BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHÒNG
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ISO 9001:2015
KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP
NGÀNH: NGÔN NGỮ ANH-NHẬT
Sinh viên : Lê Thị Anh
Giảng viên hướng dẫn: TS. Trần Thị Ngọc Liên
HẢI PHÒNG – 2020
BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHÒNG
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TÌM HIỂU VĂN HÓA CHÀO HỎI CỦA
VIỆT NAM VÀ NHẬT BẢN
KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP ĐẠI HỌC HỆ CHÍNH QUY
NGÀNH: NGÔN NGỮ ANH-NHẬT
Sinh viên : Lê Thị Anh
Giảng viên hướng dẫn : TS. Trần Thị Ngọc Liên
HẢI PHÒNG – 2020
BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHÒNG
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NHIỆM VỤ ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP
Sinh viên: Lê Thị Anh Mã SV: 1512753015
Lớp: NA1901N. Ngành: Ngôn Ngữ Anh -Nhật
Tên đề tài: Tìm hiểu về văn hóa chào hỏi của Việt Nam và Nhât Bản
NHIỆM VỤ ĐỀ TÀI
1. Nội dung và các yêu cầu cần giải quyết trong nhiệm vụ đề tài tốt nghiệp
– Tìm hiểu văn hóa Việt Nam và nhật Bản
2. Địa điểm thực tập tốt nghiệp.
– Tên trung tâm: Trung Tâm Ngoại Ngữ Sơn Tùng
– Địa điểm: Tân Tiến – An Dương – Hải Phòng
CÁN BỘ HƯỚNG DẪN ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP
Người hướng dẫn thứ nhất:
Họ và tên: Trần Thị Ngọc Liên
Học hàm, học vị: Tiến Sĩ
Cơ quan công tác: Khoa Ngôn Ngữ Anh
Nội dung hướng dẫn: Tìm Hiểu Về Văn Hóa Chào Hỏi Của Việt Nam Và
Nhật Bản
Người hướng dẫn thứ hai:
Họ và tên:…………………………………………………………………………………
Học hàm, học vị:………………………………………………………………………..
Cơ quan công tác:………………………………………………………………………
Nội dung hướng dẫn:………………………………………………………………….
Đề tài tốt nghiệp được giao ngày … tháng ….. năm …..
Yêu cầu phải hoàn thành xong trước ngày …. tháng ….. năm ……
Đã nhận nhiệm vụ ĐTTN Đã giao nhiệm vụ ĐTTN
Sinh viên
Người hướng dẫn
Hải Phòng, ngày …… tháng……..năm 20..
Hiệu trưởng
GS.TS.NGƯT Trần Hữu Nghị
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In the process of doing the graduation paper, I have received a lot of help,
assistance, guidance, encouragement and idea contribution from my teachers,
family and friends.
I wish, first of all, to express my deepest gratitude and indebtedness to my
supervisor – Tran Thi Ngoc Lien. PhD, Dean of Foreign Languages Department,
Haiphong University of Management and Technology for her enthusiastic
guidance, very helpful ideas and instructions for the preparation and her
correction during the completion of this graduation paper.
My sincere thanks are also sent to the teachers in the Foreign Languages
Department, Haiphong University of Management and Technology for their
useful lessons during four years studying here. They have given me the
foundation of the research paper.
Last but not least, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to my family, to
whom I have never enough words to express my great gratitude for their
encouragement and inspiration.
Hai Phong, December 2019
Le Thi Anh
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I: INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………. 1
1. Rationale
……………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
2. Aims of the study …………………………………………………………………………………. 2
3. Research questions ……………………………………………………………………………….. 2
4. Scope of the study ………………………………………………………………………………… 2
5. Methods of the study …………………………………………………………………………….. 2
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND …………………………………. 4
1.
Overview of Japanese and Vietnamese culture
……………………………………… 4
1.1.
