Vietnamese Culture

Vietnam 2011

2011-05-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

Video part 1

Video part 2:

Introduction to the Vietnamese language

2011-05-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese is the language spoken by some 77 million people inside and outside Vietnam.

Origin of the Vietnamese Language

The origin of the Vietnamese language is the subject of debate among linguists. It is usually put in a language family by itself along with Muong, a language spoken by a group of highlanders in North Viet Nam.

Although it is evident that Vietnamese did not have its origins in Chinese, the influence of China has always been strong in Viet Nam, and thousands of Chinese words have been incorporated into the Vietnamese language. Many of these words reflect the nature of the northern influence throughout the early period of Chinese domination. Chinese philosophic, literary, religious, governmental and military terms are found in great numbers in Vietnamese, although the pronunciation has changed and their relationship to Chinese is not always clearly discernable.

The Six Tones and Their Phonetic Symbols

Vietnamese is basically a monosyllabic language having six tones, which give the language a sing-song effect. A word can be repeated with any one of six tones to indicate six different meanings. For example, the word ma has six different meanings according to the tone which the word carries: phantom, ghost; cheek; but, which, who; tomb; horse; young rice seedling.

There are several mutually intelligible dialects in Vietnamese, the boundaries of which were defined by Henri Maspero in 1943. The Haft Anna group includes both the speech of the Tonkinese of the Red River delta and of North Anna, and the speech of the southern Cochinchinese, prevalent from Tourane to the Mekong delta. The second group includes the dialects of the coastal areas between Tourane and Vinh.

Contemporary Vietnamese sometimes make a different, subjective distinction between northern , central and southern dialects. The northern speech, according to this characterization, is marked by sharpness, or choppiness , with greater attention to the precise distinction of tones. The southern speech, in addition to certain uniform differences from northern speech in the pronunciation of consonants, does not distinguish between the hoi and nga tones; and, it is felt by some to sound more laconic and musical. The speech of the Center, on the other hand, is often described as being heavy because of its emphasis on low tones.

Concerning the tones in the Vietnamese language, it has been suggested by some authors that Vietnamese was originally basically a polysyllabic language. The polysyllabic words were later simplified by way of contraction due to the influence of the languages of continental Asia - most particularly, Chinese, which is essentially a monosyllabic language. Thus, some words which were polysyllabic in the 17th century have now become monosyllables by way of contraction.

Three Systems of Writing

Chu Nho . Vietnamese was first written using the Chinese writing system called chu nho . Beginning sometime around the 9th century, following the period of Chinese domination, all government and official transactions, education, correspondence and Literature used the Chinese characters. This chu nho system was still used by scholars until a few decades ago, and in fact, Vietnamese still request the services of scholars skilled in chu nho for lettering the banners and placards which are traditionally found at weddings, funerals, and festivals.

Chu nom . Vietnamese writers, however, desired a language of their own in which to transcribe their national history and literature. Gradually, a new writing system known as chu nom - vulgar or demotic script - was evolved. Nguyen Thuyen, a poet of the 13th century, is believed to be - if not the inventor - the man responsible for spreading and popularizing chu nom . In this system, Chinese characters were borrow-ed and altered; they resembled Chinese characters, but were often unintelligible to the Chinese themselves. In chu nom , two Chinese characters were usually combined, one of which indicated the meaning of the Vietnamese word, while the other indicated pronunciation. The chu nom system, however, was extremely cumbersome and was used only in literature and non-official documents; chu nom was never accorded recognition as the official language.

Quoc Ngu . Around the 17th century, Catholic missionaries developed a Romanized script to represent the quoc ngu or national language in order to translate prayer books and catechisms.

According to Professors Huard and Durand, the use of the Latin alphabet to record languages using Chinese characters was prob-ably tried for the first time in 1548 by Yajiro, a Japanese who became converted to the Catholic faith and was thereafter baptized by Saint Francis-Xavier. Shortly there-after, missionaries taught Catholicism to Japanese living in Faifoo, Central Viet Nam using the Japanese language with romanized books (romaji) published by the Japanese Jesuit Press. It was only a short jump from that to the attempt to romanize the Vietnamese language. Thus, on the pattern of theromaji, the quoc ngu was created.

Although an international and collective undertaking, the quoc ngu is generally said to have been invented by Alexandre deRhodes, a French Jesuit missionary whose Portuguese-Latin-Vietnamese dictionary was published in 1651. Monsignor Pigneau deBehaine (18th century) and Monsignor Taberd (1838) later continued the works of Alexandre de Rhodes.

While the romanization received only a reserved welcome in China and Japan, it obtained an extraordinary success in Viet Nam. It gave the country an unequaled tool of cultural and intellectual development.

However, the beginnings of quoc ngu met with difficulties. For a long time, it remained the exclusive instrument of Catholic priests, and the masses continued to ignore the new system of writing. The knowledge of the traditional system of writing was essential for anyone who wanted to present himself for the triennial examinations. Thus,

quoc ngu was adopted and officially be-came popular only when Viet Nam was under French domination (1864-1945). In effect, French authorities popularized quoc ngu with the objective of eliminating the Chinese-type quoc nom characters, and thereby simplifying problems of publication and drawing Viet Nam closer to Western practices.

At the beginning of the present century, Nguyen Truong To, a great Vietnamese re-former, presented to the Royal Court a petition requesting the adoption of the quoc ngu as the official writing. His request was not accepted because scholars of the time were reluctant to abandon the older traditions.

But, the most popular writers of North Viet Nam followed the example set by their colleagues in South Viet Nam by writing in quoc ngu without waiting for the decision of the Royal Court. This movement on behalf of quoc ngu soon reached considerable proportions, especially when the famous letter of Phan Boi Chau was published. In this letter, the well-known nationalist revolutionary Phan Boi Chau, who was living in Tokyo at the time, stressed the need for education. The patriotic sentiments of the vietnamese people - especially the youth -were stirred.

In 1906, the French administration set up the Council for Improvement of Education, which ordered the study of quoc ngu As a secondary subject in schools. In 1908, the Royal Court of Hue created the Ministry of Education, having the task of applying the new school curriculum in quoc ngu . At last, from 1915 to 1919, a series of decrees was promulgated which abolished triennial literary examinations for the recruitment of governmental officials. In North Viet Nam, the last triennial examinations in Chinese characters was organized in 1915, and the last one in Central Viet Nam's Imperial city of Hue was held in 1919. From then on, quoc ngu became the accepted form of popular national writing, bringing to an end the use of Chinese-type chu nom characters.

The secular prestige of the Chinese characters did not disappear until long after the adoption of quoc ngu , however; and its decline occurred first in the South, where Chinese classical influence was less pronounced, and Western influence was greater.

The romanized writing has permitted the art of printing to develop and innumerable printing houses have been established in Viet Nam. Moreover, since the country became independent in 1945, the progress of the press has exceeded the most optimistic predictions. Daily newspapers and magazines of all persuasions continue to compete for the attention of a large and eager reading public.

(Source: http://www.vietspring.org/language/intro.html)

Vietnamese alphabet and pronunciation

Learn some common Vietnamese words and expressions

Song: Hanoi- Dinh Manh Ninh

2010-09-29T05:14:00.000-07:00

A beautiful song performed by Dinh Manh Ninh
In this video clip, you can see a lot of familiar places in Hanoi

Enjoy!

Schedule for the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi

2010-09-29T05:11:00.000-07:00

Schedule for the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi

2010-09-15

Thang Long – Hanoi has 1000-year history and is the concentration of country’s quintessence. The 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi (1010 – 2010) is the opportunity to express gratefulness to ancestor’s effort and honour country’s traditional values. This is also the occasion to introduce and enhance image of Hanoi Capital in particular and Viet Nam in general.

The 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi will take place in 10 days (from October 1 to 10) with many attractive activities of culture, art and sport.

