Exploring the Beauty of Vietnamese Folklore

Legends and Fairy Tales: The Source of Creativity

Vietnamese folklore is a priceless treasure, passed down through generations. Legends and fairy tales, stories about heroes, mythical creatures, or moral lessons, reflect the rich imagination and insightful vision of the Vietnamese people. The legend of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh, for example, is not just a story about the battle between the Mountain God and the Water God, but also an explanation of natural phenomena, and the necessity of conquering nature for survival and development. Fairy tales like Tam Cam and Thach Sanh carry messages about justice, good and evil, and punishment for the wicked.

Folk Songs and Proverbs: The Wisdom of the People

Folk songs and proverbs are vivid evidence of the intelligence and life experience of the Vietnamese people. Short and concise folk songs often express family affection, love between couples, or profound philosophies of life. “A father’s love is like Mount Thai Son/ A mother’s love is like the water from a flowing spring” is a typical example of deep gratitude towards parents. Proverbs contain valuable lessons about life, production experience, and social interaction. “Deserving of punishment, deserving of pity” is a proverb that reflects the tolerance and compassion of the Vietnamese people.

Folk Arts: The Subtle Combination of Culture and Art

Folk culture is also expressed through various forms of folk art such as: water puppetry, Quan Ho singing, Don Ca Tai Tu… Each art form has its own unique beauty, reflecting the rich spiritual life of the people. Water puppetry, a unique art form, combines performing arts and puppet control techniques, attracting viewers with its skill and humor. Quan Ho singing, a characteristic singing style of the Red River Delta region, expresses deep affection between people and nature, and between lovers…

Religion and Festivals: Unique Cultural Features

Religion and festivals also play an important role in the cultural life of the Vietnamese people. From traditional festivals like the Hung Kings Temple Festival, the Gioi Festival… to folk beliefs, all reflect the diversity and richness of the Vietnamese people’s spiritual life. These festivals are not only occasions to commemorate heroes and historical figures, but also opportunities for the community to gather, play, and entertain.

Preservation and Promotion of Folklore

Preserving and promoting folklore is an important task for every Vietnamese citizen. We need to make efforts to preserve and develop these precious traditional cultural values, so that future generations can inherit and continue them.