Report on the people and culture of Vietnam. Vietnamese traditions
Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia that boasts a rich history and distinctive culture. Vietnam is currently on the rise, namely, the government pays great attention to healthcare and preserving the cultural characteristics of the country, the infrastructure of cities is being improved, and the tourism industry has also flourished. We will consider all this and much more in more detail in our article.
Vietnamese way of life
Traditionally, the culture and life of Vietnam are associated with agriculture, namely rice growing. To a lesser extent, local residents are engaged in fishing, breeding pigs and poultry.
Until the second half of the 19th century, all Vietnamese lived according to the rules of a rural community, the basis of which were men over eighteen years of age. The Vietnamese lived in groups connected by numerous family ties. The head of the family was a man, the eldest in age, after whose death this privilege passed to the eldest son.
The Vietnamese marriage system was based on a ransom for a wife, which was often replaced by labor. Currently, the country's government is actively trying to abolish this custom.
Vietnamese houses are built mainly from wood, woven bamboo and clay with straw. Various outbuildings are built around the home, such as a chicken coop, barn and others. The furniture in such a hut is usually also carved from wood and consists of the most necessary interior items, such as a chest, bed and hammock. Housewares are made from scrap materials - chopsticks carved from bamboo, bowls made from coconut shells, wicker jugs and much more.
Vietnamese clothing consists of a loose jacket with pockets and wide pants. The festive clothing of the local population is a dress with a stand-up collar and a right-hand wrap, under which straight pants are worn.
Main types of crafts
In the culture of Vietnam, the first mention of which goes back to ancient times, about a hundred crafts are known. Particular attention is paid to blacksmithing, pottery, weaving, wood carving, weaving, embroidery and jewelry making.
Vietnamese silverware, boxes, and lacquer wickerwork are known all over the world, including not only household items, but also junk sails.
During archaeological excavations, ceramics and pottery, weapons and scraps of silk fabric were found, which were distinguished by artistic skill and high taste.
National cuisine
The national cuisine of Vietnam is diverse, based on vegetable dishes, cereals (mainly rice), fish, soy milk and a variety of sauces and spices.
The Vietnamese meal goes as follows: a large dish with rice and vegetable soup, fish and a variety of sauces and seasonings is placed in the center of the makeshift table. The whole family gathers and each participant is given a bowl and chopsticks.
Green tea is considered the main drink of the local population. Although coffee is becoming increasingly popular these days. The Vietnamese cook it very strong and sweet, and at the very end, before serving, they add ice to it.
and culture
Among the religious movements popular in Vietnam, the cult of ancestors is widespread, as well as a mix of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
The Vietnamese believe that their ancestors guard their home after their death. Therefore, almost everywhere the tourist’s eye comes across the altar of the ancestors, which is a miniature table with an incense burner with lit incense sticks, fruits and flowers located on it.
Holidays
The culture and traditions of Vietnam, among which folk festivals occupy a special place, go back centuries. Among the most revered holiday events among the local population are Tet and the Mid-Autumn Festival, which usually falls in September.
The Vietnamese associate Tet with the beginning of spring, so various flowers and trees are planted throughout the area. Women also bake traditional pies and sew outfits for the whole family. On the day of the holiday, all family members try to get together. At midnight, bells begin to ring, fireworks and firecrackers explode, and incense sticks are lit in houses.
During these days, a competition program is organized for adults and carousels and swings are built for children. For two days everyone has fun, participating in competitions in archery, wrestling, ball throwing, horse racing, stilt running and kite flying. The third day of the festival is characterized by a custom introduced by Ho Chi Minh in the second half of the 20th century. On this day, the Vietnamese plant trees to decorate their native land.
The second widely known holiday event is the Mid-Autumn Festival. In honor of this day, children prepare paper and clay figurines of fish, dragons, crabs and many lanterns that decorate houses and streets. The day of celebration is characterized by festive processions to the beat of drums.
Sculpture and architecture
The main materials used by Vietnamese sculptors were bronze and wood. Already at the beginning of our era, sculptures by Vietnamese masters amazed the imagination with their artistic taste and high technical data. It is worth noting the fact that to give strength to wooden sculptures, the Vietnamese covered them with several layers of varnish.