Japanese culture ……………………………………………………………………………. 4
1.2. Vietnamese culture
………………………………………………………………………….. 12
2. Overview of greetings in Japanese and Vietnamese
………………………………… 23
2.1. Greetings in Japanese ……………………………………………………………………….. 23
2.2. Greetings in Vietnamese …………………………………………………………………… 25
CHAPTER III: COMMON GREETINGS IN VIETNAMESE AND
JAPANESE CULTURUES AND FACTORS AFFECTING GREETINGS29
3.1 Common greetings in Vietnamese and Japanese cultures …………………….. 29
3.1.1 Common greetings in Japanese culture
……………………………………………… 29
3.1.2 Common greetings in Vietnamese cultures ………………………………………. 32
3.2 Factors affecting the greetings in Vietnamese and Japanese cultures ………. 36
3.2.1 Context ………………………………………………………………………………………… 36
3.2.2
Age
……………………………………………………………………………………………. 40
3.2.3
Relationship ……………………………………………………………………………….. 40
CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
……………………………….. 41
4.1. Findings ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 41
4.2. Conclusion
………………………………………………………………………………………. 42
4.3. Limitation ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 42
4.4 Suggestions for further study …………………………………………………………….. 42
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………………………….. 43
1
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
Greeting is an important communicative act. Greeting is the first ritual
in communication. It helps us attract the attention, start the
communication process, shorten the distance with the communication
partners and create an atmosphere of open communication. There are two
forms of greeting: verbal and non-verbal greeting. However, in some
situations, because of the distance communication or language barriers, the
form of non-verbal greeting is used more commonly. The form of non-
verbal greeting conveys more messages and it is easier to use than verbal
form.
There are various ways of greeting in all over the world. In
Western countries such as France, Spain or Italy, people often greet each
other by hugging or kissing on cheeks, while in Middle East or Asian countries
like Vietnam, to people of the opposite sex, the ways of kissing or
hugging should be considerated to avoid misunderstanding. If you use
improper greeting rituals, you can cause dilemmas, or even offensive
things to your partner. To make a good first impression with the
communication partner, we need to learn about the greeting cultures of our
partner’s country.
Especially to students of Japan major who are regularly in contact
with foreign partners or international friends, studying about the greeting
gestures is very important. It helps us avoid vulgar behaviors and impress
the communication partners at the first meeting. This encourages me to study
about greetings in some cultures. All the above reasons have inspired me to
choose the research with the title “Using greeting gestures in Japan and
Vietnam – The similarities and differences in light of cross culture
communication”
2
2. Aims of the study
As aforementioned, the aim of this study is to compare the similarities and
differences in using greetings in Japan and Vietnam. Besides, this study also
introduces some common greetings in Japan and Vietnam so that people can
expand their knowledge of greetings in two countries. Moreover, the study also
gives out some factors influencing on using greetings in Japan and Vietnam to
people can avoid mistakes, behave in proper ways, and make an efficient
communication when crossing cultures.
3. Research questions
To fulfill the aim set above, the following questions need answering.
1. What are common greetings in Vietnamese and Japanese cultures?
2. What factors affecting greetings in Vietnamese and Japanese cultures?
4. Scope of the study
Greetings is a large theme; in fact, there are many different greeting
gestures in the world. It requires much time and effort; however, because of the
limited time, my knowledge and experience, in this paper, Imerely focus on
some common greetings and factors affecting greetings in two cultures:
Vietnamese and Japanese.
5. Methods of the study
The study is conducted with two main research methods: qualitative and
quantitative.
Firstly, the quantitative method helps the researcher to find out frequency
and number of cases when greeting gestures are used. The most common
greeting gestures in two cultures.
Secondly, the qualitative method supports the researcher to justify the
factors that influence greeting gestures in Vietnamese and Japanese cultures.
3
6. Structure of the study
The study contains the three parts
– Part I: : Introduction presents the rationales, aims, research questions,
scope, methods and structure of the study.
– Part II: Consists of three chapters
+ The first chapter is theoretical background which provides readers the
overview of culture and overview of greeting gestures.
+ The second chapter discusses common greeting gestures in Japanese
and Vietnamese cultures and what factors influences greeting gestures in
Japanese and Vietnamese cultures.
