaining to Vietnam's three main regions (north, central and south). It uses very little oil
and many vegetables, and is mainly based on rice, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Its
characteristic flavors are sweet (sugar), spicy (serrano peppers), sour (lime), nuoc mam
(fish sauce), and flavored by a variety of mint and basil.
Vietnam also has a large variety of noodles and noodle soups. Different regions invented
different types of noodles, varying in shapes, tastes, colors, etc. One of the nation's most
famous type of noodles is phở (pronounced "fuh"), a type of noodle soup originating in
North Vietnam, which consists of rice noodles and beef soup (sometimes chicken soup)
with several other ingredients such as bean sprouts and scallions (spring onions). It is often
eaten for breakfast, but also makes a satisfying lunch or light dinner. The boiling stock,
fragrant with spices and sauces, is poured over the noodles and vegetables, poaching
the paper-thin slices of raw beef just before serving. Phở is meant to be savored,
incorporating several different flavors: the sweet flavor of beef, sour lemons, salty fish
sauce, and fresh vegetables.
Currently, Vietnamese cuisine has been gaining popularity and can be found widely in
many other countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Laos,
Japan, China, Malaysia, and France. Vietnamese cuisine is recognized for its strict,
sometimes choosy selection of ingredients. A chef preparing authentic Vietnamese
cuisine may incorporate the ingredients provided in these countries, but generally will
prefer ingredients native to Vietnam.
Clothing
Main article: Vietnamese clothing
The plain white áo dài is worn as a uniform in Vietnamese high schools.
In feudal Vietnam, clothing was one of the most important marks of social status and
strict dress codes were enforced.
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Commoners had a limited choice of similarly plain and simple clothes for every day use,
as well as being limited in the colors they were allowed to use. For a period, commoners
were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white (with the
exception of special occasions such as festivals), but in actuality these rules could
change often based upon the whims of the current ruler.
The Áo tứ thân or "four-part dress" is one such example of an ancient dress widely worn
by commoner women, along with the Áo yếm bodice which accompanied it. Peasants
across the country also gradually came to wear silk pajama-like costumes, known as "Áo
cánh" in the north and Áo bà ba in the south.
The headgear of peasants often included a plain piece of cloth wrapped around the
head (generally called Kh n ống), or the stereotypical Nón lá (conical hat). For
footwear peasants would often go barefoot, whereas sandals and shoes were reserved
for the aristocracy and royalty.
Monarchs had the exclusive right to wear the color gold, while nobles wore red or purple.
Each member of the royal court had an assortment of different formal gowns they would
wear at a particular ceremony, or for a particular occasion. The rules governing the
fashion of the royal court could change dynasty by dynasty, thus Costumes of the
Vietnamese court were quite diverse.
The most popular and widely-recognized Vietnamese national costume is the Áo Dài,
which is worn nowadays mostly by women, although men do wear Áo dài on special
occasions such as weddings and funerals. Áo dài is derived from the Chinese Qipao,
although it consists of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over cotton or silk
trousers. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear, and likely derived in the 18th
century or in the royal court of Huế. White Áo dài is the required uniform for girls in many
high schools across Vietnam. Some female office workers (e.g. receptionists, secretaries,
tour guides) are also required to wear Áo dài. Áo Dài was once worn by both genders
but today it is worn mainly by females, except for certain important traditional culturerelated occasions where some men do wear it.
In daily life, the traditional Vietnamese styles are now replaced by Western styles.
Traditional clothing is worn instead on special occasions, with the exception of the white
Áo dài commonly seen with high school girls in Vietnam.
Art
Main article: Vietnamese art
See also: List of traditional Vietnamese handicraft villages
See also: Vietnamese literature
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Noon gate leading to the Imperial City, an example of Nguyen dynasty Imperial
architecture
Traditional Vietnamese art is art practiced in Vietnam or by Vietnamese artists, from
ancient times (including the elaborate Dong Son drums) to post-Chinese domination art
which was strongly influenced by Chinese Buddhist art, among other philosophies such as
Taoism and Confucianism. The art of Champa and France also played a smaller role
later on.
The Chinese influence on Vietnamese art extends into Vietnamese pottery and ceramics,
calligraphy, and traditional architecture. Currently, Vietnamese lacquer paintings have
proven to be quite popular.
