Vietnamese Folklore: Enduring Identity and Values

Overview of Vietnamese Folklore

Vietnamese folklore is a priceless treasure trove, preserving the spiritual, ethical, and aesthetic values of the nation through generations. It is expressed diversely through forms such as legends, fairy tales, proverbs, folk songs, traditional performing arts (such as water puppetry, Cheo, Tuong…), folk architecture, and cuisine. Each form carries profound messages, reflecting the lives, thoughts, and aspirations of the Vietnamese people.

Legends and Fairy Tales: Stories of Origins and History

Legends often tell of historical events, historical figures, and mysterious natural phenomena, passed down orally through generations. Examples include the legend of Son Tinh – Thuy Tinh, the legend of the Dong Son bronze drums, or legends about national heroes. Fairy tales, on the other hand, aim to educate and teach people about morality and life, often with elements of imagination and fantasy, with clearly defined good and evil characters. Fairy tales such as Tam Cam, Thach Sanh… always carry profound humanist values and are widely popular.

Proverbs and Folk Songs: A Reflection of Life and the National Soul

Proverbs are short, concise sayings, summarizing the life experiences of the people on many aspects of social life: production labor, behavioral experiences, morality, ethics… Folk songs express the feelings, thoughts, and aspirations of people through short, easy-to-remember, easy-to-learn verses. Folk songs are very diverse in terms of subject matter, from love between couples, family affection to love for the homeland, reflecting the profound spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.

Traditional Performing Arts: A Harmonious Combination of Music, Dance, and Theater

Traditional performing arts such as water puppetry, Cheo, and Tuong… are all unique cultural products, reflecting the spiritual life of the people. Each form has its own unique characteristics, but all carry high artistic value and attract a large number of viewers.

Folk Architecture and Cuisine: A Unique Cultural Identity

Folk architecture shows the ingenuity and creativity of the Vietnamese people in using natural materials to build houses, temples, pagodas… bearing a strong national identity. Cuisine is also an important part of folklore, with a diversity of ingredients and methods of preparation, creating distinctive dishes from different regions.

Conclusion

Vietnamese folklore is a precious treasure trove that needs to be preserved and promoted. The study, preservation, and development of folklore not only help preserve national identity but also contribute to enriching the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people in the new era.