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Vietnamese Culture

Vietnamese Culture is one of the oldest culture in the World which has undergone changes almost four thousands of years. Some people said Vietnam culture has influence from Chinese culture but there is a study shows Culture of Vietnam has its own characters and has parallel development to Chinese culture. Along the history of Vietnam from the Dynasty of Trieu, Dinh, Ly, Tran & Le. In the pretty much same time with Chinese dynasty of Han, Duong, Tong, Nguyen.

According to scholarly sources, the Culture of Vietnam originated from ancient Nam Viet, an ancient kingdom of Giao Chi people which shared characteristics of Han Chinese cultures and the ancient Dong Son Culture, considered one of the most important progenitors of its indigenous culture, during the Bronze Age. Nam Viet was occupied by Northern evaders in 111 BC, leading to the first Chinese domination of Vietnam lasting over thousand years that propelled Chinese influences onto Vietnamese culture in terms of Confucian philosophy governance, and the arts.

Following independence from Chinese in the 10th century; successive Vietnamese imperial dynasties flourished as the country embarked on a southward expansion that annexed territories of the Champa and Khmer civilizations; which resulted in regional variances of modern-day culture of Vietnam. During the French colonial period in the mid-19th century; Vietnamese culture absorbed European influences including architecture; Catholicism, and the adoption of the Latin alphabet, which created the new official writing system that replaced the previous Chinese characters and Nom scripts.

After French left, Vietnamese culture was characterized by government-controlled propaganda, which emphasized the importance of cultural exchanges with fellow communist nations such as the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba. Following the reform in 1986, Vietnam has continuously absorbed various influences from Asian, European, and American cultures. Part of the East Asian cultural sphere, Vietnamese culture has certain characteristic features including ancestor veneration and worship, respect for community and family values, and manual labor religious belief. Important cultural symbols include 4 holy animals: Dragons, Turtles, Phoenix, Unicorn. The national flower is lotuses and the most popular plant in Vietnam is bamboo.

Table of Contents

1. Ethnic groups in Vietnam

2. social beliefs & customs in vietnam, 3. vietnamese cuisine, 4. traditional costumes of vietnam, 5. religion and philosophy of vietnam, 6. vietnamese music & dance, 7. vietnamese arts & literature, 8. martial arts in vietnam, 9. festivals of vietnam, 10. holidays and other important days.

Vietnam is a multiethnic country with over fifty distinct groups (54 Totally). Each of them has its own language, lifestyle, and cultural heritage. Many of the local ethnic groups residing in mountain areas are known collectively in the West as Montagnard or Degar.

Ethnic minorities diversify Vietnamese culture

The largest ethnic groups are: Kinh (Viet) 85.7%, Tay 1.9%, Tai Ethnic 1.8%, Mường 1.5%, Khmer Krom 1.5%, Hmong 1.2%, Nung 1.1%, Hoa 1%, with all others comprising the remaining 4.3% (2009 census). The Vietnamese has term for ethnic group (literally “minority people”). One distinctive feature of highland ethnic minority groups in Vietnam is that they are colorfully attired whether at home, in the farm, traveling or in their home town.

Many ethnic groups elsewhere such as southern part of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, China, Papua New Guinea, and many other countries do not wear attractive clothes while engaged in their day-to-day activities. The clothing of one group is quite different from that of other groups and adds color to the social landscape. When you travel in Vietnam, you will meet and even talk to many of them. In the trip to Sapa, you may see dozens of them or some province as Lai Chau has 20 ethnic groups ( more than 3 hundreds thousand habitats). Dak Lak province has most in Vietnam with 47 ethnic groups.

Family is very strong in Vietnam. Family and clan (dòng họ) are valued over individualism. Clan is the most important social unit in the country and each clan features a patriarch heading the clan and a clan altar. Even today, in some parts of the country, the tradition of clan members living together in longhouses is quite prevalent. It is also not uncommon to see three to four generations of a family living together in the same house. Members of a clan are related by blood and often name their villages based on their clan names. Death commemorations of clan members are usually attended by all members of the clan and villagers.

Weddings in Vietnam earlier was arranged mainly by parents and people were married very young. However, things have changed so much in recent years since Vietnam Open the door to the World and tourism pick up in early of 90. Vietnamese youth enjoy greater freedom of choosing the time of their marriage and their partner. Weddings are still mostly held in the traditional manner with elaborate rituals and ceremonies . The date for Wedding was carefully selected by Feng Shui master or most respected man in the Clan.

The traditional funeral ceremony in Vietnam is also quite elaborate and long-stretched. The body of the dead person is cleaned with fragrant water and dressed carefully in the special clothes. A lot of mourning following and depends on each tribe and location, they have the slightly different ceremony. Later the body will be burying, the most popular method. Recently, some area, people choose cremation instead of burying. Only 1 case of remains in frozen condition and several cases of Monks body was kept inside the statues…

According to Confucian, men and women can not touch hand unless they are husband and wife so Vietnamese people don’t hug when meeting. They say ” Xin Chao” or handshake between men. People in the city talk gently and quietly and people come from the countryside or from the sea talk pretty loud. They work on the farm or ocean and they got to talk even louder than the wind or the waves.

Vietnamese food is fresh and healthy and getting more and more popular all over the World. It exhibits great diversity but can be classified into three primary categories by locations: the north, south, and central regions of the country. Many types of noodles and noodle soups and all type of spring rolls are popular here. Less use of oil and greater use of fresh vegetables is preferred. Soy sauce, fish sauce, mint, and basil are popular ingredients. Rice is the main food and eaten in 3 meals a day. The flavors of Vietnamese food range from spicy and sour to sweet. The Noodle Soup originating in North Vietnam is a noted Vietnamese dish and features rice noodles with beef, chicken, fish, sea food…. soup and scallions or bean sprouts as accompaniments. There is vegetarian noodle soup too.

Read more : Vietnamese Cuisine: The Definitive Guide to Classic Vietnamese Foods

54 tribes in Vietnam has their own traditional costumes. The traditional dress of the Vietnamese people changed significantly from time to time and depended largely on the whims and fancies of the region’s rulers. The common people of the country had greater freedom to choose their clothing prior to the Nguyen dynasty. During Nguyen Dynasty, several restrictions were placed on the type and colors of clothes that could be worn by the common people of Vietnam.

Some of the examples of traditional Vietnamese costumes are the Áo Giao Lĩnh, the Áo Tứ Thân, Áo Cánh, and the Áo Bà Ba. The first one refers to a cross-collared robe worn by the Vietnamese men while the second is a four-part dress worn by the women.

The last two dresses were worn by the peasants in the north and south, respectively and appeared like silk-pajama-type costumes. The color code of the dresses also varied from time to time and during Nguyen dynasty, only the monarchs enjoyed the exclusive rights of wearing golden clothes while purple and red were popular among the nobles and aristocrats. The headgear worn in Vietnam changed over the years with the conical hat or Non La being the most popular among the community.

Beautiful Vietnamese girls in Ao Dai ( long dress) at Hue Citadel

Most of Vietnamese people worshiping their ancestors and believe in animism. In the ID most of Vietnamese (about 90%), the line: Religion: None.

In reality ,religion in Vietnam has historically been largely defined by a mix of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, known in Vietnamese as the Tam Giao (“triple religion”).Catholicism is also practiced in modern Vietnam.

Ancestor worship is common in Vietnamese culture. Most Vietnamese, 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 piety

Vietnam is associated with a rich tradition of dance and music. Vietnamese music also exhibits variance in each part of Vietnam. It is older and more formal in the north while Champa culture exerts considerable influence on Central classical music and music in the southern part of the country is a livelier affair. The country has nearly 50 national music instruments. The Imperial Court music and the Ca Tru are important traditional forms of Vietnamese music.

The great ethnic diversity of Vietnam has gifted the country with diverse dance forms. These dances are usually performed at the cultural programs and festivals held in the country. The Lion dance, platter dance, fan dance, imperial lantern dance is some of the traditional dance forms of Vietnam. The dances that developed in the imperial courts of Vietnam are quite complex in nature and require great skills to be mastered.

Water Puppetry

Literature in Vietnam has greatly evolved over the years from romanticism to realism. Two aspects of the literature in the country are the folk literature and the written literature both of which developed almost at the same time. Folk literature features fairytales, folk legends, humorous stories, and epic poems. Written literature was previously written in the Cham and Nom characters and focused on poetry and prose. Now, it is mostly written in the National Language and includes short stories, dramas, novels, etc.

Vietnamese art is mainly influenced by Buddhism , Taoism , and Confucianism . However, more recently, the Cham and French influence have also been reflected in the art presentations. Silk painting is popular in Vietnam and involves the liberal use of colors. Calligraphy is also a much-respected art form and often, during festivals like the Lunar New Year. On the third day of new year people would visit a village teacher or an erudite scholar to obtain calligraphy hangings for their homes. Vietnamese wood-block prints are also quite popular. Water puppetry and several forms of theaters represent other performing art forms in Vietnam.

Vovinam ( Viet Vo Dao) is Vietnam traditional martial art. Vietnam has a very well-developed tradition of martial arts that has some similarity to Chinese martial arts. Vietnamese Vovinam martial arts philosophy guides the martial arts practice in the country. It is associated with intense spirituality because of its close association with Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The scissor kick is a famous movement of this form of martial arts.

Although Vietnamese martial arts is less popular in other parts of the world than its Chinese or Japanese counterparts, there is no doubt that it is gradually and steadily gaining greater popularity worldwide with the establishment of schools teaching this martial art form in many parts of the world.

Vietnam has many festivals. In Vietnamese Festival is Le Hoi. It includes 2 parts Le: Ceremony + Hoi: Game & fun. Festivals including both traditional ones and those adopted from other cultures are celebrated in the country with great pomp and glory. Here is the top 10 festivals in Vietnam :

1 -TET Nguyen Dan – TET holidays all over the country
2- Hung King Holidays in March 10th ( lunar calendar)- Phu Tho province
3- Saint Giong Festival – In March outside Hanoi in Soc Son district
4- Ka Te Festival – In Champa community in Ninh Thuan Province
5- Perfume pagoda festival – Outside Hanoi
6- Dong Da Festival in Hanoi
7- Cau Ngu Festival in Hue in December
8- Hội đua voi – Elephant racing in Don village – Dak Lak province
9- Ba Chua Xu Festival – In Chau Doc city, An Giang province in April
10- Cam Muong Festival in Lai Chau province.

Vietnam celebrates several holidays, totally 14 days of holidays in a year including traditional holidays which have been celebrated in Vietnam for thousands of years, along with modern holidays imported predominantly from western countries.

Among Vietnamese traditional holidays, the two most important and widely celebrated are the Lunar new year -TET, followed by the Mid-autumn lantern festival ( TET Trung Thu ), although the latter has been losing ground in recent years.

Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts: History, Sects, Characteristics, and Costumes

Vietnamese Art and 11+ Traditional Art Forms of Vietnam

Vietnamese Cuisine: The Definitive Guide to Classic Vietnam Foods

Vietnamese Tea Culture

The Most Popular Traditional Costumes Of Vietnam

Customs and Etiquette in Vietnam

It is amazing

Wonderful research. However, in topic 3, Vietnamese Cuisine, in line 3 sentence 3 word 10 (TYPE in “…noodle soups and all TYPE of spring rolls are…”), I think is supposed to be types, as in “…noodle soups and all types of spring rolls are…”.

Detailed article but there are still some grammar and spelling mistakes. Great job on the research though

Really awesome

Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space

Vietnam's cities carry the architectural traces of the many phases of its history. The city of Hue, capital of the Nguyen dynasty, features the Citadel and other imperial structures, such as the mausolea of former emperors. In 1993 UNESCO designated the Citadel and other imperial sites as a part of their World Heritage List and have subsequently begun renovations to repair the extensive damage they received in the 1968 Tet Offensive. The French left behind an impressive legacy of colonial architecture, particularly in Hanoi, Hue, and Saigon. Colonial authorities meticulously planned these cities, creating wide, tree-covered avenues that were lined with impressive public buildings and private homes. Many of these structures still serve as government offices and private residences. Following the division of the country in 1954, South Vietnam saw an increase in functional American-style buildings, while North Vietnam's Eastern Bloc allies contributed to the construction of massive concrete dormitory housing. The 1990s brought an array of new architectural styles in the cities as people tore down houses that had for years been neglected and constructed new ones, normally of brick and mortar. New construction has removed some of the colonial flavor of the major cities.

City residents often congregate to sit and relax at all hours of the day in parks, cafes, or on the street side. The busiest locations during the day are the markets where people buy fresh meat, produce, and other essentials. Religious structures such as Christian churches, Buddhist temples, and spirit shrines are often crowded to capacity on worship days. Almost all lowland communities have structures dedicated to the war and revolution. These range in size from a large monument for war dead in Hanoi to the numerous cemeteries and cenotaphs for the war dead in towns and villages across the nation. These sites only commemorate those who fought for the victorious north, leaving those who served the south officially uncommemorated.

Traditional thatched-roof homes on piles in a village outside Sapa. These homes are more common among poorer, rural families.

Food and Economy

Food in Daily Life. Rice is the dietary staple which most people eat three meals a day. Rice is usually consumed jointly by family members. The common practice is to prepare several dishes that are placed on a tray or table that people sit around. Individuals have small bowls filled with rice, and then take food from the trays as well as rice from their bowls with chopsticks. Vietnamese often accompany these main dishes with leafy vegetables and small bowls of salty sauces in which they dip their food. Popular dishes include sauteed vegetables, tofu, a seafood-based broth with vegetables called canh, and a variety of pork, fish, or meat dishes. A common ingredient for cooked dishes and the dipping sauces is salty fish sauce ( nuoc mam ). Another important family practice is the serving of tea from a small tea pot with small cups to guests. Northern cuisine is known for its subtle flavors, central cuisine for its spiciness, and southern cuisine for its use of sugar and bean sprouts. Diet varies with wealth; the poor often have limited amounts of protein in their diets and some only have the means to eat rice with a few leafy vegetables at every meal.

The major cities feature restaurants offering Vietnamese and international cuisines, but for most Vietnamese, food consumed outside of the home is taken at street-side stalls or small shops that specialize in one dish. The most popular item is a noodle soup with a clear meat-based broth called pho . Many Vietnamese regard this as a national dish. Other foods commonly consumed at these sites include other types of rice or wheat noodle soups, steamed glutinous rice, rice porridge, sweet desserts, and "common people's food" ( com binh dan ), a selection of normal household dishes. There are no universal food taboos among Vietnamese, although some women avoid certain foods considered "hot," such as duck, during pregnancy and in the first few months after giving birth. The consumption of certain foods has a gendered dimension. Dishes such as dog or snake are regarded as male foods and many women avoid them. Some minority groups have taboos on the consumption of certain food items considered either sacred or impure.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Food consumption is a vital part of ritual celebrations. Historically, villagers held feasts after the conduct of rites dedicated to village guardian spirits, but revolutionary restrictions on resource consumption in these contexts has largely eliminated such feasts. Feasts held after weddings and funerals remain large and have increased in size in recent years. The most popular feast items are pork, chicken, and vegetable dishes served with rice. Liberal amounts of alcohol are also served. In the countryside this usually takes the form of locally-produced contraband rice spirits, while feasts in the cities often feature beer or imported spirits. Feasts are socially important because they provide a context through which people maintain good social relations, either through the reciprocation of previous feast invitations or the joint consumption of food. Other important occasions for feasting are the death anniversaries of family ancestors and the turning of the Lunar New Year or Tet . Many of the foods served on these occasions are similar, although the latter has some special dishes, such as a square of glutinous rice, pork and mung bean cake called banh trung. These feasts are comparatively smaller and, unlike the weddings and funerals, generally are confined to family members or close friends.

Basic Economy. Despite efforts at industrialization after 1954, agriculture remains the foundation of the economy. The 1998 Vietnam Living Standards Survey showed that over 70 percent of the total population engaged in farming or farm-related work. Vietnam imports few basic agricultural commodities, and the majority of the items people consume are grown or produced in Vietnam.

Land Tenure and Property. The Vietnamese government, in line with socialist ideology, does not legally recognize private land ownership. Since the early 1990s, the government has made moves to recognize de facto land ownership by granting individuals long-term leaseholds. This trend received more formal recognition with the passage of the 1998 Land Law. Control over land is extremely contentious. With the recent growth of a market economy, land has become an extremely valuable commodity, and many cases of corrupt officials illegally selling land-use rights or seizing it for personal uses have been reported. Ambiguities in the law and the lack of transparent legal processes exacerbate tensions and make land disputes difficult to resolve.

Commercial Activities. Agricultural and manufactured products are sold both retail and wholesale. Cities, towns, and villages all feature markets, most of which are dominated by petty traders, normally women. The most commonly sold commodities are foodstuffs and household items such as salt, sugar, fish sauce, soaps, clothing, fabric, tableware, and cooking implements. Major purchases such as household appliances, bicycles, or furniture are often made in specialty stalls in larger markets or in stores in towns and cities. Currency is used for most transactions, but the purchase of real estate or capital goods requires gold. The number of open market wage-laborers has increased in recent years.

Major Industries. Industrial output is evenly split between the state-owned, private, and foreign sectors. Since the late 1980s, Vietnam has actively promoted foreign investment, resulting in a very rapid growth in output by that sector. International corporations have been most active in mining, electronics assembly, and the production of textiles, garments, and footwear, usually for export. Corruption and an unclear legal system have severely limited Vietnam ability to attract additional foreign investment since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Vietnamese state-owned factories produce a number of commodities for local consumption, such as cigarettes, textiles, alcohol, fertilizer, cement, food, paper, glass, rubber, and some consumer appliances. Private firms are still relatively small in size and number, and are usually concentrated in agricultural processing and light industry. Many complain that state interference, an undeveloped commercial infrastructure, and a confusing and ineffective legal system inhibit their growth and success.

