Vietnam is a country with an ancient and rich history, which is filled with a mass of interesting and incredible events and significant achievements. Western and Chinese culture have greatly influenced national identity and everyday life. Nevertheless, there are still a sufficient number of interesting facts about Vietnam related to culture and rituals.
general information
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, on the Indochina Peninsula. It borders on Laos and Cambodia from the west, washed by the South China Sea from the east and south, and from the north an eternal enemy - China hangs over it. The country is small in territory (331 thousand sq. Km - 66th place in the world) has an impressive population. 95.6 million people live in the country (15th place).
The country's national currency is the dong, which is made of plastic. Therefore, it can be wrinkled and soaked. The Vietnamese dong against the dollar has been quite stable for ten years: for $ 100 (6.5 thousand rubles) they give about 2.1 million dongs.
The first written source, which records the modern name of the country, is the book "Chang Chin Prophecies" by the famous 16th-century poet Nguyen Bin Khiem. The word consists of two parts: “Viet” - the name of the main nation of the country and “us” - the south. However, subsequently the country was for the most part called “Annam,” until in 1945, Emperor Bao Dai officially returned its old name to it.
Population
The ethnic composition of the country's inhabitants is dominated by vietas - 85.7%, other nations make up less than two percent, including Thai people - 1.9%, Thai people - 1.8%, Mongos - 1.5%. In total, representatives of 54 nationalities live here. An interesting fact about Vietnam is that thanks to the officially continuing socialist system, literate people make up more than 96% among men and 92% among women. And this is despite the fact that the country is not rich at all.
The official language is Vietnamese - the language of Viet. It is very difficult for foreigners to study, since it uses six tones. The educated part of the population traditionally, from colonial times, knows French. The older generation, who studied in the Soviet Union, is fluent in Russian, which is supplanted by young people in English.
Religion
Officially, more than 80% of the population are atheists and followers of national animistic cults, the second religious group is Buddhists - 9.3%, followed by Catholics - 6.7% and representatives of local syncretic cults Hoa-hao (1.5%) and kao-dai (1.1%).
Socialism could not get rid of the traditional cult of ancestors practiced by many Asian peoples. The rites “tho kung to tien”, as this complex of popular beliefs is called, are strictly performed by the majority of the population. In many cases, rituals are performed in Buddhist temples. Therefore, many think that most Vietnamese are Buddhists.
Famous hat
The most famous visual image of the country is the Vietnamese conical hat, which is still an everyday headdress in the countryside. In Vietnamese, the national headdress is called non. Traditionally, it is made from palm leaves (sometimes from other plants), which are dried white under the tropical sun. For the manufacture of the frame using specially treated bamboo rods.
The first thing of a very flexible and at the same time sufficiently strong rods make rings of different diameters. The largest of them is at least 40 cm in diameter, and the smallest is 4 cm. At least 15 different diameters of rims are used for one nonone, on which leaves are superimposed and sewn together with threads. All Vietnamese conical hats have always been made in one universal size. Both men and women wear them.
Main holiday
Vietnamese New Year - Tet, the most beloved and important holiday in the country. Fully called "Tet Nguyen Dan", which translates as "the first morning's feast." Celebrated by the lunar calendar, simultaneously with China and many other countries in the region. Unlike the European New Year, it is celebrated from the first day of the lunar calendar for several days. In 2019, the lunar new year falls on February 5th.
Tet is a holiday that people strive to celebrate with their family. The Vietnamese are trying to come to their homelands to celebrate the New Year with their loved ones. Children thank their parents and wish them longevity, and parents give their young children red envelopes with money. Many on the eve of the holiday visit the cemetery. Perform rituals associated with the cult of ancestors.
Traditional New Year's dishes are prepared for the festive table, among which the main thing is banning, rice pies stuffed with pork and beans, which are cooked in banana leaves. Since it is believed that a well-marked Tet will bring good luck to the family, the Vietnamese government provides benefits to low-income families to buy food.
Legendary turtle
Vietnam has an ancient history full of legends and traditions. One of them is connected with Hoan Kiem Lake, which is located in the center of Hanoi. Ancient documents describe the story of how, in the 15th century, the emperor Le Loi, who rebelled against the Chinese occupation, was handed the magic "golden turtle" with the mythical sword Thuanthyen, who helped defeat the army of invaders and revive the ruling dynasty of Le. After the victory, the turtle took the weapon, promising to return it when the country is in danger.
