Comprehensive Vietnamese Cultural Foundations Study Notes

Foundations of Vietnamese Cultural Geography and Types

• Three Basic Geographical Characteristics of Vietnam: Vietnam's environment is defined as being a hot region ($xứ nóng$), a land of abundant river waters ($sông nước$), and a crossroad for regional interaction/exchange ($ngã tư giao lưu$).
• Formation of Cultural Types: The foundational culture of a region is established through a specific sequence: Environmental geography leads to specific living conditions, which then form the relational patterns of human interaction with nature and society, ultimately manifesting as the characteristics of the "cultural origin type" ($loại hình văn hoá gốc$).
• Characteristics of the Agricultural Cultural Type:
  • Humans aim for harmony and respect toward nature, rather than an ambition to conquer it.
  • Lifestyles are governed by the principle of sentiment and affection ($trọng tình$).
  • Organizational structures are flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances ($linh hoạt, biến báo$).
  • It is contrasted with nomadic or industrial cultures where humans often seek to dominate nature.

Ethno-Cultural Origins and Diversity

• Unity and Diversity: The diversity of the natural environment and the variety of ethnic groups have created a Vietnamese culture that has its own identity in each cultural region but maintains "unity in diversity."
• The Viet (Kinh) People: The Viet (Kinh) ethnic group split from the common Viet-Muong block during the late period of Northern domination, specifically around the $7^{th}$ to $8^{th}$ centuries AD.
• Ancient Inhabitants:
  • The ancient inhabitants of Southeast Asia are identified as the Indonésien.
  • The Bach Viet (Hundred Viet) group belongs to the Austroasiatic ethnic group.
• Western Academic Perspective: Western scholars often refer to the agricultural region of Southeast Asia as the "land of the matriarchy" ($xứ sở mẫu hệ$).

Regional Cultural Characteristics of Vietnam

• Central Highlands (Tây Nguyên):
  • Spiritual cultural highlights include epics ($Khan, K'a mon$), Gong culture ($văn hoá cồng chiêng$), and the Buffalo Stabbing festival ($lễ hội đâm trâu$).
  • Notable architectural features include burial houses ($nhà mồ$).
• Viet Bac (Northeast Mountains):
  • Characterized by the $Lồng tồng$ festival (Going to the Field festival).
  • Provinces within this region include: Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, and Lao Cai.
• Northwest (Tây Bắc):
  • Cultural subject: The Thai people.
  • Distinctive traditional dress features exquisite and sophisticated decorations.
  • Famous for the "Muong-Phai-Lai-Lin" ($Mương-Phai-Lái-Lịn$) irrigation system.
  • The "Love Market" ($Chợ tình$) is a unique community activity found here (and in parts of the Northern region).
• Red River Delta (Bắc Bộ):
  • Considered the "cradle" of Viet history and civilization.
  • Retains indigenous traditions most closely related to the ancient Dong Son culture.
• South (Nam Bộ):
  • Notable for being the region that first approached and led the process of integration with Western culture.
  • Traditional clothing is characterized by the color black.
  • Unlike the closed village structure of the North, Southern villages have an "open" character ($tính mở$).

Cognitive Philosophy: Yin-Yang, Five Elements, and Three Powers

• Cognitive Thinking in Agricultural Culture: Tends toward synthesis and dialectics, prioritizing subjective, emotional, and experience-based perspectives.
• Yin-Yang Philosophy ($Triết lý Âm Dương$):
  • Discusses the nature of transformation in the universe and all things.
  • Identifying Yin or Yang depends on: the object itself, the criteria used for consideration, and a comparison with other objects.
  • Numerical preference: Southern agricultural culture favors odd numbers ($số lẻ$) in its thinking.
  • Traditional symbols: Square ($Âm$) and Circle ($Dương$).
  • Rule of relationship: Reflected in proverbs like "In bad luck, there is good fortune" ($trong cái rủi có cái may$) and "No one is rich for three generations, no one is poor for three generations" ($không ai giàu ba họ, không ai khó ba đời$).
  • Results in a balanced life philosophy ($triết lý sống quân bình$).
• The Five Elements ($Ngũ Hành$):
  • Central Element: Earth ($Thổ$) occupies the center and rules the four directions.
  • Fire ($Hỏa$): Corresponds to the South, Summer, Red, and "pointy" land topography.
  • Water ($Thủy$): Corresponds to the North, Winter, Black, and "winding/sinuous" land topography. It is generated by Metal and generates Wood ($Mộc$). Fire and Water are mutually exclusive (confrontational).
  • Planetary/Human Unity: Vietnamese people believe in the concept of "Heaven, Earth, and all things are one" ($thiên địa vạn vật nhất thể$), viewing humans as miniature universes.
• The Four Sacred Animals ($Tứ Linh$):
  • Dragon ($Long$), Qilin ($Lân$), Tortoise ($Quy$), Phoenix ($Phượng$).
  • The Qilin ($Lân$) symbolizes the aspiration for peace.
• Three Powers ($Tam Tài$): Represented in the legend of Betel and Areca nuts ($Sự tích Trầu cau$).
• Directional Gods:
  • Nam Tào: Guardian of life records, resides in the South, stands to the left of the Jade Emperor.
  • Bắc Đẩu: Guardian of death records, resides in the North.