Overview of Hanoi's Old Quarter. The French colonial influence is apparent in the architecture of many of the buildings that line the street.

Trade. Vietnam's international trade relations have grown considerably since the early 1990's. Major exports include oil, marine products, rubber, tea, garments, and footwear. The country is one of the world's largest exporters of coffee and rice. It sells most of its rice to African nations. Its largest trading partners for other commodities include Japan, China, Singapore, Australia, and Taiwan.

Division of Labor. Vietnamese of all ages work. As soon as they are able, young children begin helping out around the house or in the fields. Men tend to perform heavier tasks, such as plowing, construction, or heavy industrial work while women work in the garment and footwear sectors. Individuals with post-secondary school educations hold professional positions in medicine, science, and engineering. The lack of a post-secondary education is generally not a barrier to occupying high-ranking business or political positions, though this had begun to change by the late 1990s. National occupational surveys show that only slightly more than 16 percent of the population is engaged in professional or commercial occupations, while just under 84 percent of the population is engaged in either skilled or unskilled manual labor.

Social Stratification

Classes and Castes. The vast majority of the contemporary Vietnamese population is poor. The average annual earnings in the 1990s for a family is estimated at $370. There has been an increase in social stratification based upon wealth, particularly in urban areas where some individuals, often with links to business or the government, have become very wealthy. Another important axis of stratification is the distinction between mental and manual labor. Given the recent origin of this wealth-based stratification and the widespread poverty, these groups have yet to congeal into clearly-defined classes.

Symbols of Social Stratification. The most prominent contemporary symbols of social stratification are consumer goods. Two of the most common symbols are the possession of a motorcycle, particularly one of Japanese manufacture, and a mobile phone. Other items include refrigerators, televisions, video players, gold jewelry, and imported luxury goods, such as clothing or liquor. Some individuals also assert their status through large wedding feasts. For the very wealthy, automobiles, foreign travel, and expensive homes are important status symbols. Many of the poor ride bicycles, wear old and sometimes tattered clothing, and live in thatched homes.

Political Life

Government. Vietnam is a socialist republic with a government that includes an elected legislature, the national assembly, a president as head of state, and a prime minister as head of government. However, real political power lies with the Vietnamese Communist Party. Party members hold virtually all executive and administrative positions in the government. The party's Fatherland Front determines which candidates can run in elections and its politburo sets the guidelines for all major governmental policy initiatives. The most powerful position in the country is the Communist Party general secretary. Other important positions are the prime minister, the president, the minister of public security, and the chief of the armed forces. Women and members of Vietnam's ethnic groups are nominally represented in the government. One of the most sensitive issues the government faces is balancing regional interests.

Leadership and Political Officials. The Communist Party pressures its members to serve as examples of political virtue. The image they employ as their ideal leader is Ho Chi Minh. Ho was a devoted revolutionary who lived a life of simplicity, avoided corruption, behaved in a fair and egalitarian manner, and put the nation and revolution above his own personal interests. Party members and others often invoke the numerous moral adages coined by Ho during his life as a benchmark for social and political morality. Ho's popularity is greatest in the north. Residents of other regions sometimes have more ambivalent feelings about him.

Local political officials often are caught between two conflicting sets of expectations regarding their behavior. As party members, they are exhorted to follow the official line and disregard their own interests, but relatives and members of their communities often expect them to use their positions to their advantage; thus nepotism and localism are, at one level, culturally sanctioned. Officials must balance these two sets of demands, as moving too far in one direction can lead to criticism from the other.

The Vietnamese revolution eliminated the extremely inegalitarian forms of interaction such as kowtowing or hierarchical terms of address that had existed between commoners and officials. Most Vietnamese address officials with respectful kinship terms, such as "older brother" ( anh ) or "grandfather" ( ong ), or in rare cases as "comrade" ( dong chi ). Events in the late 1990s, notably several uprisings in rural areas in 1997, have demonstrated that the people's respect for the party and its officials has declined, largely as a result of the highhandedness and corruption of many officials. However, significant alternative political movements have not emerged.

Social Problems and Control. Vietnam has enjoyed a large measure of stability since the late 1970s, but its government today faces a number of significant social problems. Its greatest concern has been unrest in rural areas brought on by official malfeasance and land disputes. The government is also concerned about relations with religious groups in the south, particularly Catholics, Cao Dai, and Hoa Hao, who have demonstrated against the government since the 1990s. Another source of concern is smuggling and the production of counterfeit commodities. Three problems that have increased dramatically in urban areas during the 1990s have been theft, prostitution, and drug abuse. Many who engage in the latter two activities are often from the poorest segments of the population. Official corruption associated with the drug trade and sex industry are another significant problem.

Vietnam has a legal system supported by a police force, a judicial and a security system. Yet, many Vietnamese feel that the system does not work, particularly with regard to its failure either to punish high-ranking offenders or to prevent the wealthy from bribing their way out of being punished for illegal activities. The former is often made possible by the extremely low salaries received by public officials. People also feel that the state deals more severely with political dissidents than many civil and criminal offenders. While there is a limited police and security presence in rural communities, the tightly-packed living spaces and ubiquitous kinship relations hinder the conduct of many crimes. If possible, local officials often prefer to settle disputes internally, rather than involve higher authorities. Public skepticism regarding the police and judicial system is a source of concern for the government.

Houses clustered along the shore of Halong Bay. It is common for houses in Vietnam to be built close to one another within a village.

Social Welfare and Change Programs

The Vietnamese government has a strong commitment to social welfare and social change, particularly health improvements, poverty alleviation, and economic development. It is also concerned with providing assistance to war invalids and the families of war dead. Numerous offices at all levels of government are dedicated to these goals, but their efforts are severely constrained by a lack of funding. As a result, the implementation of many such policies is carried out with the assistance of international donors and organizations. Several governments including those of Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Japan, have provided significant assistance.

Nongovernmental Organizations and Other Associations

The international nongovernmental organization presence is significant, ranging from various organizations of the United Nations that conduct a wide variety of projects across the country, to small groups that work in only one community. The programs they finance and implement include poverty alleviation, infectious disease control, contraception, educational assistance, and water purification, among others.

The development of civil society in Vietnam is still in its nascent stages, thus there are as of yet few indigenous nongovernmental associations that play a significant role in social life. Two types that appear to be gaining importance are patrilineages and religious or ritual organizations, such as local Buddhist Associations or Spirit Medium Associations. Some official organizations such as the Communist Party's Elderly Association that has a presence in villages throughout the country play an important role in organizing funerals and assisting the elderly.

Gender Roles and Statuses

Two women sit down to breakfast in Vietnam. While women have a strong role within families, their status in business and government is less significant than men's.

The Relative Status of Women and Men. Vietnamese revolutionary policies endorse the principle of gender equality, but its realization in social life has been incomplete. Men dominate official positions, the Communist Party, business, and all other prestigious realms of social life. Women play a strong role within their families, a point made in the reference to the wife as the "general of the interior" ( noi tuong ). The position and status of women has improved significantly since 1950, but lower literacy rates, less education, and a smaller presence in public life indicate that their inferior status remains.

Marriage, Family, and Kinship

Marriage. Marriage is an expected rite of passage for the attainment of adulthood. Almost all people marry, usually in their late teens or early twenties. According to Vietnamese law, arranged marriage and polygamy are illegal. Young people can court freely, but many women are careful not to court too openly for fear of developing a negative reputation. Many Vietnamese regard the development of romantic love as an important component in deciding to marry, but many will also balance family considerations when making their decision. Vietnamese prefer to marry someone of equal status, though it is better for the husband to be of slightly higher status. Such considerations have become more significant in recent years as wealth differentials have grown. Vietnamese law allows both men and women to ask for a divorce. Divorce rates have increased, particularly in urban areas, but many women are reluctant to divorce because remarriage is difficult for them.

Domestic Unit. The common pattern for the domestic unit is to have two or three generations living together in one home. In some urban settings, particularly if the family resides in government allocated housing, the household might only include two generations, while some homes in the countryside have up to five generations. Residence in most homes is organized around the male line. Authority within the household is exercised by the eldest male, although his wife will often have an important say in family matters. Sons stay in the parent's home, and after marriage their brides move in with them. The eldest son will usually remain in the home, while younger sons might leave to set up their own household a few years after marriage. Women of all generations tend to such matters as cooking, cleaning, and caring for children, though these responsibilities tend to fall on the younger wives.

Inheritance. The general custom is for the eldest son to inherit the parental home and the largest portion of the family property, particularly land. Younger sons will often inherit some land or other items, such as gold. In rare cases daughters receive small items. Many parents like all of their children to receive something in order to prevent discord. If a person dies without a pre-stipulated arrangement, Vietnamese law requires an equal distribution of property among the next of kin.

Kin Groups. Patrilineages are the most important kin groups. At birth, children become members of their father's patrilineage and are forbidden from marrying anyone of that patrilineage within five degrees of relation. Most rural villages have several patrilineages whose members live amongst each other. Patrilineages generally do not exercise a dominant role in social life, although lineage members often meet to conduct commemorative rites for their ancestors. Many highland groups have matrilineages and different rules regarding marriage.

Socialization

Infant Care. Vietnamese infants are in constant contact with others. People hold children and pass them around throughout the day. During the night infants sleep with their parents in the parents' bed. Infant care is largely the responsibility of female family members. Mothers play the primary role, although in cases when they must be away, older relatives help care for the children. Older siblings often help out too. People talk and play with infants, calm them when they cry, and always try to make them smile and laugh.

Child Rearing and Education. Adults take a generally indulgent attitude toward children until they reach the age of five or six. At that point, they become more strict and begin more serious moral instruction. The general moral message is for children to learn to "respect order" ( ton ti trat tu ), a reference to knowing their inferior position in society and showing deference to their superiors. Parents also emphasize the importance of filial piety and obedience to the parents. A good child will always know its inferior place and yield to its seniors. As they get older, the moral socialization of girls is more intense than that of boys. Girls are expected to display a number of feminine virtues, particularly modesty and chastity. Schools continue the instruction of these moral themes, but given that the majority of Vietnamese do not study beyond primary school, they are not a significant site for moral socialization.

Higher Education. Higher education is very prestigious, a tradition that dates back to the competitive examination system to become an official in the precolonial period. Many families want their children to attend university, but such an option is beyond reach for the majority of the population, particularly those in rural or highland areas.

Polite behavior is highly valued. One of the most important dimensions of politeness is for the young to show respect to their elders. In everyday life, younger people show this respect by using hierarchical terms of address when interacting with their seniors and parents regularly instruct their children on their proper usage. Younger people should also be the first to issue the common salutation chao when meeting someone older, should always invite their seniors to begin eating before they do, ask for permission to leave the house, announce their arrival when they return, and not dominate conversations or speak in a confrontational manner with their seniors. Prerevolutionary practices demanded that juniors bow or kowtow to their seniors, but the revolution has largely eliminated such practices. Many elders today feel that the revolution produced a general decline in politeness.

People of the same gender often maintain close proximity in social contexts. Both males and females will hold hands or sit very close together. People of different genders, however, especially if they are not married or related, should not have physical contact. In general woman are expected to maintain greater decorum than men by avoiding alcohol and tobacco, speaking quietly, and dressing modestly. In many public spaces, however, people often avoid standing in queues, resulting in a chaotic environment where people touch or press up against one another as they go about their business.

Rice is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine, eaten three meals a day, but rice is also exported as well—mostly to African countries.

Religious Beliefs. The Vietnamese government recognizes six official religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, and two indigenous religious traditions that emerged during the colonial period, Cao Dai and Hoa Hao. The Mahayana tradition of Buddhism is dominant in Vietnam, and over 70 percent of Vietnamese consider themselves at least nominally Buddhist. The constitution technically allows for the freedom of religion, but this right is often constrained, particularly with regard to any religious activities that could become a forum for dissent. All religious organizations are technically overseen by the Communist Party's Fatherland Front, but opposition, notably from the Cao Dai, Hoa Hao, and some Buddhist sects, has been present.

Denominational variations aside, the core of religious practice for almost all Vietnamese is the worship of spirits. The most important spirits are the souls of the ancestors. Almost all families have altars in their homes where they perform rites for family ancestors, especially on the deceased's death anniversaries and the Lunar New Year. Many Vietnamese also perform or participate in rites for their village guardian spirits, spirits associated with specific locations, spirits of deceased heroes, or the Buddha or different Boddhisatvas, particularly Avalokitesvara. Some Vietnamese believe that spirits have the ability to bring good fortune and misfortune to human life. Revolutionaries strenuously objected to such thinking because they felt that it prevented the Vietnamese from becoming masters of their own destinies. Today, acceptance of ideas of supernatural causality is more common among women, while some men, particularly those with party or military backgrounds, reject such ideas.

Agriculture is one of the few areas in which men and women share tasks in Vietnamese culture.

Rituals and Holy Places. The most important ritual event in Vietnamese society is the celebration of the Lunar New Year ( Tet Nguyen Dan ) when families gather to welcome the coming of the new year and pay their respects to family ancestors. The first and fifteenth of every month in the twelve month lunar year are also important occasions for rites to ancestors, spirits, and Buddhist deities. Other common days for rites are the death anniversaries of family ancestors, historical figures, or Buddhist deities; the fifteenth of the third lunar month when family members clean ancestral graves; and the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month, which is Vietnamese All Soul's Day. Vietnamese conduct rites in a variety of sacred spaces. These include family ancestral altars, lineage halls, a variety of shrines dedicated to spirits, communal houses that hold the altars of village guardian spirits, temples of Buddhist or other affiliations, Christian churches, and mosques. The country also has many shrines and temples that hold annual festivals that pilgrims and interested visitors attend, often from great distances. Among the more famous are the Perfume Pagoda in the north, the Catholic shrine at La Vang in the center, and the Cao Dai Temple in the south.

Death and the Afterlife. The vast majority of Vietnamese hold that a person's soul lives on after death. One of the most important moral obligations for the living, especially the deceased's children, is to conduct a proper funeral that will facilitate the soul's movement from the world of the living to what Vietnamese refer to as "the other world" ( gioi khac ). This transfer is vital because a soul that does not move to the other world is condemned to becoming a malevolent wandering ghost, while the soul that does move can become a benevolent family ancestor. There is a great deal of variation regarding the conduct of funeral rites, but they share this common goal.

The other world is regarded as identical to that of the living. To live happily there, the dead depend on the living to provide them with essential items. At a minimum this includes food, though some also send money, clothing, and other items. Family members deliver these items through mortuary rituals, especially those performed annually on the deceased's death anniversary. All rituals associated with death have a tremendous moral significance in Vietnamese society.

Medicine and Health Care

The Vietnamese, like residents of other poor, tropical countries, suffer from a wide range of maladies, including parasitic, intestinal, nutritional, sexually transmitted, and respiratory diseases. In 1999, the average life expectancy at birth was 65.71 years for men and 70.64 years for women. The major endemic diseases include malaria, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. Other diseases present are HIV-AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, measles, typhoid, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, cholera, leprosy, and tuberculosis. Since the early 1990s, the Vietnamese government, with assistance from international organizations, has achieved tremendous successes in reducing malaria fatalities and also in eliminating polio. However, some infectious diseases have begun reemerging in recent years, particularly tuberculosis, and the number of HIV-AIDS cases has also grown significantly. Many infectious diseases are associated with poverty and the poor often suffer the most severe consequences.

The Vietnamese revolution created improvements in the quality and availability of health care. The government constructed hospitals in urban areas and health clinics in rural communities where patients were required to pay only minimal fees. Many of the larger facilities were constructed with international assistance. These programs helped reduce infant mortality and the frequency of many infectious diseases, but many of these advances were unevenly spread throughout the country as many poor highland areas continued to receive inadequate care. Budgetary restrictions held back overall health improvements. Many facilities today do not have adequate resources to function and have begun charging patients higher fees. Many specialists have also left rural areas for better opportunities in cities. These changes have put adequate health care out of reach of many Vietnamese.

One of the greatest strains on the contemporary medical system is HIV-AIDS, the first Vietnamese case of which was reported in 1990. Experts estimate that the disease has affected over 165,000 Vietnamese. The government has launched effective education and awareness programs to combat the spread of the disease so Vietnam has not experienced an epidemic as severe as other Asian countries. The two groups most heavily affected by the disease have been prostitutes and intravenous drug users. HIV-AIDS is a largely stigmatized disease due to its association with perceived immoral behavior. Many sufferers seek to conceal their infection, producing a significant difference between the 20,000 officially reported cases and the expert estimates of over 165,000 cases. There are several hospitals devoted to the care of HIV-AIDS patients, but a lack of adequate funding prevents the majority of patients from receiving the most advanced and effective treatments.

The treatment of illnesses illustrates the diverse medical systems that coexist in Vietnam. The most commonly consulted, particularly in urban areas, is western biomedicine with its reliance on surgery and pharmaceuticals. For most Vietnamese, biomedicine is the first resort in cases of acute illness or bacterial or viral infections. With chronic illness, many will first try biomedical treatments, but if these fail, they will turn to herbal treatments. Vietnam has two main herbal traditions: Chinese herbal medicine ( thouc bac or "northern drugs") and Vietnamese herbal medicine ( thuoc nam or "southern drugs"). Both traditions have substantial similarities, particularly in their theories that illness results from humoral imbalances in the body, yet the treatments prescribed in the latter rely more on herbal remedies available in Vietnam. In some cases people use biomedical and alternative treatments in a complementary manner. Many Vietnamese comment that herbal medicines are more effective in the long run because they deal with the true cause of illness whereas biomedicine only treats the symptoms. Members of different highland communities also employ biomedical and herbal remedies to treat illness, but the poverty of many communities makes access to the former difficult.

