The most common greeting gift in Vietnam is

(1) Speech taboos

1. Speak at the beginning of the year or the beginning of the month, and do not use words that may bring bad luck, such as monkey, death, etc.;

2. Avoid losing your temper at the beginning of the year and the beginning of the month, as you are afraid that you will be unhappy all year round;

3. Avoid swearing at the beginning of the year or the beginning of the month, for fear of bringing bad luck to the whole year and month;

4. It is taboo to talk about cats when fishing, for fear that you will not be able to catch fish;

5. Avoid hearing miserable sounds when writing articles;

6. It is taboo to praise a child for being fat;

7. It is taboo for children to say the names of their grandparents and parents.

(2) Diet taboos

1. Children should avoid eating crispy rice when going to school for fear of becoming stupid;

2. Children should avoid eating chicken feet when going to school, as they are afraid that their hands will shake when writing;

3. Business people are taboo about eating burnt rice for fear of being unlucky;

4. Card players are taboo about eating burnt rice because they are afraid of losing;

5. People who go out are taboo about eating burnt rice, for fear of encountering verbal disputes;

6. Students are taboo on eating shrimp during exams because the shape of shrimp is very similar to the capital "L" as the first letter of the word "bad";

7. It is taboo to hold the wine glass over or turn the wine bottle upside down when drinking;

8. It is taboo to eat duck heads when playing cards because you are afraid of losing;

9. It is taboo to eat sugar cane when playing cards, as you are afraid of losing your health early;

10. Eating dog meat is taboo in temples.

(3) Taboos on weddings and funerals

1. Niu Yue does not marry, for fear that the couple will be separated like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl;

2. The mother-in-law does not marry her daughter-in-law when she is pregnant;

3. It is taboo to marry two daughters in a row;

4. It is taboo for parents to send their daughters to their husband’s house;

5. When there is a funeral in the family, red color is taboo;

6. People who observe filial piety do not eat betel nut, do not participate in festive activities, and do not wear silk clothes;

7. It is taboo to wear the clothes worn by the deceased, and it is taboo to sleep in the bed where the deceased slept;

8. It is taboo for other villages to carry dead people through the boundaries of the village, and it is especially taboo for other villages to carry dead people past the village's ancestral hall.

(4) Taboos in house building

l. If you do not build a house at the end of the year or at the end of the month, it will be unlucky;

2. The number of rooms to be built cannot be an even number. It can only be 3 or 5 rooms. 7 rooms and other odd numbers;

3. The door of the house cannot face the door of other people's homes, for fear of quarrels;

4. The main room of the house cannot face the corner of the pond, The cornices of the ancestral hall and the roofs of other people’s houses;

5. When building a house with buried pillars, it is taboo to turn the wooden pillars upside down;

6. It is taboo for others to build a house in front of one’s own door;

7. Before the ground-breaking ceremony is held in the village at the beginning of the year, the soil cannot be dug or the mortar can be moved.

(5) Taboos in doing business

1. Choose an auspicious day to open a store, and avoid opening on an unlucky day;

2. When doing business, it is taboo to knock over pipes, fish sauce, and lime buckets;

3. It is taboo to do business with credit;

4. It is taboo for creditors to collect debts at the beginning of the year or at the beginning of the month. The debtor is afraid that this will bring bad luck, so people come to collect debts all year round. People who can't repay their debts go out to avoid debts on New Year's Eve and don't dare to go home until midnight. Creditors always have to collect their debts before New Year's Eve;

5. In business, it is taboo for customers to make one counteroffer, for fear that the goods will not be sold. Since the customer is counter-offering, he still has to bargain several times even if he doesn’t want to buy;

6. It is taboo to talk about monkeys, sheep, tigers, and leopards in business, for fear that the goods will not be sold.

(6) Other taboos in daily life

1. Avoid wearing white or indigo-colored clothes at the beginning of the year and the beginning of the month. White and indigo are the colors of mourning clothes. Wearing white or indigo-colored clothes at the beginning of the year and the beginning of the month may be a bad omen.