Calligraphy
Main article: East Asian calligraphy
Calligraphy has had a long history in Vietnam, previously using Chinese characters along
with Chữ Nôm. However, most modern Vietnamese calligraphy instead uses the Romancharacter based Quốc Ngữ, which has proven to be very popular.
In the past, with literacy in the old character-based writing systems of Vietnam being
restricted to scholars and elites, calligraphy nevertheless still played an important part in
Vietnamese life. On special occasions such as the Lunar New Year, people would go to
the village teacher or scholar to make them a calligraphy hanging (often poetry, folk
sayings or even single words). People who could not read or write also often
commissioned scholars to write prayers which they would burn at temple shrines.
Performing Arts
Music
Trios of Vietnamese musicians perform together. The man at centre plays a
Main article: Music of Vietnam
àn nhị.
Vietnamese music varies slightly in the three regions: Bắc or North, Trung or Central, and
Nam or South. Northern classical music is Vietnam's oldest and is traditionally more
formal. Vietnamese classical music can be traced to the Mongol invasions, when the
Vietnamese captured a Chinese opera troupe. Central classical music shows the
influences of Champa culture with its melancholic melodies. Southern music exudes a
lively laissez-faire attitude.
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Vietnam has got some 50 national music instruments, in which the set of percussion
instruments is the most popular, diverse and long-lasting such as trong dong (copper
drums), cong chieng (gongs), dan da (lithophone), dan to rung... The set of blowing
instruments is represented by flutes and pan-pipes, while the set of string instruments is
specified by dan bau and dan day.
The Vietnamese folksongs are rich in forms and melodies of regions across the country,
ranging from ngâm thơ (reciting poems), hát ru (lullaby), hò (chanty) to hát quan họ,
trong quan, xoan, dum, ví giặm, ca Huế, bài chòi, ly. Apart from this, there are also other
forms like hát xẩm, chầu v n, and ca trù.
Two of the most widely known genres are:
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Imperial Court music: When referring specifically to the "Nhã nhạc" form it includes
court music from the Tran Dynasty on to the Nguyen dynasty. It is an elaborate
form of music which features an extensive array of musicians and dancers,
dressed in extravagant costumes. It was an integral part of the rituals of the
Imperial court.
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Ca trù: An ancient form of chamber music which originated in the imperial court.
It gradually came to be associated with a geisha-type of entertainment where
talented female musicians entertained rich and powerful men, often scholars
and bureaucrats who most enjoyed the genre. It was condemned in the 20th
century by the government, being tied falsely with prostitution, but recently it has
seen a revival as appreciation for its cultural significance has grown. Ca trù has
been recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible
Heritage of Humanity since 2005.
In the 20th century, in contact with the Western culture, especially after the national
independence, many new categories of arts like plays, photography, cinemas, and
modern art had taken shape and developed strongly, obtaining huge achievements
with the contents reflecting the social and revolutionary realities. Up to 1997, there have
been 44 people operating in cultural and artistic fields honored with the Ho Chi Minh
Award, 130 others conferred with People's Artist Honor, and 1011 people awarded with
the Excellent Artist Honor. At the start of 1997, there were 191 professional artistic
organizations and 26 film studios (including central and local ones). There have been 28
movies, 49 scientific and documentary films receiving international motion picture
awards in many countries.
Theatre
Main article: Vietnamese theatre
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Hát tuồng (also known as Hát bội): A theatre form strongly influenced by Chinese
opera, it transitioned from being entertainment for the royal court to travelling
troupes who performed for commoners and peasants, featuring many wellknown stock characters.
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Cải lương: A kind of modern folk opera originating in South Vietnam, which utilizes
extensive vibrato techniques. It remains very popular in modern Vietnam when
compared to other folk styles.
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Hát chèo: The most mainstream of theatre/music forms in the past, enjoyed
widely by the public rather than the more obscure Ca trù which was favored
more by scholars and elites.
Water puppetry
Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi.