The Vietnamese have a range of indigenous healers, such as spirit mediums or other spirit specialists, who are consulted in cases of prolonged physical or mental illness. These healers believe that disease and misfortune are caused by spirits or other malevolent entities. The techniques they employ involve contacting the spirit world, finding and identifying the offending spirit, and determining what is needed to end the spirit's torments. The government strongly opposes and criticizes these specialists, but they remain active throughout the country.

Secular Celebrations

Celebrants crowd Hanoi streets during the Tet lunar New Year celebration in Vietnam.

The Arts and Humanities

Support for the Arts. Vietnam's socialist government places a strong emphasis on the arts, particularly because it regards them as a prime vehicle for the propagation of socialist values. All of the main artistic forms such as theater, literature, cinema, and painting have state-controlled organizations that artists are encouraged if not forced to join. The government at times severely constrains the direction of artistic development through censorship, control over printing, and the presence of party members in artistic organizations. This has not prevented a minor artistic renaissance, particularly in literature, since the late 1980s. Some artists find ways to insert critical messages into their work. Many artists struggle financially because of the recent dramatic reductions in government subsidies for the arts, the absence of adequate protection for copyrights, and the fickle tastes of a public that sometimes prefers imported films, music, and literature. Artists, especially painters, who can produce for expatriates or the tourist market, have the greatest freedom to pursue their craft.

Literature. Vietnam has a vibrant literary tradition dating back many centuries. Elite mandarins and scholars in the premodern period composed sophisticated poetry. Many poems from earlier eras such as Nguyen Du's The Tale of Kieu or Nguyen Dinh Chieu Luc Van Tien are regarded as literary masterpieces. Along with these traditions, the Vietnamese also maintained a rich oral legacy of songs, poems, and morality tales people still recite today. Prose fiction became popular under colonial rule in the first half of the twentieth century. Writers of this period such as those of the "Self-Reliance Literature Group" ( Tu Luc Van Doan ) developed the role of author as social critic. The socialist authorities kept literature under tight control for several decades to ensure that it was in accord with the officially prescribed "socialist realist" canon that described the virtues of the working class and the revolution. Since the late 1980s, Vietnam has experienced a literary revitalization with the publication of numerous works that present war, and revolution, and their consequences in a critical light. The work of several such authors, including Bao Ninh, Duong Thu Huong, and Nguyen Huy Thiep has attracted an international audience.

Graphic Arts. A number of indigenous graphic art traditions remain popular. These include lacquerware, ink block prints, and ceramics, all of which employ distinctive themes developed by Vietnamese artists. Historically, specialist families or villages have produced these items for local sale, though some objects such as ceramics were sold throughout the country and abroad. Painting has become more popular in urban areas since the colonial period. All of these forms are displayed in museums and, with the exception of paintings, are sold in local markets as well as galleries or shops in major cities.

Performance Arts. The most popular performance arts in Vietnam have historically been a variety of musical theater traditions, all of which continue to be performed by government-organized troupes. The main forms included the courtly tradition of classical opera ( hat tuong ); reform theater ( hat cai luong ); an innovative tradition that emerged in the Mekong Delta in the early twentieth century; and hat cheo, a rural folk tradition. The former tradition has been in decline for several decades. Reform theater is popular in the south, and hat cheo in the north. Most performances take place in theaters usually in urban areas. Troupes struggle financially and perform less frequently than before the revolution. The French introduced Western drama to Vietnam, but its popularity has never matched musical theater. Musical performances, either of traditional musical forms or contemporary popular music, are also popular. Radio and television have become a common way to listen to or watch the whole range of performance arts.

The State of the Physical and Social Sciences

The Vietnamese government has a strong commitment to the development of the physical and social sciences. Officially sponsored universities and research institutes have specialists in most major disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and economics. Many specialists have received training abroad, either in the former Eastern Bloc nations or in advanced capitalist nations. Despite this commitment, the overall state of the physical and social sciences is poor due to a lack of funding that hinders the construction of adequate research facilities such as laboratories or libraries, constrains the training of adequate numbers of specialists, and keeps scientists' pay extremely low.

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—S HAWN K INGSLEY M ALARNEY

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Speech on Vietnam

Vietnam is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia. It’s known for its rich history, diverse culture, and stunning landscapes. You might have heard about its famous foods like Pho and spring rolls.

This country played a significant role in world history. It’s a place where tradition and modernity blend together, creating a unique atmosphere.

1-minute Speech on Vietnam

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, today I’m going to take you on a journey to a beautiful country, Vietnam. Picture a place where the green mountains kiss the blue sky, where rivers flow like silver ribbons and where people’s smiles are as warm as the tropical sun. That’s Vietnam!

Let’s start with its nature. Vietnam is like a giant, green playground. There are high mountains, deep jungles, and long, sandy beaches. It’s a place where elephants roam freely in forests, and where you can see colorful birds and butterflies that you won’t find anywhere else.

Now, let’s talk about the food. Vietnamese food is a yummy adventure. Imagine a bowl of ‘pho’, a soup with noodles, herbs, and either chicken or beef. It’s warm, tasty, and healthy. Or ‘banh mi’, a sandwich that is a perfect mix of Vietnamese and French flavors. It’s crunchy, spicy, and absolutely delicious!

Vietnam is not just about nature and food, it’s also about history. It has old temples and buildings that tell stories of a time long ago. The country has seen many ups and downs, but the spirit of the Vietnamese people has always been strong. They have taught us that no matter how tough things get, we can always bounce back and shine.

Finally, it’s the people that make Vietnam special. They are kind, hardworking, and always ready to help. They love their country and are proud of its beauty and history.

In conclusion, Vietnam is a country of breathtaking landscapes, mouth-watering food, rich history, and warm-hearted people. It’s a place that teaches us about resilience, unity, and the true beauty of nature. So, let’s dream of a day when we can all visit this wonderful country and experience its magic firsthand. Thank you!

2-minute Speech on Vietnam

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, today I am going to talk about a beautiful country located in Southeast Asia, named Vietnam. Imagine a place where you can see stunning landscapes, taste delicious food, and meet friendly people. That’s Vietnam for you!

Vietnam is a country that is shaped like the letter ‘S’. It is very long and narrow. To the north, it shares a border with China, and to the west with Laos and Cambodia. On the east, it is bordered by the South China Sea. This means Vietnam has a lot of beautiful beaches where you can play in the sand and swim in the sea.

One of the most amazing things about Vietnam is its natural beauty. It has green mountains, deep valleys, and long rivers. The Mekong River, one of the longest rivers in the world, flows through Vietnam. There are also many beautiful national parks where you can see animals like elephants, monkeys, and tigers. The most famous place is Ha Long Bay, with its thousands of limestone islands rising from the sea. It’s such a magical place that it’s been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Vietnam is also a country with a long history. People have been living there for thousands of years. Over this time, they have created a rich culture full of traditions and festivals. The Vietnamese New Year, called Tet, is the most important and biggest festival. It’s a time when families come together to celebrate with special foods and activities.

Vietnamese food is another thing that makes this country special. It is known for its balance of flavors and use of fresh ingredients. Pho, a tasty soup with noodles, herbs and meat, is a popular dish. Another one is Banh Mi, a sandwich that reflects Vietnam’s history as a French colony. It’s a baguette filled with meat, pickled vegetables, and herbs. Both dishes are delicious and represent the unique blend of cultures in Vietnam.

Lastly, the people of Vietnam are known for their friendliness and hospitality. They are always ready to welcome visitors with a smile. They are hardworking and resilient, having rebuilt their country after many years of war. They are proud of their heritage and eager to share their culture with the world.

In conclusion, Vietnam is a country of breathtaking landscapes, rich history, delicious food, and warm-hearted people. It’s a place where every visitor can find something to love. So, if you get a chance, I encourage you to visit Vietnam. You will not only discover a beautiful country but also learn about a culture that values family, tradition, and hospitality. Thank you!

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1. observing confucian values is a key tradition in vietnamese culture.

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2. Celebrating the Lunar New Year is a key Vietnamese tradition

3. the conical hat is an emblem of vietnamese cultural identity.

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4. Sticky rice is a culinary staple with endless variations

5. the vietnamese traditional garments showcase grace and elegance.

Photo by Nam Đặng on Unsplash

6. The art of traditional embroidery is a generational custom

7. the mid-autumn festival celebrates family and festivities.

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8. Vietnamese culture promotes a family-centered society

9. ancestor worship in vietnamese culture is held in high regard.

Photo by Frank Mckenna on Unsplash

10. Respect for elders is an ageless Vietnamese custom

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11. Communal dining and sharing meals is the way of life

12. water puppetry remains a unique tradition to behold.

Steven C. Price , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

13. Loyalty to the community is an important Vietnamese cultural custom

14. folklore and myths are central to vietnamese culture.

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15. Traditional medicine and wellness practices are crucial in Vietnamese culture

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Nellian has been passionate about entertainment and television since she was a little girl. She recalls being glued to the TV, watching Oprah Winfrey interview notable figures from various lifestyles. Oprah's storytelling skills and curiosity about people sparked something in Nellian. She aspired to follow her example, profiling famous personalities, destinations, and pop culture topics. This inspired her lifelong passion for storytelling to highlight notable people from different industries. She also writes about fascinating books, famous cities, popular TV shows, video games, and other topics, highlighting her versatility. Her hope is to ignite curiosity in others through her articles, just as Oprah did for her so many years ago.

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Vietnamese Culture

Vietnamese culture is a tapestry of traditions that have been passed down through generations. From the vibrant festivals to the diverse cuisine, it is a treasure trove of unique customs and practices. In this guide, we will explore 15 traditions that offer a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of Vietnam.

1. Vietnamese ethnic group cultures

Vietnamese culture is exceptionally diverse with 54 ethnic groups , each with their own culture. Their traditions are forming an integral part of their identity. Each ethnic group has its own unique set of customs, rituals, and practices passed down through generations, reflecting their history, beliefs, and way of life. Some ethnic group even have their own distinct language and unique architectural styles for building houses.

2. Ancestor Worship

praying during Vietnamese New Year (Tet New Year)

Ancestor worship holds a significant place in Vietnamese traditions, reflecting the deep reverence and respect for ancestors. It is a practice rooted in the belief that ancestors continue to play a vital role in the lives of their descendants. Vietnamese people often pay homage to their ancestors through rituals, offerings, and visits to ancestral graves, honoring their memory and seeking their guidance and protection.

3. Lunar New Year (Tet)

Lunar New Yea r, known as Tet Nguyen Dan in Vietnam, is the most important and widely celebrated festival in Vietnamese traditions. It marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new lunar year. During Tet, families come together, exchange wishes for a prosperous year, and participate in various customs and rituals, such as preparing special meals, visiting relatives, giving red envelopes with lucky money, and displaying colorful decorations.

4. Cuisine and Culinary

Cuisine and culinary traditions are integral to Vietnamese culture, and Vietnamese food is a source of immense pride for the people. With its rich flavors, fresh ingredients, and diverse regional variations, Vietnamese cuisine offers a delightful gastronomic experience. Each region in Vietnam has its own unique and special dishes, showcasing the country’s culinary diversity and reflecting the local flavors and traditions.

5. Traditional Arts and Crafts

Vietnam’s traditional arts and crafts are an integral part of its cultural heritage, showcasing the creativity and skill of its people. From intricate wood carving and lacquerware to vibrant silk weaving and pottery, these traditional crafts have been passed down through generations. They reflect Vietnam’s rich history, customs, and aesthetic sensibilities, making them an important aspect of the country’s cultural identity.

6. Traditional Clothing

ao dai, the traditional dress in Vietnam

Traditional clothing in Vietnam is diverse and reflects the rich cultural heritage of the country. The iconic ao dai is the most recognized and widely worn traditional attire, known for its elegant and graceful design. However, Vietnam is home to numerous ethnic groups, each with their own distinctive traditional clothing, featuring vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and unique styles, showcasing the diversity and beauty of Vietnamese culture.

7. Literature and Folklore

Highlight prominent Vietnamese literary works, such as “Tale of Kieu” by Nguyen Du, and delve into traditional folklore, legends, and mythical creatures deeply ingrained in Vietnamese culture.

8. Vietnamese Language

Vietnamese literature and folklore are rich with legends and mythical creatures. These stories are passed down through generations and reflect the cultural beliefs and values of the Vietnamese people . From tales of dragons and fairies to legendary heroes and mystical creatures, Vietnamese literature and folklore provide a glimpse into the enchanting world of Vietnamese mythology and imagination.

9. Architecture and Heritage Sites

From ancient temples and pagodas to historic citadels and imperial palaces, these structures showcase the unique architectural styles and craftsmanship of Vietnam. Exploring these sites allows you to immerse yourself in the country’s history, admire the intricate designs, and gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture and traditions.

10. Modern Vietnamese Culture

Modern Vietnamese culture is a vibrant blend of traditional values and contemporary influences. With a booming economy and increasing global connections, Vietnam has embraced elements of Western culture while preserving its own rich heritage. From fashion and music to cuisine and technology, modern Vietnamese culture reflects a dynamic and evolving society.

11. Vietnamese Sport Culture

Vietnamese sport culture is fueled by a passion for football, with the sport being widely loved and followed across the country. In the early mornings and evenings, the streets come alive with people practicing tai chi and engaging in communal dancing. Additionally, table tennis, volleyball, and martial arts are also popular sports that contribute to the active and diverse sporting scene in Vietnam.

12. Communal Dining

Communal dining is an integral part of Vietnamese culture and traditions, emphasizing the importance of family and community bonds. It involves sharing meals together, often with dishes placed at the center of the table for everyone to enjoy. This practice fosters a sense of unity, togetherness, and hospitality, reflecting the values and social dynamics of Vietnamese society.

13. Drinking beer and wine

The drinking culture in Vietnam is huge and revolves around beer and rice wine, with both playing significant roles in social gatherings and business interactions. Beer is a popular choice, often enjoyed in casual settings among friends and colleagues. Rice wine, known as “ruou,” is also commonly consumed during special occasions and business meetings, where it is seen as a way to establish connections and build relationships.

14. Community Spirit

Community spirit in Vietnam is strong and emphasizes the importance of taking care of one another. People engage in acts of mutual support, such as trading goods from their gardens or helping clean the streets together. Socializing and gathering for drinks are common, providing opportunities to bond and share stories about the happenings in the community. And also a lot of gossip what is happening in their community.

15. Traditional Festivals

Traditional festivals in Vietnam are vibrant celebrations that showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage. These festivals often revolve around historical events, folk beliefs, and spiritual practices. During these festive occasions, the streets come alive with colorful decorations and Vietnamese flags, reflecting the deep sense of national pride among the people.

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Vietnam Culture Notre Dame Cathedral Woman in Ao Dai HCMC

Vietnamese Culture

Vietnam has a vast, rich culture, and is home to nearly 100 million proud people. The locals have a wide array of customs and traditions, from various business, food and coffee cultures, to the languages, dialects and clothing of different regions. Vietnamese culture is a fusion of its environment over hundreds and thousands of years.

Ways to experience Vietnamese Culture

Walk around the streets of Vietnam and you’ll get a large dose of the local culture. From different styles of architecture, influenced by visitors such as the French, to the world renowned Vietnamese cuisine and its myriad of exotic fare. Hit a museum, go to the theatre, learn some Vietnamese and try food you’ve never thought to eat before.

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Guide to vietnam’s culture and traditions.

Vietnam is a country full of delicious cuisine, deep-rooted traditions, and beautiful views as far as the eye can see. Chinese and French traditions profoundly influence the local culture due to their blending of practices over the years. Being one of the oldest regions in Southeast Asia, many parts of Vietnamese culture make up its identity as a whole.

Family Values

Family units in Vietnam are typically very close and share a tight bond. It’s not uncommon for children to stay with their parents until they get married, even if they are well into adulthood. It’s also not unheard of for several generations to live together under one roof, having the eldest get help from the younger relatives in the home.

Group of Vietnamese people massage each other's shoulders in Hanoi

Vietnamese food is eaten globally, but you won’t find the myriad of freshly prepared meals as right in the country. Even though flavors and cooking styles vary in the north, central, and southern regions, the majority of Vietnamese people enjoy noodle dishes, rice and soups .

It’s usually made with little oil, and fresh ingredients like fish sauce, soy sauce, basil, cilantro, and mint are popular across recipes. Proteins are like beef and chicken are common, with seafood being very popular due to its coastline and waters.

The coffeeshop culture is alive and well in Vietnam. The French brought the coffee bean into Vietnam and started the revolution. Now Vietnam is fairly big coffee bean grower themselves, in some of their highland mountain regions. Iced tea (Tra da) is also a very common drink served like water sometimes.

Traditional Vietnamese clothing contrasts between the mountains and the beaches due to the climates being so different. Many men wear casual attire like jeans and a t-shirt unless they are in work clothing, and most women dress somewhat conservatively in skirts that are longer than the knee and tops that aren’t too revealing.

Although the younger crowd is a lot more revealing with their clothing, especially when going out at night, with some women taking full advantage of the hot weather to shed some layers. With that said, the sun is bright, and most Vietnamese wear long sleeves during their time in the sun, even if its really hot, to protect from harmful UV rays.