2. In festive and sacrificial activities, it is taboo to wear white clothes, except for funerals;

3. The couple is taboo to use a face towel;

4. The couple is taboo to pass toothpicks to each other; < /p>

5. It is taboo for anyone other than your husband or wife to use your comb;

6. It is taboo to put the mat on the bed backwards;

7. It is taboo to sit with your back to the altar table;

8. It is taboo to wear a bamboo hat in the house;

9. It is taboo to take a group photo of three people together, as it is said that the person in the middle will encounter bad luck;

10. It is taboo to clean the house at the beginning of the year. If you do this, it is said that things will not go smoothly for a year;

11. When a wife is pregnant, it is taboo for her husband to kill animals or drive piles;

12. Pregnant women are taboo about killing chickens and ducks;

13. It is taboo for pregnant women to return home from other places to give birth;

14. If there is a pregnant woman at home, it is taboo for outsiders to enter the house;

15. Pregnant women are taboo against getting close to the deceased and attending funerals, except when there is a big funeral at home;

16. It is taboo to use spliced ??cloth to make clothes for children;

17. Don’t pick fruits at night;

18. Don't urinate under a big tree for fear of encountering ghosts.

(7) Names and titles

The main surnames of the Kinh ethnic group in Vietnam include Nguyen, Chen, Wu, Li, etc.

Like the Chinese, the Vietnamese also have their surname first and their given name last. Most of them have a single surname and a double-character name, but a few also have a single surname and a single-character name. In the Vietnamese's address, except for the more commonly used neutral "I" (pronounced "pile") in the first person, the second person "you" and the third person "he (she)" do not have neutral personal pronouns. They are usually based on Address the other person by his or her seniority or identity to show affection or respect. For example, for people of the father's generation, the second person directly uses "uncle", "aunt", "uncle", "aunt", etc.; the third person uses "that uncle", "that aunt", etc. Vietnamese greetings do not distinguish between "morning and evening" and "hello". "Goodbye" is usually expressed with a "zhao" upward salutation. For example, when meeting, saying "zhao comrade" means "comrade hello", and when parting, saying "zhao comrade" means "comrade goodbye". When Vietnamese people call each other , usually the title is used together with the last name, and it is rarely called with both the surname and the given name, as it is considered impolite. For example, a man named Ruan Xingqiang can be called "Uncle Qiang" or "Uncle Qiang" according to his age and closeness. "Uncle Qiang", "Brother Qiang", "Brother Qiang" or "Mr. Qiang", "Comrade Qiang"

(8) Vietnamese social etiquette

Vietnamese people are very particular about etiquette. When you meet, you should say hello or nod in greeting. When greeting elders, you should call them brother or sister, and when you meet children, you should shake hands. Hugging, kissing, etc. are used. Some ethnic minorities such as the Miao and Yao people hold their fists together as a salute. Ethnic groups that believe in Theravada Buddhism (such as the Khmer people) often perform a Namaste salute (it is appropriate to put the hands together at the level of the lips or forehead, and if you hold your hands upward, it is to worship ghosts. ). When you meet and speak, you should address each other first, especially to elders, otherwise it will be considered impolite. When you are a guest, you should say "you first" before using water, cigarettes or meals to show politeness. The Jing people in the north have a soft voice and rarely shout. When you are in charge, you should seek their opinions on everything. Others will generally not object to anything they agree with.

People of all ethnic groups in Vietnam often use their favorite wine, meat, and other foods. When entertaining guests with dishes and other food, you should try to eat as much as possible, otherwise it will be considered as looking down on the host. When the guest leaves, the host will also give the guests fruits, vegetables and processed foods. If they refuse, there will be misunderstandings. , the general guests always accept some of the gifts and return the gifts accordingly. The ethnic minorities in the southern mountainous areas like to invite guests to drink wine from the wine jar during festivals, that is, they take turns drinking from the wine jar with a pipe. They cannot refuse the first round. If you don’t want to drink after the first round, raise your hands to your right shoulder to express your gratitude and stop drinking.

When interacting with Vietnamese, you can give the other party something commemorative. However, it is reasonable to invite Vietnamese friends to dinner.

Religious beliefs

Starting from the Western Han Dynasty in China in 111 BC, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism began to be introduced from China to Vietnam, which had a great impact on Vietnamese ideology. The Buddhism introduced from China was Mahayana Buddhism, which the Vietnamese called "Northern Buddhism." In addition, some Vietnamese believe in Theravada Buddhism, which they call "Southern Buddhism", which was introduced from Thailand and Cambodia. Among the Vietnamese who believe in religion, the largest proportion believes in Buddhism, and the majority of them believe in Mahayana Buddhism. , there are many temples in various places. Buddhists avoid killing and believe in karma. On major festivals and personal birthdays, they usually go to Buddhist temples to worship Buddha, offer gifts, and listen to monks chanting sutras.