Time	Event	Place
October 1
8h	The opening of the 1000^th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi	The park of King Ly Thai To statue (Dinh Tien Hoang Road)
9h30	Art performances	5 stages around Hoan Kiem Lake
14h	The opening of the exhibition named “Art and literature works through different periods”	Viet Nam Exhibition Center for Culture and Arts (2 Hoa Lu Street)
15h	The opening of the exhibition of Hanoi’s art images	Showrooms at 45 Trang Tien Street
19h30	The opening of the exhibition named “Social and economic achievements of Viet Nam and Thang Long – Hanoi”	Viet Nam Exhibition and Fair Center (138 Giang Vo Street)
19h30	The opening of historical and revolutionary film week	National Cinema Center (87 Lang Ha Street)
20h	The special art program named “The whole country with Hanoi” (live)	The park of Ba Kieu Temple (Dinh Tien Hoang Road)
20h	Concert named “International integration – faith in the future”	Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien Street)
October 2
8h	Display of typical documents, items, antiques of Thang Long – Hanoi	Imperial Citadel of Thang Long (9 Hoang Dieu and 19 Nguyen Tri Phuong streets)
9h	Introduction of the bookshelf named “1000-year culture of Thang Long”	National Library (31 Trang Thi Street)
14h	Checking and announcing result of science research work at state level named “Researching and promoting natural, economic, social conditions and historical, cultural values of Thang Long – Hanoi for comprehensive development”	Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien Street)
20h	Performance of selected songs composed in honour of Thang Long – Hanoi	The park of Ba Kieu Temple (Dinh Tien Hoang Road)
20h	The opening of Thang Long international tourism festival	Bao Son Paradise (An Khanh Commune, Hoai Duc District)
October 3
7h	Marathon for the peace	Around Hoan Kiem Lake
20h	The art program named “Thang Long – Hanoi in Ho Chi Minh age”	Hang Day Stadium (10 Trinh Hoai Duc Street)
October 4
8h30	The closing and prize awarding ceremony for the contest named “1000-year culture of heroic Thang Long – Hanoi”	Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien Street)
15h	The opening of the exhibition named “Vietnamese heroes and cultural celebrities”	Revolution Museum (25 Tong Dan Street)
15h30	The opening of the exhibition named ”Famous battles and campaigns in Vietnam’s history”	Viet Nam Military History Museum (28A Dien Bien Phu Street)
17h	The opening of Thang Long – Hanoi calligraphy exhibition and festival	Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (58 Quoc Tu Giam Street)
20h	Announcing and awarding the nationwide press prize about Thang Long – Hanoi	Au Co Art Center (8 Huynh Thuc Khang Street)
20h	Performance of ancient dances	The park of King Ly Thai To statue (Dinh Tien Hoang Road)
October 5
9h	Introduction of art work named “Pottery Road”	Yen Phu Road
14h	The opening of the exhibition named “Bat Trang Pottery – tradition and modern”	Bat Trang Pottery Village (Bat Trang Commune, Gia Lam District)
14h	The opening of the exhibition named “Hearts with Thang Long – Hanoi”	Friendship Culture Palace (91 Tran Hung Dao Street)
20h	Performance of Vietnamese famous artists	Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien Street)
20h	The art performance named of “Thang Long’s strong impetus and the country’s song”	Hang Day Stadium (10 Trinh Hoai Duc Street)
October 6
8h	The opening of Hanoi kite art festival	Square of My Dinh Stadium (Le Duc Tho Road)
8h	Vietnamese martial art performance named “Thang Long Spirit”	Quan Ngua Sport Palace (55 Doc Ngu Street)
8h30	The opening of Hanoi Museum	Hanoi Museum (Pham Hung Road)
14h	The opening of statues of Ho Chi Minh and Ton Duc Thang	Thong Nhat Park (354 Le Duan Street)
14h	The opening of Hoa Binh Park	Hoa Binh Park (Co Nhue Commune, Tu Liem District)
14h	The opening of exhibition on ancient Thang Long – Hanoi	Hanoi Museum (Pham Hung Road)
14h30	The opening of Kim Dong Theater	Kim Dong Theater (19 Hang Bai Street)
20h	The opening of Hanoi Worker Theater	Hanoi Worker Theater (42 Trang Tien Street)
20h	The opening of Dai Nam Theater	Dai Nam Theater (89 Pho Hue Street)
20h	The opening of Hanoi gastronomy festival	Ho Tay Water Park (614 Lac Long Quan Road)
October 7
8h	The opening of international conference named “Sustainable development of heroic and cultural capital, the city for peace”	International Convention Center (11 Le Hong Phong Street)
9h	The closing and prize awarding ceremony for the international contest named “Hanoi – Your Rendezvous”	Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien Street)
20h	Traditional music performance	Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien Street)
October 8
7h	Art and culture programs of Hanoi’s youth	Outdoor stages in the whole city
20h	Exchange program named “Thang Long – spirit of the country”	National Convention Center (Pham Hung Street, Me Tri Commune, Tu Liem District)
20h	Street festival	State Bank Square (49 Ly Thai To Street)
October 9
8h	The opening of Thanh Tri and Vinh Tuy bridges	The southern head of bridges of Thanh Tri and Vinh Tuy
9h30	The opening of Thang Long Boulevard	Intersection of Pham Hung and Tran Duy Hung roads
20h	Performances of international art troupes	Outdoor stages in the whole city
October 10
8h	The 1000^th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi	Ba Dinh Square
20h	The art and culture program to celebrate the 1000^th birthday of Thang Long – Hanoi	My Dinh Stadium (Le Duc Tho Road)

Travel News (VNA)

Visit Vietnam 2010

2010-06-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

Scenes and sounds of people in Viet Nam during the Tet (Vietnamese lunar New Year) Holidays. Video clips from Hanoi, Da Nang and rural Quang Nam Province, Hue and Thua Thien Province and also from Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese music soundtrack.

Don't burn- Đừng đốt- new movie 2009

2010-06-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

'Don’t Burn' nominated for VN’s Oscar entry

The movie “Dung dot” (Don’t Burn) will represent Vietnam for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, it was recently announced.

"Dung dot" promises to present the Vietnamese side of the Vietnam War.
“Dung dot” is a production by Vietnam Cinema Association Production.

"Dung Dot", directed and written by Dang Nhat Minh, is about an heroic army doctor’s life and her love for her country and people.

The doctor, Dang Thuy Tram, dedicated her life to the country during the Vietnam War.

The film opens with a battle in Quang Ngai Province’s Duc Pho District, where Thuy Tram worked and was killed in 1970 from a US attack.

After Thuy Tram’s last battle, US soldier Fred Whitehurst chanced upon her two diaries, which haunted him for the next 35 years until he returned them to her family three years ago.

The private memoirs, popularly sought by readers both in Vietnam and around the world, are now preserved at the Vietnam Center and Archive in Lubbock, Texas.

The English version was released under the title “Last Night I Dreamed of Peace.”

"Dung dot" is the shortened form of what a Vietnamese interpreter named Huan, of the former Saigon regime, is supposed to have told Whitehurst when he handed them back after reading them: “Dung dot, trong do da co lua (Don’t burn [it], it has fire in it).”

Recently, “Dung dot” won the Fukuoka Audience Award at the 2009 Fukuoka International Film Festival.