The Ao dao (Áo dài) is the traditional Vietnamese women’s dress. It’s reserved for special occasions and you’ll frequently see women wearing them to pose for photographs. Many upscale service related jobs will dress their women staff in ao daos, such as 5 star hotels.

Flip-flops are the footwear of choice for nearly everyone, both men and women , even workers a lot of the time. Riding a motorbike: flip-flops. Carrying glass: probably flip-flops. It’s also important to know that shoes must be removed when entering a religious building to go inside, and it’s much more common to do so before entering someone’s home.

Arts and Music

Vietnam is a country rich in arts and music and has been changed over the years with a lot of outside cultural influence. Literature, poetry, and dramas are written in the national language and developed over several years. Water Puppetry is a form of entertainment and acting unique to Vietnam and draws large audiences to those performances.

Many opera houses in the country have orchestral concerts, singing, dancing, and many other forms of entertainment for locals and tourists alike. There are performing arts available in most major destinations.

Even though Vietnam is officially declared an atheist state, many natives practice folk religions while smaller percentages are Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, or Protestant Christian. Many national celebrations and festivals are based around the Lunar Year Calendar too. You can visit an array of temples, pagodas, shrines , churches and other religious buildings around Vietnam.

Places to Experience Vietnamese Culture

Just being inside the country of Vietnam and you’ll be instantly surrounded by Vietnamese culture. You don’t have to go far, but if you’re looking for some fun spots to experience different sides of the local people and traditions, consider these attractions.

There are many museums in Vietnam with extensive collections of artifacts and exhibits. The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most popular for learning about the U.S.-Vietnam War and has many weapons and memorabilia on display.

Cultural museums like the Vietnam History Museums in HCMC showcase the country’s timeline of events and how traditions were formed over the years. The country is also filled with art museums, such as the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi, which officially became an attraction in 1966.

Theme Parks

Vietnam is filled with fun and cultural amusement parks that are great for day trips and even multi-day visits. The Sun World Halong Complex in Ha Long City is one of the most popular stops for locals and tourists, as well as the VinWonders Nam Hoi An park.

A wildlife park with an excellent reputation is the VinPearl Safari Phu Quoc, with many opportunities to see rare and common animals. To see the world from the top of Vietnam’s tallest mountain, tourists can take a cable car up Fansipan and visit the Sun World Fansipan Legend amusement park for sweeping views of the surrounding land.

Staying in a homestay is a great way to learn about Vietnamese culture. These accommodations are run by locals who enjoy talking with visitors and sharing some of their traditions and cooking. Since travelers are staying in the homes of natives, it’s pretty easy to become acquainted with the local cuisine and customs that residents practice.

Several Vietnamese landmarks offer a great representation of the country’s culture, including the many pagodas, street markets, and villages throughout the land. Some of these are hundreds of years old and show the accents of French, Chinese, and Japanese influences that made the blended culture what it is today. Visiting the Cu Chi tunnels, Con Dao Prison Complex, My Son sanctuary, and Hue Imperial Citadel are excellent ways to learn about Vietnam’s past.

Scenic Drives

To grasp the nature of Vietnam , there’s no better way to explore the land than by taking a scenic drive . Hiring a private tour guide or arranging for a bus ride to these places are easy to do and will offer some of the best views in the country. Though if you’re more adventurous consider opting for a motorbike. Routes like the Ma Pi Leng Pass and Hai Van Pass are two of the most famous drives.

Those are just a handful of the activities you can do that will give you a feeling of the local culture. From historic times to modern days, Vietnam has a long history of culture to experience.

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Home » Articles » Vietnamese Culture: The Beautiful Traditions Your History Textbooks Never Taught You

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written by Jeremy Ginsburg

Language: Vietnamese

Reading time: 29 minutes

Published: Jan 12, 2024

Vietnamese Culture: The Beautiful Traditions Your History Textbooks Never Taught You

There’s lots to celebrate about Vietnam and Vietnamese culture. But if you’re like me, the first time you heard the word Vietnam, it had less to do with the country itself and more to do with politics and war.

Behind the veils of what has been portrayed about Vietnam in films, media, and books, you’ll find the same thing in Vietnamese culture that you’ll find in any country: people, culture, food, and traditions.

Celebrating vietnam beyond war and politics, why an american chose to live in vietnam, vietnamese values: war and moving on, how vietnamese people deal with the past, vietnamese food: phở, bánh mì, & beyond, the variety of 3,000 vietnamese dishes, traditional vietnamese medicine & food, food & family life in vietnam, rice & greetings in vietnamese culture, confucianism in vietnam, vietnamese culture & expressions of love, directness in vietnamese culture, vietnamese culture: family values and children, vietnamese holidays & celebrations, vietnamese spiritual beliefs & honoring their ancestors, vietnamese customs & cultural values, vietnamese driving culture, vietnamese cultural superstitions, vietnamese values: homes & decoration, vietnamese homes: the ancestral altars, vietnamese on death, funerals, and ghosts, interesting facts about vietnamese culture, more fun facts about vietnamese culture, so much to vietnamese culture.

What follows is not necessarily the facts you’ll find in history textbooks. It’s my attempt to celebrate the rich culture that Vietnam has to offer, all whilst not overlooking the bizarre components that may have you scratching your head in disbelief.

This account is based on my personal experience, having spent 6 years living and traveling in Vietnam, and nearly a decade living with a Vietnamese partner.

Am I biased? Sure, but not in the ways you may think. Like any group of people, Vietnamese culture has its pros and cons. Often, Vietnamese people will ask me, “ Bạn có thích sống ở Việt Nam không? ”

“Do you like living in Vietnam?”

My reply is always the same.

“ Không thích thì đã không ở đây rồi!

“If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t stay [here]!”

When I graduated from university in 2013, I was eager to travel the world. Young and adventurous, I yearned to visit the most unique and exotic parts of the globe.

When it came to places to explore, my list came down to Latin America, Africa, and South East Asia.

I chose South East Asia since it was the only place I’d never been to. I chose Vietnam because I knew there was a huge curiosity about it.

At the time, I had a dream to have my own travel TV show. My plan was this: learn Vietnamese and immerse myself in the culture so I could learn as much as possible and become the “expert” on Vietnam. Then, one day CNN or BBC would call me and ask me to be the host of their new travel TV show.

Well, life had other plans for me. I never got my own travel TV show, but I managed to get on several Vietnamese TV programs, find a Vietnamese partner, and pick up the language. Here I am, almost a decade later, and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned about this wonderful and exotic country.

“Are Vietnamese people bitter towards Americans?” is perhaps the most common question I get asked when I tell Americans that I live in Vietnam. It’s a valid question, so we’ll tackle it right off the bat: No, Vietnamese people don’t feel bitterness towards Americans or America because of the war.

Now, I can’t vouch for all 100 million Vietnamese citizens, but I’ve personally never had anyone show signs of bitterness towards me that is anyhow related to the war. In general, Vietnamese people seem to be very stoic about the past.

For example, my father-in-law is a member of the communist party and also served in the war. As far as I know, he’s never spoken to his family about the war. Not once.

When I asked him about it, he said, “Oh, that’s the past, no need to talk about it.”

“But do you feel angry about Americans?” I pressed.

“No,” he replied. “War is war.”

10 months after moving to Vietnam, I had another emotional encounter with a war veteran deep in the mountains of North West Vietnam.

I was visiting a remote Hmong ethnic group and I happened to find myself alone with a middle-aged man, drinking tea inside his humble home. On the wall hung photos of his family, so I began to ask about them.

He pointed to his wife and children and shared their names.

“Do you have any siblings?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “All of them died in the war.”

My heart sank and I became overflooded with guilt.

“The American war?” I asked.

“Yes,” he responded.

He was calm, I was the one who could barely hold back my tears.

“And your parents?” I asked.

“Also dead. The War. Everyone died. Except me.”

I froze. Part of me suddenly started to fear for my life. Another part of me wanted to erupt into tears. He looked so relaxed and calm, I didn’t sense any anger coming from him. Hiding my tears, I summoned another question.

“Do you hate America?”

“No,” he replied earnestly. “War is war.”

This story beautifully illustrates how Vietnamese people seem to think about war and the past. “War is war. The past is the past. What’s the point in holding onto anger? Let’s move on.”

If a Vietnamese person wanted to hold a grudge against any nation, it wouldn’t be America. Sure, America was rather disruptive for some time, but so were the Japanese and also the French. Still, Vietnamese people seem to be more grateful for the influences these nations left behind.

Before colonialism, Vietnam was under Chinese rule for over 1,000 years. Most Vietnamese people care more about that. If Vietnam were an elementary school of students, America was an annoying substitute teacher, while China was the dominating principal.

In short, Vietnamese people are quick to forget about the past and move on. So let’s take a page out of their book and move on to the more colorful aspects of Vietnamese culture, starting with the topic that may make your mouth water.

My wife, being the proud Vietnamese person that she is, is rather firm in her belief that Vietnamese cuisine is the best in the world. I confess I have had a hard time proving her wrong.

Vietnamese food seems to continue to blow up all over the world, and I’m not the slightest bit surprised. Not only is Vietnamese food delicious, but it’s also much healthier than most other cuisines. Most meals consist of a nice balance between protein, starch, and vegetables.

Vietnamese dishes are rarely deep fried and are often stir fried instead. Main dishes are almost always served with rice and veggies, so the oily dishes never dominate the meal.

But Vietnamese food is not perfectly healthy. Most dishes and sauces include a high amount of refined sugar. On top of that, MSG, an artificial flavor enhancer, is also a common ingredient in many dishes. For these two reasons, there are very few traditional Vietnamese restaurants I dine at.

I believe the most important thing to note about Vietnamese cuisine is the freshness. This is why my wife and I have never walked out of a Vietnamese restaurant in the USA satisfied: the food isn’t nearly as fresh.

Even the cheapest street food vendors go to the market every morning to get their ingredients fresh. They know that if they don’t, customers won’t come back.

True story, it took me over 5 years to convince my wife that it’s okay to eat leftovers! Many Vietnamese housewives go to the market every morning, and some even go more than once a day. Vietnamese people value freshness way more than nutritional value.

The variety of Vietnamese dishes seems to be endless. I once heard a story about an ancient Vietnamese king who was so obsessed with novelty and food that his chef was never allowed to serve the same dish twice.

I’m not sure if this tale is true, but Google suggests that there are over 3,000 different Vietnamese dishes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a low estimate.

It seems to me that no matter your starting point if you were to drive 30 minutes in any direction, you’re bound to stumble upon a new local dish that can’t be found in any other part of the country. It’s pretty fascinating.

One fascinating thing I recently learned is that according to Vietnamese traditional medicine, every food has an energetic impact on the stomach that lies on the scale of yin (cooling) and yang (heating).

Some foods are neutral, but all foods lie somewhere on the spectrum. This stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine. This balance is good for digestion and helps maintain a light stomach and comfortable body. It also prevents indigestion and heaviness.

So, Vietnamese dishes aren’t just optimized solely for taste and nutrition, they also maintain a yin-yang balance. This is especially the case for traditional dishes that have been passed on for many generations. For example, duck meat is cooling to the body, so it is eaten with ginger fish sauce, which is heating.

Most of my Vietnamese friends know whether a food is yin or yang intuitively, and it’s not until I question them do they put a label on it. I find this utterly fascinating. When I hold this philosophy up against 99% of the meals I grew up eating in America, the dishes are… you guessed it, extremely unbalanced when examined through this system.

In Vietnam, all meals are eaten as a family and shared family style. In lieu of a prayer or a “bon appetit”, it is customary for the youngest member of the family to “invite” the elders when the meal begins. Thus, the youngest will address each family member individually and say “I invite you” xin mời . They start with the oldest person and then go from oldest to youngest. But when it comes to the younger ones, they do not invite them to eat, instead they just say “Eat!”, em ăn đi! .

I appreciate the sentiment of this tradition when done with presence. However, in most cases, the elder who is being invited by the child doesn’t really acknowledge the invitation and digs right into the food. It’s as if I were to bow and say, “Father, I invite you to this meal” and then he just chews and says, “Yeah… whatever…”

If you ever want to impress a Vietnamese host, say con/em mời cả nhà “I invite the entire family” just as the meal is beginning. Also, the younger ones at the table show respect by waiting for the elders to eat first. No one starts to before the oldest person is holding their chopsticks and starts grabbing dishes.

Also, while Koreans often use metal chopsticks, Vietnamese people only use chopsticks made from coconut, bamboo, and wood.

Rice is by far the most common food eaten in Vietnam. In fact, I’ve yet to encounter another Asian culture that loves rice as much as Vietnamese people.

Rice is usually served for lunch and dinner, breakfast often being soup or a bánh mì sandwich. Rice is also one of the most common words you’ll hear in everyday greetings.

People in Vietnam rarely ask how you are doing or how you are feeling. The two most common questions you’ll hear are ăn cơm chưa? , “Have you eaten rice yet?” and Đi đâu? “Where are you going?”.

In general, if you are in motion, they’ll ask the latter. If you’re stationary, they’ll ask the former.

In this context, rice represents any meal. If I just ate a pizza, I would respond by saying dạ, ăn rồi “yes, [I have] eaten already.”

Sticky rice is used for special occasions/celebrations/ making traditional “cakes” while normal rice is for every day. Sticky rice is heavier on the stomach (longer to digest) and hot for the body. Vietnamese don’t eat sticky rice too often, as it is said to cause acne or hinder the healing process for certain wounds.

Vietnam has been heavily influenced by Confucianism, which means much of the culture is based on family ties, social status, and the concept of “face.”

Because social status and harmony are so crucial to Vietnamese society, your “face” – or how others see you – matters a great deal. “Saving face” means working to keep a positive reputation while staying in line with societal standards. This holds true at work, in your personal life, relationships, and everything. It can often mean compromising the truth or blatantly telling a white lie in order to save your reputation.

The strict gender roles advocated by Confucianism are also still embedded in Vietnamese culture. According to Confucianism, a woman’s duty was to her husband, wifely responsibilities, family duties, and household chores. But it doesn’t stop there. A woman’s duty is to serve three different male figures her entire life. First, her father, then her husband, and finally her son(s).

Because of these deeply embedded beliefs and cultural expectations, it is very rare for a Vietnamese man to marry a non-Vietnamese woman. On the other hand, it is very common for a Vietnamese woman, especially those interested in the feminist movement, to marry a non-Vietnamese (or Western) man.

From a Western perspective, it may appear that Vietnamese women are seen more as employees. But like many other Asian cultures, love is often associated with sacrifice.

In general, Vietnamese people believe that the more one sacrifices, the more loving they are being. The Vietnamese word for “duty” is nhiệm vụ , which translates to “responsibility” + “service”. So while it may appear to one person as a heavy obligation, the duty to one’s family is also seen as an act of service.

Also, if a parent sacrifices their own needs and desires in order to provide opportunities for the child (which is very common here), it is seen as the greatest act of love. Because of this, most kids are conditioned to feel eternally grateful and indebted to their parents.

It’s nearly unthinkable to say “I love you” to a family member in Vietnamese culture. Most people have gone their entire lives without saying it from their children or hearing it from their parents. Hugging is also very uncommon, and more likely to occur with friends rather than family.

In Vietnam, love is expressed more through actions and deeds: providing financial support, doing laundry, cooking, etc. Children are expected to show that they love their parents by being respectful/obedient, performing well in school, and staying out of trouble. Parents show their love by feeding their children, providing opportunities, and being there whenever they need help. There’s still a lot of love within the family structure, but it’s rarely expressed through words or physical intimacy.

It won’t take you more than a few days of being in Vietnam to be asked some very personal questions. Aside from the basic questions: “Have you eaten yet?” and “Where are you going?”, Vietnamese people tend to ask questions that are considered inappropriate or rude in the West.

For example, Vietnamese people will ask you early in a conversation how old you are. This is done for a very good reason. Embedded in the Vietnamese language is a hierarchy, and if the person you are talking to doesn’t know your age, they won’t know how to address you using the proper pronoun.

Because of this, Vietnamese people seem to hold very little insecurities about their age. If anything, they actually want people to know how old they are, as it demands more respect. In general, the older they are, the more proud they become. Those who are hesitant to share their exact age do so because they are embarrassed by how young they are.

But the personal questions don’t stop at age. It’s common for people to ask you if you own or rent your home, and how much you pay for rent, and some will even ask you how much your monthly income is. They’ll also ask you if you have a husband/wife yet. Then, they will try to hurry you into getting married and having babies by making comments or jokes.

Personally, most of the above questions don’t faze me anymore, but there is one that I still feel uncomfortable answering: “Why don’t you have kids yet?”

Actually, let me clarify. The question that comes first is “Do you have kids yet?” Có con chưa? . They’re not asking “Do you have kids?” it’s “Do you have kids yet ?”

When I say no, most can hardly believe it. It’s like showing them I have 11 fingers. At this point, they stop asking me questions and begin to make demands.

They advise me to go and make a baby and tell me all about how much fun kids are and that the only way to be happy is to have children. In traditional Vietnamese culture, you’re not fully recognised as an acceptable woman/human being until you bear children. So, the thought of not wanting children is unfathomable to most Vietnamese people.

The biggest holiday, by a long shot, is Tết , the Chinese New Year. It’s basically Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, all combined into one. It’s really the only holiday where one is expected to return to their hometown and visit family.

Traditions around Tết include a massive spring cleaning of the house. Families also visit the cemetery in order to clean up the tombstones of their ancestors as well as make their offerings.

Vietnamese people believe that ancestors (their spirits) will come back home and enjoy Tet with their living family members. So, the daughters-in-law (women in the house) will have to prepare 3 trays of offering meals in the 1st 3 days of the new year to offer to the returning spirits.