Catholicism has been introduced to Vietnam for more than 500 years. At the beginning of the century, Western missionaries began to preach in Vietnam, but they were officially prohibited. The first French missionaries to Vietnam were Odreco Badeneau and Francis Xavier. During the French period, Catholicism gained legal status in Vietnam and developed rapidly. By 1966, there were 11 dioceses in North and South Vietnam with 3 million Catholic believers. Christianity also has many believers in Vietnam, mainly distributed in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ha Tay, Thua Thien, Quang Nam, Pleiku, Binh Thuan and other places. Christianity is a new sect that split off from Catholicism. It has only been introduced to Vietnam for nearly a hundred years and is called the "gospel" in Vietnam. In 1893, Christian pastor David Lollahan went to Saigon to preach. Subsequently, pastors successively went to Vietnam to preach, but they were banned by the French colonial authorities. It was not until 1920 that Christianity gained a foothold in Vietnam.

Most of the Kinh farmers in Xining, Dishi and other places in southern Vietnam believe in the Cao Dai religion. The full name of the religion is the "Pudu Cao Dai religion in the third phase of Dao Dao". It was founded by Wu Wenchao and Li Wenzhong in 1926. . This religion combines Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity, Taoism, and Confucianism, and believes in Confucius (humanity), Jiang Taigong (Shinto), Jesus (holy way), Laozi (immortal way), and Shiji (Buddhism). Followers of Caotai Religion can worship their ancestors, but they cannot offer grass or use paper horses. They must avoid killing, greed, meat, sex, and foul language. They must burn incense and chant sutras at 6:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 24:00 every day. .

Many people have joined the Hoa Hao Church in An Giang, Dong Thap Mui, Ha Tien, Dong Xuan and other places in southern Vietnam. This religion is a variant of Buddhism and was founded in 1939 by Vietnamese Huang Fuchu. The village where Huang Fuchu lived was named "Hehao Village", so it was named after it, which means filial piety and good relations.

Like Buddhism, the teaching also talks about compassion. The believers of fraternity, great harmony and karma are mostly farmers, and are also known as "peasant Buddhism". Hehao teaches monks but does not build temples. A piece of red cloth is used instead of the image of the god and Buddha. The believers make offerings to the Buddha twice in the morning and evening. The offerings are flowers and water. Flowers represent steadfastness and water represents purity.

Food and clothing

In ancient times, the Kinh people of Vietnam wore various pullovers and long skirts. In the Middle Ages, civilians wore brown cloth and officials wore blue geese. After the 15th century, the rich usually wore brocade robes, red robes when attending sacrifices and banquets, officials wore brown or black cloth, officials wore cyan clothes, and common people wore tan coarse cloth. After the French entered Vietnam, the clothing of civilians began to change significantly. Women wore knotted tops and trousers. In modern times, men in Vietnamese cities mostly wear suits, and women wear colorful narrow oiled robes. Vietnamese women's robes can be said to be the national uniform of Vietnamese women. The upper body is tied at the waist and the figure is highlighted, making the woman appear graceful. The hem is stretched and opened to the waist, making it easy to move. What is particularly particular is that when Vietnamese women wear a robe, they also wear a pair of black or white wide-leg floor-length trousers. Vietnamese women like to wear necklaces, bracelets, and rings. They often keep their hair shawl-long or tied behind their heads with hairpins.

Snacks

When traveling to Vietnam, you must try Vietnamese snacks to satisfy your appetite. Breakfast is usually provided in hotels where tourists stay, but such breakfast has a single variety. For example, Chinese food is fried noodles, and Western food is nothing more than bread, butter, fried eggs, etc. These varieties are available in China and have no fresh feeling. If you really want to taste Vietnamese snacks, this trip is not worth it. You still have to go to the food stalls, where you can taste authentic Vietnamese snacks. Of course, sometimes you need a little courage and not be so picky about hygiene conditions.

First of all, you should try Hanoi’s snail noodle. In the early morning, during work and school hours, you can often encounter stalls selling snail noodle on the streets of Hanoi. This kind of stall is actually just two bamboo baskets carried by hawkers, with milk, fire, condiments, bowls and chopsticks all available, plus a few small benches. When you walk up to the stall, the stall owner (usually a middle-aged woman) will warmly invite you to sit down, then quickly take out a plate of round vermicelli and put it in a pot of boiling water. This kind of round vermicelli is slightly thinner than Guilin rice noodles and Yunnan rice noodles. It uses high-quality rice. The powder is fine and flexible, white and transparent, and it tastes very refreshing. The snails are picked and eaten freshly. They are picked out with bamboo needles and put into powder, and then snails, chili and other condiments are added. A bowl of 2 taels of snail noodle is 2,400 VND, which is about RMB 1.6, and it is delicious.