The skill of Vietnamese sculptors reached its peak in the period from the 11th to the 17th centuries, when the capital of the ancient state (modern Hanoi) was built up. At this time, a huge palace complex and many pagodas were built. Some of the sculptures from that time have survived to this day. All of them are included in the world art treasury. These are carved columns with dragons, stone statues of dancers, lotuses, sculptures of elephants, heads of deities and others.
It is worth noting the fact that the main feature of the culture of Vietnam, in contrast to its Asian neighbors, is the lack of rich decorations and the miniature structures of temple complexes and pagodas.
Vietnam is famous for its abundance of temples and pagodas, so it is quite difficult to select the most interesting ones. For example, Tay Phuong Temple, which is located near the capital and is screened from tourist eyes by tropical vegetation. The temple is built of wood, three hundred and eighty steps lead to it. The interior decoration of the temple consists of intricate wooden carved dragons, various plants and a Buddha statue.
Particularly popular among the local population is the One Pillar Pagoda, which was built in the 11th century. It is located in the central area of the capital. According to the architects of that time, the pagoda stands on one stone column, which rests on the bottom of the lake. Inside the structure there is a wooden statue of the revered goddess of mercy Quan Am.
Painting and graphics
Vietnam's artistic culture is of great value as a world heritage. Particularly noteworthy are the wall paintings in temples and pagodas, illustrations of folk tales, poems and legends. Also famous are paintings from the everyday life of peasants, which often had satirical or humorous overtones. It is worth noting the many images of temples and ritual ceremonies of the local population. Also worthy of special mention are pictures of ancient battles and images calling residents to patriotism.
Folk epic
Vietnamese culture is famous for its folklore, which includes various fairy tales, ballads, myths and legends. Chroniclers recorded these folk art items in their chronicles.
Since the 14th century, Vietnamese poets have collected all works of folklore into volumes. The poet Nguyen Dong Thi deserves special mention, who did a great job of creating a multi-volume edition of works of folk art.
Literature
The first collection of Vietnamese poems that has survived to this day belongs to the pen of Nguyen Chai, who lived in the 14th-15th centuries. ad. This man glorified himself not only as a poet, but also as a great military and political figure.
Masterpieces of classical literature appeared at the beginning of the 18th century. These include the works of the poet Nguyen Du. Later, culture in Vietnam went through a stage of romanization of writing. Following this, a collection of Ho Chi Minh was released. In the 20th century, novels and stories on the theme of the life of ordinary people became widespread.
Further in the history of Vietnam, a war began against the French invaders. Therefore, poems about the heroism and patriotism of Vietnamese soldiers, as well as satirical works that ridiculed the enemy, gained popularity.
In the second half of the 20th century, the Writers' Union was created at the initiative of the state. Thanks to this, many masterpieces of world literature have been translated into Vietnamese. Publishing houses that publish local newspapers and magazines are also starting to operate.
music and dancing
The music and dance culture of Vietnam has its roots in ancient times. It represents labor, choleric and satirical songs of working people. The most common musical instruments were five-string and three-string guitar, drum, two-string violin, gong, castanets and flute. The entire local population, due to the peculiarities of Vietnamese culture, is very musical.
Theater
There are about twelve different types of theater culture in Vietnam. Let's briefly talk about one of them in our article. This is a puppet theater on the water. This art form is a performance in which all the roles are played by large painted puppets. The dolls are controlled using a clever system of threads and bamboo sticks. The Vietnamese who control these dolls are located at a considerable distance from the performance site. All the action takes place on the smooth surface of a pond or rice field.
This ancient and colorful theatrical art of Vietnam is beloved by local residents and is very popular among tourists.
Pregnancy in Vietnam is not a disease, but a reason for pride. It is not customary to hide it; on the contrary, some expectant mothers begin to wear loose blouses with ties at the back even before they have any hint of a belly.
Nutrition is considered the most important thing in the life of a pregnant mother. These are alpha and omega. You don’t just need to eat, you need to eat a lot! In this, the Vietnamese often simply cross all sorts of boundaries. The concept of “proper nutrition” is here replaced by “enhanced nutrition”. Expectant mothers themselves are not happy, but the whole family literally “fattens” the pregnant woman to incredible sizes. A weight gain of 10 kg is considered negligence and neglect of the child. But, having gained 20 kg, you can boast to all your friends. Interestingly, most doctors do not see anything wrong with this. The obvious harm of this approach does not stop anyone, and the family stubbornly forces the woman to eat to her fill several times a day. At the same time, the pregnant woman is surrounded with total care. She is given the best pieces, all the conditions are created for her, she is not allowed to overwork, although the latter is rather a new trend. In the past, women carried bags in factories until the last months, and pregnant women worked in the fields in the heat of the day.
