Top 10 Most Notable Traditions and Customs of Vietnam

The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, marks the midpoint of autumn. While its origins are unclear, the festival is deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture. The full moon symbolizes unity and togetherness, which is why the festival is often referred to as the Reunion Festival. During this time, families gather to enjoy mooncakes, drink tea, and chat together. The origins of the festival date back to the Tang Dynasty, during Emperor Duệ Tôn’s reign. On a beautiful full-moon night, the emperor met a celestial being who created a rainbow bridge extending from the moon to the earth. The emperor walked across this bridge to visit the moon palace, which he found enchanting. Upon returning to Earth, he named the festival after this experience, and it became known as the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival later spread to Vietnam, where people prepare festive offerings, decorate with lanterns, and participate in lion dances. In some areas, competitions are held for making the best mooncakes or festive dishes. Children take part in lantern processions, and many families create special altars for children, with offerings such as fruit and mooncakes. Today, malls and local streets host activities and displays to celebrate the occasion, making it a popular event for families to enjoy and capture photos with their children.

Chewing betel nut is a long-standing cultural practice in Vietnam, deeply rooted in the traditions passed down by our ancestors. This custom not only reminds us of the story of 'Betel and Areca Nut', but also showcases a unique form of communication among the Vietnamese people. Although less common in modern society, this tradition still thrives in rural villages. The saying ‘a betel nut is the beginning of a conversation’ reflects how betel nut has traditionally been used to open dialogues. It is also a symbol of respect, often appearing in wedding ceremonies, birthday celebrations, and ancestral rituals. Betel nut is widely available and can be found in all social classes, whether in rural or urban areas.

The Mường Ancestral Prayer Festival, or 'Lễ hội cầu an', is a traditional event closely tied to various ethnic communities in Vietnam, such as the Tày, Mường, and Thái peoples. It serves as an occasion for people to come together, show respect to deities and ancestors, and express their wishes for a peaceful, prosperous, and happy life. This festival is highly significant to several ethnic groups, who celebrate it annually. The origins of the festival are based on different local legends, but a common theme is that it honors the goddess Thiên Hậu, the deity who oversees waterways. The worshipers seek her protection from floods and other natural disasters while praying for safety and peace. The festival also symbolizes the wish to eliminate evil and promote good among the community. The Mường Ancestral Prayer Festival holds deep connections to both material and spiritual life, impacting everything from agriculture to health. It is a joyous and important occasion for the local people, attracting widespread participation. During the festival, people express their hopes for good harvests, the growth of livestock, and a flourishing life, while also showing gratitude to the gods for their blessings and abundant crops.

The Hung Kings' Death Anniversary, also known as the Hung Kings Temple Festival or National Ancestors' Day, is an important national holiday in Vietnam. It is a day for the Vietnamese people to commemorate the founding contributions of the Hung Kings in building the nation. The traditional ceremonies are held annually on the 10th of the 3rd lunar month at the Hung Kings Temple in Viet Tri, Phu Tho Province, and are celebrated by Vietnamese people around the world. The worship of the Hung Kings was inscribed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Vietnam in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, and UNESCO has recognized it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. While the festival officially takes place on the 10th of the 3rd lunar month, the celebrations begin weeks earlier with activities such as the Mường people's drum beating, pilgrimages to honor the Hung Kings, and conclude on the official date with a procession and incense offerings at the Upper Temple. The government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has recognized the festival as a national holiday, with large-scale celebrations held every even year.

Two major rituals take place during the festival:

• The King's Palanquin Procession: A vibrant procession with colorful flags, flowers, canopies, palanquins, and traditional costumes starts from the base of the mountain and makes its way to the Upper Temple, where the incense offering ceremony takes place.
• The Incense Offering Ceremony: Pilgrims visit the Hung Kings Temple primarily for spiritual reasons, lighting incense as a gesture of respect and to convey their heartfelt wishes to the ancestors. In Vietnamese belief, the land, trees, and rocks here are sacred, and offerings are placed near them. The festival also features folk games such as Xoan singing (a unique form of folk music from Phu Tho), wrestling, tug-of-war, and boat races at the Bạch Hạc River, where the Hung Kings once trained their naval troops.

The Xa Pho people, also known by various names such as Phu La, Lao Pa, Lao Ma, Bo Kho Pa, and Bo Kho Ma, are primarily concentrated in the communes of Bao Thang, Bao Yen, and Sapa districts, as well as Lao Cai city in Lao Cai province. Their lifestyle is deeply connected to agriculture, which has given rise to unique customs that reflect their cultural identity. The New Rice Festival holds great importance as a way to honor their ancestors and the natural forces for a prosperous harvest. The ceremony also marks the symbolic return of the rice spirit to the granary, allowing it to rest and prepare for the upcoming planting season.

This festival is also a time for the Xa Pho people to come together and celebrate the bountiful harvest with traditional games, folk performances, and cultural displays. One of the main attractions is the Xoe dance, performed alongside the Ma Nhi horn, which is characteristic of the Xa Pho. This dance, often performed during New Year celebrations, rejoices in the harvest and prays for prosperity and the well-being of both people and livestock.

The Xoe dance serves not only as a celebration of the harvest but also as an opportunity for younger generations to honor the elders and for young men and women to meet and seek potential partners. Another significant element of the festival is the Cuc Ke bamboo flute, played by the Xa Pho using their nose, producing a hauntingly beautiful sound. The festival also features the Sap dance, a collective performance that symbolizes unity and the hospitality of the Xa Pho people.

