Culture Orientation Courses

Vietnamese culture is nearly 4,000 years old and developed alongside Chinese culture, with its own unique traits. It originated from the ancient Nam Viet kingdom, influenced by both Han Chinese and the indigenous Đông Sơn Culture. Over a thousand years of Chinese rule brought Confucian philosophy and arts.

After independence in the 10th century, Vietnamese dynasties expanded south, blending with Champa and Khmer cultures. French colonization introduced European architecture, Catholicism, and the Latin alphabet. Since 1986, Vietnam has absorbed influences from Asia, Europe, and America. Key cultural features include ancestor worship, family values, and symbols like the dragon and lotus.

Vietnam is home to many ethnic groups. The largest minorities include the Tay, Thai, Muong, Hoa, Khmer, and Nung, each with around one million people. Smaller groups like the Brau, Roman, and Odu have only a few hundred members. The majority Viet people established a centralized monarchy in the 10th century, shaping much of the nation’s history and culture.

Hồ Chí Minh, affectionately known as “Uncle Ho,” is Vietnam’s most renowned figure. He embraced communist ideology in France and led the fight for Vietnam’s independence. He famously led the Viet Minh to victory at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ in 1954, ending French colonial rule. After the country split into North and South Vietnam, he continued supporting the communist cause until his death during the Vietnam War. Today, Ho Chi Minh City is named in his honor, and his remains rest at the Mausoleum in Hanoi’s Ba Đình Square.

Showing respect in Vietnamese culture involves addressing people by their proper titles, greeting elders first, and using polite body language such as bowing or smiling. It is important to avoid touching someone’s head, making excessive eye contact with elders, or pointing with the index finger.