DOCSLIB.ORG

HOLIDAYS and TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS in VIETNAM 28 September, 2016 | 17509 Hits I

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
HOLIDAYS and TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS in VIETNAM 28 September, 2016 | 17509 Hits I HOLIDAYS AND TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS IN VIETNAM 28 September, 2016 | 17509 Hits I. PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 1. New Year’s Day – January 01st Although most of the festivals, anniversaries and traditional cultural events of Vietnam are in accordance with its lunar calendar, nowadays, the Christian calendar is widely used throughout the country. Annually, joining in the modern celebrations of the world, Vietnam also celebrates the International New Year Day on the first day in the Western Calendar - January 1st. 2. Tet Holiday or Lunar New Year Lunar New Year Festival often falls between late January and early February; it is among the most important holidays in Vietnam. Officially, the festival includes the 1st, 2nd and 3rd day in the Lunar Calendar; however, Vietnamese people often spend nearly a month celebrating this special event. Since Tet occupies an important role in Vietnam’s religious beliefs, Vietnamese will begin their preparations well in advance of the upcoming New Year. In an effort to get rid of the bad luck of the old year, people will spend a few days cleaning their homes, polishing every utensil, or even repaint and decorate the house with kumquat tree, branches of peach blossom, and many other colorful flowers. The ancestral altar is especially taken care of, with careful decoration of five kinds of fruits and votive papers, along with many religious rituals. Everybody, especially children, buy new clothes and shoes to wear on the first days of the New Year. People also try to pay all their pending debts and resolve all the arguments among colleagues, friends or members of family. Vietnamese believe that the colors of red and yellow will bring good fortune, which may explain why these colors can be seen everywhere in Lunar New Year. People consider what they do on the dawn of Tet will determine their fate for the whole year, hence people always smile and behave as nice as they can in the hope for a better year. Gifts are exchanged between family members and friends and relatives, while children receive lucky money kept in red envelopes. No matter where Tet is celebrated, it must be clarified from the beginning that Tet is not a day, but several days of celebration. 3. Hung Kings Commemoration Day - 10th day of Third Lunar month This is to honour the Hung Kings. According to historical records and Vietnamese traditions, the Hung Kings were the founders of Vietnam. Hung Kings Commemoration Day is oriented around the themes of filial piety, ancestor worship, and patriotism. While this holiday is observed over the course of several days, the most important celebrations occur on the 10th day of the third lunar month. For many people, Hung Kings Commemoration Day is a joyous occasion that is centered around traditional Vietnamese culture and values. 4. Reunification Day – April 30th In the history of Vietnam, April 30th, 1975 is the day that marks the fall of the Saigon government, ending the Vietnam War and leading to the liberation of Vietnam's southern part. Like a major holiday in any city, there will be some changes to the usual day-to- day operation of Ho Chi Minh city. If you’re in town for the holiday, you’ll notice that every house flies a Vietnamese flag; the patriotism extends into the streets, with lights and flags decorating the entire city. An early morning street parade may close some of the city streets, and at the least expect the streets to be full of people on holiday. 5. International Labor Day – May 01st Together with more than 80 countries all over the world, the International Workers' Day, as known as International Labor Day or May Day in Vietnam, is a public holiday of the nation. It is celebrated on the first day of May, right after the Reunification Day; as a result, the two holidays are normally joined together into one break. 6. National Day – September 02nd To any country, Independence Day is an important historical, political or cultural event associated with its current status. In most nations, this holiday originally leads to the birth of the country. In Vietnam, National Day is celebrated on the 2nd of September. If the holiday falls on a weekend, the following Monday may be observed as a public holiday. National Day marks Vietnam's declaration of independence from France. To celebrate Vietnam's national day, there are speeches, parades, fireworks, and other festivities across the country, with a large march in Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, where the declaration of Independence was made. This is a very patriotic holiday with the national flag of Vietnam displayed everywhere and large posters of Ho Chi Minh ('Uncle Ho') adorning city walls.. II. TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS IN VIETNAM: 1. Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival The spring festival of Bai Dinh Pagoda takes place since the first day of New Year, officially starts on the 6th day and lasts till the end of the third lunar month. This festival is the perfect start for pilgrimages towards the imperial capital Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh province. In the festival days, there is a warm-heartedness of the young, the respect of the elderly and the joyfulness of the visitors and Buddhist follower. The groups of people go along the hillsides in crowds. All the people are happy and excited. 