VIETNAM CULTURE

AN AGRICULTURAL CIVILIZATION  HERE IS BASED ON CULTIVATION OF WESTERN RICE.  IT IS ONE OFF THE OLDEST IN EAST ASIA.  THE ANCIENT BRONZE AGE DON SON CULTURE IS CONSIDERED TO BE IMPORTANT.  THEY HAD LONG TIME CHINESE INFLUENCE ON ITS CIVILIZATION AND VIETNAM IS CONSIDERED TO BE PART OF EAST ASIA.

BY THE 10TH CENTURY THEY BECAME INDEPENDANT FROM THE 10TH CENTURY.  VIETNAM BEGAN A SOUTHWARD EXPANSION THAT SAW THE ANNEXATION OF TRERRITORIES THAT BELONGED TO THE CHAMPA CIVILIZATION AND PARTS OF THE KMER EMPIRE.  AND IT RESULTED IN MINOR REGIONAL VARIANCES IN THE COUNTRY.

DURING THE FRENCH PERIOD, THEY RECIEVED MERCHANT INFLUENCES FROM EUROPEANS.   VIETNAM IS THE ONLY NATION OF INDO CHINA TO USE THE ....
THEIR CULTURAL LIFE HAS BEEN DEEPLY INFLUENCED BY GOVERNMENT.  THEY HAD INTEREST IN SHARING THE CULTURE OF RUSSIA, CUBA, AND CHINA.

VIETNAM IS A CULTURE OF ANCESTOR VENERATION.  VIETNAMESE CULTURE INCLUDES DRAGONS, TURTLES, LOTUSES AND BAMBOO.  THEY PLAY HUMAN CHESS AND FIGHT TO BE PLAYED OUT AS TO WHO WILL WIN THE GAME. IT IS SIMILAR TO CHINESE CHESS.  THEY NEED 52 PEOPLE TO PLAY.  CHINESE CULTURE VALUES FAMILY OVER CLAN WHILE VIETNAM CULTURE VALUES  CLAN OVER VASLUES.  IN RURAL VIETNAMONE CAN STILL  3 - 4 GENERATIONS LIVING UNDER ONE ROOF.

THE TRADITION VIETNAM WEDDING IS ONE OF TYHE MOST IMPORTANT OF ORIGINALTRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE OCCASIONS.  REGARDLESS OF WESTERN IZATION   MANY OF THE AGE OLD CUSTOMS PRACTICED IN TRADITIONAL CELEBRATIONS IN TRADITIONAL CELEBRATIONS AND OVERSEES.

 THEY COMBINE WESTERN AND EASTERN ELEMENTS. MARRIAGES ARRANGED BY MARRIAGES.  BY PARENTS AND EXTENDED FAMILES MARRIAGES WERE PREVIOUSLY ARRANGED BY PARENTS AND EXTENDED  FAMILIES CHILDREN HAD LITTLE TO SAY AND CHILDREN HAD LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT THE MATTER.  TODAY THEY CHOOSE FREELY.  THEY HAVE TWO CEREMONIES.

THIER FUNERALS LAST 5 DAYS AND THEY BURY THE DECEASED.THEY ARE BUDDIST AND TAOISTS.  THEY ALSO PRACTICE CATHOLICISM.  BUDDISM HAS TYPICALLY BEEN FAVORED.  THEY HAVE A TRIPLE RELIGION AND MANY VIETNAM DON'T IDENTIFY.   THEY PRACTICE ANCESTOR WORSHIP AND ANIMISM.  THEY HAVE OBLIGATIONS TO CLAN, FAMILY AND EDUCATION.  IN ANCIENT TIMES SCHOLARS WERE AT THE TOP OF SOCIETY.

THE VIETNAMESE FOLK LITERATURE CAME TO BE VERY EARLY CAME TO BE VERY EARLY  AND HAD A PROFESSIONAL EFFECT ON SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE VIETNAM.  THEIR FOLK LITERATURE CONTRIBUTED TO PRAISING BEAUTY, HUMANISM, AND THE LOVE OF GOODNESS.

