Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Vietnam is slowly yet steadily emerging as an international city of South East Asia and
is now seen as a tourist destination for many westerners and Asians as well. Vietnam is
not only gaining momentum in terms of infrastructural development but also growth in
areas like medical care, property, tourism, education, technology and entertainment.
With popular cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City running the race of
industrialization, Vietnam has become a favorite of many who have planned their
retirement.
The Lifestyle
The lifestyle of the people living in Vietnam is strongly influenced by its culture and beliefs.
Thus depending upon the culture and religion observed by people residing in different areas,
the lifestyle too many vary from place to place. With the growth in modernity and
westernization, the young are very slowly transforming the everyday lifestyle and this has led
to a certain divide between generations. But inspite of this change, some aspects of life
continue to remain unchanged and unperturbed.
Vietnamese people give a lot of importance to family ties and it is not uncommon to see
people living in extended families which are well knit together. Since both male and female
members of the family are working in most families, it is the parents of the couples who look
after their babies. Traditionally, the father of the family is considered the head and is
responsible for providing for food and shelter.
Throughout Vietnam, the lifestyle followed by people has a strong influence of the old-age
Confucian values and virtues. This value system demands everybody to pay respect to people
senior to them in age and standard. Some virtues of this system are trustworthiness,
benevolence, respect, dedication and duty. Thus the way people live in general is a result of
these values and moral system.
The lifestyle of people living in urban areas of big cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi is
different from that of people living in rural areas of villages etc. Life in the city is often
modern and complicated. City life is busy and most adults are working. The lifestyle is
competitive and the daily routine consists of work till the evenings and then spending time
with family or friends at night. Most of the inhabitants in the city work at many different
positions like secretaries, doctors, teachers, government workers factory workers and street
vendors etc. The cost of living in the urban areas is more than that in the countryside.
Because of this reason, people tend to work hard to make ends meet. People live in plush
apartments, mansions and big houses. They use many modern day amenities like internet,
mobile phones, cars, bikes, television and satellite connection etc. In the evenings, many
youngsters head to the nightclubs and restaurants for a nice time. These youngsters are seen
wearing modern and western clothes and this is an impact of westernization in Vietnam.
Lifestyle in the Countryside
80% of the Vietnamese population lives in rural areas and villages which are scattered
throughout the lowlands areas and along the coastal line. In these areas, the way people live
on a daily basis is in strong contrast to the life in urban areas and larger cities. People work in
groups and take up jobs as farmers and fishermen. Everybody is helpful to one another and is
involved in a variety of activities such as raising livestock, making handicrafts and farming
etc.
People in the countryside of Vietnam live in small groups or communities and are generally
religious people who worship in temples. These individuals give a lot of importance to the
Confucian system of values and celebrate all festivals with extreme faith. Along the coastal
line, fishermen are very dependent upon the sea as it is their only means of livelihood. These
fishermen are thus very hardworking and worship their work.
Those people residing in central highlands or northern mountains live by growing a number
of things like rice, coffee, rubber trees and tea etc. They also hunt to earn a livelihood. But
the slow industrialization of the country is changing the lifestyle of these people by a very
slow rate. Due to this, many farmers have taken up jobs in industries and even moved to
cities in search of better jobs.
http://www.presscenter.org.vn/lifestyle-in-vietnam_t221c1142n57024tn.aspx
CLOTHING
Vietnamese native clothing is very bright, natural and modest. Traditional attire is made of
natural fabrics like cotton, silk, and hemp. It is woven, often hand-woven. Such fabric is very
good for a tropical Vietnamese climate. It helps to cope with heat and humidity.
Color is also very important for Vietnamese people. Traditionally men used to wear clothes
of exact color according to the status. For example, yellow color was for kings; brown and
black – for civilian men; red – for high grade mandarins; green and blue – for lower grade
mandarins. Today such color gradation is not actual for men any more. Every person may
wear outfits of any color.
But mostly women still use color gradation, especially in big cities. White color is for young
girls, pastel colors are for young unmarried women, married women use brightly-colored
tunic over white or black trousers.
Men's national clothing
Traditionally men wear brown garment (something like a men's tunic or pajama), turban or
conical hat, and wooden shoes or sandals. Formal dress consists of a white and black
combination.
The early traditional men's costume in Vietnam wasn't very bright. It consisted of white
trousers, a brown top, a scarf and shoes (sandals or wooden clogs). The official clothing
consisted of long velvet or cotton dress and a turban. Official costume often was black&white.
http://nationalclothing.org/22-nationalclothing/asia/vietnam/19-national-clothing-in-vietnam-
ao-dai,-conical-hats-and-wooden-clogs.html