2. Huong Pagoda Festival Together with Bai Dinh and Yen Tu Pagoda Festival, Huong Pagoda Festival is among the greatest Buddhist festivals in the northern part of Vietnam. Huong Pagoda Festival plays an important role in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people in general and Vietnamese Buddhists in particular. Unlike many other festivals, the Huong Pagoda Festival does not center around traditional games, but rather romantic trips to caves, pagodas and temples and participation in ceremonies to beseech favors from Lord Buddha. In order to warm up the festival’s lively ambience in the chilly weather, the traditional songs and dances take place before and after the ceremony. Visitors attending Huong pagoda festival usually make some wishes and when they are worshipping Buddha’s in the pagoda, they pray for their wishes to come true. In addition, cultural activities and sporting contests are also held on the occasion of Huong Pagoda Festival: boat racing, climbing, folk song singing, etc. These festive activities take place throughout the festival. 3. Co Loa Citadel Festival During the very old days of the country, under the government of King An Duong Vuong (Thuc Phan), Vietnam was called Au Lac. The King decided to build Co Loa (located at Dong Anh District, Hanoi at present time) as the country's royal palace. To commemorate the event when An Duong Vuong started moving into the citadel, residents of 12 hamlets belonging to Co Loa as well as 7 other communes around the region held Co Loa Citadel Festival within a 10 day period—from the 6th to 16th day of the first Lunar month. On the 5th day, in the afternoon, all of the eight communes hold a ceremony with incense offerings at the communal house. Meanwhile, at An Duong Vuong Temple, the same ritual is held by the most respected elders among 8 communes, with revision of An Duong Vuong’s accomplishments and merits. On the next day—the official festival day—a procession in which the funeral oration, incense burner and stone tablet are taken from the elder’s house to Upper Temple is carried out. This settlement will be positioned in front of the two altars later on. 4. Lim Festival About twenty kilometers away from Hanoi, Lim Village of Bac Ninh province is the "hometown" of Quan Ho folk songs, one of Vietnam's intangible cultural heritages. In order to enhance and promote the tradition of Quan Ho singing, Lim Festival is eagerly celebrated among local residents as well as pilgrims from every part of the country around the 12th or the 13th day of the first Lunar month. Each year, thousands of tourists come to visit Lim Festival and enjoy that Intangible Cultural Heritage. On Lim Hill, several stages of villages in Bac Ninh Province are built. Visitors can enjoy “quan ho” singing at difference stages and interact with singers in traditional costumes. 5. Death Anniversary of the Hung Kings As Vietnamese people always show deep gratitude towards their origins and ancestors, every year, the Death anniversary of the Hung Kings-also known as Hung King Temple Festival-is celebrated on the tenth day of the third Lunar month. Every year, a large number of visitors from all over the country participate in a national festival - Hung King Temple Festival - an incense offering ceremony in honor of Hung Kings, who were instrumental in the founding of the nation. The worship ritual originates from ancestor worship rituals in Vietnamese families and has become a significant cultural festival for the people. It helps to link the past and the present and foster strong sentiments of Vietnamese people for their families and country. The ritual is significant in the mind of Vietnamese people as it confirms that they have the same father and mother. The origin reminds Vietnamese to always unite, love and protect each other. 6. Vu Lan Festival Some people call it Vu Lan or Vietnamese Mother's Day, others call it Trung Nguyen as it is the day for lost souls to be in the search of mercy-the festival has it all. Under any disguises, this festival takes place on the 15th day of the seventh month in Lunar Calendar. In Vietnamese, it is so-called "Xa toi vong nhan" festival because this is the day for the death's souls.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Anniversary Journalism and the Public Commemoration of the End of the War in Vietnam
    Global Media Journal German Edition Vol. 6, No. 2, Autumn/Winter 2016 URN:nbn:de:gbv:547-201600631 “New Wine in an Old Bottle”? – Anniversary Journalism and the Public Commemoration of the End of the War in Vietnam Christina Sanko Abstract: April 30th, 2015 marked the 40th anniversary of the end of the war in Vietnam. This article discusses the role of Vietnamese journalism in the coverage of this commemorative date as well as the history and events it is linked with. It addresses the question of how coming to terms with the past plays out in the journalistic field of an increasingly globally connected and economi- cally continuously growing Vietnam. By means of qualitative content analysis and expert interviews with Vietnamese media professionals the paper characterizes the nature of anniversary journalism on this particular event and elaborates on its meaning for the construction of cultural memory in Vietnam. In that context, it also touches upon transnational relations with and controversies of re- membrance in Vietnamese diasporic communities. The study found that anniversary journalism in Vietnam goes beyond the mere coverage of a single commemorated day along state ideological lines and constitutes part of a larger context of cultural memory in Vietnam and the diaspora. It is itself subject to change over time and of tensions between state, economic, professional and personal interests in a vastly changing, but still state-controlled media environment. Such tensions can re- sult in ambiguities, vagueness and the coexistence of a variety of narratives in the reporting. De- spite slight liberation tendencies, however, anniversary journalism on the contentious meaning of April 30th does not represent a transnational forum for negotiating the past in Vietnam and its di- aspora.
