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Brief on Vietnam
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Flag
Coat of arms
Mainland
Territory:
329,241 sq. km
Lying on the eastern part
of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the
letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west,
the East Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south.
Language: Vietnamese,
Russian, French, Chinese, English and a variety of Khmer and Laotian
dialects.
GDP: US$24 billion. =============================================================================
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Tay girl
Pathen girls |
Nationalities At present there are 54 different ethnic groups inhabiting Vietnam, in which Kinh (Viet) people make up nearly 90% of the whole population, and 53 other ethnic groups represent over 10%.
The Vietnamese nation was
formed through a process of two major ancient cultures, the Chinese and the
Indian. Thus a peculiar trait of Vietnam's culture was formed. As far as
anthropology is concerned the Vietnamese people have their origin in the
Mongolid race, believed to be one of the major or races of the world and
often found in northern and eastern Asia.
The Mong - Dao Group
includes 3 groups: Dao, Mong, Pa Then.
The Han Group includes 3
ethnic groups: Hoa, Ngai, San Diu. ============================================================================= |
 Buddism
Catholicism
Protestantism
Mother Worship |
Religion and Belief The major religious traditions in Vietnam are Buddhism (which fuses forms of Taoism and Confusianism), Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism), Islam, Caodaism and the Hoa Hao sect. Buddhism Buddhism was first introduced to Vietnam in the 2nd century, and reached its peak in the Ly dynasty (11th century). It was then regarded as the official religion dominating court affairs. Buddhism was preached broadly among the population and it enjoyed a profound influence on people's daily life. Its influence also left marks in various areas of traditional literature and architecture. As such, many pagodas and temples were built during this time. At the end of the 14th century, Buddhism began to show signs of decline. The ideological influence of Buddhism, however, remained very strong in social and cultural life. Presenty, over 70 percent of the population of Vietnam are either Buddhist or strongly influenced by Buddhist practices. Catholicism Catholicism was introduced to Vietnam in the 17th century. At present the most densely-populated Catholic areas are Bui Chu-Phat Diem in the northern province of Ninh Binh and Ho Nai-Bien Hoa in Dong Nai Province to the South. About 10 percent of the population are considered Catholic. Protestantism Protestantism was introduced to Vietnam at about the same time as Catholicism. Protestantism, however, remains an obscure religion. At present most Protestants live in the Central Highlands. There still remains a Protestant church on Hang Da Street in Hanoi. The number of Protestants living in Vietnam is estimated at 400,000. Islam Islamic followers in Vietnam are primarily from the Cham ethnic minority group living in the central part of the central coast. The number of Islamic followers in Vietnam totals about 50,000. Caodaism Caodaism was first introduced to the country in 1926. Settlements of the Cao Dai followers in South Vietnam are located near the Church in Tay Ninh. The number of followers of this sect is estimated at 2 million. Hoa Hao Sect The Hoa Hao Sect was first introduced to Vietnam in 1939. More than 1 million Vietnamese are followers of this sect. Most of them live in the south-west of Vietnam. Mother Worship (Tho Mau) Researchers describe the Vietnamese mother-worship cult as a primitive religion. Mother, Me in the Vietnamese language, is pronounced Mau in Sino-script. The mother worship cult might be originated from the cult of the Goddess in ancient ages. In the Middle Ages, the Mother was worshipped in temples and palaces. Due to the fact that it is a worshipping custom and not a religion, the Mother worshipping cult has not been organised as Buddhism and Catholicism have. As a result, the different affiliations of the cult have yet to be consistent and different places still have different customs. The custom of Mother worship originated from the north. In the south, the religion has integrated the local goddesses such as Thien Y A Na (Hue) and Linh Son (Tay Ninh). In fact, the Mother worship cult was influenced by other religions, mainly Taoism. |
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Family Culture Respect for parents and ancestors is a key virtue in Vietnam. The oldest male in the family is the head of the family and the most important family member. His oldest son is the second leader of the family. Sometimes, related families live together in a big house and help each other. The parents chose their children's marriage partners based on who they think is best suited for their child. When people die, their families honor their ancestors on the day of their death by performing special ceremonies at home or at temples and by burning incense and fake money for the one who died. The Vietnamese believed that by burning incense, their ancestors could protect them and their family from danger and harm. Days before the ceremony starts, the family has to get ready, because they won't have enough time to get ready when the guests arrive and the ceremony starts. Usually the women cook and prepare many special kinds of food, like chicken, ham, pork, rice, and many more including desserts. While the women are busy cooking, the men are busy fixing up and cleaning up the house, so it won't be messy and dirty because of all the relatives of the person that died will come for the ceremony and show honor and respect to that person
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EventsSpecial prayers are held at Vietnamese and Chinese pagodas on days when the moon is either full or the merest sliver. Many Buddhists eat only vegetarian food on these days. Some of the major religious festivals follow a lunar calendar. They include: Tet (late Jan-early Feb), the most important festival of the year, marking the new lunar year as well as the advent of spring; Wandering Souls Day (August), the second-largest festival of the year, when offerings of food and gifts are given to the wandering souls of the forgotten dead; Doan Ngu (June), when human effigies are burnt, becoming soldiers in the god of death's army; and Holiday of the Dead (April), which commemorates deceased relatives.
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Vietnamese Traditional Clothing People in Vietnam wear cotton clothes. Styles differ in northern and southern Vietnam. Many people wear sandals made of old tire rubber(North). (South) Many men and women wear western styled clothing. Some women still wear the traditional au dai. In most rural areas women wear loose white-shirts with skirts. Men in rural areas wear western clothes too. The Vietnamese typically wear lightweight clothing. Rural women wear loose-fitting dark-pants and blouses that are often embroideredin brilliant colors. Conical nats called non la shield their faces from the sun. In the cities, many girls and women wear the traditional au dai, a long tunic worn with loose-fitting pants. However, a growing number of urban women wear dresses and shirts. Rural and working class men typically wear simple shirts and trousers. City men generally wear Western-style clothing.
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