The 2010 Academy Awards will be presented on March 7, 2010

Trailer:

Source: http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Culture_Art/2009/9/74691/

Embassies of foreign countries in Vietnam

2010-01-17T19:09:00.000-08:00

Embassies of foreign countries in Vietnam & Vietnamese Embassies in other countries

Country	Foreign Embassy in Vietnam	Vietnam Embassy abroad
Albania	49 Dien Bien Phu, Ha Noi Tel: 84-4-8253865	Tirana, Tel 2556, Telex 2253 AMBRSV AB
Algeria	12 Phan Chu Trinh, Ha Noi Tel : 84 -4 - 8253865 Fax : 84 -4 -8260830 Website : http://www.ambalgvn.org.vn	30 Chenoua Hydra, Anger, Tel 600752
Australia	66 Ly Thuong Kiet, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8252763 Web: http://www.vietnam.embassy.gov.au	6 Timbarra Crescent, O'Malley, Canberra, ACT 2603 Tel (062) 866509, Fax 864534 http://www.au.vnembassy.org
Belgium	B3 Van Phuc, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 252263	Avenue De La Floride 130, 1180 Bruxells, Tel (02) 3749133 Fax 3749133
Bulgaria	2 Van Phuc, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 252908	Sofia-1113, Ul. Ilia, Petrovl, Tel 639043, 658486
Cambodia	Hanoi: 4 Thuyen Quang, Tel 8264816 Ho Chi Minh City: 41 Phung Khac Khoan, Tel: 84 - 8 - 8292751	Son Ngoc Minh area, Phnom Penh, Tel 25481
Canada	39 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8265840	470 Wilbrod Street, Ottawa, K1N 6M8, Canada Tel: (613) 236-0772 Fax: (613) 236-2704
China	46 Hoang Dieu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8253736, 253737	32 Guangua Lu, Jianguomenwai Dajie, Beijing, Tel 5321125, 5325414
Cuba	65 Ly Thuong Kiet, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 825477 http://www.vietnamembassy-cuba.org	5A, Avenida No. 1802, Miramar, Cuidad de la Habana, Tel 296262
Czech	13 Chu Van An, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8254131	Holeckova 6, Praha 5, Tel 546498, 531723
Denmark	19 Dien Bien Phu, Ha Noi Tel: +84 (4) 8 231 888 Web: http://www.dk-vn.dk	Gammel Vartov Vej 20, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark Telephone: 45 3918 3932 Fax: 45 3918 3932 http://www.vietnamemb.dk
Finland	Suite 603, Central Building, 31 Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi. Tel: 84 - 4 - 826 6788 Web: www.finland.org.vn	Aleksanterinkatu 15, 5th floor 00100 Helsinki, Finland Tel. +358 9 562 6302 / +358 9 622 9900
France	Hanoi: 49 Ba Trieu, Tel: 84 - - 252719, 254367, 254368 Ho Chi Minh City: Consulate 102 Hai Ba Trung, Dist 1, Tel. 8-8297231 http://www.ambafrance-vn.org	62 Rue Boileau, 75016 Paris, Tel 45245063, 45276255, Fax 45243948
Germany	29 Tran Phu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8253836 http://www.germanembhanoi.org.vn	Konstantinstrasse 37, 53179 Bonn, Tel (0228) 957540, Fax 351866
Hungary	43-47 Dien Bien Phu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8252748	V1 Benczur U. 18, Budapest, Tel 429943
India	58 Tran Hung Dao, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8253409	42F, South Extension, New Delhi, Part 1, Tel 624 586, 623 823
Indonesia	50 Ngo Quyen, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8256316	25 Jalan Tenku Umar, Jakarta, Tel 6221/3100358, 325347, Fax: 6221 3100359 Telex 073 45211 SRVNM IA
Italy	9 Le Phung Hieu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 825624 http://www.embitalyvietnam.org	Plazza Barberini 12, 00187 Roma, Tel 4755286, 4754098
Japan	49 Nguyen Du, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8257902	50-11, Motoyoyogi-Cho, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo, Tel 81334663315, Fax 813 3466 3312
Korea, (People's Dem. Rep.)	25 Cao Ba Quat, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8266621	7, Munxu Str., Pongyang, Tel: 291 Korea, South Tel: 722 704 3570/1, Fax 822 793 1009
Korea (Republic of Korea)	4th floor, 360 Kim Ma, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8315111 http://hanquocngaynay.com	Add: 7 Munsu Street , Pyongyang Tel: 381 7353 - Fax: 381 7632 Consulate: 381 7111 Code: 00- 850- 2 http://www.vietnamembassy-seoul.org
Laos	Hanoi: 22 Tran Binh Trong, Tel: 84 - 4 - 8254576 Ho Chi Minh City: Consulate 43 Phung Khac Hoan, District 1, Tel: 84 - 8 - 8292751, 8292744	1 Thanon That Luang Rd, Vientiane, Tel 413400, 413403, 413409
Malaysia	A3 Van Phuc, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8253371	4, Peslaran Stonor, Kuala Lumpur, Tel (03) 2484354, Fax 2483270
Mexico		Calle Sierra Ventana 255, 11000 Mexico, DF, Tel 5401612, 5401632
Netherlands	Daeha Office Tower, 360 Kim Ma, Hanoi. Tel. 84 4 8315650 http://www.netherlands-embassy.org.vn
Myanmar	Building A-3, Van Phuc, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 253369, Fax: 84 - 4 - 252404	40, Kmin Kochin Road, Yangon, Tel 50361
Philippines	E1 Trung Tu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8257948	Philippines 54, Victor Cruz, Malate, Manila, Tel (632) 500364, 508101, Fax 508101
Poland	3 Chua Mot Cot, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8252027	0-468 Warszawa, Ul. Kawalerii 5, Tel 413369, 415867
Romania	5 Le Hong Phong, Ha Noi Tel: 84 4 8252014	15 Strada Autruliu, Bucharest, Tel 116120, Fax 11604
Russian Federation	58 Tran Phu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 825463	Ul. Bolshaia Piragovxkaia 13, Moskwa, Tel 2450925
Singapore	B4 Van Phuc, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8233966	10 Leedon Park, Singapore 1026, Tel 468347 http://www.vinatradesingapore.org
Slovakia	13 Chu Van An, Ha Noi Tel: 84 4 8254131
Sweden	2 Van Phuc, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8254824 http://www.hanoi.embassy.ud.se	Slotsvaeg 26, 125 71 Alvsjo, Tel (08) 861218, 861418, Fax (08) 995713 http://www.vietnamemb.se
Switzerland	77b Kim Ma, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8232019, Fax: 84 - 4 - 232045	Ch. F. Lehmann 34, 1218 Grand-Saconnex, Tel (022) 798 98 66, Fax 798 98 58
Thailand	63-65 Hoang Dieu, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 235092, 256053, 262644	83/1 Wireless Rd., Bangkok, Tel (02) 2517201, (02) 2515836 http://www.vietnamembassy.or.th/
United Kingdom	116 Ly Thuong Kiet, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8252510 http://www.uk-vietnam.org	12-14 Victoria Road, London, W8 5RD, Tel (071) 9371912, Fax. 8376108,
USA	7 Lang Ha, Ha Noi Tel: 84 - 4 - 8431500 Web: http://vietnam.usembassy.gov 4 Le Duan Blvd, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; Tel 84-8-82209433	1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC, 20036 Tel (202) 861-0737, Fax (202) 861-0917 http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org Consulate 1700 California, San Francisco, Tel (415) 922-1577 http://www.vietnamconsulate-sf.org

Vietnamese Etiquette

2010-01-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

Vietnam is one of the oldest Southeast Asian countries. Vietnam’s prolonged fight for freedom has instilled a strong sense of self respect in its people. In fact the Vietnamese are extremely simple and down to earth people who know how to respect other individuals and expect the same from them. Vietnam is a country, rich in culture and traditions and is very particular about their codes of social interaction. Needless to say that Vietnamese etiquette is actually a reflection of the culture of Vietnam and the lifestyle of the Vietnamese as a whole.