One of the traditional foods around this time is called bánh tét . It is typically cooked over a wooden fire for 12 hours straight. This invites families to stay up late hanging out around the fire.

Gifts are not typically given for this holiday, but money is. It’s called “lucky money”, and it’s given only by elders to the young ones who have yet to get jobs and therefore don’t have their own money.

Families typically enjoy one or more large meals together to celebrate. Then, in the days following the New Year, it’s common to visit friends and family and wish them a happy new year.

Besides Tết , there are also rituals that take place twice a month according to the lunar calendar on the new moon mùng một , as well as the full moon, ngày rằm .

For this, an altar is set up filled with food, fruit, incense, and decorations. Then, prayers and offerings are made to the ancestors in the spirit world. The custom is to light the insights and then bow three times before placing them on the altar. It’s also common for Vietnamese Buddhists to eat vegan or vegetarian for the day of these moon celebrations.

Vietnamese people believe that their ancestors are still able to enjoy whatever offerings are placed on the altar. So, you’ll often see beer and cigarettes on altars if that’s what they think their dead relatives would want. If there’s ever an altar made in my honor, I hope they put durian fruit on it!

They also believe that by burning something, it’s able to transcend dimensions and deliver these goods to their relatives who have passed away. So, often they will burn paper money as a way to give money to their dead relatives.

[Side note: I’m not sure what use of paper money is to spirits living in another realm. If there is life after death, I really hope it doesn’t include taxes! That being said, I know that this act is done with good intentions and a way of expressing love and respect to their ancestors. And if what the Vietnamese believe is true, their dead ancestors are probably way wealthier than mine.]

Birthdays were not celebrated until very recently. My in-laws don’t even know their exact birthdate, and my wife never celebrated her birthday until she was 23. Some celebrate the first birthday called a thôi nôi , when the baby no longer using the cradle. The child may receive gifts and clothes on this occasion.

A lot of elderly people don’t know their birthdays either, and some don’t even remember the exact year they were born. It’s not that they forgot, they just never needed to know the exact date.

Anniversaries are also not celebrated in Vietnam, only by a small percentage of the young generation. I’ve noticed that personal celebrations aren’t very common in Vietnam. Graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. are not highlighted as much as they are in the West. I believe this because in Vietnamese culture, there isn’t a strong value placed on the individual.

There are lots of unique Vietnamese customs that are quite different from Western countries. Here are some of the most important Vietnamese customs to know:

When entering a house, take your shoes off at the door or beforehand. It’s unacceptable to track dirt into someone’s home. Leave your shoes by the front door.

Traditionally speaking, you must always greet the elders each time you enter the home and you must always say goodbye each time you leave.

It is considered polite to use two hands when giving or receiving money. However, it’s not necessary to touch the money with both hands. If you are giving money with your right hand, it’s common and acceptable to place your other hand on your right forearm or elbow.

If you’re offered something from someone who is older than you, take it with both hands to show respect and gratitude.

Like other Asian countries, you won’t say “God bless you” when someone sneezes. You’ll mostly ignore it.

Bathrooms in Vietnam, even in homes, are quite different. Showers are not often in stalls, and toilets are often “squatting toilets” — or holes in the floor.

Because the toilets are different and the plumbing not the same as in some Western countries, toilet paper is also a rarity. Instead, a water hose is used to rinse one’s private parts. If there is toilet paper, you’ll need to throw it away in a bin, not the toilet.

It’s also very rare to find a dishwasher, oven, or microwave in a Vietnamese kitchen:

Vietnam is the land of motorbikes (and scooters). In 2019 it was estimated that there were over 45 million motorbikes registered in the country, and big cities like Saigon reportedly get flooded with 8.5 million motorbikes every single day.

The way people drive in Vietnam is also unique and rather chaotic. There are laws and rules, but most people do not follow them. Road crashes are a leading cause of death in Vietnam.

It is not uncommon to see 5 people on one motorscooter driving on the opposite side of the road without helmets, although traffic police are gradually getting stricter. People also often drive on the pavement with one hand busy writing a text message.

The rules are essentially this: “Try to get to your destination as fast as possible without colliding with another vehicle”.

Vehicles on the roads seem to function more like creatures in the deep sea: the bigger animals move along freely as they wish and the smaller animals must stay out of their way to ensure survival.

The streets are not only busy and crowded, but they are incredibly noisy. Lots of vehicles make a loud noise anytime their turning signal is on. Mobile street vendors often ride around blasting music or sales announcements as well. And, of course, there’s a ridiculous amount of honking.

Honking is used not only to express frustration towards other drivers, but more commonly as a medium to clear your way, just like an ambulance makes way with a siren. It’s as if they are using their horns as a bat would send out sound signals, but mostly for the sake of informing the environment of their presence.

People even honk when they are the only bike or car on the road to make sure kids and animals playing in the street up ahead know to stand clear. In a nutshell, Vietnamese streets are some of the noisiest in the world. And while it’s dangerous and chaotic, somehow it seems to work.

Vietnamese people are very superstitious. If you sneeze, it is believed that it is because someone is talking about you. It is also believed to be bad luck to cut the hair growing on a mole.

Many shop owners light incense and pray every morning asking the spirits for a good sales day. The first customer of the day is said to set the tone, so if you are the first customer to walk into a shop and you don’t buy anything, they believe that their entire day will now have bad luck.

The same goes for the new year. The first guest that enters your home is considered an indicator of the fortunes to come, so if your guest is rude, drunk, or not well-behaved, then it is believed it will create bad luck for the entire year.

Vietnamese people also have some interesting behaviors in how they treat their children. When an infant is born, Vietnamese people will often whisper insults to the baby, but in a loving tone.

“Aw, you are such an ugly little baby,” they will say.

Why? They believe that there are spirits lurking around looking for beautiful babies to curse, so they are careful not to use any positive words that may attract the evil spirits.

Humility is a virtue in Vietnamese culture, so compliments rarely come once the spirits are no longer a perceived threat. Vietnamese parents do not want their children to feel proud or arrogant, so many Vietnamese children grow up without getting any compliments or words of praise from their parents. This probably has many long-term psychological effects on the child. Fortunately, talk therapy is slowly making its way into the younger generations.

If you walked into 99% of Vietnamese homes, one of the first things you may ask is, “So, where do they keep their stuff?” The answer is simple: they don’t have any stuff. Vietnamese people are as minimalistic as they get.

Bookshelves? I’ve never seen one in a traditional Vietnamese house (though I’m sure teachers and professors have them). Wine collection? Forget it. (Vietnamese people prefer beer anyway) Old photo gallery? No way. Fancy cutlery for special occasions? Nope, they use what they have and get rid of everything else. Houses are kept clean and carry only essential and practical items. The only thing people store in bulk is hot water, made to prepare tea.

Another interesting thing I’ve noticed is that Vietnamese furniture is optimized for looks rather than comfort. Often the beds are barely padded, and many couches and tables have no cushions. Vietnamese people are certainly not creatures of comfort.

I also believe Vietnamese people are the best sleepers in the world. You’ll often see construction workers taking a nap on the side of the concrete sidewalk in the scorching heat (and amidst the loud noises in traffic) taking an afternoon rest after lunch. I find this incredible and often find myself wishing I had such sleeping abilities!

Unless the family is Christian or Catholic, one thing you will always find in a Vietnamese home is an altar. Vietnamese altars usually include pictures of deceased family members, simple decorations, offerings, and several incense holders.

A lot of homes will also have a miniature altar in the kitchen as well. No matter how poor the family is or how small the living quarters are, having an altar is of the utmost importance. The alters are cleaned just once a year, during the Tết (“New Year”) preparations.

I’ve lodged in remote homes deep in the mountains that didn’t even have running water or bathrooms in their homes, but each house still had an ancestral altar. Admittedly, I was pretty flustered when I discovered that I had to put my stuff on the floor and that the only table in the room was off-limits.

Most homes in Vietnam are multi-generational. One thing I admire about this is that the grandparents play a huge role in the raising of the children. When the parents go to work, the grandparents will take care of the young children who have yet to begin school.

It’s also customary for the woman to move in with the husband’s family when they get married and take on the duties of the house and family. But the opposite will rarely happen for men. Only recently it could happen that a woman’s family is very rich and they only have one daughter, then the man may move into her family.

Traditionally speaking, it’s the responsibility of the eldest male in the family to take care of the parents.

Vietnamese people have no fear of monsters, but nearly everyone believes in ghosts and many people are afraid of them. One time, a woman I was dating said she couldn’t hang out because she had to stay home with her grandma. Her grandma was so afraid of ghosts that she didn’t want to be home alone. I couldn’t make something like this up!

Funerals often take place at someone’s home and last about 3 days. They start at 5:30 in the morning and blast loud chants throughout the entire event. White is worn by all those in mourning and it is customary to bring white flowers or money to the family that is grieving.

The plumeria flower, also known as frangipani, is often planted near cemeteries and is associated with death because its branches are said to look like fingers.

Because of their strong belief in the afterlife, most Vietnamese people do not fear death. Compared to Western culture, people do not appear uncomfortable when talking about the subject of death.

Most women believe the whiter the skin, the more beautiful they will look. Thus, many women cover up and are afraid of direct sunlight. Even when it’s 40 degrees Celsius outside, they’ll wear sweatshirts, pants, gloves, scarves, and clothes to protect every inch of their skin.

The way to say “cheers” is by counting to three and then yelling “yo!”, một hai ba, dô Dô means “all enter, all in”. Or, people may say “100%”, indicating that everyone should drink 100% of their drink! Needless to say, this leads to a lot of binge drinking.

Traditional weddings often end with karaoke, but include no dancing.

Vietnamese people are early risers. If you get to the market by 7 AM, you’re late. Public schools typically start at 7:00 AM, and the beach is most crowded between 4:30-and 6 AM. As soon as the sun comes up, everyone leaves for fear of getting tan. A mid-day resting hour (or more) is also common, even in big cities.

While Vietnam is technically a Communist country, it has a big culture of capitalism. Lots of homes have shops on the first floor that face the street. In general, Vietnamese people are very entrepreneurial and not at all shy about selling. Bargaining is a big part of the culture, so don’t be afraid to ask for a lower price when you go shopping.

When you have a hiccup, men drink 7 sips of water while women would do 9. The numbers differ because Vietnamese people believe a man has 7 spirits and a woman has 9.

Vietnamese people do not use teeth floss. However, toothpicks are commonly used at the end of each meal to clean one’s teeth.

On big national holidays, everyone is required to place a Vietnamese flag in front of their house to show their patriotism.

Vietnamese people are master crammers. The Vietnamese word for cram is nhét . Whether it’s people, luggage, clothing, or food, they certainly know how to pack a lot of things into a tight space. It’s not uncommon for a family of 4 or 5 to share one bed and bedroom.

They can even do this with conversation. Often people will have a three-line conversation while someone is driving by. In my culture, if I was driving by someone, I would just say “hello”. In Vietnam, they’ll ask you a question and expect an answer, and probably yell their reply to your answer as they are speeding off into the distance.

Vietnamese people also enjoy talking on the road while driving…to other people on bikes! Two or more motorbikes will often ride side by side on the road while having a conversation with each other.

There’s so much to Vietnamese culture, and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about it. If you’ve made it to the end, hopefully, you’ve learned a few things about the Vietnamese people and their way of living.

Writing this piece was a nice way for me to reflect on the beautiful things I’ve learned while living here, and it was a bit surprising to realize how much I’ve learned about Vietnamese people! So I thank you for coming on this journey with me, and I hope you enjoyed reading.

Naturally, you can learn a lot about Vietnamese culture by learning the language. To visit our archive of Vietnamese articles, click here .

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Jeremy is an email copywriter and musician. Born in America, he has lived in South East Asia since 2013. Jeremy is also passionate about self-healing, cooking, and learning about cultures.

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Vietnam’s Rich Culture: Immersing Yourself in History, Traditions, and Local Communities

Vietnam’s rich culture is a tapestry of fascinating history, vibrant traditions, and warm local communities. for travelers seeking a deeper connection with a destination, immersing themselves in vietnam’s history, traditions, and local communities is an extraordinary experience..

Backpacking Vietnam to explore the diverse facets of Vietnam’s cultural heritage and highlights the rewarding journey of engaging with its history, traditions, and local communities.

I. Unveiling Vietnam’s Historical Treasures: Vietnam boasts a rich history that dates back thousands of years. Immersing oneself in this history involves exploring historical sites such as the ancient capital of Hue, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An, or the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long in Hanoi. By walking in the footsteps of emperors, revolutionaries, and ancient civilizations, travelers gain a profound appreciation for Vietnam’s past and the enduring spirit of its people.

Vietnam, a land steeped in history and ancient traditions, is a treasure trove of historical wonders waiting to be explored. From ancient citadels to imperial palaces and archaeological sites, the country offers a captivating journey through time. Unveiling Vietnam’s historical treasures not only allows travelers to delve into its past but also provides a deeper understanding of the country’s cultural heritage. Backpackersvietnam highlights some of Vietnam’s notable historical sites that offer a glimpse into its rich history.

1. The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi: Located in the heart of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long stands as a testament to Vietnam’s enduring history. This UNESCO World Heritage Site served as the political center of the country for over a millennium. Exploring its ancient ruins and archaeological excavations unveils the layers of Vietnamese dynasties, from the Ly to the Nguyen dynasties. The site offers insights into the political, cultural, and architectural advancements that shaped Vietnam’s identity.

Walking through the streets of Hoi An is like stepping back in time, with its well-preserved Chinese temples, Japanese merchant houses, and French colonial buildings. The town’s unique blend of local, Chinese, Japanese, and European influences offers a captivating glimpse into its vibrant past.

Exploring the Citadel of Hue allows visitors to immerse themselves in the opulence and grandeur of the former imperial capital. The intricate architecture, beautiful gardens, and royal relics transport travelers to a bygone era.

My Son Sanctuary: Located in the Quang Nam Province, My Son Sanctuary is an archaeological site that showcases the remnants of the ancient Cham civilization. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a cluster of Hindu temple ruins dating back to the 4th to 14th centuries. The intricate stone carvings and architectural marvels provide insights into the Cham people’s spiritual and cultural practices. Exploring My Son Sanctuary is like embarking on a historical pilgrimage through Vietnam’s ancient past.

Originally built by the French colonialists, it later housed American prisoners of war. The prison’s exhibits and displays provide a chilling reminder of the hardships endured by Vietnamese revolutionaries and captured soldiers. It offers a perspective on Vietnam’s struggle for independence and its resilience in the face of adversity.

II. Experiencing Traditional Festivals: Vietnam is known for its vibrant and colorful traditional festivals, each with its own unique customs and rituals.

For instance, Tet Lunar Year: Celebrating Vietnam’s Most Important Festival

Tet, also known as the Lunar New Year , is the most significant and widely celebrated festival in Vietnam. It marks the beginning of the lunar calendar and is a time of joy, reunion, and cultural traditions. Lasting for several days, Tet is a vibrant and festive occasion that showcases the essence of Vietnamese culture.

Symbolism and Preparation: Tet holds great cultural and spiritual significance for the Vietnamese people. It represents a fresh start, the bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new one with hope and positivity. In the weeks leading up to Tet, homes are thoroughly cleaned, and families decorate their houses with colorful flowers such as peach blossoms, kumquat trees, and marigolds. These decorations symbolize luck, prosperity, and new beginnings.
Family Reunion and Ancestral Worship: Tet is a time for family gatherings and reconnection. Vietnamese people travel from near and far to return to their ancestral homes and spend time with their loved ones. Family members come together to prepare a sumptuous feast and offer prayers and incense at the family altar to honor their ancestors. Ancestral worship is a significant part of Tet, as it reinforces the importance of familial ties and the continuity of generations.

Traditional Tet food includes Banh Chung (sticky rice cake wrapped in banana leaves), Banh Tet (cylindrical glutinous rice cake), Mut (candied fruits), and various types of meat and seafood dishes. These delicacies are shared among family members and symbolize abundance, prosperity, and good luck for the coming year.

Giving and Receiving Li Xi (Lucky Money): One of the most exciting aspects of Tet, especially for children, is receiving “li xi” or lucky money. Red envelopes containing money are given to younger family members and children as a symbol of good luck and blessings for the new year. This tradition represents the passing on of good wishes and prosperity from older generations to the younger ones.
Fireworks and Festive Activities: During Tet, the streets come alive with colorful parades, vibrant dragon and lion dances, and captivating firework displays. Communities gather to enjoy cultural performances, traditional music, and lively folk games. Streets are adorned with lanterns and decorations, creating a festive atmosphere throughout the country. Tet fairs and markets offer a wide array of goods, including flowers, traditional crafts, and delicious street food.
Visiting Temples and Pagodas: Another important aspect of Tet is the visit to temples and pagodas to seek blessings for the new year. Many Vietnamese people take this opportunity to pray for health, happiness, and prosperity. Temples and pagodas are beautifully decorated during Tet, and the air is filled with a sense of spirituality and devotion.

Conclusion: Tet Lunar Year is a time of immense joy, cultural pride, and deep-rooted traditions in Vietnam. It is a celebration that brings families together, fosters a sense of unity, and reaffirms the values of respect for ancestors and gratitude for blessings. Through its customs, food, rituals, and festive activities, Tet embodies the spirit of hope, renewal, and communal harmony. Experiencing Tet in Vietnam is an enchanting opportunity to witness the country at its most vibrant and to embrace the warmth and hospitality of its people.

Participating in festivals such as Tet (Lunar New Year), Mid-Autumn Festival, or the Hue Festival allows travelers to immerse themselves in the local culture.