Vietnam national food.jpg
After childbirth, it is customary to strictly observe certain restrictions. This is associated with the need to restore the female body after pregnancy and childbirth. A young mother must lie down all the time for a month. You can only get up to go to the toilet, otherwise, as they say here, your lower back will hurt for the rest of your life. Also, in the first month it is forbidden to wash or come into contact with water at all. It is believed that during this period it is deadly. A weakened body easily catches a cold, and then death is not far away. It is customary to rub yourself with saffron (turmeric), lie next to the brazier and sweat (it is believed that all accumulated harmful substances will be released with sweat). Several relatives are always close to the mother and baby, caring for them, first in the hospital (the staff in public clinics do not provide any care at all, even relatives prepare food), and then at home. Typically, a woman lives with her mother for the first three months after giving birth. All child care during this period is taken over by maternal relatives.
Family in Vietnam
Choosing a name for a baby in Vietnam is not an easy task. In addition to the fact that names must be selected according to their meaning, they must also be combined with each other. A Vietnamese name consists of a surname (first syllable), middle name (second syllable, this name is passed down from generation to generation, or is chosen in combination with a personal name), personal name (last syllable). For example, Chau Nhat Bang, “Nhat” is the sun, day, “Bang” is an obsolete “friend”, respectively, the name means “friend of the sun, day, light.” There are also traditional taboos: you cannot name a child after one of your living relatives. This is considered disrespectful and even insulting. The Vietnamese reason simply: it is indecent to call a bare-bottomed toddler the same name as a respectable adult. This is partly why there are so many original names in Vietnam. Families are large, we have to come up with something new so as not to repeat ourselves.
Vietnam views.jpg
Often the full name is practically not used before school. Short “household” names are common: Bin, Tin, Tom, Siu, Bo, Bee, Chip. Sometimes they are formed from American names (Bean is Bill), others are simply easy to pronounce sound combinations, something like “Baby”, “Button”, “Pie”, “Bunny”, etc.
Upbringing
The sign on the façade of most Vietnamese kindergartens reads: “Today’s children are tomorrow’s world.” Children are the main value for society. On the school facades the inscription is different: “First learn ethics, and then knowledge.” This means that, first of all, children must learn the norms of relationships in a team, in society, in the family, and only then science and skills. Studying is not considered a secondary activity, quite the contrary, but “every vegetable has its turn.” First we learn to live and act in society, then everything else.
Vietnam families
In the words of everyone’s beloved Ho Chi Minh: “A child is like a bud on a branch. He eats well, sleeps well, studies well - that means he’s doing well!”
A Vietnamese sees himself, first of all, as a part of society and a participant in complex relationships. This worldview is reflected in the language forms that children are taught from a very early age. One of the first words that a child is taught (before one is even a year old; by the age of one and a half years, children already know how to speak it) is “ạ”, a respectful particle at the end of a phrase. Without this particle it is impossible to contact or respond to an elder. The baby may not be able to speak other words, but he definitely knows this particle.
In general, you should not call your elders, including your husband, by name - this is disrespect. And the pronoun “I” is practically not used in Vietnamese. When talking about yourself, you need to choose the right word depending on who you are talking to. When addressing her husband, the wife calls herself “younger sister”; when talking to a child, parents refer to themselves as “mother”, “father”; when talking to her mother-in-law, a daughter-in-law calls herself “child, daughter” - thus the personal “I” is replaced by the word denoting social status.
The main positive quality for the younger generation is “ngoan”, which means “calm”, “obedient”, “well done”, “diligent”.
Obedience in Vietnam is valued much higher than independence, and fantasies, at least in village families, are suppressed: “don’t make things up, don’t lie.” Here they don’t teach children “whoever doesn’t have time is late”, “you need to spin in life”, on the contrary, they constantly pull you back - “everything needs to be done slowly”, “whoever is in a hurry has a lot of trouble.”