Vietnamese Social Etiquettes:

- They avoid loud conversations and using too many gestures as it is considered very rude.
- Pointing fingers or calling anyone with fingers pointed upward is impolite. - Rather you should use your entire hand with fingers placed downwards.
- The Vietnamese are not too fond of any kind of physical contact in public, especially with the opposite sex.
- They bow down to show respect specially to an elderly person
- They generally do not shake hands with an older person. The young generally shake both hands, if at all they do.
- Only the elderly touches a child’s head.
- They use both their hands when passing on any object.
- According to Vietnamese etiquette standing with arms on the hips is considered ill-mannered.
- Crossing ones arms on the chest is also a very rude gesture.

Social Visits and Gifts in Vietnam

- If you plan to visit a Vietnamese family then it is considered polite if you bring a gift for the host especially the woman in the family.
- Packing the gift items in colorful paper is appreciated.
- Ideal gift items include sweets, flowers, fruits, incense or items for daily use.
- Never present handkerchiefs or anything black as a gift, because it is considered ominous.

Vietnamese Table Etiquette

- You should wait until you are showed your seat at the table.
- The elderly usually sit before the others.
- The Vietnamese use chopsticks and rice bowls as their eating utensils.
- The Chopsticks must be kept on the table or a chopstick rest after taking a few mouthfuls and at the end of the meal.
- The rice bowls should be held up closer to the mouth otherwise it is considered idleness.
- Vietnamese etiquette demands that spoons should be held with the left hand while eating soup.
- It is polite to finish every food item on the platter.
- Toothpicks should be used with the mouth covered.

Business Etiquettes in Vietnam

- The Vietnamese are extremely punctual for business meetings and look for the same from others.
- They appreciate formal dressing in official programs.
- They shake hands at the beginning and end of meetings, but it is not done among the opposite sex.
- They exchange business cards on the very first encounter.
- The entire dealing should be done very politely, without any sort of hostility because the Vietnamese are peace loving and look down upon any kind of temper flares.

There is surely a long list of Vietnamese etiquette, and codes of conduct, but all are meant to uphold the peace and harmony of the society. Being very simple themselves the Vietnamese expect the same love and affection from their visitors.

Source: http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/vietnam/culture-of-vietnam/vietnamese-etiquette.html

Foreigners speak Vietnamese

2009-12-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

This is a video from Global Talk Show 2009

Vietnamese Movie: Pao's Story (Chuyện của Pao)

2009-10-26T07:34:00.001-07:00

CHUYỆN CỦA PAO
Đạo diễn (Director) : Quang Hải
Diễn viên (Actress) : Hải Yến
Sản xuất (Produced) : Hãng phim truyện I
Thể loại (Genre) : Tâm lý (psychology)
Xuất bản (Year) : 2006
Độ dài (Time) : 90 phút (90 mins)

This is the movie that tells about a H'mong girl in Vietnam (H''Mong: an ethnic group in north of Vietnam), named Pao, leaves home after a family incident in order to find her biological mother."Chuyện của Pao" is really a exciting movie that describe the martial life of Vietnamese people.
It won Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Best Cinematography at Vietnam's 2006 National Film Awards (The Golden Kites)

Enjoy the movie!

PART 1:

PART 2:

PART 3:

If you could not see this movie, you can enter this link: http://www.get.vn/movie/vi/playlist/video/Chuyen-cua-Pao/uB9GNC7mXgM/1

"Banh xeo" (Rice Pancakes Folded in Half)

2009-10-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

Bánh xèo (literally "sizzling cake") are Vietnamese savory pancakes made out of rice flour, water and turmeric powder or coconut milk (in the Southern regions), stuffed with slivers of fatty pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts and then pan fried. Traditionally, they are served wrapped in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves, and stuffed with mint leaves, basil, fish leaf and/or other herbs, and dipped in a prepared nước mắm called nuoc cham (Vietnamese fish sauce thinned with water and lemon). In the Central region, the pancake is dipped in a special 'tuong' sauce which consists of liver, hoisin sauce and garlic.

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nh_x%C3%A8o)

Making Banh Xeo on the Streets of Saigon Without Borders

Vietnam Video 05- Nam Dinh Province

2009-10-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

Nam Định Province is a province in the Red River Delta region of northern Vietnam.

Video

Tran Royal Remains

Pho Minh Pagoda

Phu Day Site

Thinh Long Beach

Vieng Festival (8th of the first lunar month)

Nam Dinh Noodle

Vietnam Video 04- Quang Ninh- Ha Long Bay

2009-09-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Quang Ninh is a large province located along the northeastern coast of Vietnam. The province is home to UNESCO's World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay. The provincial capital is Ha Long City. Most of coal output in the country is extracted in this province.

Ha Long Bay belongs to Ha Long City, Cam Pha Town and part of Van Don District. The bay encompasses 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. The natural beauty of Ha Long Bay has long been praised and was first recognized as the World Heritage in 1994 by UNESCO.

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay

Van Don Archipelago

Tra Co

Cua Ong Temple

Quynh Lam Pagoda

Vietnam Video 03- Sapa

2009-09-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Sapa is a beautiful and romantic resort town, 36 kms from Lao Cai city (north-western Vietnam). At the height of 1,600 about sea level, the average temperature of the are is 15- 18 oC. It's cool in summer and cold in winter. To the west of Sapa Small Town is the Hoang Lien Son Range with 3,143-meter-high, Mount Fansipan covered with cloud year around.

Visitors to Sapa will have opporunities to dicover the unque customs of the local residents- some ethinic groups such as H'Mong, Dao... Particularly, the love market on every Saturday night is very attrattive to tourists.

Video 1

Video 2

Sapa from mikeb on Vimeo.

Tourist sites:

Ham Rong Mountain

Silver Waterfall (Thac Bac)

Ta Phin Cave

Sapa Market

Sapa Ancient Rock Field

226 Days in Vietnam

2009-09-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

Traveller and film-maker Martin Watego lived in Vietnam for 226 days. While he was there he saw a different side of Vietnam! Produced by Martin Watego for Lonely Planet Travel...

Vietnam Travel and Tourism

Vietnam Video 02- Ha Tay

2009-09-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

Ha Tay is a former Province of Vietnam, in the Red River Delta, now part of Hanoi.On May 29, 2008, it was decided that Ha Tay would merge with Hanoi province on August 1, 2008

VIDEO

Huong Pagoda (Perfume Pagoda)

Ba Vi Resort and National Park
Thay Pagoda

Tay Phuong Pagoda

Silk Village of Van Phuc

Ancient Village of Duong Lam

Son Tay Ancient Citadel

Vietnam Video 01- Hanoi Captital

2009-09-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

The Vietnamese nation was born among the lagoons and marshes of the Red River Delta around 4000 years ago and for most of its independent existence has been ruled from Hanoi, Vietnam's small, elegant capital lying in the heart of the northern delta. Given the political and historical importance of Hanoi and its burgeoning population of three million, it's still a surprisingly low-key city, with the character of a provincial town – though with a dramatic rise in motorbike ownership, increased traffic and Western-style retail outlets, it's catching up fast with the brash, young Ho Chi Minh City.
For the time being, however, it remains relatively laid-back. It still retains buildings from the eleventh-century court of its founding father King Ly Thai To, most notably the Temple of Literature, and some of the streets in the Old Quarter still trade in the same speciality goods they dealt in 500 years ago. In 1887, the French turned Hanoi into the centre of government for the entire Union of Indochina, replacing ancient monuments with grand colonial residences, many of which survive today. Hanoi finally became the capital of independent Vietnam in 1954, with Ho Chi Minh its first president: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum is now the city's biggest crowd-puller. The city sustained serious damage in the American War, particularly the infamous Christmas Bombing campaign of 1972, much of it lucidly chronicled in the Army Museum. Until recently, political isolation together with lack of resources preserved what was essentially the city of the 1950s. However, since the advent of tourism in 1993, the city has seen an explosion in travellers' cafés, mini-hotels and cybercafés. Indeed, Hang Bac, one of the Old Quarter's main drags which is home to a large number of traveller hangouts, is starting to resemble a little piece of Bangkok's Khao San Road in Hanoi. The big question now is how much of central Hanoi will survive the onslaught of modernization.