It is reliably known that in this lake, which was once surrounded by the Vietnamese jungle, four giant turtles Rafetus Svayno (Rafetus swinhoei, family Trionychidae) lived. Reptiles can live up to a hundred years and weigh up to 200 kg. The last of the giants died in 2016, which the inhabitants of the country took with particular regret. The sacred tradition of the "magic sword" was interrupted.
National cuisine
Almost everything that lives and grows in the country is used in Vietnamese cuisine. Among tourists, dishes from snakes, turtles, crocodiles and other exotic animals are very popular. However, the hallmark of Vietnamese cuisine since ancient times is pho soup.
For generations in a row, Vietnamese begin their day with a serving of this dish. Local residents simply do not understand how to work normally all day if you do not eat soup with meat in the morning. But the Vietnamese can eat fo not only for breakfast, but also at any time of the day.
An interesting fact about Vietnam: the main dish of national cuisine was invented by the French. At the end of the 19th century, during the construction of the Indochina Railway, they needed to provide numerous workers with satisfying, inexpensive and hot meals. The new dish, a broth with meat and rice noodles, quickly gained wide popularity in all walks of life. A variety of chicken soup appeared in Hanoi in 1925.
Another legacy of the colonial period is the French baguette, only Vietnamese two times shorter.
Alcoholic drinks
In Vietnam, alcohol is very inexpensive because it is not subject to excise taxes and the Vietnamese dong is stable. Imported alcoholic beverages can be bought in ordinary stores at the same price in the Duty Free system. Local beer costs no more than 50 cents. Local rum and liquors of good enough quality.
As in any Asian country, there are specific Vietnamese alcoholic drinks. A variety of tinctures with reptiles, insects and plants in large quantities are sold in local stores. Traditional is tincture of rum with cobra, which is considered useful in diseases of the liver, stomach and biliary tract. Drinks with snakes are recommended to be bought at the pharmacy, where they will be made before your eyes.
You can also buy alcoholic drinks infused with seahorses, gecko lizards, scorpions. Rice infused with ginseng and barberry are very popular. Basically, such alcohol is used as a medicine. For example, wine on lizards treat arthritis, ulcers and cancer, and it is also used as an aphrodisiac.
Coffee country
Many do not know that the country is one of the world leaders in the global coffee market, second only to Brazil. An interesting fact about Vietnam is that French priests brought coffee trees a little over 150 years ago. The first large plantations appeared in the 20s of the last century. About 80% of the area occupied by the robusta variety, but in recent years, areas sown with arabica have begun to increase significantly. Most coffee plantations are privately owned.
What types of coffee are grown in Vietnam? The main ones are as follows:
1. Vietnamese robusta. It is considered the highest quality in comparison with grown in other countries. The unique climatic conditions make the taste of coffee unique: it is less acidic, and the bitterness is softer. At the same time, there are several types of Vietnamese robusta that differ in taste and even in the form of grains. For example, the “Blue Dragon” has large grains of the correct form, it tastes with light notes of fried bread, pistachios and bitter cocoa. Another popular variety is Sang Tao with a thick aroma and maximum strength.
2. Vietnamese arabica is grown in the highlands of the country. These are mainly Catimore and Bourbon varieties, which were imported by the French. Most often, Vietnam Dalat is imported - a high-quality and quite budget coffee. The taste of this variety is not sharp and with a fairly balanced taste range.
Premium coffees
One of the most expensive and exotic varieties of "Mine Luwak" is made in a very original way. Ripe fruits feed musangs, small rodents. The pulp is digested, and the grains are fermented under the influence of gastric juice. Then the grains are cleaned of litter and dried.
Elite variety "Excelleza" (also called "High Coffee") is used to make blends. It gives the drink pleasant shades and an unusual aroma. The variety is expensive because the tree on which it grows does not bear fruit regularly.
Premium coffee "Cooley" is produced in the province of Dak Lak from selected arabica and robusta beans, which are selected manually. Coffee has a strong aroma and rich flavor. The drink is characterized by a pronounced and long aftertaste and a strong tonic effect.