TRADITIONAL VIETNAM ART IS PRACTICED IN VIETNAM  FROM ANCIENT TIMES.  THEY HAVE SO MANY MUSICALINSTRUMENTS THAT ARE PLEASANT TO HEAR.  THE ART OF CHAMPA AND   FRANCESA PLAYED A SMALL ROLE.   VIETNAMESE POTTERY , PAINTININGS AND ARE POPULAR.

THEY PLAY CLASSICAL MUSICAND IT CAN BE TRACED TO CHINESE OPERAS.  THEY HAVE 50 NATIONAL MUSIC INSTRUMENTS.  THEY HAVE 50 IMPERIAL COURT MUSIC AND ANCIENT CHAMBER MUSIC.  BY 1990'S THEY HAD ABOUT 200 ART ORGANIZATIONS.  THEY ALSO HAVE THEATRES.  THEY LIKE WATER PUPPET PERFORMANCES.  THEY MAKE THEM FROM WOOD AND HAVE THEM ON POLES OVER WATER.  IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR CULTURAL  HERTAGE.  54 DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES WITH VARIOUS DANCES.                        

VIETNAMESE CUISINE IS EXTEMELY DIVERSE  AND HAS THREE MAIN REGIONS AND HAS VEGETABLES, RICE, FISH SAUCE.  THEY HAVE MINT AND BASIL FLAVORS.  THEY ALSO HAVE NOODLE SOUPS. THEY EAT BEEF SOUP AND HAVE A VQARIETY OF SOUPS FOR BREAKFAST.  VIETNAM FOOD IS FOUND IN THE US, AUSTRALIA, CANADA IS FOUND IN THE U.S. , AUSTRALIA, CANADA,  SOUTH KOREA, LAOS, JAPAN AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

THEY HAD STRICT DRESS CODES, AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DRESS MARKS OF SOCIAL STATUS  WERE ENFORCED.  COMMONERS  WERE PLAIN AND SIMPLE CLOTHING.

THE HEAD GEAR OF PEASANTS INCLUDE A PIECE OF CLOTHING WRAPPED AROUND THE HEAD OF OR THE POPULAR NON CHALANT.  FOR FOOTWEAR PEASANTS WOULD OFTEN GO TO BAREFOOT. MONRCHS HAD THE RIGHT TO WEAR THE COLOR GOLD AND NOBLES WORE RED AND PURPLE.  ON AO DAI WAS WORN BY BOTH GENDERS AND MAINLY BY FEMALES.  IT IS A LONG GOWN WITH  SLITS ON BOTH SIDES WITH PANTS OF COTTON OR SILK.  TODAY THEY WEAR WESTERN CLOTHES.

VIETNAM HAS A LONG HISTORY OF DEFENDING THEMSELVES FROM THE COUNTRY'S HISTORYOF WARFARE.  THEIR MARTIAL ARTS ARE DEEPLY SPIRITUAL.

A COUPLE IS MARRIED AT A TRADITIONAL WEDDING AND IT IS AN IMPORTANT OCCASION WITH EASTERN AND WESTERNELEMENTS.  THEY MARRY YOUNG AND IN OLD TIMES THEY HAD FEW DECISIONS.  TODAY THEY  ARE FREE TO CHOOSE THEIR  OWN PARTNERS.

THEY HAVE TWO MAIN CEREMONIES - ONE IS WHERE A GROOM VISITS THE BRIDE BRINGS PRESENTS.  ONE WHERE THE GROOM VISITS THE BRIDE THE BRIDE'S HOUSE AND ASKS PERMISSION TO MARRY THE GROOM.

THEY HAVE A FUNERAL WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND RELATIVE AND THE BURIAL IS IN 3 DAYS.  A MONK PERFORMS THE CEREMONY AND THEY RING A BELL SO THE DECEASED MAY RETURN TO THE LIVING SOME DAY. 

THIS RITUAL MAY TAKE ALL DAY AND AFTER THIS THEY FEEL THE MEMBER  MAY RETURN TO THE LIVING.THE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY COMMUNICATE WITH THE DEAD THROUGH TRANCE.  THEY HAVE AN ANCESTOR ALTAR AT THEIR HOME.

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