+ The final chapter is data analysis and comparison. In this chapter, I
compare and analyze the fìnding obtained from the survey questionnaires and
evaluations and after that I point out the similarities and differences in the using
greeting gesture in 2 countries.
– The study is ended with the third part – Conclusion. This part presents an
overview of the study, and recommendations for further study.
4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1. Overview of Japanese and Vietnamese culture
1.1. Japanese culture
The culture of Japan has changed greatly over the millennia, from the
country’s prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which
absorbs influences from Asia, Europe, and North America.
Japan’s indigenous culture originates primarily from the Yayoi
people who settled in Japan between 1000 BCE to 300 CE. Yayoi culture
quickly spread to the main island of Honshū, mixing with the native Jōmon
culture.
Modern Japanese have an estimated 80% Yayoi and 20% Jōmon ancestry.
Japanese culture was influenced from ancient times to the Middle Ages
primarily by multiple Chinese dynasties and to a lesser extent by other Asian
countries.
For example the Japanese language uses Chinese characters (kanji) for
writing, but Japanese has no genetic relationship with Chinese.] In the near-
contemporary history since the Meiji period Japan was primarily influenced
by western countries. Repeated influence, absorption and selection in various
ways have added to the development of a distinct and unique culture.
The inhabitants of Japan experienced a long period of relative isolation
from the outside world for over 220 years during the Tokugawa shogunate until
the arrival of the “Black Ships” and the Meiji period. Today, the culture of
Japan stands as one of the leading and most prominent cultures around the world,
mainly due to the global reach of its popular culture.
5
Languages
Japanese is the official and primary language of Japan. Japanese has a
lexically distinct pitch-accent system. Early Japanese is known largely on the
basis of its state in the 8th century, when the three major works of Old
Japanese were compiled. The earliest attestation of the Japanese language is in a
Chinese document from 252 AD. The Japanese language has no genetic
relationship with Chinese. It belongs to a completely different language family
called Japonic languages. However, it makes extensive use of Chinese
characters, or kanji (漢字), in its writings.
Japanese
is
written
with
a
combination
of
three
scripts: hiragana and katakana were derived from the Chinese man’yōgana of the
5th century. Hiragana and katakana were first simplified from Kanji. Hiragana
emerged somewhere around the 9th century. It was mainly used by women in
informal language. Katakana was mainly used by men and for formal language.
By the 10th century it was common and used by everyone. Kanji are Han
characters that were imported from China, because Japan didn’t have a writing
system until it was introduced around 50 AD. It’s mainly used
for nouns, adjective stems, and verb stems. After centuries of development,
there is a notable number of kanji used in modern Japanese which have different
meaning from hanzi used in modern Chinese. Japanese has much less Simplified
Chinese characters and people use less kanji in general.
The Latin alphabet, rōmaji, is also often used in modern Japanese,
especially for company names and logos, advertising, and when inputting
Japanese into a computer. The Hindu-Arabic numerals are generally used for
numbers, but traditional Sino-Japanese numerals are also very common
6
Religion
Shintoism and Buddhism are two major religions in Japan. Shintoism is
an ethnic religion that focuses on ceremonies and rituals. In Shintoism,
followers believe that kami, a Shinto deity or spirit, are present throughout
nature, including rocks, trees, and mountains. Humans can also be considered to
possess a kami. One of the goals of Shintoism is to maintain a connection
between humans, nature, and kami. The religion developed in Japan prior to the
sixth century CE, after which point followers built shrines to worship kami..
Buddhism developed in India around the 6th and 4th centuries BCE and
eventually spread through China and Korea. It arrived in Japan during the 6th
century CE, where it was initially unpopular. Most Japanese people were unable
to understand the difficult philosophical messages present in Buddhism,
however they did have an appreciation for the religion’s art, which is believed to
have led to the religion growing more popular. Buddhism is concerned with the
soul and life after dying. In the religion a person’s status was unimportant, as
every person would get sick, age, die, and eventually be reincarnated into a new
life, a cycle called saṃsāra. The suffering people experienced during life was
one way for people to gain a better future. The ultimate goal was to escape the
cycle of death and rebirth by attaining true insight + T
Literature
Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural
contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese.