They can witness captivating parades, enjoy traditional performances, savor delicious festive foods, and partake in age-old customs alongside locals, fostering a deep sense of connection and understanding.

III. Engaging with Local Art and Handicrafts: Vietnam’s art and handicraft traditions are steeped in centuries-old techniques and cultural symbolism.

1. Bat Trang ceramics village: By visiting local craft villages like Bat Trang ceramics village or Hoi An’s silk-making workshops, travelers can witness skilled artisans at work and even try their hand at traditional crafts. This hands-on experience not only preserves ancient traditions but also provides a unique opportunity to interact with local artisans and gain insights into their cultural significance.

2. Silk Weaving and Embroidery: Vietnamese silk weaving and embroidery are renowned for their intricate designs and delicate craftsmanship. Villages such as Hoi An and Van Phuc are famous for their silk products.

Engaging with local artisans enables visitors to witness the intricate process of silk weaving, learn about traditional patterns and techniques, and appreciate the time and skill required to create these exquisite textiles. Embroidery workshops offer hands-on experiences where participants can learn basic stitching techniques and create their own embroidered artwork.

Read more about Macadamias Daklak – gifts bring to home

3. Traditional Musical Instruments: Vietnam boasts a rich musical heritage, and engaging with traditional musical instruments offers a glimpse into the country’s cultural identity. Instruments like the đàn bầu (monochord zither) and đàn tranh (16-string zither) are unique to Vietnam.

Visitors can attend traditional music performances, learn about the history and significance of these instruments, and even take part in music workshops to experience playing them firsthand. Engaging with traditional music deepens one’s understanding and appreciation of Vietnam’s artistic traditions.

4. Traditional Vietnamese Painting: Vietnamese painting has a long history that dates back centuries. One of the most prominent forms is Dong Ho painting, known for its distinctively bright colors and folk themes.

Engaging with traditional painting involves visiting art galleries and workshops to witness artists at work, learning about the techniques and materials used, and even trying one’s hand at creating a piece of art. This immersive experience allows travelers to appreciate the intricate details and storytelling elements of Vietnamese painting.

IV. Homestays and Community-Based Tourism: To truly immerse oneself in local communities, staying in homestays or engaging in community-based tourism is invaluable. These experiences allow travelers to live with local families, participate in daily activities, and learn about their way of life.

Whether it’s helping with farm work, joining a cooking class, or sharing stories over a cup of traditional tea, these interactions foster cultural exchange, break down barriers, and create lifelong memories.

V. Sampling Traditional Cuisine: Vietnamese cuisine is renowned worldwide for its flavors, freshness, and diversity. Exploring the local culinary scene provides a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s cultural heritage. Travelers can embark on street food tours, visit bustling local markets, and even take cooking classes to learn the art of creating traditional dishes. Sharing meals with locals not only satisfies the taste buds but also serves as a platform for cultural exchange and bonding.

Immersing oneself in Vietnam’s history, traditions, and local communities is a transformative journey that brings travelers closer to the heart and soul of the country. By exploring historical sites, participating in cultural festivals, engaging with local artisans, staying in homestays, and savoring traditional cuisine, travelers gain a profound appreciation for Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage. This immersive experience fosters connections, broadens perspectives, and leaves lasting memories of a vibrant and captivating country.

Vietnamese Culture Demystified!

Performing Arts:

Music in vietnamese culture.

Vietnamese Cultural Dances

1. dragon/lion dance.

The yellow and red dragon is a well-known Chinese motif that signifies power and good fortune. It has been tweaked and adapted into Vietnamese culture, and is a common sight on Vietnamese festivals such as Tet (The Vietnamese New Year) and the Mid-Autumn festival as well as events like business openings. It is usually accompanied by acrobatics and martial arts and creates an atmosphere of festive merry-making.

2. Fan Dance

3. Hat Dance

The hat dance, like the fan dance, is another incredible cultural dance in Vietnam that breathes synchronicity. Hat dancers twirl around gracefully while they exchange and manoeuvre their large bamboo hats, a homage to the farmers who work hard in the fields and provide grain. The dance usually ends with the dancers inviting volunteers to participate with them on the stage, so that the show ends on a memorable note.

4. Lantern Dance

Traditional Vietnamese Theatre

1. hát tuong or "hát boi".

Often called 'classical Vietnamese opera', Hat Boi was imported from China and performed for royalty as far back as the 13th century. The theme of the play was usually on important aspects of Vietnamese culture, with the plot centred around decorum and history, using easily recognizable stock characters with elaborate make-up and costumes. An improvised form of imperial court music Nhac Tai Tu accompanied the play.

Vietnamese Culture, Hat Boi, Classical Vietnamese Opera

2. Cai luong

4. Múa roi nuoc (Water Puppetry)

Religion in Vietnam

Vietnamese folk religion.

A major component of Vietnamese folk religion is the Than (spirit or deity) which may be nature gods, community deities or ancestral gods of a particular family. Ancestral veneration is especially prevalent, and narratives of heroic acts and cosmic forces abound in local mythology. The temples, known as Mieu are usually located away from the city's bustle in more secluded areas. Mother Goddesses also form an important part of the theological aspect of Vietnamese culture; The Lady of the Realm and the Trung sisters have multiple shrines across the country.

Vietnamese Culture, Cao Dai, Religion in Vietnam

Buddhism in Vietnam

Buddhism arrived in Vietnam through India and China as early as the second century AD. Vietnamese Buddhism is significantly different from the way it is practised elsewhere, as is evident by the absence of sanghas, hierarchy and other institutional structures that usually exist. Mahayana Buddhism is the dominant school of Buddhism here, coupled with elements of Taoism and Chinese beliefs. Practitioners focus less on spirituality and more on devotional rituals such as chanting sutras and dharanis to obtain the blessing of Bodhisattvas.

Christianity

The most widespread church in Vietnam is the Roman Catholic church, which arrived with the Portuguese missionaries and strengthened its foothold with the French colonialists. The national language script of Vietnam used in present times, written in the Latin alphabet with diacritics, also came into use with the help of these missionaries. Protestantism also gained following over the last century, and now has over 50,000 practitioners.

Vietnamese Literature

Vietnamese Culture, Literature of Vietnam

Vietnamese Art

Vietnamese Cultural Dress

Vietnamese Cultural Food

Vietnamese Culture, Pho, Traditional Vietnamese Food

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Home — Essay Samples — Arts & Culture — Vietnamese — Cultural Contrasts: Vietnam vs. America

Cultural Contrasts: Vietnam Vs. America

Categories: Vietnam Vietnamese

About this sample

Words: 708 |

Published: Dec 5, 2018

Words: 708 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Works Cited:

Bhugra, D. (2015). The Babylonians, Assyrians, and Sumerians. The History of Mental Illness, 17–23.
Dawkins, R. (2014). The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True. Simon and Schuster.
Snowden, J. (2015). The history of the wheel: Evolution or intelligent design?. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 229(12), 2136-2145.
Snowden, J. (2016). Why wheels? The evolution of a curious form of transport. Engineering Science and Education Journal, 25(5), 201-209.
Stanley, J. M. (1995). Agriculture in ancient Mesopotamia. The Biblical Archaeologist, 58(1), 16-28.
Stanton, C. A. (2008). Wheel, axle and pulley. Wiley Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
Tadmor, H. (2015). The social and economic organization of ancient Mesopotamian states. Annual Review of Anthropology, 44, 27-43.
Van De Mieroop, M. (2004). The Mesopotamian city. Oxford University Press.
Yoffee, N. (2015). Myths of the archaic state: Evolution of the earliest cities, states, and civilizations. Cambridge University Press.

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Introducing Vietnamese Culture to the World with Heritages

Spreading vietnamese culture.

In early 2022, an exhibition of cultural heritage and traditional musical instruments of Vietnam was held in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne department, France. The exhibition aims to introduce the nation's unique cultural heritage to the French and the Vietnamese community living, studying and working here.

Local people and international friends attending the exhibition saw photos showcasing Vietnam's tangible and intangible cultural heritages recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

They are Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha Ke Bang, Kon Ha Nung biosphere reserve, Hue's Court Music, Ca Tru Singing.

Visitors not only see photos of the heritages, but also traditional costumes and musical instruments. They enjoyed unique performances by traditional musical instruments, presented by Vietnamese and French artists.

Many visitors to the exhibition said they had interesting experiences when enjoying the unique cultural performances. Musical rhythms, musical instruments, and pictures of heritage sites make them want to learn more about Vietnamese culture.

In Vietnam, international tourists and friends attended the exhibition "Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Space" taking place in Hoi An city, Quang Nam province in July.

At the event, visitors know many types of intangible cultural heritage and traditional art forms of Vietnam such as: Xam, Ca Tru Singing, Quan Ho Folk Songs, Xoan Singing, Xoe Thai dance.

Speaking at the event, Ta Quang Dong, deputy minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism said: Vietnamese cultural heritage is a valuable asset of the Vietnamese; It is also a bridge between the past, present, and future.

"That cultural treasure not only contributes to a rich, diverse Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity, but also brings great values in socio-economic development." Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong said.

Locating Vietnam on the world cultural heritage map

According to cultural experts, with international integration, Vietnamese cultural values are being spread and recognized by international friends. They have become a treasured part of global culture.

The cultural values not only contribute to introducing the image, country, and people of Vietnam but also become an important resource for development.

Currently, Vietnam has 14 intangible cultural heritages in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Some of them are: Hue's Court Music; gongs in the Central Highlands; Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs; Ca Tru singing; Giong Festival at Phu Dong Temple and Soc Temple; worshiping Hung Vuong in Phu Tho.

Michael Croft, chief representative of UNESCO in Vietnam said: “Vietnam possesses many unique cultural heritages, capable of preserving culture. Thanks to that, Vietnam can create its own attraction with valuable cultural assets. Even if you don't know anything about Vietnam, you can still feel that this country has an interesting and unique culture. This is an advantage of Vietnam in strengthening social development as well as economic strength."

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10 Must-see Cultural and Traditional Vietnamese Performances

Cultural and traditional Vietnamese performance

1. water puppet show - roi nuoc, 2. quintessence of tonkin - tinh hoa bac bo, 3. thai ethnic dance performance in mai chau, 4. traditional dance of hmong ethnic group, 5. elegant ca tru singing, 6. hoi an memories show - ki uc hoi an, 7. hue royal court music performance - nha nhac cung dinh hue, 8. cham dance performance, 9. folk music of southern vietnam - don ca tai tu, my village - lang toi, teh dar show.

Compared to music festivals, fashion, cultural and art shows are more serious somehow. However, trust me, traditional Vietnamese performance is a great way to immerse yourselves in a totally interesting environment, which is a convergence of traditional music and dance. Within your valuable time, knowing which region of Vietnam is famous for what performances can help you not miss any interesting experience. Continue reading to get the idea about the best cultural and artistic performances in Vietnam.

The art of water puppetry, originating in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam, dates back to the 11th century and became popular during the Ly Dynasty. The theatre of this art includes a pool, a "thuy dinh" - communal house on the water with decorations typical of northern Vietnam villages: flags, betel tree,... Puppets made of wood floating on the water are controlled by the skilled performers who hide inside "thuy dinh". With some bamboo poles, they create very lively movements. During the theatre, traditional instruments are live played, singers sing the folk songs such as Cheo or Quan Ho. The performance brings the enchanting experiments to the audience.

There are so many tales that are told in the art of puppet theatre: a boy riding buffalos, fairy dances, a cat hunts mice, story of four sacred animals: legendary dragon lion - turtle - phoenix, legend of the lake of the returned sword. All stories are from the daily life of Vietnamese farmers in the past or show their hope for a harmonious climate to have good rice harvests.

Some places you can enjoy water puppetry:

Thang Long puppet theater: 57B Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Bong Sen puppet theater: 16 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Vietnam Puppet Theater: 361 Truong Chinh, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi

Hoi An Theater: 548 Hai Ba Trung, Hoi An, Quang Nam

Hue Puppet Theater: 8 Le Loi, Vinh Ninh, Thua Thien Hue

In Ho Chi Minh City

Water Puppet Theater - Golden Dragon: 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1

spettacolo vietnam quintessenza tonchino tinh hoa bac bo

"Quintessence of Tonkin" - Tinh Hoa Bac Bo, the first stage show the true inclusion in Vietnam leads all viewers into a rustic atmosphere in Da Phuc commune, Sai Son, Quoc Oai in the outskirts of Hanoi, near the poetic Thay pagoda. It is a very special artistic show on a 4,300m2 water stage with the participation of 250 people, both Sai Son locals and professional dancers.

The show takes viewers to different levels of feelings, telling the story of nature, recreating the rich spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.

Traditional folkloric elements are expressed in a modern and creative style, recalling memories of the Red River Delta, the cultural centre of North Vietnam in the past, from poetry and music to religions, beliefs...

The Northwest area of Vietnam is the home of the Thai ethnic community, the tribe that holds a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage - the "Xoe Thai", recently recognized in 2021.

"Xoe" means dancing with movements that represent human activities in rituals, cultural activities, life and work. The dance is performed in ceremonies, weddings, festivals and community cultural events. "Xoe Thai" expresses the wishes of locals to receive the help and blessing of the gods to have a happy life.

You can see this performance in some villages such as Mai Chau, Son La,... where they also dance the "Xoe" to welcome guests. During the dance, there is also a chance to taste Can schnapps, a special kind that is drunk together with schnapps in a jar with straws. Participating in the dance, tasting Can schnapps are absolutely a must to penetrate the life and culture of Thai people.

Every ethnic group in Vietnam has its own traditional dance. Among the most distinctive dances, one must certainly list the "Khen" dance of ethnic Hmong, one of Vietnam's intangible cultural legacies. In addition to being a musical instrument, Khen is also a dance putello, an ever-present thing in the lives of the Hmong in Vietnam.

For the Hmong people, girls need to know how to weave while boys need to know how to play and dance with the Khen, which shows the importance of this dance in the daily life of the Hmong. There are many traditional dances and we can see in the fun music the Hmong boys are like the birds of the forest.

However, the dance is not only performed in feasts, festivals, weddings but also in funerals, it is like a ritual to request the ancestors to accept the spirit of the new dead.

Being an important traditional dance but also very popular in the Hmong community, it could be easily enjoyed in the places that this tribe inhabits such as Sapa, Ha Giang...

Despite the fact that it is a fairly "incomprehensible" song for so many people, tourists and Vietnamese alike, Ca Tru still maintains its position in the hearts of Vietnam's traditional music lovers. Ca Tru is selected as a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Site for the unique artistic cultural values that are a perfect combination of poetry and elegant music. These "singing poems" must adhere to traditional Vietnamese poetic rules, using vibrato and breathing to express.

Ca Tru normally is performed in a trio, including a singer, one playing Dan Nguyet and one playing bamboo tocsin, taking on various forms with different social functions: devotional songs, entertainment songs, royal songs and songs for artistic competitions.

It has been a very popular art in Vietnam since the 15th century but over time and wars, it has been lost gradually because in the past Ca Tru was taught only in the family. However, presently many groups of Ca Tru lovers are established to preserve, maintain and recover this very interesting art of Vietnam.

In Hanoi, you can look at Ca Tru at Hanoi Ancient House at address 87 Ma May Street or at Kim Ngan Temple, number 42 Hang Bac Street.

Since its first release in 2018, the stage show's inclusion of true "Memory of Hoi An" impresses everyone with its uniqueness. Being performed on an area of 25,000m2 right on an island with participants of 500 professional dancers, the show is truly a must-see in Hoi An.

What can you expect from the show? It is completely a feast of lights, sound effects, music with many tools designed just for the program. The show tells the story of Hoi An's 400-plus year old citadel, which was a very thriving port city in the 16th, 17th centuries.

During the show, viewers can admire hundreds of people from the traditional dress of Vietnam-the ao dai, the image of daily life and the trade of the locals. All are vividly expressed in a very unique setting.

You can book tickets for this show here: https://kyuchoian.com/

spettacolo vietnam nha nhac musica cortese hue

Royal Court Music is a musical genre dating back to the feudal period. The music has elegant lyrics and courtly rhythms, contributing to the solemnity of monkish ceremonies. Carrying the meaning of longevity and prosperity of the dynasty, Hue royal court music was highly valued by Vietnamese feudal dynasties. According to research, Nha Nhac Cung Dinh Hue has existed for a long time, since the 11th century but peaked in the 19th century under the Nguyen dynasty. UNESCO proclaimed Nha Nhac Hue as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2003.

Artists performing Hue music must wear ancient-style costumes, which are extremely rich with many beautiful designs. Nha Nhac music is also a courtly orchestra of the most precious and typical musical instruments in Vietnam, it can be a symphony of even 42 instruments.

You can enjoy Nha Nhac Hue at:

Hours: 10:00 - 10:30AM and 3:00 - 3:30PM
Price: 200,000/ticket
Hours: 7 PM - 8 PM and 8PM-9PM
Price: 100,000/ticket

Cham dance is a special kind of art of the Cham ethnic group of Vietnam. Once a powerful kingdom in South Vietnam, the Cham people have had many interesting traditions, including the traditional Cham dance, an impeccable part of cultural and religious life. Through dances, they express reverence to gods, kings or people who have made contributions to the country.

Among the most famous Cham dances are: Apsara dance, dance with fans, dance with water pot on the head. They are performed to the music of traditional instruments such as Ginang drum, Baranung, Ceng,....

You can see this performance at My Son Shrine at 09:15 - 10:45 - 14:00 - 15:30

Don Ca Tai Tu is a very distinctive type of folkloric music in South Vietnam that was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2013. Originally, Don Ca Tai Tu was formed in the 19th century and is a combination from the court music of Hue - Nha Nhac and the folk culture of South Vietnam. However it is quite a popular music, it is also sung and played together among friends after work days.