Recently, Vietnam has been affected by a general Asian trend - to study more and more, even if this means the child is actually deprived of his childhood. Which, by the way, contradicts the precepts of the same beloved Ho Chi Minh. But in a society that has since ancient times encouraged learning and developed a cult of knowledge, all kinds of courses and extracurricular activities very quickly gained enormous popularity. All children are intensively prepared for school. By the way, primary school teachers who conduct this training are directly interested in this. It even happens that in the first grade they skip the study of letters on the grounds that, they say, the children should have learned them in preschool classes, which, of course, are paid.
Family relationships in Vietnam represent mutual affection between all numerous family members: parents, children, brothers, sisters, grandparents.
An ordinary Vietnamese family consists not only of a husband, wife and their unmarried children, but also includes the husband's parents, children's sons and daughters-in-law, and often also all immediate relatives.
According to statistics, men get married at the age of 27, women at 23-24, but civil marriages are not common in Vietnam.
Society in Vietnam is also experiencing modern trends; marriages with foreign citizens are now not uncommon. Such families most often leave Vietnam, but the attachment to relatives and to their home village or city remains very strong.
Mutual sympathy and trust are fundamental concepts when creating a family, and therefore children are born and grow up in an atmosphere of love and care. It is customary to have more than two children, and, according to tradition, the desired first child is a boy. It is interesting that the birth rate surges, among other factors, are influenced by the lunar calendar, or more precisely, by the Vietnamese’s belief in it.
The attitude towards children in Vietnam is special; they are cared for and cherished, both their own and those of others. It seems that there is no division between insiders and outsiders here; any child - be it a little Vietnamese or a child of a tourist - will be hugged, caressed and given all sorts of attention with equal joy.
If you come to Vietnam with a child, you will immediately notice how everyone smiles at you on the street, in the market they give you some fruit in addition to your purchase, give up their seats and try to entertain your baby.
Family relationships are distinguished by strong emotional attachments and oblige a person to love and respect his parents and the older generation. That is why the Vietnamese have been practicing the cult of their ancestors for many centuries. Most residents of the country, regardless of religious affiliation, have an altar for worship at home or at work.
The sense of heredity is very developed here, and the wonderful custom of commemorating ancestors has not only original cultural features, but also a deep sacred meaning. In those rare cases when a person has died and there is no one to honor his memory, he is called a man without descendants.
The most striking feature of the entire Vietnamese people can probably be called patriotism. Even poorly educated citizens confidently name dates, names of scientists, emperors, and in cities and even small villages you can see state flags hanging everywhere. This is probably due to the fact that for the people of Vietnam, collective interests have always been above personal interests.
The main religious movements in Vietnam are Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism; under the influence of French rule in the 19th century, Catholicism became widespread. However, most of the population still practices traditional religions, worshiping spirits, gods and the mother goddess.
Also in Vietnam at the beginning of the 20th century, a mysterious cult arose - a new religion called Cao Dai.
According to legend, the Supreme Being appeared to its founder and ordered the founding of a new religion that would unite all others: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam.
Cao Dai followers recite prayers, worship ancestors, practice non-violence and vegetarianism, one of the goals is to reunite with God in heaven.
Vietnam is imbued with Confucian morality: all people must observe certain standards of behavior and strictly conform to their social status, guided by the five virtues - humanity, justice, nobility, knowledge and sincerity.
The attitude towards foreigners in Vietnam is friendly, the local population is hospitable to travelers and, to the best of their ability, will try to make your stay in the country comfortable and interesting.
In clothing, the place of traditional attire is gradually being taken by Western models, with the exception of the most famous Vietnamese costume in the world and popular among the population - ao dai (áo dài). There are both female and male types of ao dai, but in the 20th century it began to be worn mainly by women. Ao Dai consists of a long dress with slits on the sides and loose trousers.
Currently, when choosing clothes, the Vietnamese are increasingly guided by the principle of simplicity and convenience; so-called suits, consisting of a loose shirt and pants of the same color, reminiscent of a pajama set, are very common among women. They sleep in them, cook in them, go shopping, and work in them.
And if adults can sometimes be careless in their clothes, then they try to dress up children in bright, beautiful things, make sure that the child is combed, washed and tidy, and if the financial situation of the family allows, he wears gold and silver jewelry.
The daily routine in the country is highly dependent on the sun; the Vietnamese are accustomed to starting the day before dawn and going to bed shortly after sunset. This light regime significantly shifts daytime life towards the morning. School classes begin at 6:30-7:00, banks and other official institutions are open from 8:00 to 17:00, lunch break from 11:30 to 13:30. Local residents prefer to dine on the street, especially since for most it is much more convenient, and sometimes even more profitable, than cooking at home.