Eventually, Japanese literature developed into a separate style in its own right as
Japanese writers began writing their own works about Japan.[citation
needed] Since Japan reopened its ports to Western trading and diplomacy in the
19th century, Western and Eastern literature have strongly affected each other
and continue to do so.
7
Visual arts
Japanese calligraphy
The flowing, brush-drawn Japanese rendering of text itself is seen as a
traditional art form as well as a means of conveying written information. The
written work can consist of phrases, poems, stories, or even single characters.
The style and format of the writing can mimic the subject matter, even to the
point of texture and stroke speed. In some cases, it can take over one hundred
attempts to produce the desired effect of a single character but the process of
creating the work is considered as much an art as the end product itself.This
calligraphy form is known as ‘shodō’ (書道) which literally means ‘the way of
writing or calligraphy’ or more commonly known as ‘shūji’ (習字) ‘learning how
to write characters’. Commonly confused with calligraphy is the art form known
as ‘sumi-e’ (墨絵), literally meaning ‘ink painting’, which is the art of painting a
scene or object.
Japanese painting
Painting has been an art in Japan for a very long time: the brush is a
traditional writing and painting tool, and the extension of that to its use as an
artist’s tool was probably natural. Japanese painters are often categorized by
what they painted, as most of them constrained themselves solely to subjects
such as animals, landscapes, or figures. Chinese papermaking was introduced to
Japan around the 7th century. Later, washi was developed from it. Native
Japanese painting techniques are still in use today, as well as techniques adopted
from continental Asia and from the West. Schools of painting such as the Kano
school of the 16th century became known for their bold brush strokes and
contrast between light and dark, especially after Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa
Ieyasu began to use this style. Famous Japanese painters include Kanō
Sanraku, Maruyama Ōkyo, and Tani Bunchō
8
Traditional clothing
Traditional Japanese clothing distinguishes Japan from all other countries
around the world. The Japanese word kimono means “something one wears” and
they are the traditional garments of Japan. Originally, the word kimono was used
for all types of clothing, but eventually, it came to refer specifically to the full-
length garment also known as the naga-gi, meaning “long-wear”, that is still
worn today on special occasions by women, men, and children. The earliest
kimonos were heavily influenced by traditional Han Chinese clothing, known
today as hanfu (漢服, kanfuku in Japanese), through Japanese embassies to
China which resulted in extensive Chinese culture adoptions by Japan, as early
as the 5th century AD.[14] It was during the 8th century, however, that Chinese
fashions came into style among the Japanese, and the overlapping collar became
particularly women’s fashion.[14] Kimono in this meaning plus all other items of
traditional Japanese clothing is known collectively as wafuku which means
“Japanese clothes” as opposed to yofuku (Western-style clothing). Kimonos
come in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes. Men mainly wear darker or more
muted colors, while women tend to wear brighter colors and pastels, and,
especially for younger women, often with complicated abstract or floral patterns.
The kimono of a woman who is married (tomesode) differs from the
kimono of a woman who is not married (furisode). The tomesode sets itself apart
because the patterns do not go above the waistline. The furisode can be
recognized by its extremely long sleeves spanning anywhere from 39 to
42 inches, it is also the most formal kimono an unwed woman wears. The
furisode advertises that a woman is not only of age but also single. The style of
kimono also changes with the season, in spring kimonos are vibrantly colored
with springtime flowers embroidered on them. In Autumn, kimono colors are
not as bright, with Autumn patterns. Flannel kimonos are most commonly worn
in winter; they are made of a heavier material and are worn mainly to stay warm.
One of the more elegant kimonos is the uchikake, a long silk overgarment worn
9
by the bride in a wedding ceremony. The uchikake is commonly embellished
with birds or flowers using silver and gold thread. Kimonos do not come in
specific sizes as most western dresses do. The sizes are only approximate, and a
special technique is used to fit the dress appropriately.
