Vietnam customs: A glimpse into a culture rich in tradition

As you might already know, Vietnam is a country of rich traditions and variety in many different fields. If you visit Vietnam you will not only be impressed by the beautiful landscapes and the culinary diversity, but also by friendly people. The many different ethnicities and traditions which are present in the modern Vietnam are likely built by their previous dynasties and by the influence of the Chinese rule and the European colonial period. Over thousands and thousands of years, the Vietnamese developed a value system that is based on four tenets. These tenets are family, respect, good name and learning which are all closely interrelated and followed by the Vietnamese people today. To give you a little glimpse on the cultural values and the different customs VIETNAM VISA ONLINE prepared this article for you so that you will have a first impression of the Vietnamese culture and its background.

These Vietnam customs are the foundation of the modern Vietnamese

As said earlier, the Vietnamese value system is based on four different concepts. To understand the Vietnamese culture and their traditions better, we will explain every aspect differentiated so that, in the end of this article, you will have a good understanding of the countries ethical and cultural values.

1. Allegiance to the family: Undoubtedly, the most important factor in the Vietnamese value system is the family. Every family member strives to be successful to become the pride of the family. This, the Vietnamese try to achieve through the virtue of the principle of collective and mutual responsibility. As the family has a high value in the Vietnamese society too, misconduct of a family member is not only blamed on the person himself but also on all the other family members such as the parents, siblings, relatives and even ancestors. Likewise, any fame or success of a family member brings pride and honor to the whole family. A Vietnamese child is raised to take himself back and always think of others first for the sake of the family's welfare. One of the most essential virtue in the Vietnamese culture and its society is the filial piety. Vietnamese children are expected to be grateful to their parents for the debt of birth, rearing and education. A Vietnamese who lacks filial piety is looked down upon, not only by his whole family but also by the community.
2. Concept of "good name": The concept of the "good name" is a highly represented value in Vietnam at that time like today. By achieving a good name, a Vietnamese is admired and respected by his fellow countrymen. This, Vietnamese can acquire through moral virtues, heroic deeds, or intellectual achievements. It is way more important to have a good name than to be rich of material possession. It is believed that a good reputation after death is important not only for the person himself but also for the progeny and the community. Similar to the concept of family, a person with a bad name is disclaimed by his fellow countrymen and becomes a disgrace to his family no matter how high the material possessions are. The most cultivated virtues in Vietnam are honesty, honor, and generosity. That is one reason, the Vietnamese people are known for their friendliness and hospitality towards strangers.
3. Learning: As said in point 2. Concept of "good name", a learned Vietnamese enjoys great prestige in his society. That is why a love of knowledge and learning seems settled to be in a Vietnamese person. A teacher, for instance, has always been respected, not only by his students but also by their parents and other people in the society. In the traditional social system and even nowadays, a scholar is ranked first before any other profession.
4. Concept of respect: The Vietnamese are expected to show respect to any other people around them, especially to the people who are senior to them in age, status, or position. They are also expected to show respect to family members as this is part of the concept of filial piety. Respect is expressed by specific behavior and obedience in words and action and also in the Vietnamese language.

Now you know everything about the Vietnam customs

Since you have learned a lot about the Vietnam cultural values and customs, there is more to explore about Vietnam on our website. For those of you who are interested in learning more about this versatile country, check out our blog for a lot more subjects. If you have any questions about Vietnam or its cultural values do not hesitate to contact us!