VIDEO (from Lonely Planet Travel)

Hanoi Information:

Travel: http://www.vietscape.com/travel/hanoi/
Hotels: http://www.hotels-in-vietnam.com/hotels_hanoi.html
Embassies: http://www.hanoi-iwc.com/about%20hanoi%20-%20embassies_new.html

One Pillar Pagoda

Hanoi Opera House

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake)

The Temple of Literature

Vietnam Motorbike Special- Top Gear - BBC

2009-09-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

Part ONE of TWO videos from the extraordinary Top Gear Vietnam Special. In this video, Jeremy Clarkson begins to enjoy his Vespa on the road to the Ancient Capital of Hue, and Richard Hammond is furious when James and Jeremy paint his bike bright pink. Brilliant high quality video from BBC motoring show, Top Gear.

Part One:

Part Two:

The power of Vietnamese Villages

2009-09-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Villages and Guilds are the most specific feature of Vietnam culture. Vietnamese culture has involved on the basis of the rice culture. Thus, the lifestyle of the Vietnamese is closely related to the village and native land.

In Vietnamese society, people have gathered together to form villages in rural areas and guilds in urban areas since the dawn of the nation. These organizations have gradually developed so that the population is more stable and closer together.

The gate of village

Each villages has its own regulations which are called conventions (hương ước). These conventions are very different from different villages and guilds, however, they are always in accordance with state laws and they ensure the promotion of good customs within its population. Convention of a village plays an important role in villagers' life, stabilizes the good habits and customs in the village.
The power of the convention is based on its regulations of punishment. The worst punishment is to be forced to leave the village. Ethnic groups in Tay Nguyen consider the village as the most important things in their life, they are ready to die in their own village more than leave the village where they were born.

A page of convention

A lot of conventions are kept in the Vietnam History Museum in Hanoi (No.1, Pham Ngu Lao Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi)

Vietnamese Communal House is also a typical architecture in the countryside of Vietnam. This is the place where people gather together on special occasions discussing important issues in the village. The communal house is also for villagers worshiping the Genie who saves and protects the villagers' life.

Communal House

The word "village" is translated into Vietnamese in many ways depending on each region. In the north, it's called "bản", "mường" for some ethic groups Tay, Nung, Thai, Muong..., "Làng" for Kinh (Viet). In the south, it is called "thôn", "buôn", "sóc"...

Khúc hát sông quê

I love Vietnam

2009-09-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

Before continuing discovering more about Vietnamese Culture. Let's watch a video with a beautiful song "I love Vietnam"... Enjoy!

Ca trù (Hát ả đào)- traditional stage performance

2009-09-03T07:19:00.000-07:00

This type of song took shape in the 15th century and was performed at communal houses. From the beginning, it was appreciated by many Confucian scholars and madarins. I then became court music which acquired its noble character.

Hat a dao is like singing a poems, that is why it is called saying-singing music . The singing technique is rather refined and meticulous. Without a good understanding the literacy value of the songs and of the harmony between the singer and the accompanying instruments, it may be difficult to fully appreciate this art.

There are three main performers on the stage: a female singer playing her "phach" (small wooden sticks beaten on a small bamboo platform to serve as percussion), a man playing "dan day" (a long-necked, 3-string lute) and a spectator who plays "trong chau" (praise drum).

Famous ca tru singing songs: Hồng hồng tuyết tuyết, Khen ai khéo vẽ, Đêm chia lửa, Tỳ bà hành, Hương Sơn phong cảnh, Tự tình, Gặp xuân...

Listen to a ca tru song: Thành phố rồng bay (The city of flying dragon) by Kim Ngoc- Linh Huong- Thuy Long

Where can you listen to ca tru song in Vietnam? Go to visit Thang Long Ca Tru Singing
Address: number 40- 32, Khuong Trung, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, VN
Email: info@catruthanglong.com
Site: http://www.catruthanglong.com

Contact: suongcam@hotmail.com and hongngoc.nguyen241@gmail.com

Vietnamese Water Puppet (Mua Roi Nuoc)

2009-08-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

History:

Vietnamese Water Puppet originated from the Red River Delta of Vietnam in the tenth century. Some of the earliest troupes are in Nguyên Xá commune, Đông Hưng district, Thai Binh province. Water puppetry is deeply imbued with the cultural characteristics of the people of this area. This unique art first appeared around the 15^thcentury, when post-harvest, artists who were also farmers would gather to perform and relax. The custom remains today in many localities in the Red River Delta such as Dao Thuc, Phu Da, Dong Ca, Nguyen Xa, Dong Ngu, Nhan Hoa and Nam Chan.

In ancient Vietnam, the rural Vietnamese believed that spirits controlled all aspects of their life, from the kitchen to the rice paddies. That is the reason why the farmers in this region devised a form of entertainment and worship to satisfy these spirits. Water puppetry is the lively creation of farmers who spent their days in flooded rice fields. At some point, they discovered that the water was an excellent medium for puppetry: it not only concealed the puppeteers' rod and string mechanisms, but it also provided exciting effects like waves and splashes.

When water puppetry became more popular, villages competed against each other with their puppet shows. This led puppet societies to be secretive and exclusive, including an initiation ceremony that involved drinking rooster blood.

So far this art form has been unique to North Vietnam. Tourists can enjoy this kind of art all days in a week at Thang Long Puppet Theatre, which is the most well known one in Ha Noi.

Performance

For over a thousand years, performers in Vietnamese Water Puppet Theater’s feet have always suffered in cold and wet condition. Water puppetry is performed in a chest-deep pool of water, with the water's surface as a stage. The puppeteers stand behind a screen and control the puppets using long bamboo rods and string mechanism hidden beneath the water surface.

The puppet is carved out of wood and often weighs up to 15 kg. A large rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers to control them. The appearance is of the puppets moving over the water. The puppets enter from either side of the stage, or emerge from the murky depths of the water. In the past when the rice fields were flooded the villagers would entertain each other using this puppet form.

A traditional Vietnamese orchestra provides background music accompaniment. Singers of Cheo (a form of opera) with origin in North Vietnam sing the songs which tell the story being acted out by the puppets. Performances of up to 18 short scenes are usually introduced by a pig-tailed bumpkin known as Teu, and accompanied by a small folk orchestra. The musicians and the puppets interact during performance; the musicians may yell a word of warning to a puppet in danger or a word of encouragement to a puppet in need.

Along with singing the atmosphere, while the decorations set the stage for each particula, traditional musical instruments like drums, wooden bells, cymbals, horns, two-string Chinese violins and flutes create r style of water puppetry. Researcher Nguyen Huy Hong believes that water puppetry combines sculpture, architecture, painting, music, stage and literature.

Content

The theme of the skits is rural and has a strong reference to Vietnamese folklore. It tells of day-to-day living in rural Vietnam and Vietnamese folk tales that are told older generation to younger generation. Of which stories of the harvest, of fishing and of festivals are highlighted.

The water also provides the best setting for the puppeteers' theme: day-to-day village life. Water puppets bring wry humor to scenes of farming, fishing, festival events such as buffalo fights, and children's games of marbles and coin-toss. Fishing turns into a game of wits between the fisherman and his prey, with the fisherman getting the short end (often capturing his surprised neighbor by mistake). Besides village life, scenes include legends and national history. Lion dogs romp like puppies while dragons exhale smoke and shoot sprays of water at the audience. Teu, a pig-tailed bumpkin, is the character who usually plays the role of introducing the performances. The introduction is always accompanied by a small folk orchestra. Spotlights and colorful flags adorn the stage and create a festive atmosphere.