The obi is a very important part of the kimono. Obi is a decorative sash
that is worn by Japanese men and women, although it can be worn with many
different traditional outfits, it is most commonly worn with the kimono. Most
women wear a very large elaborate obi, while men typically don a more thin and
conservative obi. Most Japanese men only wear the kimono at home or in a very
laid back environment, however it is acceptable for a man to wear the kimono
when he is entertaining guests in his home. For a more formal event a
Japanese man might wear the haori and hakama, a half coat and divided
skirt. The hakama is tied at the waist, over the kimono and ends near the ankle.
Hakama were initially intended for men only, but today it is acceptable for
women to wear them as well. Hakama can be worn with types of kimono,
excluding the summer version, yukata. The lighter and simpler casual-wear
version of kimono often worn in Japanese summer festival is called yukata.
Formal kimonos are typically worn in several layers, with number of layers,
visibility of layers, sleeve length, and choice of pattern dictated by social status,
season, and the occasion for which the kimono is worn. Because of the mass
availability, most Japanese people wear western style clothing in their everyday
life, and kimonos are mostly worn for festivals, and special events. As a result,
most young women in Japan are not able to put the kimono on themselves.
Many older women offer classes to teach these young women how to do the
traditional clothing.
Happi is another type of traditional clothing, but it is not famous
worldwide like the kimono. A happi (or happy coat) is a straight sleeved coat
that is typically imprinted with the family crest, and was a common coat for
firefighters to wear. Japan also has very distinct footwear. Tabi, an ankle high
sock, is often worn with the kimono. Tabi are designed to be worn with geta, a
10
type of thonged footwear. Geta are sandals mounted on wooden blocks held to
the foot by a piece of fabric that slides between the toes. Geta are worn both by
men and women with the kimono or yukata
Architecture
Japanese architecture has a long history as any other aspect of Japanese
culture. Originally it was heavily influenced by Chinese architecture, it has
developed many differences and aspects which are indigenous to Japan.
Examples of traditional architecture are seen at temples, Shinto shrines,
and castles in Kyoto and Nara. Some of these buildings are constructed
with traditional gardens, which are influenced from Zen ideas. Some modern
architects, such as Yoshio Taniguchi and Tadao Ando are known for their
amalgamation of Japanese traditional and Western architectural influences.
Gardens
Garden architecture is as important as building architecture and very
much influenced by the same historical and religious background. A primary
design principle of a garden is the creation of the landscape based on, or at least
greatly influenced by, the three-dimensional monochrome ink (sumi) landscape
painting, sumi-e or suibokuga. In Japan, the garden has the status of artwork.
Sculpture
Traditional Japanese sculptures mainly focused on Buddhist images, such
as Tathagata, Bodhisattva, and Myō-ō. The oldest sculpture in Japan is a
wooden statue of Amitābha at the Zenkō-ji temple. In the Nara period, Buddhist
statues were made by the national government to boost its prestige. These
examples are seen in present-day Nara and Kyoto, most notably a colossal
bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana in the Tōdai-ji temple.
Wood has traditionally been used as the chief material in Japan, along
with traditional Japanese architecture. Statues are often lacquered, gilded, or
brightly painted, although there are little traces on the surfaces. Bronze and other
metals are not used. Other materials, such as stone and pottery, have had
extremely important roles in the plebeian beliefs.
11
Music
The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles
both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 (ongaku),
combining the kanji 音 “on” (sound) with the kanji 楽 “gaku” (enjoyment. Japan
is the second largest music market in the world, behind the United States, and
the largest in Asia, and most of the market is dominated by Japanese
artists.[citation needed]
Local music often appears at karaoke venues, which is on lease from
the record labels. Traditional Japanese music is quite different from Western
Music and is based on the intervals of human breathing rather than mathematical
timing.[citation needed] In 1873, a British traveler claimed that Japanese music,
“exasperate beyond all endurance the European breast.”[18]
Cuisine
Through a long culinary past, the Japanese have developed sophisticated
and refined cuisine. In more recent years, Japanese food has become fashionable
and popular in the United States, Europe, and many other areas. Dishes such
as sushi, tempura, noodles, and teriyaki are some of the foods that are commonly
known. The Japanese diet consists principally of rice; fresh, lean seafood; and
pickled or boiled vegetables. The healthy Japanese diet is often believed to be
related to the longevity of Japanese people.