Timekeeping and Calendars

• Lunar-Solar Calendar ($Lịch Âm Dương$):
  • Days are determined by the moon's cycle; months are determined by the sun's cycle.
  • The hottest day of the year is termed the Summer Solstice ($Hạ chí$).
  • New Moon ($Sóc$) is the $1^{st}$ day, Full Moon ($Vọng$) is the $15^{th}$ day of the lunar month.
  • Leap years: One leap month occurs approximately every $3$ years ($gần 3 năm$). To calculate a leap year in the solar calendar, divide by $19$; if the remainder is one of the following, it is a leap year: $0, 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 17$.
• Can-Chi System:
  • Earthly Branches ($Chi$): $12$ elements: Tí, Sửu, Dần, Mão, Thìn, Tỵ, Ngọ, Mùi, Thân, Dậu, Tuất, Hợi.
  • Negative Stems ($Can Âm$): Combine with branches: Sửu, Mão, Tỵ, Mùi, Dậu, Hợi.
  • The day begins at the hour of $Tí$ (Midnight), when yang energy ($dương khí$) begins to generate.
• Pure Solar Calendar: Originated from Egyptian civilization.

Material Culture: Food, Clothing, and Housing

• Cuisine:
  • Structure: Rice ($Cơm$) - Vegetables ($Rau$) - Fish ($Cá$) - Meat ($Tịt$).
  • Traditional meals are plant-heavy ($thiên về thực vật$).
  • Seafood is the primary source of animal protein ($đứng đầu hàng thức ăn động vật$).
  • Chopsticks ($đôi đũa$) represent flexibility.
  • "Eat while watching the pot, sit while watching the direction" ($ăn trông nồi, ngồi trông hướng$) reflects communal standards ($tính cộng đồng và mực thước$).
  • Betel chewing ($Tục ăn trầu$) embodies the Yin-Yang and Three Powers philosophy.
  • Culinary Yin-Yang: Balancing ingredients (e.g., chicken with lemon leaves, pork with onions/garlic).
• Clothing:
  • Hung Vuong Era: Women often wore skirts ($váy$).
  • Kinh Bac Region: Women wore the crow-beak headscarf ($khăn mỏ quạ$).
• Housing:
  • Stilt houses ($nhà sàn$) were the popular housing style for Dong Son culture inhabitants.

Beliefs and Rituals

• Fertility Beliefs ($Tín ngưỡng phồn thực$):
  • Objects of worship include male/female genitalia or the act of mating.
  • Practiced by agricultural inhabitants to pray for the proliferation of crops and humans.
• Village Tutelary Gods ($Thành Hoàng$):
  • Originated from China. The most important village god, regulating the fate of the village and protecting it.
  • Kings often granted titles of "Phúc Thần" (Prosperity Gods) after collecting their legends (e.g., decree of Le Thanh Tong in $1572$).
  • "Tà thần" (Evil/Malicious Spirits): Persons with bad backgrounds (beggars, thieves) worshipped as village gods because they died at a "sacred hour" and were feared for their power.
• The Four Immortals ($Tứ bất tử$):
  • Tản Viên (Sơn Tinh): Symbolizes unity against harsh nature.
  • Thánh Gióng: Symbolizes the strength to fight foreign invaders.
  • Chử Đồng Tử: Symbolizes the aspiration for material prosperity.
  • Liễu Hạnh: Symbolizes spiritual happiness.
• Ancestor Worship: The most common and representative belief of the Viet people, essentially functioning as a religion.
• Mother Goddess Worship ($Tín ngưỡng thờ Mẫu$):
  • Reflects the "Mother Principle" rooted in matriarchy.
  • Includes rituals like Chầu văn, Múa bóng, and Lên đồng.
  • UNESCO Recognition: The belief in Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms ($thờ Mẫu Tam Phủ$) was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage on $1/12/2016$.
• Funeral Rites:
  • $Mộc dục$: Washing the body.
  • $Phạn hàm$: Placing money and a pinch of sticky rice in the mouth of the deceased.
  • $Tiểu tường$: The first anniversary of death ($Giỗ đầu$).
  • Red or yellow headscarves for great-grandchildren signify celebration of longevity.
  • Placing rice, eggs, and chopsticks on the grave: Wishing for a quick reincarnation.
• Marriage Customs:
  • Primary concern: Interests of the clan.
  • Legal recognition: Paying the "wedding fee" ($nộp tiền cheo$) to the village.
  • Rituals: Pound the mortar to welcome the bride ($giã cối đón dâu$) to pray for many children; drinking wine and eating sticky rice together at the "Hợp cẩn" ceremony for bonding.