Small and private businesses are very developed in Vietnam, many work where they live, hence a huge variety of cafes, drinking establishments, hairdressers, repair shops, sewing studios on the ground floors of residential buildings. And the Vietnamese generally go to bed early - it is difficult to see working establishments and walking groups after 10 pm. But this, of course, does not apply to tourist places!
This is not the first time I’ve been going to, so I can tell you a lot about this wonderful country. such an unusual country that it cannot be compared with any other country in the world. There are many rituals, traditions and nuances that will be of interest to travelers.
Vietnam
There are incredibly many traditions. I will try to introduce you to the most interesting ones.
At home
The first thing you notice when you arrive in Vietnam is that their houses are very strange. The buildings are similar to a pencil case, just as long and narrow. This is due to the fact that a funny tax has been introduced here - a tax on the width of the foundation. That’s why the cunning Vietnamese make a narrow foundation, but the length of the houses is almost unlimited. The houses themselves most often consist of two floors.
On the ground floor there are shops and workshops, and on the second floor families live. By the way, it is not customary here for young people to live separately from elderly relatives. Several generations of the same family can live in one house, so you can often find flocks of children on the first floors.
How to talk
Vietnamese traditions do not encourage loud conversations. And screaming is considered unacceptable in this country. You need to speak in a low voice and politely. Therefore, calm Vietnamese are very irritated by loud-voiced Europeans. But, due to their natural delicacy, they will never reprimand you. So, while here, try to respect the locals and don’t scream at the top of your voice.
Smile
In Vietnam, it is customary to always smile. In this regard, the traditions of Vietnam are similar to those of neighboring countries. But don’t delude yourself too much, since a smile often does not mean sincere sympathy for you, but is simply accepted. By the way, the Vietnamese smile can hide pain, resentment, and even hatred. They always smile, even if they are very upset or upset.
Woman - go build a house!
There is a strict patriarchy in the country. Women must obey men unquestioningly. A girl does not even have the right to sit down at the table until she feeds her husband and satisfies all his requests. Here you can see fragile women everywhere who work in the most physically demanding jobs. 
This includes building roads, harvesting salt and rice, and even building houses. True, it is necessary to make a reservation here that today, the life of local girls is slowly starting to improve. Still, the influx of tourists and modern trends contribute to the traditions of Vietnam.
Don't touch a Vietnamese person's shoulders or arms
Another strange custom worth remembering. Under no circumstances touch Vietnamese people on the shoulders or arms. Here this will be regarded as a sign of aggression. It’s better not to touch women at all, in any way. They believe that if you extend your hands to a person, then you are angry and need to be protected from you.
Black teeth
Another strange tradition involves local girls painting their teeth black. 
They do this for a reason, but in order to show others that they are religiously pure. The Vietnamese believe that people who have a snow-white smile carry a demon within themselves and thereby attract other demons to themselves. That is why local beauties sparkle with black teeth, considering it also very beautiful.
By the way, about religion. Several religions coexist peacefully in Vietnam - Hinduism, Catholicism and Buddhism. The traditions of Vietnam do not conflict with the diversity of religions. All of them do not interfere with each other, but develop in parallel. Only in this country can you see nearby cathedrals, pagodas and temples. Moreover, they are located not only in separate areas, but actually almost side by side.
The Vietnamese treat Russian tourists very well. In many countries, a negative attitude has already arisen towards our tourists, but not here. It may be, of course, that there is indignation hidden behind the sweet Vietnamese smile, but it’s better to let them smile.
In addition to the peculiarities of everyday life, the cuisine here is very unique.
Features of Vietnamese cuisine
Vietnamese people begin to eat hot seasonings and hot spices from a very early age. Therefore, already as adults, they calmly eat food so spicy that we never dreamed of it. Be very careful when introducing local dishes.
I wasn’t careful and felt like a fire-breathing dragon. After tasting, I drank almost one and a half liters of water, but the burning sensation did not leave me for a long time.
There are also very unusual sauces in Vietnam. For example - Nuoc. 
It is prepared from spoiled salted fish. The Vietnamese simply adore it, but a European should be wary of this delicacy. Those who dared to try it say that they have never tried anything nastier in their lives.
Well, now I’ll show you the highlight of local cuisine. These are the eggs of forest ants. 
