Family life values in Vietnam

Published:  21:14 Thursday - November 17, 2011 In Vietnam, family is a basic social unit of the society. Vietnamese family life is profoundly influenced by ancestor worship. Children learn at a very early age that they owe everything to their parents and their ancestors. When children do well in school and work hard, they honour their parents and the family name. Respect for parents and ancestors is extended to all elders, whose life experiences are valued.

Marriage and family are very important in Vietnam. In the countryside, parents often arrange marriages; divorce remains uncommon, though is more frequent in cities. In traditional Vietnamese families, roles are rigid. The man of the house is primarily responsible for the family's economic well-being and takes pride in his role as provider. Women are expected to submit to their husbands or to their eldest sons when widowed, and girls to their fathers. Older children help to look after younger siblings. Discipline is viewed as a parental duty, and spanking is common once children are past early childhood.

The woman of the house is referred to as noi tro, "General of the Interior." She looks after her in-laws as well as her parents, husband and children. In rural areas, women also do much agricultural work. Vietnamese women live by the "four virtues": hard work, beauty, refined speech and excellent conduct.

Communism in the 1960's brought big changes for women, who were suddenly given equal economic and political rights, as well as the right to choose their own husband. Years of warfare and dislocation in camps have also altered family roles. With so many men away at war, women took on many traditionally male duties, including managing factories and co-operatives.

Today, more and more people are moving to cities, but most Vietnamese are still farmers. Houses are sometimes built on stilts to avoid flooding. Materials such as earth, straw and bamboo may be used for walls, and red clay tiles or sheets of corrugated metal for roofs. City homes are often made with brick, wood and/or tile.

Vietnam Tourism- Vietnam Travel Agency- Tours in Vietnam

The Water Culture – a unique culture of Vietnam

The Water Culture – a unique culture of Vietnam

Vietnam has a long, war-torn history and is physically an elongated, beautiful and diverse country. Both history and geography have...
Match makers in Vietnam

Match makers in Vietnam

Generations ago, marriage was a family affair, as parents select their child’s spouse.
Dragon of mystery

Dragon of mystery

The “Master Dragon” statue worshipped at Le Van Thinh’s Temple in Bac Ninh Province. The origins of a...
Sán Dìu in Quang Ninh

Sán Dìu in Quang Ninh

Customs and habits: They can mainly be found living in villages and hamlets. Houses feature walls and roofs of hooked...
Matchmakers in Vietnam

Matchmakers in Vietnam

Marriage during the past was a family affair, as the children hadn't no priority to select their partners while their...
Contemporary Vietnamese Traditional Weddings

Contemporary Vietnamese Traditional Weddings

In the past, a groom of 20 with an 18-year-old bride would be considered an ideal couple. Today, education, a...
Vietnamese Engagement Ceremony

Vietnamese Engagement Ceremony

Vietnamese engagement ceremony is an important ceremony before the wedding which involve both fiancé’s and fiancée’s families.
Recording Name on Family Annals Custom

Recording Name on Family Annals Custom

According to the old custom, after checking the family annals, avoiding the profanation of taboo names (name of a child...
First-Born Baby Custom

First-Born Baby Custom

Normally in Vietnam especially in the countryside regions, three generations live under the same roof. Based on Confucianism telnet, when...
Vietnamese Adopted Child

Vietnamese Adopted Child

In Vietnam, there are three main kinds of adopted child: formal adopted child, symbolic adopted child and pretended adopted child.
Superstitions After Birth of Newborn Baby

Superstitions After Birth of Newborn Baby

In Vietnamese customs, there are a lot of superstitions related to the newborn baby after birth.
Funeral Ceremony of Vietnam

Funeral Ceremony of Vietnam

“The sense of the dead is that of the final,” says a Vietnamese proverb, meaning that funeral ceremonies must be...
We appreciate your comments. Should you have any feedback or thoughts on how to improve VIETNAMTOURISM.ORG.VN , please contact us at: info@vietnamtourism.org.vn
VIETNAMTOURISM.ORG.VN  Tags:  

Family life values in Vietnam - Customs & Habits - Culture - Attractions. You can visit our sites: Vietnam travel guide, Halong travel guide, Halong cruise, Vietnam travel company, Halong Bay, Halong tours, Travel to Vietnam, Singapore Travel Guide, Halong Vietnam, Vietnam travel to know further attractive destinations. 

Việt nam tourism Chuyên cung cấp website du lịch và dich vụ tour du lịch VIETNAMTOURISM.ORG.VN Xếp hạng 9.5/10 4999 Bình chọn