Rural and Urban Social Organization

• Village Components:
  • Physical symbols: Bamboo hedges ($lũy tre$) represent autonomy. Village gates are called $Nghi môn$.
  • Laws: $Hương ước$ (village conventions) acts as a local legal code.
• Hierarchical Structure:
  • Nine generations ($Cửu tộc$): Kỵ, Cụ, Ông, Cha, Tôi, Con, Cháu, Chắt, Chít.
  • Organizational principles: Lineage (Hereditary), Interest groups ($Hội$), and Rank/Seniority ($Tôn ty$).
  • Inhabitants: Residents split into "Chính cư" (Original residents) and "Ngụ cư" (Migrant residents). To become $Chính cư$, one must live in the village for at least $3$ generations and own property.
• Social Consequences:
  • Positive: Solidarity, collective harmony, democracy.
  • Negative: Suppression of the individual, dependence, jealousy.
• Urban Centers:
  • Formed as either administrative capitals or trade centers (e.g., Hoi An, Pho Hien).
  • Vietnamese cities were often state-established for administrative functions, unlike the spontaneous commercial nature of Western cities.

Religion and Education in Traditional Vietnam

• Buddhism ($Phật giáo$):
  • First brought by Khâu Đà La. Early center was in Bac Ninh.
  • The Three Jewels ($Tam bảo$): Buddha ($Phật$), Dharma ($Pháp$), Sangha ($Tăng$).
  • Sects: Zen ($Thiền Tông$), Pure Land ($Tịnh Độ tông$ - relies on external power/Amitabha), Tantra ($Mật tông$ - mystical practices).
  • Trúc Lâm Zen: Founded by Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa, and Huyen Quang.
• Confucianism ($Nho giáo$):
  • Founded by Duke of Zhou and Confucius. Established as the state ideology in China by Emperor Wu of Han.
  • Reached peak in Vietnam with the first national exams and the building of the Temple of Literature ($Văn Miếu$) in $1070$.
  • Five Relationships ($Ngũ luân$): Ruler-Subject, Father-Son, Husband-Wife, Elder-Younger Brother, Friend-Friend.
  • Goal: To create the "Superior Man" ($Quân tử$) through Self-cultivation, Family management, Governance, and Universal peace.
• Taoism ($Đạo giáo$):
  • Founded by Lao Tzu. Worships the Jade Emperor and Thai Thuong Lao Quan in temples called $Đạo quán$.
• Christianity ($Thiên Chúa giáo$):
  • Introduced through trade and religion. Left a major legacy: the Latin-based script ($Chữ quốc ngữ$).
  • Heavily restricted during the reign of Emperor Minh Mang.
• Educational Exams:
  • Three stages ($Tam khoa$): Thi Hương (Regional), Thi Hội (National), Thi Đình (Royal Palace).
  • Laureates of all three: $Tam Nguyên$. Laureate of Thi Hương: $Giải nguyên$.
  • Famous scholars: Nguyễn Hiền (youngest), Mạc Đĩnh Chi and Nguyễn Trực (Laureates of two countries).

Chăm Culture

• Social Structure: Matriarchal ($mẫu hệ$).
• Religion: Influenced by Brahmanism and Hinduism (India). Main deity: Shiva (highest), Brahma.
• Architecture: Unique brick-laying techniques. Temples ($tháp$) typically have only one door facing East ($hướng Đông$).

National Cultural Policy (Modern Era)

• Resolution 5 (8th Congress, Party Central Committee): Focuses on building an "advanced culture rich in national identity."
• Three Principles: Nationalization ($dân tộc hóa$), Scientification ($khoa học hóa$), and Massification ($đại chúng hóa$).
• Goal: To perfect the human personality and the cultural environment of Vietnam.