The performance of Don Ca Tai Tu is usually performed in groups, the music group includes 5 main instruments, namely the Dan Tranh , the Dan Ty Ba, the Dan Kim, the Dan Co and the Can Tam along with a seven-hole flute. The lead singer can be equally male or female.

To perform Don Ca Tai Tu, it does not require fancy stage scenery or the fussy costumes. It takes place only in covered places such as the shade of trees, on boats or more solemnly in communal houses, pagodas, etc.. In more formal cases, performers dress the ao dai.

Anyone wishing to hear this music could travel to southern Vietnam, especially to the Mekong Delta area. The warm and friendly locals will gladly welcome him with Don Ca Tai Tu songs.

10. Lune Production's shows

Lune Production is an entertainment company founded in 2012 with the spirit of presenting Vietnam culture to friends from all over the world through artistic performances. Each of their products gives contributions in propagating life as much as the culture of each region, impressing viewers with lights, music, circus and dance performances, taking them into the adventure of feelings.

Some of their performances are:

The show is a combination of many genres of theatrical art including: acrobatics, acrobatic juggling, mime, singing. All show props are made of bamboo, creating a rustic and artistic space

Using rustic and close-up props such as hoop boats, bamboo baskets, ... A O Show creates an idyllic but surprisingly beautiful image of life in the countryside and urban life in Vietnam.

Gong's cultural space in Tay Nguyen is conveyed in the Teh Dar show. The language of the circus in combination with gong sounds makes the show a must-see in Vietnam.

Hoping to bring you the most current experiences of Vietnam, this list of the most beautiful cultural and traditional Vietnamese performances will be a great reference for your trip to Vietnam. To make the most of your time and arrange a travel itinerary to accommodate these special cultural experiences, please feel free to contact us by email: [email protected].

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Vietnamese Culture and Traditions: The Role in Vietnam War Essay

Introduction.

America has always had a problem when dealing with other countries because of the way America has been protected, for a very long time, by the oceans and seas that divide it from the rest of the world. It was this division that left America with little understanding of how the rest of the world lives and how the country can effectively help others even in times of war. This lack of understanding became highly evident and irreversible during its involvement in the Vietnam war. Although America was right in its decision to fight alongside the republic, it lacked the political will power to actually see any military action in that end of the world, through to completion. Thus shortchaning the South Vietnamese who really thought that America would be able to help them win because America never loses a battle. Admittedly, America tends to under estimate its opponents all the time. The country never guessed that the NVC would be able to win over people to fight for their side simply by supplying them with food rations in exchange for battle participation. Shrewed, simple, and highly effective. Such were the simple basis for the battle plan of the Viet Cong’s. Nothing that would amaze their high powered counterparts, but impressive enough to provide the defeat of a world super power.

America also got too cocky during the war because of its highly modern warfare methods. Something that would have worked to their benefit during an ordianry war, but was inapplicable during jungle warfare. Vietnamese may have lacked firepower, but they certainly did not lack for brain power. It was this psychological strategy that VCN used to their advantage since they knew that America knew nothing about Vietnam. Not its people, language, command and support system, not even its terrain. This was a totally different ballgame for the Americans and they entered the war like a deer caught in the headlights because they had never fought in a political and psychological warfare arena before.

Although America had gained ground and could have crushed the communist Vietnamese after the groundbreaking Phuong Hoang and Campaign and the Chieu Hoi Program wherein the U.S. troops effectively cutoff the enemy supplies of food and ammunition, the momentum gained was wasted because America seems to measure the success of their missions on body counts instead of how effectively they cut off the enemy from its support sytem and then using that flaw to their advantage. More importantly, this failed because the North Vietnamese thought nothing of killing people in order to achieve their goal. So yes, there was indeed a high body count, of innocents caught in the crossfire of battle. America viewed this as victory, the Viet Cong viewed it instead as necessary deaths that would help them achieve a goal.

Let us also not forget that this was a war supported by the communist blocs of China and the then Soviet Union. Money was pouring into the NV side from these countries in order to insure that the side they supported would never falter and successfully crush their common enemy, America. Needless to say, this was a lopsided battle from the very beginning and there was no way America would have been able to win. Just like in any war, a joint attack always overwhelms the other side, the weaker side, into surrender. Since America did not really have reliable information coming in, since the Viets often spied on both camps in order to benefit themselves, it would have been impossible for them to be able to effectively mount an attack when there was nothing of value for them to attack in order to cripple the enemy. However, America did try to bomb Viet Cong installations that they felt were strategic camps for the enemy. But these camps were not like the modern camps of today and therefore, did not really have anything of value or anything to fear standing on their camp grounds.

America also had to deal with its own problems regarding their troops as well while engaged in battle. The American soldiers were turning to drugs in order to cope psychologically with the images of war and actions they were engaged in often resulting in numerous body counts. Since the war had dragged on longer than expected, they had to deal with deserters and the constant struggle to keep troop morale at its highest level. After all, most of the soldiers who were sent off to war were mostly drafted against their will and therefore itching to just complete his tour of duty in order to get sent home. Most of the American soldiers were barely out of their teens and were more often than not, homesick and afraid. Their own soldiers were battling their own physical and psychological demons while on the battilefield. So how did anybody expect their soldiers to perform at an optimum level?

In the end, The Vietnam War was a war that the United States entered into without really knowing what it was commiting its country and troops into. Just as in any battle or competition, getting to know your enemy is only the start of the battle. Unfortunately, America thought that this war would be like the past World Wars the country was involved in wherein they could easily win over the citizens with their chocolates, sodas, bubble gim, cigarettes and other what have you’s. Vietnamese people have always taken pride in their love for their country, their culture, and their traditions. To them, these outsiders had no place in their world and they were not really making an effort to become a part of the culture or traditions of the country. They were foot soldiers and that is all they would be doing there. Nothing more, nothing less. Thus, America was indeed doomed to lose this battle from the very beginning.

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IvyPanda. (2021, September 27). Vietnamese Culture and Traditions: The Role in Vietnam War. https://ivypanda.com/essays/vietnamese-culture-and-traditions-the-role-in-vietnam-war/

"Vietnamese Culture and Traditions: The Role in Vietnam War." IvyPanda , 27 Sept. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/vietnamese-culture-and-traditions-the-role-in-vietnam-war/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Vietnamese Culture and Traditions: The Role in Vietnam War'. 27 September.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Vietnamese Culture and Traditions: The Role in Vietnam War." September 27, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/vietnamese-culture-and-traditions-the-role-in-vietnam-war/.

1. IvyPanda . "Vietnamese Culture and Traditions: The Role in Vietnam War." September 27, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/vietnamese-culture-and-traditions-the-role-in-vietnam-war/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Vietnamese Culture and Traditions: The Role in Vietnam War." September 27, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/vietnamese-culture-and-traditions-the-role-in-vietnam-war/.

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Lehrack, Otto. First Battle: Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam Havertown, PA: Casemate, 2004
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Entertainment in Vietnam

Watch theatrical performances, watch a water puppet show, enjoy traditional vietnamese music, taste vietnam's street food, learn how to cook vietnamese food, enjoy vietnam's nightlife.

In Vietnam you will not only see beautiful sights, but will also be entertained by the country's vibrant and exciting culture. Vietnam has a rich heritage of performing arts including theatrical arts, music, and dance.

Whether it be watching music performances, or learning how to make Vietnamese food, whether in Hanoi or in Hoi An, we hope to create for you a memorable experience.

What better way to gain insight into Vietnam's folk stories and cultures than to watch them performed?

There are several theatres where you can watch highly-rated contemporary theatrical performances highlighting Vietnam's rich cultural heritage, including Hanoi Opera House and Vietnam Tuong Theatre in Hanoi, and Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City.

Enjoy the music, stories, and dance of Vietnam while also learning to appreciate Vietnamese culture.

What Makes it Special

Cultural yet contemporary: The performances highlight Vietnam's traditional culture, while at the same time involving modern theatrical techniques, to create a professional show.
Colonial historical buildings: The shows take place in several high-end theatres such as Hanoi Opera House, Vietnam Tuong Theatre, and Saigon Opera House. All of these are historical buildings from the French colonial period which are well preserved and maintained.

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family 's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

Puppetry is a form of entertainment you can find in many cultures. However, water puppetry, where the puppets appear to be moving on top of water, is unique to Vietnam, and has intrigued many people from all round the world.

The show is traditionally performed on flooded paddies and is very popular amongst tourists. The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi is a good place for watching these shows, which last just under an hour.

Be intrigued by the way the puppeteers manipulate the puppets to move naturally above water.

It is a traditional form of Vietnamese Art: Water puppet shows are a unique form of traditional performing art dating back to the 11th century, originating in the villages of the Red River Delta in Vietnam.
Find out for yourself how they do it: The puppeteers stand waist-deep in the water behind a bamboo screen, using long wooden rods to manipulate the puppets so that they appear to be moving on top of water.

Do not miss the opportunity to discover Vietnam's enchanting music. Each culture has its own unique music, which is a reflection to the character of the people as well as their past history. Such is the case with Vietnam's music.

Vietnam's musical culture is as rich and diverse as its people. While it is distinct from Chinese music, there are some similarities, as a result of their shared past history.

You can explore various traditional music genres, one of them being Ca Trù, an ancient genre of chamber music centering round a female singer. You can watch Ca Trù performances at Thang Long Ca Tru Guild in Hanoi.

Ca Trù used to carry negative connotations and be likened to the geisha form of entertainment, as it was used to entertain wealthy people. Today, however, that is no longer the case.

You can see many musical instruments in Vietnam. Two of the most popular are the sáo (the Chinese flute), and the dàntranh (a long zither highly similar to China's guzheng).

You can also find many other traditional instruments in Vietnam. Some resemble Chinese musical instruments, others are completely unique, such as the T'rưng, a vertical bamboo xylophone, or the H'mong Pen Pipe, a unique reed instrument commonly played at funerals.

You will find that the sounds of Vietnamese music are foreign to the Westerner's ear. Once you get over the unfamiliarity of the sound, however, you will find yourself enchanted by its beauty.

Unique musical instruments: See and hear for yourself musical instruments that you won't see or hear elsewhere.
Listen to Ca Trù: Listen for yourself to the beauty of this genre of music that is considered by UNESCO as a world heritage that needs to be preserved.

Outside Vietnam, most people only know of Vietnam's pho noodles and Vietnamese spring rolls. While these are indeed delicious, there is a lot more to be discovered.

A great opportunity for you to discover more Vietnamese delicacies is via a street food tour, a popular activity for tourists in Vietnam.

We can arrange such a tour for you in the Old Quarter in Hanoi. You can sample Vietnam's delicious street food such as banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich), as well as the local drinks such as egg coffee.

Walk through the array of street vendors and be captivated by the smells, sights, and tastes of Vietnam.

Egg coffee: You might wonder how egg and coffee goes well together, but this drink is actually popular not only amongst locals, but tourists as well. Taste for yourself!
Picking tropical fruits: Your tour guide can advise how to pick fresh mangos, longans or lychees, and will be your source of other local insights.

You can learn how to cook Vietnamese food for yourself, not just to taste it!

We can arrange a private Vietnamese cooking session for you. The session begins with a tour round a local market. You will then take a short boat trip on the Hoi An River to a restaurant, where you will be instructed by an experienced chef.

A few dishes you may learn to cook include: rice cake, shrimp rolls, Hoi An pancakes, quang name chicken noodle soup, and food decorations.

Small private cooking session: You will have the full attention and thorough instructions of an experienced chef, learning to make traditional Vietnamese food.
Local market tour: During the tour, the basic ingredients of Vietnamese cooking will be introduced to you.

While travelling with Asia highlights, you will have most of your evenings free to yourself. Take this opportunity to discover Vietnam's nightlife. You can explore Hanoi's Old Quarter, where you can enjoy anything from the street food vendors to the local bars.

Ho Chi Minh City, having been influenced by the Americans during the war, has numerous bars in the southern part of the city. Hoi An used to be known as a quiet riverside city famous for wine and cocktails, but now also has a lively nightlife with clubs and bars.

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Jessie was amazing ! Everything from her level of English to her understanding of what we valued .

We had a good time exploring the city with Selinda!

Our guide lele is a wealth of information, Lele is very professional and very attentive to our needs. Lele is amazing. Lele got everything spot on. It probably helps that Guilin is a brilliant place to visit so Lele has great material to work with but that doesn't take anything away from how much Lele helped make it a great trip.

Our guide for Beijing was super knowledgeable and experienced and able to help us to achieve as much as we wanted within the time given. We had a fun time guided by him as he is also super humorous and you can see how he interacts with the vendors and people whom he comes by. Thank you for a very enjoyable time in Beijing and accommodating to all our needs!

Our China Highlight guide. Michael, was attentive, thoughtful and knowledgeable. He narrated many interesting historical events about Chengdu while touring around the city and having afternoon tea with us. He was thoughtful to provide us with snacks during long hikes at Leshan or walks around the city.

She was very flexible and added extra time when we needed it and we felt extremely well taken care of. She also chose the best restaurants for us,

Our tour guide Helen, was excellent, she was very kind, professional and passionate for her work and she also loves Pandas! She will take you to take the best panda photos and to know more about Chengdu city. Our tour was great, she took us to all our destinations always with the best spots: Temples, pagodas, famous streets, theaters, pandas...you name it! Everything was great.

He picked up our pre-booked boat/other excursions tickets so we were able to avoid all the long lines and chaos. He is knowledgeable of the places we visited, courteous, fun to travel with and well-versed in Chinese classics.

Tom is the guide that will take you to where no other guide will. We pushed for the experience and Tom and the team delivered more than what we could have ever asked for. His English speaking ability and his Chinese history knowledge is second to none.

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Vietnamese Business Culture & Etiquette – 17 Tips Foreigners Should Know

Image source: Vuvuzela bar

Vietnam has a booming economy and is increasingly open to foreign activity — from trade, to business, to culture, and everything in between.

However, many foreign executives and leaders come to Vietnam with big ambitions, only to get demoralized and leave within a few years.

Why? Part of the problem is a misunderstanding about the etiquette and norms of doing business in Vietnam . In this post, we explain some key-points about Vietnamese business culture, especially common things that Westerner get wrong and inadvertently hurt themselves when interacting with Vietnamese clients and partners. The following is based on our personal experience working with both international and domestic companies within Vietnam, some of which are still thriving, and one that had to shutdown and leave.

Freelancers and Meetings

Vietnamese business consultants, relationships are key to vietnamese business.

Knowing the right people vs. best people

Relationships are incredibly important in Vietnamese business. This manifests in a lot behaviours that may confound foreigners. In particular: i) relationships drive a lot purchasing and servicing decisions; ii) getting things done through official channels may often fail, unless you have a personal contact on the inside.

For example, when deciding between two suppliers — one of which is a friend of a friend, while the other is demonstrable more meritorious — Vietnamese will generally pick the former rather than the latter. They are more likely to trust the friend of a friend rather than the unknown (and perhaps better) option.

This also explains why Vietnamese business leaders (and their attractive underlings) must spend a lot of time drinking, dining and entertaining a large network of trusted contacts, as well as join expensive private clubs and mastermind groups. Such expenses are often referred to as the “lube expense” ( bôi trơn in Vietnamese).

Meetings and Medium of Communication

Lots of extended meetings at all hours

The Vietnamese love in-person meetings, and allocate a lot of time to them. If there is a potential client or partner, a good meeting will be one that extends into dinner/lunch and beyond . This is all part of a culture of trust that relies on personal relationships and less on contract- and civil-law. Meetings and their peripheral socializing are all for the sake of parties to get to know each other and build the foundations of trust.

Tip : Make sure you have business cards — the Vietnamese love them.

For electronic communications, there is a wider panoply of options to use than in the West. Therefore, you must verify the other party’s preferred method of communication. Don’t assume the default of email and telephone.

For example, many small businesses rely on Zalo (a Vietnamese social media plus messenger plus file-sharing app) or even Facebook for their important communications and file-transfer.

Tip : Get another phone for installing Zalo , in case your security department doesn’t sanction such apps.

Standard trading hours don’t really apply in Vietnam — so get ready to deal with clients’/partners’ communications in the evenings, on weekends, even holidays. The fact of the matter is: if you want a client’s business, it is a given that you should be available 20 hours a day 7 days a week, no matter what your schedule says.

Small Talk in Business

Don’t “Get down to business”

In meetings with different business parties (clients, prospective partners, suppliers, etc), the expectation is that there should be a lot of small talk and icebreakers at the start of the meeting — How was your trip here? How was your latest vacation? Have you had breakfast already? Then, after a connection is made, you may proceed to the official business of the meeting.

It it not good to be very direct and get right to the point. Neither is it good to be too personal, like talking about the intimate details of someone’s family. Keep the topics light and fluffy and friendly.

Schedule Important Meetings Around Lunch or Dinner

Most important decisions are made over food and drink

For business meetings with important partners, be sure to schedule the meetings before meals so that, if things go well, the meeting can extend into lunch or dinner, a.k.a the “third shift”.

This is because important business decisions & negotiations are rarely concluded during the meeting in which time it is allotted. Often, crucial decisions happen during meals, drinks, and sometimes even karaoke (depending on the boss). This is all part of a broader culture of business that cares a lot about relationships and trust, instead of leaning on civil-law and contracts.

Be prepared for long meetings and long meals. If fact, if the meeting and meal is short and nothing important happens, then the other party probably doesn’t like you and is not going to do business with you. If the meal is getting late and extended, that is a good sign that they like you.

