The Traditions of Vietnam

Marriage

Marriage and family are very important in Vietnam. In the countryside, parents often arrange marriages but the couple is also given the right to voice their opinion. Divorce remains uncommon, though it is more frequent in the cities. The bond of marriage is considered sacred among the Vietnamese and they strongly believe in the play of fate where choosing mate for marriage is concerned. The traditional age for marriage is between 18 to 25 for girls and 20 to 39 for boys.

Family Life

Vietnamese life is deeply influenced by ancestor worship. Children learn at a very early age that they owe everything to their parents and their ancestors therefore by doing well in school and working hard honours one's parents and the family name.

Family Structure

In traditional Vietnamese families, roles are strict. The man of the house is primarily responsible for the family's economic well-being and takes pride in his role as provider. On the other hand, women are responsible for the matters of the house and are expected to submit to their husbands or to their eldest sons when widowed. Older children help to look after younger siblings. Discipline is viewed as a parental duty and spanking is common once children are past their early childhood. Vietnamese customs and traditions give the highest importance to familial structure. Children live with their parents till the time of marriage. They also look after their aged parents until death.

Name and Naming

Traditionally, Vietnamese people list their family name first, then their middle name, with their first (given) name listed as last. Family members use different given names, and the name reflects some meaning. Most names can be used for either gender.

Vietnamese never call their parents, grand-parents, teachers, uncles, aunts… by their first names, but Western people do. "Co", "Thay", "Chu", "Bac" is always added. In addition, the people from the South of Vietnam usually call their relatives and their neighbours by their ranks in their family instead of their first names.