Legends and national history are also told through short skits. Many of the skits, especially those involving the tales of day-to-day living, often have a humorous twist.

Water puppetry has always gone hand in hand with festivals. Each Lunar March 13, Bo Duong villagers hold village festival to commemorate their tutelary god. Aside from worship, the festival is also an opportunity for villagers to relax by watching water puppetry, taking in fireworks displays, flying kites and entering cock-fighting contests. The festival always attracts thousands of attendants. Village festivals are great wind down for farmers and artists alike.

Vietnamese Ethnic Groups

2009-08-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

Vietnam is a multi-nationality country. It has 54 ethnic groups with about 86 million people. The Viet (Kinh) people account for 88% of the country's population and mainly inhabit the Red River delta, the central coastal delta, the Mekong delta and major cities. The other 53 ethnic minority groups, totaling over 8 million people, are scattered over mountain areas (covering two-thirds of the country's territory) spreading from the North to the South.

Among ethnic minorities, the most populated are Tay, Thai, Muong, Hoa, Khmer, Nung... with a population of around 1 million each, while the least populated are Brau, Ro Mam, O Du with several hundred people each.

The material and spiritual life differs among the ethnic groups. However, in the history of national development, the ethnic groups in Vietnam have always had a tradition of solidarity and mutual assistance, particularly in the struggle against foreign aggressors. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the past and that of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at present have constantly developed concrete policies and granted special privileges to help the various highlands ethnic groups keep pace with those on the lowlands, and have simultaneously assisted the development and preservation of the traditional cultural characteristics of each group. To date, different programs are being successfully carried out such as programs to bring iodized salt to remote villages, build a dispensary for each village, control malaria, construct free tuition boarding schools for children from ethnic minorities, end the nomadic life and farming, and study the written language and traditional culture of each group.

The Viet people succeeded in establishing a centralized monarchy back in the 10th century. The Cham people once boasted a flourishing culture early our history. The Tay, Nung, and Khmer peoples had reached high levels of development with the presence of various social strata. The Muong, H'Mong, Dao, Thai peoples... gathered under the rule of local tribal heads. Many ethnic groups divided their population into social echelons, especially those who lived in mountainous areas.

A number of ethnic minorities had mastered some farming techniques. They grew rice plants in swamped paddy fields and carried out irrigation. Others went hunting, fishing, collecting and lived a semi-nomadic life. Each group has its own culture, diverse and special. Beliefs and religions of the Vietnamese ethnic minority groups were also disparate from each other.

However, a fundamental solidarity among ethnic groups has been established on top of these differences as a result of a centuries long cooperation on the soil of Vietnam. Back in the first century of our history, a mutual supplement in economic relationship between lowland people and mountainous people was formed. This solidarity had been unceasingly strengthened during wars of resistance for defending the country. Through the shared struggle for defending and building the country and the mutual assistance for co-existence and development, a common community between the Viet people and other ethnic minority peoples has been established and continuously consolidated and developed.

Based on their languages, the ethnologists have divided the Vietnamese nation into eight groups as follows:

1. Mon - Khmer (Ba Na, Brau, Bru Van Kieu, Cho Ro, Co, Co Ho, Co Tu, Gie Trieng, Hre, Khang, Khmer, Kho Mu, Ma, Mang, M'nong, O Du, Ro Mam, Ta Oi, Xinh Mun, Xo Dang, and Xtieng)

Bana
Kho Mu

2. Tay - Thai (Bo Y, Giay, Lao, Lu, Nung, San Chay, Tay, and Thai)

Tay
Thai
Nung

3. Tibeto - Burman (Cong, Ha Nhi, La Hu, Lo Lo, Phu La, and Si La)

Ha Nhi

4. Malayo - Polynesian (Cham, Chu Ru, E De, Gia Rai, and Ra Glai)

Cham
Ede

5. Viet - Muong (Chut, Kinh, Muong, and Tho)

Muong
Kinh

6. Kadai (Co Lao, La Chi, La Ha, and Pu Peo)

La chi

7. Mong - Dao (Dao, H'Mong, and Pa Then)

Dao
H'Mong

8. Han (Hoa, Ngai, and San Diu)

Ngai
San Diu

(The above information was given by www.voyagevietnam.net)

Miss Vietnam Ethnics was first held in December 2007 in Da Lat. Miss Award belonged to Miss Tay from Thai Nguyen. These some photos of contestants from many ethnic groups:

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (Bảo tàng Dân tộc học Việt Nam) is a museum in Hanoi, Vietnam, which focuses on the 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam.It is widely considered to be the finest modern museum in Vietnam and a tourist attraction in Hanoi.
Address: Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Website: http://www.vme.org.vn/

Vietnamese Beliefs and Religions

2009-08-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

Viet Nam is a country of many religions and beliefs. The Vietnamese people have a time-honored tradition of practicing their beliefs. Different ethnic groups in Viet Nam have different beliefs linked to their own material and spiritual lives.

1. Traditional beliefs:

- Prosperous Beliefs (Tín ngưỡng phồn thực): In the past, in order to maintain and develop the life, Vietnamese people had to rely on the agriculture (rice planting), the people were born and grown up. Prosperous beliefs are manifested by two ways: the cult of male and female sex organs and the cult of copulating act. It is different from India, which only worships the male sex organ.

You can many statues in My Son Sanctuary which show the cult of male and female sex organs or there is a festival which is on 6th January in Dong Ky (Bac Ninh), people procession male and female sex organs then burn them and give cinders to people in the village for the luck.

The cult of copulating act is shown in kettledrum which was found in Dao Thinh Village- Yen Bai Province.
The cult of copulating act:

- Worship of Nature (Tín ngưỡng sùng bái tự nhiên): Vietnamese worshiped a large number of gods, especially those related to agriculture such as the sun, the moon, land, mountain, river and forest, etc... for good luck. Vietnamese often worshiped 4 deities: Cloud- Rain- Thunder- Lightning. Besides, Vietnamese also worshiped many kinds of animals such as toad, buffalo, snake, crocodile… but the most common is Fairy Dragon (Rồng Tiên).

- Worship of People (Tín ngưỡng sùng bái con người)
Vietnamese practices the cult of ancestors which some persons would ascribe to Chinese cultural influences. In fact, the cult of ancestors has existed for a long time among the inhabitants of Vietnam. Chinese cultural influence has only given more emphasis to it. The cult of ancestors has been called “Đạo ông bà”, as a religion in Vietnam.

A communal house (Thành Hoàng) exists in every village of Northern and Central Vietnam. The community house is the place where the villagers gather to discuss their own problems and where the village genie is worshiped.

Hồn (Spirit) and Vía: Vietnamese has believed that a person has 2 parts: body and spirit. Vía is considered as a intermediary part between body and spirit. Vietnamese man has 3 hồn and 7 vía while a woman has 3 hồn and 9 vía. 7 vía are 2 ears, 2 eyes, 2 nostrils and the mouth but a woman has more two vía- 2 nipples.

Four Immortal Deities (Tứ Bất Tử): Tan Vien represents for the resistance of calamity and flood, Thanh Giong- the resistance of foreign invaders, Chu Dong Tu- the prosperity of things and Lieu Hanh- the prosperity of morality.

2. Vietnamese Religions: Viet Nam has a diverse mix of major religions with a large number of followers, religious figures, and monks such as Buddhism, Christianity and Muslim and some indigenous religions such as Caodaism and Hoa Hao…

- Buddhism: There are two sects of Buddhism: Mahayana and Theravada (Hinayana). Mahayana Buddhism was introduced in Viet Nam in the 2nd century B.C, and Theravada was introduced in Viet Nam in the 2nd century A.D. After the 10th century, Buddhism developed very quickly in Viet Nam and became the national religion under the Ly-Tran dynasty.