    [Show full text]
  • An Oral History of the South Vietnamese Civilian Experience in the Vietnam War Leann Do the College of Wooster
    The College of Wooster Libraries Open Works Senior Independent Study Theses 2012 Surviving War, Surviving Memory: An Oral History of the South Vietnamese Civilian Experience in the Vietnam War Leann Do The College of Wooster Follow this and additional works at: https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy Part of the Oral History Commons, and the Social History Commons Recommended Citation Do, Leann, "Surviving War, Surviving Memory: An Oral History of the South Vietnamese Civilian Experience in the Vietnam War" (2012). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 3826. https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/3826 This Senior Independent Study Thesis Exemplar is brought to you by Open Works, a service of The oC llege of Wooster Libraries. It has been accepted for inclusion in Senior Independent Study Theses by an authorized administrator of Open Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. © Copyright 2012 Leann Do The College of Wooster Surviving War, Surviving Memory: An Oral History of the South Vietnamese Civilian Experience in the Vietnam War by Leann A. Do Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of Senior Independent Study Supervised by Dr. Madonna Hettinger Department of History Spring 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ii List of Figures iv Timeline v Maps vii Chapter One: Introduction 1 The Two Vietnams Chapter Two: Historiography of the Vietnam War 5 in American Scholarship Chapter Three: Theory and Methodology 15 of Oral History Chapter Four: “I’m an Ordinary Person” 30 A Husband and
    [Show full text]
  • The Vietnam War, As Seen by the Victors How the North Vietnamese Remember the Conflict 40 Years After the Fall of Saigon
    8/5/2015 How the North Vietnamese Remember the Vietnam War, 40 Years After the Fall of Saigon ­ The Atlantic G L O B A L The Vietnam War, as Seen by the Victors How the North Vietnamese remember the conflict 40 years after the fall of Saigon Soldiers convene in the jungle along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in this wartime sketch by Nguyen Minh Dinh, the late father of Vietnam National University professor Nguyen Dai Co Viet. Courtesy of Nguyen Dai Co Viet E L I S A B E T H R O S E N A P R 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 HANOI, VIETNAM—Forty years ago, on April 30, 1975, Nguyen Dang Phat experienced the happiest day of his life. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/04/the­vietnam­war­as­seen­by­the­north­vietnamese/390627/ 1/10 8/5/2015 How the North Vietnamese Remember the Vietnam War, 40 Years After the Fall of Saigon ­ The Atlantic That morning, as communist troops swept into the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon and forced the U.S.-backed government to surrender, the North Vietnamese Army soldier marked the end of the war along with a crowd of people in Hanoi. The city was about to become the capital of a unified Vietnam. “All the roads were flooded by people holding flags,” Nguyen, now 65, told me recently. “There were no bombs or airplane sounds or screaming. The happy moment was indescribable.” The event, known in the United States as the fall of Saigon and conjuring images of panicked Vietnamese trying to crowd onto helicopters to be evacuated, is celebrated as Reunification Day here in Hanoi.