What it looks like, what it tastes, it’s a rare disgusting thing. True, I didn’t try. But there are also daredevils who freely put all kinds of crap into their mouths.
In general, the locals love insects, but as food, saying that they are very healthy and even satisfying.
I’ll stop my story about Vietnamese traditions here. Let's move on to rest.
Hotels
Since I have already visited most cities in Vietnam, I now decided to settle on Vinpearl Island. There are many hotels where you can stay. To get to the island, you need to use the cable car, which runs from Nha Trang. 
The length of the road is almost three kilometers. The cable car cabins are closed and safe, but there are observation windows so you can admire the panoramic view of the South China Sea during your journey. At night, the road is illuminated with lights that are arranged as if small Eiffel towers are shining. It's a miracle, how beautiful.
I found the hotel nice and well maintained. We were also lucky with the room - clean and comfortable, and the windows overlook the sea.
The hotel also includes three restaurants where the food is very tasty and satisfying.
Actually, this is not just an island, but a whole huge amusement park where you can find everything your heart desires. 
Winpearl Island
First of all, I went to the water park. There are a huge number of slides here, from which you can go down using tubing, or just like that. After having fun on the slides, you can take a break by floating on a mattress along the river that flows along the entire territory of the park. Here you can sunbathe under the gentle rays of the sun, basking on the snow-white sand.
The next day I visited an equally interesting attraction. Here you can ride an electric sled along a specially paved track. I liked this entertainment so much that I came several times. The toboggan run is very long, stretches under the trees, over the sea. 
Very sharp turns and steep descents with climbs. It’s simply enchanting, especially since you can control the sleigh yourself. After visiting the attraction, I was offered to buy photographs that cameras took throughout my journey. I bought several things - the funniest ones.
Just like at any other seaside resort, there are entertainment related to water. This includes diving, surfing, kayaking. Everything is quite affordable for the money. And this cannot but rejoice.
I usually spent my evenings in local restaurants and listened to performances by musical groups. 
The repertoire was not bad, but the most incredible thing was that Russian chanson was performed several times. This is so strange, I even felt a hint of nostalgia.
I can say unequivocally that there are so many activities and entertainments here that there is no time to rest.
And in the park in the evenings they show a show of fountains that sing and shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow. Very beautiful.
Be sure to go to the aquarium; more than 350 inhabitants of the seabed live here. 
Here you don’t have to walk, you just get on a moving path that will take you throughout the entire territory. I liked this convenience, but there is still a disadvantage. If you are very interested in something, then you won’t be able to stand and look at it.
I went to Hon Mun Island, where there is a ghost ship - a real haven for pirates. 
Not only is the building itself very unusual, but there is also a lot inside that is definitely worth seeing. All rooms contain exhibits of the seabed. This aquarium is also called Neptune's Palace.
I highly recommend visiting the Interactive Museum of Impressions. 
It is located in an ancient house, which is guarded by a dragon and washed by a beautiful waterfall. I especially liked the fact that you can touch and feel all the exhibits. The cool upside-down house also did not leave me indifferent, although I had been to a similar house in Moscow. There is a completely different interior here. There is also a giant’s house, where you can take many interesting photographs.
Conclusion
No matter how many times I’ve been to Vietnam, I always find so many interesting things that I can talk endlessly. I am sure that I will return here again and again and will discover this country for myself again and again.
And the beliefs of this country, in order to avoid awkward situations, misunderstandings, troubles or even loss of confidence in one’s person. The old saying “behave like a Roman in Rome” may not always apply in Vietnam, but it is still very important to know and follow the basic rules and customs.
Many Vietnamese who are in constant contact with foreigners understand us and even adopt some of our customs. However, most ordinary people in Vietnam still live their old lives, largely unchanged for many generations.
Colorful Vietnamese girls!
Greetings
Many city dwellers in Vietnam no longer greet each other with a bow. However, at formal events, religious ceremonies and in the countryside, the custom of joining the palms together in a prayer gesture and bowing slightly to each other still persists.
The custom of shaking hands, once considered barbaric in Vietnam, is now popular due to Western influence. Men may shake hands and say a greeting equivalent to “How are you?” Women, especially in the outback, still avoid shaking hands. Therefore, you should not be the first to extend your hand to a Vietnamese woman. It's worth waiting for her to extend her hand first.