Popular culture
Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the
present day, but also provides a link to the past. Popular films, television
programs, manga, music, anime and video games all developed from older
artistic and literary traditions, and many of their themes and styles of
presentation can be traced to traditional art forms. Contemporary forms of
popular culture, much like the traditional forms, provide not only entertainment
but also an escape for the contemporary Japanese from the problems of an
industrial world.
12
When asked how they spent their leisure time, 80 percent of a sample of
men and women surveyed by the government in 1986 said they averaged about
two and a half hours per weekday watching television, listening to the radio, and
reading newspapers or magazines. Some 16 percent spent an average of two and
a quarter hours a day engaged in hobbies or amusements. Others spent leisure
time participating in sports, socializing, and personal study. Teenagers and
retired people reported more time spent on all of these activities than did other
groups.
Many anime and manga are very popular around the world and continue
to become popular, as well as Japanese video games, fashion, and game shows.
In the late 1980s, the family was the focus of leisure activities, such as
excursions to parks or shopping districts. Although Japan is often thought of as a
hard-working society with little time for leisure, the Japanese seek entertainment
wherever they can. It is common to see Japanese commuters riding the train to
work, enjoying their favorite manga, or listening through earphones to the latest
in popular music. A wide variety of types of popular entertainment are available.
There is a large selection of music, films, and the products of a huge manga and
anime industry, among other forms of entertainment, from which to choose.
Game centers, bowling alleys, and karaoke are popular hangout places for teens
while older people may play shogi or go in specialized parlors. Together, the
publishing, film/video, music/audio, and game industries in Japan make up the
growing Japanese content industry.
1.2. Vietnamese culture
The culture of Vietnam has undergone changes over the millennia.
According to scholarly sources, the culture of Vietnam originated from Nam
Việt, an ancient kingdom of the Baiyue people in East Asia which shared
characteristics of Han Chinese cultures and the ancient Dong Son Culture,
considered one of the most important progenitors of its indigenous culture,
during the Bronze Age. Nam Việt was annexed by China in 111 BC, leading to
the first Chinese domination of Vietnam lasting over a millennium that
13
propelled
Chinese
influences
onto
Vietnamese
culture
in
terms
of Confucian ideology, governance, and the arts.
Following independence from China in the 10th century, successive
Vietnamese imperial dynasties flourished as the country embarked on
a southward
expansion that
annexed
territories
of
the Champa and Khmer civilizations, which resulted in regional variances of
modern-day Vietnamese culture. During the French colonial period in the mid-
19th century, Vietnamese culture absorbed European influences including
architecture, Catholicism, and the adoption of the Latin alphabet, which created
the new Chữ Quốc ngữ writing system that replaced the previous Chinese
characters and Chữ Nôm scripts.
During the socialist era, Vietnamese culture was characterised by
government-controlled propaganda, which emphasised the importance of
cultural exchanges with fellow communist nations such as the Soviet
Union, China, and Cuba. Following the Đổi Mới reforms, Vietnam has
continuously absorbed various influences from Asian, European, and American
cultures. Part of the East Asian cultural sphere, Vietnamese culture has certain
characteristic features including ancestor veneration and worship, respect for
community and family values, and manual labour religious belief. Important
cultural symbols include dragons, turtles, lotuses, and bamboo.
Kinship
Kinship plays an important role in Vietnam. Unlike Western culture’s
emphasis on individualism, Eastern culture values in the roles of family
and clanship[citation needed]. Comparing with Eastern cultures, Chinese
culture values family over clan while Vietnamese cultural values clan over
family. Each clan has a patriarch, clan altar, and death commemorations
attended by the whole clan.