    [Show full text]
  • Vietnam Declares Independence from France
    Vietnam Declares Independence From France Darcy externalize off-key while bonkers Siffre bedaub kitty-cornered or tethers baptismally. Sandy Scottie sometimes chuckled his reticules toppingly and cockneyfying so creepily! Gerry still pegs exaggeratedly while ill-starred Jacques scumbling that crepe. It independence from france relinquished any pressure from chancellor and independent country was stated his declaration. Ly Nam De becomes the song emperor of Vietnam. A brief cleanse of Vietnam Bamboo Travel. But prosperity did not come with peace. You hear me frankly about peace advocates lobbied intensely human rights organizations differed over vietnam to a profound influence in moratorium and south vietnam was joined forces. Nlf supporters continued existence. That to vietnam declares independence from france attempting to keep sending signals of them from this allegation provided almost untouched in name of local languages of. Vietnamhtml. South Koreans and Thais, whose deployment under the SEATO Treaty was neat for tell the United States. Before the cookie settings change please take effect, Safari must restart. Sept 2 1945 Vietnam Declared Independence from France. The US Declaration of Independence and the French Revolution's Declaration of. The Viet Cong formed both regular army and guerilla units and were supplied via the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Within a vietnam from france declaring that we will to independence had stood for export to. French domination for cover than eighty years, a people usually have fought side buy side beneath the Allies against the fascists during and last years, such efficient people god be widow and independent. President Truman, seeing how First Indochina War view a knee against the similar of communism, called for increased military handbook to French Indochina.
    [Show full text]
  • Vietnam Expat Guide.Pdf
    VIETNAM An everyday guide to expatriate life and work. GERMANY COUNTRY GUIDE Contents Overview 2 Employment Quick Facts 1 The job market 7 Income tax 7 Getting Started Retirement 7 Climate and weather 3 Business etiquette 7 Visas 3 Accommodation 3 Finance Schools 3 Currency 7 Banking 8 Culture Language 3 Cost of living 7 Social etiquette 5 Health Eating 5 Private medical insurance 8 Drinking 6 Emergencies 8 Holidays 6 Pharmacies 8 Health Risks 8 Getting In Touch Telephone 6 Internet 6 Postal services 6 Quick facts1 Capital: Hanoi Population: 92 million Major language: Vietnamese Major religions: Vietnamese folklore and Buddhism Currency: Vietnamese đong Time zone: GMT +7 Emergency number: 113, 114 and 115 Electricity: 220 volts, 50Hz. Flat two-pin plugs and round two-pin plugs are both used. Drive on the: Right 1 http://www.expatarrivals.com/vietnam/essential-info-for-vietnam Overview AVietnam is an exotic and enticing destination, and is becoming increasingly popular with expats. Its fast-paced and exhilarating cities contrast with the untouched interior, where lush mountains meet thousands of miles of tropical beaches. With friendly locals, good weather and low costs, Vietnam can provide expats with a wonderful quality of life. Finding a place to stay is easy enough, from luxury apartment blocks in city centers to townhouses in the quieter suburbs. The country is also incredibly family friendly, with plenty of international schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Modern and progressive, these cities are vibrant hives of activity, replete with delicious street foods, chaotic traffic, loads of bars and a thriving café scene.
    [Show full text]
  • Useful Information for Trips to Vietnam
    USEFUL INFORMATION FOR TRIPS TO VIETNAM 2/27/17 www.exotravel.com/trade 1 AIRLINES International: See below under Arrival in Vietnam. Domestic: 3 domestic airlines are currently operating in Vietnam: Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar-Pacific Airlines and Viet Jet Air. The last 2 are low-cost carriers (LCC). All airlines are using a mixture of Boeing and Airbus planes and Vietnamese as well as foreign pilots. Exo Travel uses Vietnam Airlines as first choice. AIRPORT TAX There is a departure tax on all international flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City but this tax is already included in the price of your all airplane tickets. ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM BY AIR Consult your local travel agent for routings, fares and availability on flights to Vietnam. Discount websites and flight search engines may offer some good deals. Major airlines flying to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi include: Vietnam Airlines, Air France, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, China Air, Hong Kong Air, Cebu Pacific, Emirates, Etihad and many more. Major airlines flying to Danang International Airport include Silk Air, Air Asia and Dragon Air. Nha Trang’s Cam Ranh Airport and Phu Quoc are now International airports used for some long-haul charter flights. BY LAND Vietnam shares a border with China in the north (three border crossings), Laos in the west (five border crossings) and Cambodia in the south-west (three border crossings). From China: Trains from Beijing to Hanoi pass by Nanning and Pinxiang in China and enter Vietnam at Dong Dang (north of Lang Son).