Learn more about dining etiquette in Vietnam

Who pays for the meal/drinks in Vietnam?

Generally, the host or the person who invited the other party to a meal is the one who should pay for the meal. There is no 50/50 paying for meals in Vietnam.

Who decides where to go?

In Vietnamese business meetings, the host should merely suggest where to go for meals and other important venues. The guest/invitee generally has the final decision about where to go — and they are the ones who gets treated.

Not surprisingly, the guest will often select a super-expensive place, and the host must smilingly swallow the cost. In other cases, the guest may pick a place based on other motives, such as a familial connection with the restaurant, etc, even if the venue is not that great.

In either case, if you are hosting a business meeting, you should expect to pay a lot for food and have little control over where you will be going.

The exception to the above is when dealing with (or operating as) a freelancer. Freelancers and other creatives generally like to meet in work-friendly coffee shops. For example, “The Coffee House”, or “Highlands Coffee”, or “Starbucks” (the latter being considered a luxury in Vietnam) are all relatively quiet and considered suitable for work-meetings. It shouldn’t be a place with screaming kids, but lots of people working studiously on their laptops.

One of our favourite places to meet is Hanoi Coffee House — a quiet, atmospheric, discrete place with delicious Yogurt Coffee near St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

Last Minute Changes are Common in Vietnamese Business

Expect last-minute over-hauls in everything

Change of venue for a meeting; time change for an event; participants backing-out at the last minute; an overhaul of the agreed-upon details of a contract; new scope-of-works for a project that starts tomorrow: you should always expect major sudden changes for business meetings, events, and agreements/contracts , etc, when doing business in Vietnam.

Such changes are not considered rude. People demanding the change don’t need a good reason. Sudden and explosive changes are just part of the culture and need to be expected.

Handshakes in Vietnam

A slight nod, not a bow

Unlike other East Asian cultures, bowing is not common in Vietnam, and especially not in business. Instead, handshakes are the norm in greetings and formal farewells, regardless of sex.

Being Seated – An Important Aspect of Vietnamese Business

Host on the left. Guest on the right

Who sits where and when is a big deal in Vietnamese business. There are a lot of little rules to consider. For instance, when you first enter an office as a guest, you must always wait to be seated, much like in other Asian cultures. Similarly, when you and your associates enter a room, you cannot just sit anywhere — to do so would be shocking to a Vietnamese team!

One point is especially confusing to most foreigners: the unspoken layout of seating during board-room meetings with multiple parties. Put most simply, the host-party should sit on the ‘right’ and the guests should sit on the ‘left’ . But what does ‘left’ and ‘right’ mean in the context of Vietnamese business meetings? There is no formal definition, and usually people just know .

Generally, however, left/right are based on the relative position of some anchoring focal point — like a big screen or podium or other obvious head of a table. The ‘left’ is the left of the audience facing the anchor point, and vice-versa for the ‘right’.

Pay attention to how everyone is seating around each other in a Vietnamese team: often, it is like a triangle formation, with the most-important person in the middle, at the head of a triangle, and key-personnel seated left and right in descending order of importance. Physical proximity often mirrors an organization’s executive importance.

Pay Attention! You should know who is the boss’s key-personnel, and who is in close physical proximity to them. Knowing such key-people will be useful to get things done if/when official procedures and communications get bogged down.

Vietnamese Negotiating – Tips About Bargaining

You are always haggling

The Vietnamese are always negotiating and haggling, and are quite adept at it. When it comes to business agreements, you must always haggle a little bit. Here are some tips:

First price : Never accept the first price; likewise, never open with your best price.
Compliments : Never say “Oh I love what you guys do!” or “We really admire your work” (even if you do). The Vietnamese never say such things; instead, they will say something like “I think there is good potential for us to work together” as the most explicit form of compliment.
Negging : Always find some fault or deficiency with the counter-party’s offer (even if you genuinely like it), and use it to extend negotiations.
Decisions over drinks : The most important negotiating decisions happen after the main meeting over food and drinks.
Patience : Never use time as a weapon or negotiating tactic (e.g. “if you sign right now I can get you an X discount!” ). All important decisions will take time, and will rarely be made impulsively (especially in Hanoi, which is famous for its own slow and deliberate cadence).
Handshake means nothing : Spoken agreements with a handshake are meaningless — get it in writing asap.

You may not be ready for the mental jujitsu of Vietnamese negotiations, so be sure to practice on some small, unimportant contracts first.

Vietnamese Overtime Work

What work-life balance?

The Vietnamese have weak boundaries between one’s private life and time for work. For example, employees are expected to reply to work-messages during their off-hours. Likewise, staying late for work is more common than not, even for low-profile positions and low-stress jobs.

In business, this means you should be ready to service clients’ needs and communications at any time — even on holidays or if you are sick. If you don’t, you probably won’t have them as a client for very long.

RELATED : Vietnamese work culture — what is like to work in Vietnam?

Executives Move as a Team

Lose a key-leader = losing best staff as well

Turnover is high in booming economies like Vietnam (some companies actively encourage it through a culture of fiery baptism ). When an executive changes jobs, they will often take their whole team with them, rather being hired individually.

This makes high-performing leaders doubly valuable, both for recruitment and retention. The extra (low) salary of well-functioning underlings is peanuts compared to the benefits of their chemistry and mutual history as a team.

On the flip side, losing a manager may also mean losing all your best staff as well.

Gifts During Tenders for Service/Supply Agreements

One of the biggest hurdle to international businesses succeeding in Vietnam

In Vietnam, if you are soliciting tenders for a service or supply contract, you must keep an eye on the employees making the decision. Why? Because it is the norm that the decision-maker will get a little gift from the bidders . This could lead to sub-optimal purchase-decisions. You must make it clear that no gifts should be accepted during procurement processes (however, this means you must compensate your best employees in other ways in lieu of such gifts).

For small contracts in the range of a couple thousand dollars or a dozen thousand dollars, the gift could be 5%-10% of the purchase-value. For million-dollar contracts, the gifts could still be as high as 1% of the contract value.

On the flipside, if you are a foreign-business in a competitive bidding process in Vietnam, you must be aware that your competitors are throwing gifts at the purchaser . You will need to be creative if you want to remain competitive. First, if you think your bid is meritorious on its own, but want to hedge the risk of a low-quality competitor snagging the contract away based on their gift-giving prowess with the decision-maker, then you should think of creative ways to reach the purchaser’s senior-management and make sure they know about the quality of your bid. Find someone who has a vested interest in the quality of the procurement rather than the gift, and then find ways to get an audience with them.

Some gift will always be necessary during the bid, no matter your moral scruples with the gift. Consider some luxury whiskey, wine, or resort-packages that can be safely expensed as part of the normal process of doing business in your home country. These are obviously token-gifts compared to what your local competitors are offering.

To learn more about such “informal fees”, check out the Provincial Competitiveness Index . You can learn which provinces are more business-friendly on this metric.

Tet Holiday Gift

Key relationship management

It is an absolute must for businesses to send Tet holiday gifts to their important clients, partners and government regulators. If you don’t, don’t expect them to treat you fairly in the future.

Here are some ideas for Tet gifts:

Luxury wines and whiskeys imported directly from abroad (forgeries are rampant within Vietnam).
Fountain pens.
Luxury hand-bag.
Rare flowers and plants, like Orchids.
Vases, wine glasses, English tea sets (should be made in the West, and not China)
Ornate and fancy calendars (e.g. made from wood, or some other creative process)
Sweets, nuts, dried fruit, sausages, exotic teas and coffees in a gift basket — especially from Western brands.
Silk products (e.g. scarves, table cloths).

Remember to research the recipient’s lucky colours and don’t send them gifts in their unlucky colours (see notes on Gatekeepers below). Don’t send gifts in the color black (a very unlucky colour in Vietnam). If you don’t have time to research someone’s lucky colours, then a safe alternative is to use the colours of their business logo for the colour of their gift .

Superstition is Pervasive in Vietnamese Business

Business-people are some of the most superstitious people in Vietnam

While Western businesses will not even wish you a Merry Christmas, Vietnamese businesses are steeped in quasi-religious superstition. In all of Vietnamese society, business-persons are the most superstitious. These manifest in a number of uncountable ways

Hiring based on the compatibility of teams’ zodiac signs;
Careful research of clients’ lucky colours to appropriately colour-code their gifts;
Prayer rituals at the launch of big projects;
The all-pervasive Cóc Ngậm Tiền (lucky toad statue) who attracts wealth and fortune;
Unlucky block-out times when business cannot be conducted;

… and much more.

Some industries, like real estate development, basically require a staff fortune-teller to act as a Feng Shui consultant.

If you are a foreigner doing business in Vietnam, your Vietnamese partners won’t necessarily care about your personal superstitions and whether you worship Cóc Ngậm Tiền. However, there are a few faux pas that can be easily avoided by learning some of the basics of Vietnamese superstition and religion , for example:

Pregnant women are considered bad luck, so don’t bring your pregnant wife to important events.
If one of your family members passes-away, you should not visit other Vietnamese people during holidays, for 3 years.
Avoid travelling or doing launching parties or having important meetings on the 7th day of the month.
Avoid making big decisions and starting major initiatives during the 7th Lunar Month (~July) — this is the month in which ghosts are released from Hell and everyone is especially susceptible to bad luck.

These are obviously for the morale of your Vietnamese staff and partners, even if they earnestly profess that they are not religious and not superstitious.

Similarly, if you hire Vietnamese staff, be prepared to have them expense you for the costs of maintaining a little Toad alter (e.g. incense and fruit offerings)

Gatekeepers in Business

How to gather intel

There are many situations in which you will need to get close to key decision makers within an organization (for example, to bypass the lower-level procurement staff, or to get some intel, or to simply press for a meeting), and doing so directly may be ineffective.

You may need to finding the “gatekeepers” who can connect with and/or influence the decisions of senior leaders. This is an important skill. Such gatekeepers are likely to be people in close physical promixity to senior execs, including personal assistants, security guys/doormen, chauffeurs, and, of course, right-hand men who sit next to the boss at meetings.

Indirect Speech in Vietnamese Business

100 ways to say no, none of which are “no”

Vietnamese think that Westerners are too direct in their speech. In contrast, the Vietnamese, having lived through experiments in central-planning and government control in everything, have a confusing variety of coded-language to say things indirectly. Some examples:

“I’m busy. That will be difficult. I’m not so sure about that” – These are just a few ways to say “no”.
“I’m not sure we can do that on time. But, we’ll think about some ways to save time” – Official channels will be too long and difficult; you’ll need to persuade some interviewing party.
“That person is very difficult. But, we’ll think about some ways to change his mind” – Someone needs to be paid-off.
“I know someone who can solve that for us” – You’ll need to know someone internally in order to get something done. The normal process will be too slow and difficult (e.g. have to compete with all the other people with an inside connection).
“You need to say thank you to him” – You need to give him a gift, perhaps even cold-hard cash.

“I’m going to sue you” – A Common Bluff

The strength of the West’s legal system is also your weakness

If you are a foreigner doing business in Vietnam, don’t be surprised if minor disputes result in someone saying to you “I am going to sue you!”

Vietnamese know that Western companies/organizations have strong civil-law traditions, and that they take such statements very seriously. So, Vietnamese agents often do this as bluff — such bluffs are almost entirely ignored by Vietnamese operators and so should you.

Read more about hiring and firing employees in our post: Quirks About Vietnamese Business Law and Compliance .

Regional Differences in Business Culture in Vietnam

The South has a longer history of international capitalism

These exist slight differences in the business cultures and norms of different parts of Vietnam, especially North vs Central vs South Vietnam. Many of these differences parallel the broader cultural differences between these regions, as we detail in this post .

In general, the business culture of the South is more flat, less formal, less hierarchical, less superstitious, faster, and has a longer legacy of dealing with international partners. Otherwise, a full enumeration of such differences would require an entire thesis.

Get help, or learn by trial and error

If you are serious about doing business in Vietnam, or do large scale trading with Vietnamese parties, you should enlist the services of a local liaison and consultant, especially someone with personal and/or familial connections within government.

Partly, this role could overlap with the official ‘local representative’, or secretary, as required by Vietnamese corporate law for foreign companies. But even getting that far will probably require some local consulting.

If you have some simple questions and concerns about Vietnamese business culture, you can send us questions via the Contact Us form, and we’ll do our best to give some helpful pointers.

Thankfully, a maturing ecosystem of business consultants are blossoming right now in Vietnam, and are becoming very adept at formalizing a lot of the tacit informalisms.

Business formation and compliance in Vietnam

Thinking about starting a business in Vietnam?

Read our dedicated post about 9 Need-to-know Quirks to Starting Business in Vietnam as a Foreigner — from laws, formation, tax compliance, and more.

Will is a researcher in Toronto who has lived and worked in Vietnam. On his own journey learning Vietnamese, he realized the best way to learn a language is to embed the lessons in stories, cultural insights and history.

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Doris Kearns Goodwin Wasn’t Competing With Her Husband

Richard Goodwin, an adviser to presidents, “was more interested in shaping history,” she says, “and I in figuring out how history was shaped.” Their bond is at the heart of her new book, “An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s.”

Credit... Rebecca Clarke

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Describe your ideal reading experience.

The early hours before dawn have always been best. I have all that is necessary: quiet, a bathrobe, a comfortable old blue leather couch, a table stacked with books and research.

What books are on your night stand?

Right now: “Three Roads Back,” a powerful book (especially after the death of my husband, Dick Goodwin ) on how Emerson, Thoreau and William James dealt with grief. “The Facts,” by Philip Roth, in which I am delighted to find a hilarious dinnertime conversation concerning the politics of divorce between Roth, Robert Kennedy and my husband. And, in readiness for reading time with my grandson, “Frog and Toad Are Friends” and “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!”

How do you organize your books?

I’ve come to realize my books organize me more than I organize them! Every book I’ve written has required its own library. Before I knew it, I had amassed full-blown libraries, including fiction as well as nonfiction, for Lincoln, the Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt, the muckraker journalists, F.D.R., World War II and the 1960s. I even built an extended alcove to hold baseball books and memorabilia. Not to mention my husband’s extensive library of plays, poetry, science and philosophy. Books took over every room of the house Dick and I shared in Concord, Mass., as they do now in my Boston home.

What books would people be surprised to find on your shelves?

Stacks and stacks of mystery and detective stories. As W.H. Auden wrote, “The reading of detective stories is an addiction like tobacco or alcohol.”

Did spending so much time with your husband’s letters and journals influence your beliefs about how history gets told?

Too often, history is told and remembered with the knowledge of how events turned out. For 50 years, Dick had resisted opening the 300 boxes he had saved, a time capsule of the 1960s. The ending of the decade — the Vietnam War, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Dick’s close friend Robert Kennedy, the riots, the violence on college campuses — had cast a dark curtain on the entire era for him and the country.

But when Dick turned 80 and we finally opened the boxes in chronological order, what struck both of us were not the tremendous sorrows of the time, but the exhilarating convictions that individuals could make a difference. This was the impulse that led tens of thousands of young people to join the Peace Corps, participate in sit-ins, freedom rides, marches against segregation and the denial of the vote.

Reading all that alongside him must have been head-spinning.

I‘ve often called the subjects of my books — Abraham Lincoln and both Roosevelts — “my guys,” because I spent decades immersing myself in their letters, diaries and memoirs. I would often talk to them and ask them questions. They never answered. But now, my actual guy, my husband, was sitting across the room from me — arguing, correcting, laughing as he read aloud from his own letters and diaries. Head-spinning for sure!

Which of you was the better writer?

I could never have withstood the pressure and time constraint under which Dick drafted his most important presidential speeches. History is far more patient, far better suited to my slow pace of research and writing. It took me twice as long to unwind the interrelated stories I wanted to tell about the Civil War and World War II as it took those wars to be fought. Dick and I were never in competition. We complemented one another. He was more interested in shaping history, and I in figuring out how history was shaped.

What’s the best book you’ve ever received as a gift?

This past Christmas my son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Veronika, gave me a signed first edition of Barbara Tuchman’s “The Guns of August” — a gift that carried me back to the first time I read the book 60 years ago in college. Here was a woman writing about the field of war traditionally reserved for men. Here was a master storyteller who believed historians must write only what was known by the people at the time, resisting the urge to reference future events.

What’s the most terrifying book you’ve ever read?

“2666,” by Roberto Bolaño.

What do you plan to read next?

James McBride’s “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” and Geraldine Brooks’s “Horse.”

You’re organizing a dinner party. Which three storytellers, dead or alive, do you invite?

Lincoln, F.D.R. and L.B.J. I know what they liked to drink and eat. So I would serve water, oyster stew and chicken fricassee with biscuits for Lincoln; martinis and hot dogs with all the fixings for F.D.R.; and Cutty Sark Scotch, chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes for L.B.J. And for once I would keep my mouth shut and listen to three of the most entertaining and enlightening storytellers America has ever produced.

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

Stephen King, who has dominated horror fiction for decades , published his first novel, “Carrie,” in 1974. Margaret Atwood explains the book’s enduring appeal .

The actress Rebel Wilson, known for roles in the “Pitch Perfect” movies, gets vulnerable about her weight loss, sexuality and money in her new memoir.

“City in Ruins” is the third novel in Don Winslow’s Danny Ryan trilogy and, he says, his last book. He’s retiring in part to invest more time into political activism .

Jonathan Haidt, the social psychologist and author of “The Anxious Generation,” is “wildly optimistic” about Gen Z. Here’s why .

Do you want to be a better reader? Here’s some helpful advice to show you how to get the most out of your literary endeavor .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

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