Most inhabitants are related by blood.[clarification needed] That fact is
still seen in village names such as Đặng Xá (place for the Đặng clan), Châu Xá,
Lê Xá, so on so forth. In the Western highlands the tradition of many families in
14
a clan residing in a longhouse is still popular. In the majority of rural Vietnam
today, one can still see three or four generations living under one roof.
Marriage
Females have always had played a part in warfare in Vietnam, from
ancient times to modern.
The family of a Vietnamese bride line up to welcome her groom at their
betrothal ceremony.
The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important tradition
in Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of Westernization, many of the age-old
customs practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated
by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both Western
and Eastern traditions.
In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at young
ages. Some mountainous places exists “Tao Hon” because one of the couples are
too young to get married just 13 or 14 years old. Marriages called contractual
marriages were generally arranged by the parents and extended family, with the
children having limited make decision on the matter. In modern Vietnam, this
has changed as people freely choose their own marriage partners.
Generally there are two main ceremonies:
Lễ Đám Hỏi (betrothal (engagement ceremony): Some time before the
wedding, the groom and his family visit the bride and her family with round
lacquered boxes known as betrothal presents. The quantity of boxes must be an
odd number. The presents include areca nuts, betel leaves, tea, cake, fruits, wine,
other various delicacies and money. The presents are covered with red paper or
cloth, and they are carried by unmarried girls or boys. Both families agree to
pick a good date for the wedding.
Lễ Cưới (wedding ceremony): On the wedding day, the groom’s family
and relatives go to the bride’s house to ask permission for the groom to marry
and take his bride to his house. Guests would be invited to come and celebrate
the couple’s marriage. The couple pray before the altar asking their ancestors for
15
permission for their marriage, then to express their gratitude to both groom’s and
bride’s parents for raising and protecting them.
Religion and philosophy
Religion in Vietnam has historically been largely defined by a mix
of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, known in Vietnamese as the Tam
Giáo (“triple religion”). Catholicism is also practiced in modern Vietnam.
Ancestor worship is common in Vietnamese culture. Most Vietnamese,
regardless of religious denomination, practice ancestor worship and have an
ancestor altar at their home or business, a testament to the emphasis Vietnamese
culture places on filial piety.
Literature
“Mysterious tales of the Southern Realm” (Vietnamese: Lĩnh Nam chích
quái), dated from Vietnam’s Later Lê dynasty
Vietnamese literature includes two major components: folk literature and
written literature. The two forms developed simultaneously and are profoundly
interrelated.
Vietnamese folk literature came into being very early and had a profound
effect on the spiritual life of the Viet. The folk literature contributed to the
formation of Vietnam’s national identity with praising beauty, humanism, and
the love of goodness. Legends, fairy tales, humorous stories, folk songs, and
epic poems have a tremendous vitality and have lived on until today.
Written literature was born roughly in the 10th century. Up until the 21st
century, there had been two components existing at the same time: works
written in the Han characters (with poems and prose demonstrating the.
Vietnamese soul and realities; thus, they were still regarded as Vietnamese
literature) and works written in the Nom character (mostly poems; many great
works were handed down to the later generations).
Since the 1920s, written literature has been mainly composed in the
National language with profound renovations in form and category such as
novels, new-style poems, short stories and dramas, and with diversity in artistic
16
tendency. Written literature attained speedy development after the August
Revolution, when it was directed by the Vietnamese Communist Party’s
guideline and focused on the people’s fighting and work life.
Modern Vietnamese literature has developed from romanticism to realism,
from heroism in wartime to all aspects of life, and soared into ordinary life to
discover the genuine values of the Vietnamese.
Classical literature generated such masterpieces as Truyen Kieu (Nguyễn
Du), Cung Oán Ngâm Khúc (Nguyễn Gia Thiều), Chinh Phu Ngam (Dang Tran
Con), and Quoc Am Thi Tap (Nguyễn Trãi). Some brilliant female poets are Hồ
Xuân Hương, Doan Thi Diem, and Bà Huyện Thanh Quan.