    [Show full text]
  • Greeting Spring While Dreaming About Summer in Vietnam Spring Quite Literally Arrives with a Bang
    Greeting Spring While Dreaming About Summer In Vietnam Spring quite literally arrives with a bang. During Tết dragons and lions dance and jump to a rhythmic drum beat as a way to celebrate the arrival of Spring. In addition, Spring includes some important holidays, both religious and governmental in Vietnam. After Buddhism, Catholicism is the second largest religion in Vietnam. Every Spring Christians begin the season with their Easter celebrations. Some of the famous churches in Ho Chi Minh City, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, Huyen Sy and Than Dinh Churches, overflow with both Vietnamese and expat churchgoers for Easter Mass. International residents often celebrate the holiday with the preparation of Easter baskets, egg hunts and Easter brunches as well. The month of April has added significance in Vietnam because of two important public holidays. The first, on April 25th, is a celebration of the Hung Kings Commemoration day. The Hung Kings reigned over the Red River Valley during the Bronze Age and officially founded the sovereign country of Vietnam. This holiday is primarily a private affair. People typically use the day to worship their ancestors and spend time with family. However, the celebration also includes a procession that takes place at Nghia Linh Mountain near Viet Tri City (North of Vietnam). This is the area where the first Hung King founded Vietnam. People honor the King by bringing offerings to the High Temple, which is at the summit of the mountain. Participants in the procession wear brightly colored costumes and carry colorful banners. Children and young people, in particular, enjoy the spectacle and learning about national history.
    [Show full text]
  • Vietnam Business Guide
    HELPING YOUR BUSINESS GROW INTERNATIONALLY Vietnam Business Guide 1 This guide was produced by the UK Trade & Investment Vietnam Markets Unit in collaboration with the British Posts in Vietnam, international trade teams and the British Business Group Vietnam. Disclaimer Whereas every effort has been made to ensure that the information given in this document is accurate, neither UK Trade & Investment nor its parent Departments (the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) accept liability for any errors, omissions or misleading statements, and no warranty is given or responsibility accepted as to the standing of any individual, firm, company or other organisation mentioned. 2 Front cover image: Ho Chi Minh City CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Why Vietnam? 4 About this Business Guide 13 RESEARCHING THE MARKET Where to begin 14 How we can help you 17 MARKET ENTRY Choosing the right location 21 Establishing a presence 24 GETTING STARTED Finding a customer or partner 31 Due diligence 32 Employing staff 33 Language 37 Marketing 38 Day-to-day communications 41 Interpreters 42 BUSINESS ISSUES AND Business etiquette 45 CONSIDERATIONS Intellectual property rights (IPR) 47 The Vietnamese legal system 48 Procurement 49 Regulations and standards 50 Getting paid and financial issues 56 Insurance 58 Management control and quality assurance 59 Bribery and corruption 60 Getting to Vietnam 61 VIETNAMESE CULTURE Politics 63 Current economic situation 64 Religion 65 Challenges 67 UK SUCCESS STORIES 68 CONTACTS 69 3 INTRODUCTION WHY VIETNAM? Vietnam has one of the fastest-growing, most vibrant economies in Asia. Over the past ten years, economic growth has been second only to China and GDP has been doubling every ten years since 1986.