Hanoi’s chicken noodle has long been famous and can also be eaten at street stalls in Hanoi. Chicken noodle is made with exquisite ingredients. In addition to shredded chicken, it also comes with shredded pork, shredded eggs, shredded fungus, shredded green onion, and shredded coriander. The egg shreds are uniquely made. They are spread into thin slices and cut into thin shreds without sticking or sticking together. They are sprinkled on the flour to complement the red shredded meat and white shredded chicken, which is particularly appetizing. When eating chicken noodle, there is also a cut fresh lemon on the table. With a slight twist, a few drops of lemon juice fall into the bowl. The originally hot and delicious chicken noodle adds a hint of fragrance, making it even more delicious. A bowl of chicken noodle costs more than twice as much as snail noodle, about 5,000 dong, but it’s worth trying.

As famous as chicken noodle is Hanoi’s beef noodle. Vietnamese beef noodles must use yellow beef. The rice noodles used are slightly thinner and finer than Guangxi's noodles. They are made of high-quality rice. The method of making beef noodles is to add a large piece of fine yellow beef with various condiments and cook it in a pot, then cut it into thin pieces. After scalding the rice noodles in a pot of boiling water, add beef, beef soup and Various seasonings give it a unique flavor.

Shrimp cakes are also a famous snack in Vietnam. The method of making shrimp cakes is to wrap fresh prawns in seasoned batter and fry them in a pan. After they come out of the pan, they are fragrant and crispy and delicious. There is a restaurant on the edge of the West Lake in Hanoi that has a high reputation for its shrimp cakes.

Meat dumplings are a traditional Vietnamese delicacy. In the past, ordinary Vietnamese people could only eat them during festivals. This kind of meat rice dumpling is not the rice dumpling we imagined, it is made entirely of meat. In rural areas, every household must make meat rice dumplings every time before a festival, especially before the Spring Festival. Add various spices to the best lean pork, put it into a stone field and bake it into a paste, then wrap it in banana leaves or lotus leaves to form a rice dumpling shape, and cook it in a hot pot. Cut into pieces or thin slices and steam hot before eating, dipped in fish sauce and pepper. It is delicious, not greasy, and leaves a fragrant mouthfeel after eating.

Vietnamese enema is also a favorite food of Vietnamese people. The method is to mix pig red with lean minced meat and various corianders, stuff it into the pig's small intestine, and then cook it. Cut into sections and dipped in various seasonings before eating.

Fried spring rolls are the most popular dish among Vietnamese. In recent years, many domestic restaurants have introduced it, but the preparation and eating methods are not as authentic as Vietnam. Vietnamese spring rolls are made of glutinous rice, as thin as cicada wings, white and transparent. Wrap the spring roll wrappers with fillings made of bean sprouts, vermicelli, shredded squid, shrimps, green onions, etc., and fry in an oil pan until crispy and brown. When eating, wrap the spring rolls with glass lettuce and dip them in fish sauce, sour vinegar, chili and other condiments. It is crispy and not greasy, and is very delicious.

Vietnamese traditional pastry-mung bean cake is also a flavor food worth tasting. The finest Vietnamese mung bean cake is produced in Haiyang (name of place) not far from Haiphong, and the Golden Dragon brand is the best. Vietnam's mung bean cake uses high-quality mung beans, grinds them into very fine powder, and mixes them with refined white sugar and oil. It tastes soft and sweet. The Ocean Mung Bean Cake is beautifully packaged. Take a few bags with you when you return from travel to give to your relatives and friends.

Eat vegetables raw. When dining in Vietnamese restaurants, you may often see Vietnamese eating a variety of bright green vegetables raw. For Chinese people, especially northerners, they may be confused and afraid to care. In fact, this way of eating is a traditional way of eating in Vietnam. I am afraid it can also be called a major feature of Vietnamese food culture. It is quite in line with the modern nutritional point of view. Of course, there are certain things to pay attention to when eating raw vegetables. These vegetables mainly include washed water spinach, lettuce, and mung bean sprouts. In addition, there are various fragrant teas, such as wilted greens, mint, etc. Raw vegetables should be dipped in condiments, mainly fish sauce, sour vinegar and fresh lemon juice. Vietnam is located in the tropics and has a hot climate. Eating raw vegetables has the effect of promoting body fluids and reducing internal heat, and helps digestion and nutrient absorption. If you haven’t tried eating raw vegetables, you can’t really understand Vietnamese snacks.