Water Puppetry is a distinct Vietnamese art which had its origins in the 10th century. In
Water Puppetry a split-bamboo screen obscures puppets which stand in water, and are
manipulated using long poles hidden beneath the water. Epic story lines are played out
with many different puppets, often using traditional scenes of Vietnamese life. The
puppets are made from quality wood, such as the South East Asian Jackfruit tree. Each
puppet is carefully carved, and then painted with numerous successive layers of paint to
protect the puppets.
Despite nearly dying out in the 20th century, Water Puppetry has been recognized by the
Vietnamese Government as an important part of Vietnam's cultural heritage. Today,
puppetry is commonly performed by professional puppeteers, who typically are taught
by their elders in rural areas of Vietnam. It is now extremely popular with tourists, and is
performed at the National Museum in Ho Chi Minh city and in specialist theatres. In 2007
a Water Puppet troupe toured the USA to acclaim.
Dance
Main article: Traditional Vietnamese dance
Vietnam has 54 different ethnics, each with their own traditional dance. Among the
ethnic Vietnamese majority, there are several traditional dances performed widely at
festivals and other special occasions, such as the lion dance.
In the imperial court there also developed throughout the centuries a series of complex
court dances which require great skill. Some of the more widely known are the imperial
lantern dance, fan dance, and platter dance, among others.
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Martial Arts
Vovinam demonstration in Germany.
Main article: Vietnamese martial arts
Vietnamese martial art is highly developed from the country's long history of warfare and
attempts to defend itself from foreign occupation. Although most heavily influenced by
Chinese martial arts, it has developed its own characteristics throughout the millennia in
combination with other influences from its neighbours. Vietnamese martial arts is deeply
spiritual due to the influence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, and is strongly
reliant on the "Viet Vo Dao" (philosophy of Vietnamese martial arts). It is probably most
famous for its scissor kicks.
The general Vietnamese term for martial arts is "Võ-Thuật", which encompasses all of the
countless styles. Some of the more popular include:
•
•
•
Vovinam
Võ Bình ịnh
Quan Khi Dao
Vietnamese martial arts remain relatively unknown in the world today when compared
to its counterparts from China, Japan, Korea or Thailand. However, this is seeing a
definite change as schools teaching various styles of Vietnamese martial arts are starting
to pop up all over the world, notably in countries such as Spain.
Language Arts
Literature
Vietnamese literature includes two major components which have developed
simultaneously and are profoundly interrelated: Folk literature and written literature.
Vietnamese folk literature came into being very early and had a profound effect on the
spiritual life of the Viet. The folk literature always praised beauty, humanism, and the love
of goodness, and contributed to the formation of a national sense. Legends, fairy tales,
humorous stories, folk songs, epics and so on, have a tremendous vitality and have lived
on until today.
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Written literature was born roughly in the 10th century. Up to the 20th century, there had
been two components existing at the same time: works written in the Han characters
(with poems and prose demonstrating the Vietnamese soul and realities; thus, they were
still regarded as Vietnamese literature) and works written in the Nom character (mostly
poems; many great works were handed down to the later generations). Since the 1920’s
, written literature has been mainly composed in the National language with profound
renovations in form and category such as novels, new-style poems, short stories and
dramas, and with diversity in artistic tendency. Written literature attained speedy
development after the August Revolution, when it was directed by the Vietnamese
Communist Party’s guideline and focused on the people’s fighting and work life.
Modern Vietnamese literature has developed from romanticism to realism, from heroism
in wartime to all aspects of life, and soared into ordinary life to discover the genuine
values of the Vietnamese people.
Classical literature generated such masterpieces as Truyen Kieu (Nguyen Du), Cung oan
ngam khuc (Nguyen Gia Thieu), Chinh phu ngam (Dang Tran Con), and Quoc am thi
tap (Nguyen Trai). The Vietnamese had brilliant female poets such as: Ho Xuan Huong,
Doan Thi Diem, and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, centuries ago.
In Vietnamese modern prose, there were authors who could emulate whomever in the
world, namely, Nguyen Cong Hoan, Vu Trong Phung, Ngo Tat To, Nguyen Hong, Nguyen
Tuan, and Nam Cao. They were joined by excellent poets: Xuan Dieu, Huy Can, Han
Mac Tu, and Nguyen Binh. Regrettably, their great works that faithfully reflected the
country and the times have yet to appear.
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