Poetry
Historically, Vietnamese poetry has a three language tradition. The first
written language was a version of Chinese called Sino-Vietnamese, it was
named this as it was the Chinese language read in a Vietnamese way. This style
of poetry was most prominent until the 13th century. After this, Vietnamese
poetry and literature became the main competitor of Chinese literature and
language. Because of this a new language emerged for poetry called Chu Nom,
this was sanctioned by the government and as the countries primary language.
This was the main language in poetry until the end of the 20th century. This was
then changed by Romanized script translated from the Europeans whilst
invading the country (known as Quoc Ngu). This meant that translated poems
got somewhat lost in translation. All this history means that Vietnam has a
diverse range of cultural poetry throughout history.
Visual arts
Main
articles: Vietnamese
art and List
of
traditional
Vietnamese
handicraft villages
Traditional Vietnamese art is a part of art practiced in Vietnam or by
Vietnamese artists, from ancient times (including the elaborate Đông Sơn
drums) to post-Chinese domination art which was strongly influenced
17
by Chinese Buddhist art, as well as Taoism and Confucianism. The art
of Champa and France also played a smaller role later on.
The Chinese Arts’s influence on Vietnamese art extends into Vietnamese
pottery and ceramics, calligraphy, and traditional architecture. Currently,
Vietnamese lacquer paintings have proven to be quite popular.
Calligraphy
Calligraphy has had a long history in Vietnam, previously using Chinese
characters along with Chữ Nôm. However, most modern Vietnamese calligraphy
instead uses the Roman-character based Quốc Ngữ, which has proven to be very
popular.
In the past, with literacy in the old character-based writing systems of
Vietnam being restricted to scholars and elites, calligraphy nevertheless still
played an important part in Vietnamese life. On special occasions such as
the Lunar New Year, people would go to the village teacher or scholar to make
them a calligraphy hanging (often poetry, folk sayings or even single words).
People who could not read or write also often commissioned at temple shrines.
Silk painting
Silk painting of Trịnh Đình Kiên (1715-1786) in the 18th century,
exhibited in Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts
Vietnamese silk painting is one of the most popular forms of art in
Vietnam, favored for the mystical atmosphere that can be achieved with the
medium. During the 19th and 20th centuries, French influence was absorbed
into Vietnamese art and the liberal and modern use of color especially began to
differentiate Vietnamese silk paintings from their Chinese, Japanese and Korean
counterparts. Vietnamese silk paintings typically showcase the countryside,
landscapes, pagodas, historical events or scenes of daily life.
Woodblock prints
A folk art with a long history in Vietnam, Vietnamese woodblock
prints have reached a level of popularity outside of Vietnam.[13] Organic
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materials are used to make the paint, which is applied to wood and pressed on
paper. The process is repeated with different colors.
Music
A trio of Vietnamese musicians perform together. The man at centre plays
a đàn nhị.
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 opera troupe. Central classical music shows the influences of Champa
culture with its melancholic melodies. Southern music exudes a lively laissez-
faire attitude.
Vietnam has some 50 national music instruments, in which the set of
percussion instruments is the most popular, diverse and long-lasting such as đàn
đáy, đàn tranh, đàn nhị, đàn bầu … The set of blowing instruments is represented
by flutes and pan-pipes, while the set of string instruments is specified by dan
bau and dan day.
Vietnamese folksongs are rich in forms and melodies of regions across the
country, ranging from ngâm thơ (reciting poems), hát ru (lullaby), hò (chanty)
to hát quan họ, trong quan, xoan, dum, ví giặm, ca Huế, bài chòi, ly. Apart from
this, there are also other forms like hát xẩm, chầu văn, and ca trù.
Two of the most widely known genres are:
Imperial Court music: When referring specifically to the “Nhã nhạc”
form it includes court music from the Trần dynasty on to the Nguyễn dynasty. It
is an elaborate form of music which features an extensive array of musicians and
dancers, dressed in extravagant costumes. It was an integral part of the rituals of
the Imperial court.
Ca trù: An ancient form of chamber music which originated in the
imperial court. It gradually came to be associated with a geisha-type of
entertainment where talented female musicians entertained rich and powerful