Sapa's Love Market is unlike any other. While it's called a market, it's not a typical marketplace where buying and selling take place. No one sells or buys anything here, and the origins of the market remain unknown. Locals recall that the market once met every Saturday, with people from far-off villages gathering. When it ended, the sky was often dimming, and returning home through the mountains was no longer possible. Over time, it became a ritual where young men and women mingled, turning the market into a venue for courtship and romantic interactions. Thus, every weekend, the air is filled with the sounds of love flutes played by the young men, while women in beautiful, colorful costumes perform enchanting dances, bringing the market to life with energy and romance.

The Giẻ Triêng people, a small ethnic group residing in the northeastern region of the Annamite Range, primarily in Kon Tum province, have a rich cultural heritage. With a population of over 50,000, they preserve unique customs, particularly in marriage ceremonies. One of the most striking traditions is the ‘betrothal firewood.’ Before a woman marries, she selects beautiful, uniform pieces of firewood, symbolizing the harmony and happiness she hopes for in her marriage. The more firewood, the better the marriage prospects. The Giẻ Triêng people have a matriarchal approach to marriage, where the woman's choice is respected by the family. A woman must not only gather firewood for the betrothal but also master the arts of weaving and textile production, a tradition for regions with weaving skills. When a young woman is of marrying age, she may offer gifts like sugar cane, cucumbers, or roasted corn to a man she is interested in. If he accepts, they become a couple. During the courtship, a respected elder, unrelated to either family, will arrange the wedding. The wedding consists of two stages: the betrothal ceremony and the wedding ceremony. The betrothal ceremony is conducted at night, secretly, with only close family present. It begins with the bride's family accepting a rooster brought by the groom's family. Afterward, the groom's family is invited to the bride's home. On the wedding day, the bride's family sends firewood to the groom's family, in exchange for a pig's leg, rice, salt, chili, and a bottle of wine. The families exchange blessings and songs throughout the day, marking the wedding's culmination. The ‘betrothal firewood’ is not just a custom but a unique cultural symbol of the Giẻ Triêng people, a test of a woman's capabilities and a measure of maturity. Even as modern life evolves, this tradition endures, carrying a timeless message of love and commitment that cannot be replaced by any bride price.

The Lunar New Year, or Tết Nguyên Đán, is the most important traditional celebration in Vietnam. Despite the many changes and upheavals throughout history, the customs and traditions of Tết remain steadfast, passed down from generation to generation. Tết is the largest holiday of the year for the Vietnamese, rich in cultural values that emphasize the bond between humanity and nature. Traditionally, Tết marks the beginning of a new farming cycle, a time for descendants to honor their ancestors, express gratitude, and strengthen ties within the community and with the natural world. For the Vietnamese people, Tết is considered a spiritual feast, a crucial part of year-end celebrations. No matter where one is, returning home to family is a cherished ritual. People gather together, sharing meals, and celebrating the arrival of the new year with bánh chưng and other traditional dishes during the New Year's Eve. This celebration carries deep cultural meaning, drawing on Vietnam’s agricultural heritage and promoting unity among families, neighbors, and the nation as a whole, with nature at the heart of it all.

The belief in the worship of the Three and Four Realms Mother is a form of veneration for female deities that represent the divine forces of nature (sky, earth, rivers, and mountains), viewing nature itself as a mother figure. The people believe that these goddesses have the power to create life, provide protection, and nurture human existence. Central to this belief is the image of the mother, symbolizing the desires and aspirations of life. The Three Realms (Tam Phủ) consist of three goddesses: the Heavenly Mother (Mẫu Thượng Thiên), the Queen of the Forest (Mẫu Thượng Ngàn), and the Water Goddess (Mẫu Thoải). The Four Realms (Tứ Phủ) includes the three mentioned above and the Earth Mother (Mẫu Địa Phủ). The worship of female deities has existed for thousands of years, with notable figures such as Chúa Kho, Quan Âm Thị Kính, and Liễu Hạnh. The Vietnamese people believe that nature is the Mother, and humans are her children, thus the veneration of these goddesses is a way to seek their protection and blessings. Rooted in matrilineal traditions, the worship of the Three and Four Realms Mother reflects the important role of women, particularly mothers, in society, symbolizing the survival of the people. This belief system remains alive today, practiced in over 7,000 temples and shrines across the country.

The Qingming Festival is a sacred occasion that embodies the Vietnamese value of "drinking water, remembering its source" and reflects the deep reverence for one's ancestors. It is an ingrained tradition where Vietnamese people, especially those living far from home, return to their ancestral graves to pay respects. The festival does not have a fixed date but takes place between April 4th and 5th (after the Spring Equinox) and ends around April 20th to 21st (at the start of Grain Rain). During this period, descendants visit their ancestors' graves to clean and tidy the tombstones and prepare offerings, hoping for blessings of health and peace. Qingming lasts for about 15-16 days, with the first day specifically marked as the Qingming Festival. In 2024, it will begin on April 4th (the 26th of February on the lunar calendar) and end on April 20th. Cemeteries become crowded with people as they honor their ancestors, and the event reflects the culture of "drinking water, remembering its source". It is a beautiful tradition that teaches younger generations to respect and cherish their parents and grandparents while they are alive, not just after their passing. Additionally, people also clean and care for abandoned graves, demonstrating compassion and solidarity within the community.