    [Show full text]
  • Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963)
    Contested Identities: Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963) By Nu-Anh Tran A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Peter Zinoman, Chair Professor Penny Edwards Professor Kerwin Klein Spring 2013 Contested Identities: Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963) Copyrighted 2013 by Nu-Anh Tran Abstract Contested Identities: Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963) by Nu-Anh Tran Doctor of Philosophy in History University of California, Berkeley Professor Peter Zinoman, Chair This dissertation presents the first full-length study of anticommunist nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, 1954-1975, or South Vietnam). Specifically, it focuses on state nationalism during the rule of Ngô Đình Diệm (1954-1963). Conventional research depicts the Vietnam War (1954-1975) as a conflict between foreign intervention and indigenous nationalism, but this interpretation conflates Vietnamese communism with Vietnamese nationalism and dismisses the possibility of nationalism in the southern Republic. Using archival and published sources from the RVN, this study demonstrates that the southern regime possessed a dynamic nationalist culture and argues that the war was part of a much longer struggle between communist and anticommunist nationalists. To emphasize the plural and factional character of nationalism in partitioned Vietnam, the study proposes the concept of contested nationalism as an alternative framework for understanding the war. The dissertation examines four elements of nationalism in the Republic: anticommunism, anticolonialism, antifeudalism, and Vietnamese ethnic identity. The first chapter argues that the government and northern émigré intellectuals established anticommunism as the central tenet of Republican nationalism during the Denounce the Communists Campaign, launched in 1955.
    [Show full text]
  • UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Contested Identities: Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963) Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4407j6sj Author Tran, Nu-Anh Publication Date 2013 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Contested Identities: Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963) By Nu-Anh Tran A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Peter Zinoman, Chair Professor Penny Edwards Professor Kerwin Klein Spring 2013 Contested Identities: Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963) Copyrighted 2013 by Nu-Anh Tran Abstract Contested Identities: Nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (1954-1963) by Nu-Anh Tran Doctor of Philosophy in History University of California, Berkeley Professor Peter Zinoman, Chair This dissertation presents the first full-length study of anticommunist nationalism in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, 1954-1975, or South Vietnam). Specifically, it focuses on state nationalism during the rule of Ngô Đình Diệm (1954-1963). Conventional research depicts the Vietnam War (1954-1975) as a conflict between foreign intervention and indigenous nationalism, but this interpretation conflates Vietnamese communism with Vietnamese nationalism and dismisses the possibility of nationalism in the southern Republic. Using archival and published sources from the RVN, this study demonstrates that the southern regime possessed a dynamic nationalist culture and argues that the war was part of a much longer struggle between communist and anticommunist nationalists. To emphasize the plural and factional character of nationalism in partitioned Vietnam, the study proposes the concept of contested nationalism as an alternative framework for understanding the war.
    [Show full text]
  • VIETNAM Country Profile
    Info4Migrants VIETNAM Country profile Project number: UK/13/LLP-LdV/TOI-615 1 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM 332,210 km2 POPULATION 92,477 mln GDP per capita $1,910 CURRENCY Dong (VND) Language VIETNAMESE 2 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM COUNTRY BACKGROUND CHINA VIETNAM Hanoi LAOS THAILAND CAMBODIA Official name: the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Location: South-Eastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia National Flag Capital: Hanoi Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March), subtropical climate in northern Vietnam with distinct 4 seasons. Ethnic Make-up: 54 ethnic groups. Kinh (86.2%), Tay (1.9%), Thai (1.7%), Khmer, Hoa (Chinese), Hmong, Cham, and other minor groups. National emblem Religions: Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs and Mus- lim. 3 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileVIETNAM VIETNAM FACTS Capital Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital and second largest city (af- ter Ho Chi Minh City). Hanoi has been a major political city in Vietnam since it was established in 1010, and served as the capital of French Indochina and North Vietnam. Language Vietnamese is a tonal language that can be compared to Cambodia’s official language, Khmer. With each syllable, there are six different tones that can be used, which change the meaning. This often makes it difficult for foreigners to pick up the language. There are other languages spoken as well, for example Chinese, Khmer, Cham and tribal languages spoken by tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions.
    [Show full text]
  • Vietnamese Cultural Orientation
    VIETNAMESE Vietnam, one of the largest rice-growing regions of the world Flickr / ttjabeljan DLIFLC DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER CULTURAL ORIENTATION | Vietnamese Profile Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6 Geographic Divisions .................................................................................................. 7 Northern Highlands .............................................................................................8 Red River Valley ..................................................................................................8 Central Coast Lowlands .....................................................................................9 Central Highlands ................................................................................................9 Mekong Delta .....................................................................................................10 Climate ..........................................................................................................................12 Bodies of Water ...........................................................................................................12 Mekong River ..................................................................................................... 12 Red River ............................................................................................................ 13 Huong River .......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]