Top 8 Examples of the Most Influential Humble Figures in Vietnam

Miss H'Hen Niê's victory in the 2018 Miss Universe pageant surprised many. In early 2019, she earned a spot in the Top 5 of Miss Universe 2018, and was later crowned Miss World’s Most Beautiful Woman of 2018 by Missosology after surpassing 112 contestants from major beauty contests worldwide.

Her beauty was internationally recognized. Among the three criteria used by Missosology for voting, H'Hen Niê scored the highest in global influence with 4,773 points (followed by 4,636 points for her performances and 4,318 points for her timeless beauty and appeal). Missosology announced her win alongside her inspiring quote: "I am a girl from an ethnic minority, I was supposed to marry at 14, but I said 'No'. From zero, I stand here today, I made it, and you can too." She bravely defied outdated traditions and started from scratch to live her life with determination, confidence, humility, sincerity, and an eagerness to keep learning. Her beauty is much more than physical appearance!

Many have criticized her for not fitting the traditional Eastern beauty standards: she wasn’t glamorous, fair, or graceful, and came from a poor, ethnic minority background. She was even seen wearing a simple pink rural-style dress, riding a motorbike, using 80,000 VND shoes bought from the market, sitting on the floor to eat a humble meal with her family, laughing joyfully with her eyes squinted. She embodies the simplicity and ordinariness that most people around the world can relate to, even those from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds. She does things that few others from her background would dare to do.

H'Hen Niê has never hidden her humble origins or her parents’ poverty. On the contrary, she shows immense love and respect for her parents. She deeply understands and empathizes with the struggles of ethnic minorities in her region. H'Hen Niê worked as a maid to support herself while striving to improve through education. She was never ashamed to ride a broken motorcycle, sit on a farm truck, take a motorbike taxi, wear flip-flops, or cook with firewood. Whenever faced with criticism, she responds with empathy, understanding the people’s perspective, and sincerely defending them: 'Please don’t mock them, they’re just joking,' or 'I’m not perfect yet, I need to try harder.' H'Hen Niê donated 100% of her Miss Universe prize money to charity, humbly seeing it as a stroke of luck, not as a result of her own hard work, and always wanting to give back to her people. She is considered the most charitable beauty queen to date. 'Beauty' is a noun, but 'beautiful' is an adjective, and I believe that to truly judge a beauty queen, it is mostly reflected in her actions.'

MC Quyen Linh is a renowned artist with a vast fortune, yet he lives a very humble and simple life, earning the love and admiration of many. He is often seen with a bicycle and a pair of rubber sandals. Even during filming sessions, he prefers to use a motorbike for convenience instead of driving a car.

Perhaps due to his tough childhood, he often uses his earnings to help those in need, donating generously without expecting anything in return. However, he never boasts about his actions. He remains humble, believing that what he does is simply 'nothing extraordinary'. He is a true role model for us all to follow.

Tran Quyet Chien – one of the world’s top Carom 3-cushion players at present. During the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, Chien faced off against Efren Reyes – the legendary Filipino player, known as the oldest and one of the most famous athletes globally.

After the match, Chien won against Efren Reyes. However, he did not show arrogance but humbly bowed to Reyes, showing great respect for the legendary opponent in the quarterfinals of the Carom 3-cushion event. His gesture displayed both humility and admiration for his senior, a worthy adversary.

The moral example of President Ho Chi Minh has always been a model for the younger generation to follow. He was a great man, one of the most outstanding figures of the 20th century. He led our nation to independence and was the founder of the first workers' and peasants' state in Southeast Asia. Words can scarcely describe him, but if he were to hear them, he would likely be displeased. His humility, however, is something we all should learn from and emulate.

Ho Chi Minh's humility was cultivated throughout his revolutionary life. It was this humility that earned him the love and respect of all, and it was also a method of his continuous learning. When he started writing for the press, he studied diligently under Jean Longuet (1876–1938), the editor of the Populaire, a publication of the French Socialist Party. He meticulously followed Longuet’s instructions, practicing writing long articles, then rewriting them into short ones, always comparing his work with the published version to correct mistakes. This process helped him become a remarkable journalist with thousands of works published in several languages in various newspapers worldwide. Even as a professional and sharp journalist, he modestly considered himself only as having 'some experience in journalism.' Even after becoming the President, he would sometimes ask his assistants to read his articles and check if they were understandable. If not, he would revise them.

Numerous stories exemplify his humility and simplicity, each one offering a profound and valuable lesson. He did not consider himself a poet, although he had many famous poems, some of which were praised by the Chinese poet Guo Mo-ruo (1892–1978) as being comparable to the peak works of Tang poetry. When the National Assembly sought to honor him with the highest award in Vietnam, the Gold Star Medal, he refused, believing that the mission would not be complete until the South was liberated. He said that although he had reached one milestone, he had not yet completed his journey, so the award should be postponed, with the intention of giving it to President Ton...

During his visit to Indonesia in 1959, President Sukarno (1901–1970) admired Ho Chi Minh deeply and awarded him an honorary doctorate from Padjajaran University in Bandung, the only such honor he ever received. He also invited Ho Chi Minh to speak to the professors, doctors, and students at a major university in Jakarta. There, Ho Chi Minh gave a humble speech: 'I did not have the luck to be formally educated like you. I only learned through self-study, and life has been my greatest teacher, providing me with knowledge about society and humanity.' His speech captivated the audience. In a meeting with President Sukarno, he began by saying, 'I had prepared a formal speech, but in this warm atmosphere, I just want to speak a few words from the heart.' This humility and sincerity defined him. There are many stories about his humility and simplicity... As the President, he likened himself to 'a soldier following the orders of the people to the front line.' That’s why he always taught children to be 'humble, honest, and courageous' in his famous five teachings...

President Tôn Đức Thắng was a great patriot who dedicated his entire life to his love for the country and people, sacrificing for their well-being. His life and career were deeply connected to the revolutionary history of the working class, the Party, and the nation, fighting against imperialism and colonialism for national independence and socialism. President Tôn lived, fought, and contributed his entire life as a devoted communist soldier to the country and its people.

President Hồ Chí Minh praised him: 'Comrade Tôn Đức Thắng is a distinguished son of the homeland, a model of revolutionary ethics; he lived a life of frugality, integrity, and dedicated service to the revolution and the people.' Today, the youth learn many admirable virtues from beloved President Tôn, one of which is his humility, simplicity, and commitment to brotherhood. This humble simplicity was evident in his choice to work as a laborer and gradually grow in the workers' movement, eventually becoming a communist. Before attending Bá Nghệ school, he was already highly skilled. He often cared for and helped his classmates, patiently teaching them the fine details to avoid mistakes. These are the qualities we should learn from him: whenever we can offer help, whether to our colleagues or others, we should extend a hand to support their progress.

Miss Thùy Tiên (born in 1998) was crowned Miss Grand International in 2021. Right after her coronation, she made a strong impression with her glamorous outfit, wearing a crown while sporting simple flip-flops. She generously offered her flip-flops to other contestants for convenience.

Thùy Tiên speaks English fluently, but modestly claims her English skills are not exceptional. Since her victory, she has participated in many charity trips, always dressed simply yet elegantly. She has also joined numerous game shows, taking on various roles and professions. Sometimes, she even disguised herself as a vegetable seller, fishmonger, or flower vendor to better understand the lives of ordinary people. Many fans affectionately call her 'the people's queen,' but she remains humble and refuses to accept the weight of the term 'national heroine.'