- Catholicism: Catholicism was introduced in Viet Nam in the 15th century by European missionaries. Catholicism was first popular in coastal provinces such as Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, etc., then spread throughout the Red River delta and cities.

- Protestantism: Protestantism was introduced in Viet Nam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, it was not until 1920 that Protestantism became popular all over the country. At present, there are one million Protestants and 500 Protestant churches in Viet Nam.

- Muslim: Muslim religion was introduced in Viet Nam by the Cham people in the 10th and 11th centuries.

- Caodaism (Đạo Cao Đài): Caodaism is an indigenous religion created in Tay Ninh province in 1926. Caodaism worships three Supreme Beings namely Buddha, Jesus Christ and Cao Dai God. The centre of Caodaism is Tay Ninh province.

- Hoa Hao (Đạo Hòa Hảo): Hoa Hao, also called Hoa Hao Buddhism, is another indigenous religion created in 1939 in Hoa Hao Village, Tan Chau District, An Giang Province.

References:
1. Book: Such is Vietnam, National Political Publishing House
2. Sites: www.wikipedia.com, www. vietnamembassy-cambodia.com

Vietnamese Stage Music

2009-08-09T02:50:00.000-07:00

Vietnam Stage Music belongs to Vietnamese Traditional Music. It is now kept and being shown in theater in many special events. These are the most common ones:

1. Hát chèo: China has Peking opera, Japan has Nogaku and Vietnam has Chèo. Hát chèo is a form of generally satirical musical theatre, often encompassing dance, traditionally performed by Vietnamese peasants in northern Vietnam. It is usually performed outdoors by semi-amateur touring groups, stereotypically in a village square or the courtyard of a public building, although it is today increasingly also performed indoors and by professional performers.

An excerpt of Quan Am Thi Kinh- Bad news for the monk

(Quan am Thi Kinh tells a story of a girl, named Thi Kinh, who gets married with a rich man Thien Sy. When her husband is sleeping, she sees a mole on his face, she takes scissors and intends to trim his hair. He suddenly wakes up and thinks that she is trying to murder him. Therefore, his mother and his family put her out of the house. Lonely, she dresses as a man and goes to live in Buddhist Pagoda where she works and prays. She is named Kinh Tam. In the village, there is another girl Thi Mau who falls in love with Kinh Tam but her love is not accepted. Crazily, she has relation with a man in the same village and gets pregnant. Kinh Tam is accused of the father of the baby and she is maltreated strongly. When the baby is born, Thi Mau gives the baby back to the pagoda. Kinh Tam compassionates the baby and goes everywhere to look for milk feeding the baby. She dies 3 years later. After all, people recognize that Kinh Tam is a woman... She is called as the Bo Tat Kinh Tam- Guanyin)

2. Tuồng: It is believed that tuồng was imported from China around the 13th century when Vietnam was warring against against the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. A famous actor named Lý Nguyên Cát was imprisoned by the Vietnamese. The imperial court asked him to spread his knowledge of Chinese theatre to the children of the elite, thus explaining how tuồng had first had its beginnings in Vietnam in the royal court. Later on, it was adapted to travelling troupes who entertained commoners and peasants. Along with Hát chèo, tuồng was one of the other highly popular art forms for commoners.

3. Cải lương: can be roughly translated as "reformed theater" or "renovated theater" in English, is a form of modern folk opera in Vietnam. It blends southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, hát tuồng (a classical theatre form based on Chinese opera), and modern spoken drama.It originated in Southern Vietnam in the early 20th century, and blossomed in the 1930s as a theatre of the middle class during the country's French colonial period. Cải lương is now promoted as a national theatrical form. Unlike the other folk forms, it continued to prove popular with the masses as late as the 1970s and the 1980s, although it is now in decline.

4. Bài chòi: is both traditional music and game in Central Vietnam. It is often held in Vietnamese New Year Day (Tết Nguyên Đán). It consists a group of people playing the game.

5. Vọng cổ: is a Vietnamese song and musical structure used primarily in the cải lương theater music and nhạc tài tử chamber music of southern Vietnam. It was composed sometime between 1917 and 1919 by a Mr. Cao Văn Lầu (also called Sáu Lầu or Sáu Làu), of Bạc Liêu, a province in southern Vietnam (Trainor 1975). The song achieved great popularity and eventually its structure became the basis for numerous other songs. The tune is essentially melancholy in character and is sung using Vietnamese modal inflections

The Ao Dai (Long Dress) - The elegant attraction of Vietnamese women

2009-08-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

The beauty of women dressed in “Ao Dai”always leaves a deep impression on foreign visitors to Vietnam. Girl students dressed in white long robes take to streets on the way to schools or back home, or gracefully sail on their bikes along streets. Female secretaries in delicate pastels greet you at an office door and older ladies in deep shades of purple, green or blue cut a striking pose at a restaurant dinner. The “Ao Dai” appears to flatter every figure.

Female students in Vietnam wear Ao Dai on every special occasions

Early versions of the “Ao Dai”date back to 1744 when Lord Vu Vuong of the Nguyen Dynasty decreed both men and women should wear an ensemble of trousers and a gown that buttoned down the front. However, not until 1930 did “Ao Dai”appear partly similar to its look today. Now, Men wore it less, generally only on ceremonial occasions such as weddings or funerals. During the 1950s two tailors in Saigon started producing “Ao Dai”with raglan sleeves. This creates a diagonal seam running from the collar to the underarm and this style is still preferred today

Miss Universe Vietnam 2008 - Nguyen Thuy Lam and the Ao dai in Miss Universe 2008

“Ao Dai”is made individually to fit each customer's shape to create the most graceful look. Its body-hugging top flows over wide trousers that brush the floor. The pants should reach the soles of the feet and flow along the floor. Splits in the gown extend well above waist height and make it comfortable and easy to move in.Vietnamese people adore Ao Dai so much. With Ao Dai, every Vietnamese women can show their beauty, attraction and charm.

Comfortability is always taken into account for fashions and beauty. Tailoring must ensure the wearer's freedom of movements. Despite it is a long robe, “Ao Dai”must be cool to wear. Synthetic or silk fabrics are preferred as they do not crush and are quick drying, making the “Ao Dai”a practical uniform for daily wear.

The color is indicative of the wearer's age and status. Young girls wear pure white, fully-lined outfits symbolizing their purity. Older but unmarried girls move into soft pastel shades. Only married women wear “Ao Dai”in strong, rich colors, usually over white or black pants. However, “Ao Dai”is rarely seen in places where manual work is practiced. The nineties saw a real resurgence of ao dai. It has become standard and common attire for girl students as well as female staff at offices and hotels. Traditionally, “Ao Dai”has become the most preferred dress on formal occasions.Ao Dai appears frequently in songs, poems, paitings or novels

Today, “Ao Dai”has been a bit modified. Its length is cut shorter usually just below the knee. Variations in the neck, between boat and mandarin style, are common. And even adventurous alterations such as a low scooped neckline, puffed sleeves or off the shoulder designs are appearing as ladies experiment with fashion. Color patterns are no longer rigidly controlled and accesses to new fabrics have generated some dazzling results. However, most visitors to Vietnam have highly appreciated local tailors' skills when making ao dai. It is hard to think of a more elegant, demure and charming outfit, that suits Vietnamese women of different ages, than ao dai.

Vietnamese folk songs

2009-08-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Now you are going to discover dozens of treasures of Vietnamese folk songs. Each region in Vietnam has it own types of folk songs. Vietnamese music varies slightly in the three regions: Bắc or North, Trung or Central, and Nam or South. Northern classical music is Vietnam's oldest and is traditionally more formal. Vietnamese classical music can be traced to the Mongol invasions, when the Vietnamese captured a Chinese troupe. Central classical music shows the influences of Champa culture with its melancholic melodies. Southern music exudes a lively attitude.