Performance
While foreigners first of all say their name and rank when meeting someone, the Vietnamese consider such haste awkward and rely more on silent recognition of their merits. They extremely rarely introduce themselves first, doing this only upon prior request. Perhaps because of his inner modesty.
Names have a huge meaning in Vietnam. Vietnamese people often have secret names known only to themselves and their parents. There is a belief that when pronounced out loud, this name gives power to evil spirits over its bearer. Therefore, in public places, children are often called by birth order, for example Chi-hai, Chi-ba (Second Daughter, Third Daughter), etc.
Vietnamese people should be addressed as “Mr”, “Madam” until they themselves ask to switch to names. And they do it not at all as easily as foreigners. Even if you have received permission to call your friend by name, it is extremely important to still call him "Mr., Madam" in the presence of a third person. If this rule is not followed, it may be perceived as evidence of extreme intimacy in your relationship with him, or even as a condescending attitude of the elder towards the younger.
Vietnamese names consist of a family name (similar to our surname), a middle name, and an individual name or one given at birth. In Vietnam, it is not customary to call each other by family names. When addressing, you should use the last individual name with the obligatory “Mr,” “Madam.”
As an exception to this rule, the Vietnamese have an old tradition of calling their beloved leaders by family names.
Officials and government officials are preferably referred to by their title, such as Mr. Doctor, Mr. Lieutenant, etc.
Taboos in personal relationships
You should call people to you in a quiet voice by name with the obligatory “Mr,” “Madam” at the beginning. Waving at a person or beckoning with a bent finger is considered extremely impolite. If you need to silently attract attention and call someone over, do it with your arm extended forward with your palm facing down. The palm facing upward is a sign of your superiority over the summoned person.
Touching someone's head is clearly seen as a threat to him personally and perhaps even to his entire family. Many Vietnamese people believe that the head is the seat of the spirit. If a person is beheaded, the spirit breaks free and rushes forever around the world, not finding refuge. Also, never touch anyone on the shoulder. This is the habitat of the patron spirit; one should not disturb him in vain. If you accidentally touch your shoulder, immediately touch the other one to ward off bad luck.
Personal characteristics of the Vietnamese
Vietnamese people never make eye contact when speaking. Perhaps because of their inherent shyness. But the main reason is that following tradition, they do not look into the eyes of those they respect or those of higher rank.
The smiles of Vietnamese people can often cause misunderstanding among foreigners and even lead to awkward situations. The fact is that in many eastern countries a smile is also a sign of grief, anxiety or awkwardness. Smiling in Vietnam is often an expression of politeness, but it can also be a sign of skepticism, misunderstanding or failure to recognize a wrong judgment.
Loud arguments and heated discussions are frowned upon and are rare among the Vietnamese. Well-educated Vietnamese are also well-trained in terms of self-discipline. Therefore, the loud voices of Europeans are often perceived with disapproval.
In conversation, Vietnamese very rarely go straight to the goal. To do this is to show a lack of tact and delicacy. Directness is highly valued in the Western world, but not in Vietnam.
A well-mannered Vietnamese, even when he disagrees with something, will not utter the word “no,” which is considered a sign of bad taste. Refusal is expressed in soft constructions, most often in expressions like: “Let's put this off until next time.”
Prejudice
There are many different taboos in the daily life of Vietnamese people. For example, the following:
- Do not praise a newborn child, as evil spirits are nearby and may steal the child because of its value.
- When going to work or on business, avoid seeing a woman first. If the first thing you see when you walk out the door is a woman, go back and postpone the event.
- Outside mirrors are often hung on entrance doors. If a dragon wants to get into a house, it will see its reflection and think that there is already another dragon there.
- You cannot place one bowl of rice and one pair of chopsticks on the table. Be sure to order for at least two. One cup is for the dead.
- Don't let your chopsticks touch other chopsticks or make noise with them unnecessarily. Don't leave chopsticks in your food.
- Don't hand a toothpick to anyone.
- Never buy one pillow and one mattress, always buy two. Don't use your relatives' towels.
- Do not turn musical instruments over or hit both sides of the drum at the same time.
- Don't cut your nails at night.
- In a restaurant with a Vietnamese, it is not customary to pay “half”. Let him pay, or pay the bill yourself. The person of higher rank always pays.
- Gifts for the bride and groom are always given as a couple. One gift symbolizes the imminent end of the marriage. Two cheap gifts are always preferable to one expensive one.
