Vietnam Culture
Taoism in Vietnam
The glue that binds the elements of the ‘tam giao’ – the triple religion Taoism is believed to have originated in China with a man named Lao Tzu at around 500 B.C. The legend says that Lao Tzu was so … Read more
Confucianism in Vietnam
Confucianism’s originator, K’ung Fu Tzu (Latinised to Confucius), was an official in the Chinese court. During his lifetime (around 500 BC), China had broken into rival states fighting for supremacy. Confucius, comparing the turmoil of the life of the people … Read more
Christianity in Vietnam
Christianity enters Vietnam Christianity was introduced to Vietnam in the 16th century by missionaries from Europe’s main Catholic evangelist countries, France, Spain and Portugal. One of the early arrivals was Alexandre de Rhodes, a French Jesuit who greatly impressed the … Read more
Buddhism in Vietnam
Historically, most Vietnamese have identified themselves with Buddhism, which originated in what is now southern Nepal around 530 B.C. as an offshoot of Hinduism. Its founder was Gautama, a prince who bridled at the formalism of Hinduism as it was … Read more
Festivals in Vietnam
Traditional festivals constitute a form of cultural activities, a spiritual product which the people have created and developed during the course of history. From generation to generation, the Vietnamese people preserve the fine tradition of “remembering the source while drinking … Read more
Funeral Ceremony
Formerly funeral ceremonies went as following: the body was washed and dressed; then a le ngam ham, or chopstick, was laid between the teeth and a pinch of rice and three coins were dropped in the mouth. Then the body … Read more
Wedding ceremony
Depending on habits of specific ethnic groups, marriage includes various steps and related procedures, but generally there are two main ceremonies: Betrothal ceremony: Some time before the wedding, the groom and his family visit the bride and her family with … Read more
Chewing Betel and Areca Nuts
A quid of betel, also called trau, is composed of four elements: an areca leaf (sweet taste), betel bark (hot taste), a chay root (bitter taste), and hydrated lime (pungent taste). The custom of chewing betel nut is unique to … Read more
Villages – Guilds
In Vietnamese society, people gather together to form villages in rural areas, and guilds in urban areas. Villages and guilds have been forming since the dawn of the nation. These organizations have gradually developed for the population to be more … Read more