1. Northern folk songs contain Quan ho singing (in Bac Giang, Bac Ninh), Xoan singing (in Phu Tho), Hát trống quân (in nothern plain provinces from Thanh Hoa), hát xẩm (in northern plain provinces), hát dặm (in Ha Nam), Ca trù (in northern provices), chèo tàu hát dô (singing on boats). Besides, there are a lot of kinds of songs of northern ethnic groups such as: Thai (in Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Hoa Binh...), Tay and Nung (in Cao Bang, Ha Giang...), Muong (in Hoa Binh), Hmong (in Son La, Thanh Hoa...)

"Giao duyên mời trầu"- Quan họ singing

Ca trù

2. Central of Vietnam contains some types of traditional music scuh as Hò (most popular in Can Tho), Hò Trung Bộ ( a kind of Hò), Hát ví dặm (in Nghe An, Ha Tinh...), Hô bài chòi (in Quang Binh)

"Hò Giã gạo"- Hò Trung Bộ

3. Southern Vietnam consists of Hò Nam Bộ (a kind of Hò), Lý Nam Bộ (it has in 3 regions but is most popular in the South), Đờn ca tài tử (origined from Nhã nhạc in Hue and traditional literature). Besides, there are some traditional music of ethnic groups such as Ede, Bana...

"Lý ngựa ô"- Lý Nam Bộ

Nowadays many modern artists have covered these traditional songs which have new interesting sound.

This is a potpourri of traditional songs, "Three regions" performed by Minh Tuyet- Ha Vy- Tam Doan (these artists are living and working in C.A, USA), released by Thuy Nga production

Another potpourri of traditional songs,"Three regions", performed by a pop singer Thanh Thao (belongs her album in 2007): Download

Contact: suongcam@hotmail.com and hongngoc.nguyen241@gmail.com

Yem Dao - The indispensable dress of ancient girls

2009-08-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

Looking back into the historic development of national dress, Vietnam not only has “Ao Dai” but also “Ao Yem” – the indispensable dress of ancient girls.

Images of graceful girls in national charming long dress have been a symbol of Vietnam. However, looking back the historic development of national dress, Vietnam not only has “Ao Dai” but also “Ao Yem” – the indispensable dress of ancient girls.

“Ao Yem” appeared in Vietnamese life in a very old day, yet, not until Ly dynasty was it basically shaped. During those days, “Ao Yem” was called “Yem”. A very simple garment consisting of a square piece of cloth with one corner cut away to fit under the woman’s throat. This scrap of fabric is secured across the chest and stomach within strings. Traditionally, this halter-top was worn beneath a shirt, the flaps of which were often left unbuttoned to reveal “the ao yem”. Urban women favoured white, pink or red ones, while those in the suburb preferredbrown or beige, suited for their rustic environment.

Through the stream of history, “Ao Yem” was changing incessantly with improving design. However the revolutions of “Ao Yem” only happended at the beginning of the last century when western trousers and skirts entered Vietnam. In 17th century, “Ao Yem” did not have any big change of model. Entering 20th century, “Ao Yem” was used widespread with plentiful designs and models.

There is one kind of “Ao Yem”, which was often worn by ancient ladies, being called “Yem deo bua”. Its name derived from the fact that it has a small pocket of musk beside, which was an advantageous weapon of ancient ladies. Furthermore, “Ao Yem” created many original love stories. In the old days, when a girl dated with her boyfriend, she put a piece of betel inside her “Ao Yem”; it was called “khau trau dai yem”. Perhaps there is no kind of betel more supernatural than this one.

It is an age-old dress which is maintained until today. “Ao Yem” was used by all levels of society from working class to upper one. It was also used widespread in traditional festivals, therefore becoming the national traditional clothes of ancient ladies. While the wearers may age, the ao yem retains its timeless charm.

Today, the “Ao yem” is appreciated for its cultural and artistic values. On festive occasions, women throughout Vietnam are embracing the ao yem and other traditional clothes with renewed enthusiasm.

Welcome To Vietnam

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Vietnam (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) seats on the southeastern part of Asia, has borders with China to the North, with Laos to the northwest, with Cambodia to the southwest and Eastern Sea to the east and the south. With a total area of 331,690 km2 (65th in the world), it has a population of over 86 million (the 13th most populous country in the world).

Vietnamese Motto: Independence- Freedom- Happiness
Anthem: Army march (Tiến quân ca), written and composed by Van Cao
Capital City: Hanoi
Largest city: Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi (from May 2008)
Official language: Vietnamese
Vietnamese Currency: VND (Đồng) (1USD=17765 VND -August 2009)
Government: Socialist Republic, single-party communist state
Independence day: 2nd September 1945 (from French)
Main Religions: Vietnamese traditions, Buddhism
Ethnic groups: 54

WELCOME TO VIETNAM VIDEO

Highest mountain: Fansipan (3143 ms)
Longest river: Red River (Sông Hồng)
Vietnamese Heritage Sites: Complex of Hue Monument (1993), Ha Long Bay (1999), Hoi An Ancient Town (1999), My Son Sanctuary (1999) and Phong Nha- Ke bang National Park (2003).

Ha Long Bay

Fansipan Mountain

My Son Sanctuary

Hoi An Ancient Town

Phong Nha- Ke bang National Park

Nhã nhạc of Hue court
(Listen to Nhã nhạc here)

Hotels in Vietnam: Click here
Tourist Companies in Vietnam: Click here

Any questions, contact me at suongcam@hotmail.com or call me (+84) 977106548. Thanks!

Listen to "Hello Vietnam" by Pham Quynh Anh

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Now, listen to a beautiful song, named "Hello Vietnam"
Written: Marc Lavoine
Artist: Pham Quynh Anh

Lyric:

Tell me all about this name, that is difficult to say.
It was given me the day I was born.

Want to know about the stories of the empire of old.
My eyes say more of me than what you dare to say.

All I know of you is all the sights of war.
A film by Coppola, the helicopter's roar.

One day I'll touch your soil.
One day I'll finally know my soul.
One day I'll come to you.
To say hello... Vietnam.

Tell me all about my colour, my hair and my little feet
That have carried me every mile of the way.

Want to see your house, your streets. Show me all I do not know.
Wooden sampans, floating markets, light of gold.

All I know of you is the sights of war.
A film by Coppola, the helicopter's roar.

One day I'll touch your soil.
One day I'll finally know my soul.
One day I'll come to you.
To say hello... Vietnam.

And Buddha’s made of stone watch over me
My dreams they lead me through the fields of rice
In prayer, in the light…I see my kin
I touch my tree, my roots,my begin

One day I'll touch your soil.
One day I'll finally know my soul.
One day I'll come to you.
To say hello... Vietnam.

One day I’ll walk your soil
One day I’ll finally know my soul
One day I’ll come to you
To say hello…Vietnam
To say hello…Vietnam
To say xin chào… Vietnam

Introduction

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Hello everybody!

We are Cam Van Suong and Nguyen Hong Ngoc, students of Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies - Vietnam National University. For a very long time, we have shared the same idea that one day we can introduce to friends all over the world the distinctive and charming beauty of Vietnamese Culture. Have you ever read the sentence: Each one is a book if you know how to read? Our knowledge about Vietnamese Culture is as limited as a book in an enormous library, but we still want to try our best to bridge the culture gaps and make Vietnam closer to all of you . It's our love and our passion for the country where we were born and grow up. We just want to caress every moment when the youth still belong to us and devote as much as possible to our beloved Vietnam. This blog just have been set up and seems very superficial. We are going to tell you about the most common knowledge of Vietnamese culture through each entry.

Visit our blog and please don't forget that the factor that we need most is the support from everyone.

Any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us

Cam Van Suong: suongcam@hotmail.com
(+84) 977 106 548!

Nguyen Hong Ngoc: hongngoc.nguyen241@gmail.com
(+84) 977 168 345!