Vietnam is a country with an ancient and rich history, which is filled with a lot of interesting and incredible events and significant achievements. Western and Chinese culture have greatly influenced the national identity and everyday life. Nevertheless, there are still a lot 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. From the west it borders on Laos and Cambodia, from the east and south it is washed by the South China Sea, and from the north the eternal enemy hangs over it - China. The country is small in territory (331 thousand sq. km - 66th place in the world) has an impressive population. The country is home to 95.6 million people (15th place).
The country's national currency is dong, which is made of plastic. Therefore, it can be crushed and wetted. The exchange rate of the Vietnamese dong against the dollar is quite stable forfor ten years: for $100 (6.5 thousand rubles) they give about 2.1 million VND.
The first written source, where the modern name of the country is recorded, is the book "Prophecies of Chang Chin" by the famous poet of the 16th century Nguyen Binh Khiem. The word consists of two parts: "Viet" - the name of the main nation of the country and "Nam" - the south. However, in the future, the country was mostly called "Annam", until Emperor Bao Dai officially returned her old name in 1945.
Population
The ethnic composition of the country's inhabitants is dominated by the Viet - 85.7%, other peoples make up less than two percent, including Thai - 1.9%, Thai - 1.8%, Muongs - 1.5%. In total, representatives of 54 nationalities live here. An interesting fact about Vietnam is that thanks to the officially maintained socialist system, literate people make up more than 96% of men and 92% of women. And this despite the fact that the country is not rich at all.
The state language is Vietnamese - the language of the Viet. It is very difficult for foreigners to learn because it uses six tones. The educated part of the population has traditionally, since colonial times, known French. The older generation, who studied in the Soviet Union, is fluent in Russian, which has been replaced by English among young people.
Religion
Officially, more than 80% of the population are atheists and followers of national animistic cults, the second religious group are Buddhists - 9.3%, furtherCatholics go - 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 of "tho kung to tien", as this complex of folk beliefs is called, are strictly observed by the majority of the population. In many cases, rituals are performed in Buddhist temples. Therefore, many people think that most Vietnamese are Buddhists.
Famous hat
The most famous visual image of the country is the Vietnamese's 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. Bamboo rods processed in a special way are used to make the frame.
First of all, rings of various diameters are made from very flexible and at the same time quite strong rods. The largest of them is at least 40 cm in diameter, and the smallest is 4 cm. One non takes at least 15 rims of different diameters, 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 Nguyendan", which translates as "first morning holiday". It is celebrated according to 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 5.
Tet is a holiday that people tend to celebrate with their families. The Vietnamese try to come to their native lands to celebrate the New Year with their loved ones. Children thank their parents and wish them longevity, and parents give their little children red envelopes with money. Many people visit the cemetery on the eve of the holiday. Conduct rituals associated with the cult of ancestors.
Traditional New Year's dishes are being prepared for the festive table, among which the main one is banh ting, rice cakes stuffed with pork and beans, which are cooked in banana leaves. Since a well-marked Tet is believed to bring good luck to the family, the Vietnamese government provides food allowances to low-income families.
Legendary Turtle
Vietnam has an ancient history full of legends and legends. 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, Emperor Le Loi, who rebelled against Chinese occupation, was handed the mythical sword Thuan Thien by a magic "golden tortoise", which helped to defeat the invader army and revive the ruling Le dynasty. After the victory, the turtle took the weapon, promising to return it when the country is threateneddanger.
It is known that this lake, which was once surrounded by the Vietnamese jungle, was home to four giant tortoises, Rafetus swinhoei, Trionychidae family. 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 accepted with particular regret. The sacred tradition of the "magic sword" was interrupted.
Ethnic cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine uses almost everything that lives and grows in the country. Among tourists, dishes of snakes, turtles, crocodiles and other exotic animals are very popular. However, the hallmark of Vietnamese cuisine has long been pho soup.
For generations, Vietnamese people start their day with a serving of this dish. The locals simply do not understand how one can work normally all day if one does not eat soup with meat in the morning. But the Vietnamese can eat pho not only for breakfast, but 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 Indochinese Railway, they needed to provide numerous workers with hearty, inexpensive and hot meals. The new dish, broth with meat and rice noodles, quickly gained wide popularity in all walks of life. A variation of chicken soup appeared in Hanoi in 1925.
Another legacy of the colonial period is the French baguette, only the Vietnamese baguette is half as long.
Alcoholic drinks
Alcohol is very inexpensive in Vietnam, since it is not subject to excise taxes and the Vietnamese dong exchange rate is stable. Imported alcoholic drinks can be bought in ordinary stores at a price similar to the price in the Duty Free system. Local beer costs no more than 50 cents. The local rum and liqueurs are quite good quality.
As in any Asian country, there are specific Vietnamese alcoholic drinks. A variety of tinctures with reptiles, insects and plants are sold in large quantities in local shops. Traditional is a tincture of rum with cobra, which is considered useful in diseases of the liver, stomach and biliary tract. Drinks with snakes are recommended to buy at the pharmacy, where they will be made before your eyes.
You can also buy alcoholic drinks infused with seahorses, gecko lizards, scorpions. Alcoholic drinks made from rice infused with ginseng and barberry are very popular. Basically, such alcohol is used as a medicine. For example, lizard wine is used to treat arthritis, ulcers, and cancer, and is also used as an aphrodisiac.
Coffee country
Many people don't 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 coffee trees were brought by French priests a little over 150 years ago. The first large plantations appeared in the 20s of the last century. About 80% of the area is occupied by the Robusta variety, but in recent years the area has begun to increase significantly,seeded with Arabica. Most of the coffee plantations are privately owned.
What varieties of coffee are grown in Vietnam? The main ones are as follows:
1. Vietnamese Robusta. It is considered the highest quality compared to those grown in other countries. The unique natural and 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, differing in taste and even in the type 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 varieties "Katimore" and "Bourbon", which were introduced by the French. Most often imported to Russia is "Vietnam Dalat" - high-quality and quite budgetary coffee. The taste of this variety is not sharp and has a fairly balanced flavor range.
Premium coffees
One of the most expensive and exotic varieties of "Kopi Luwak" is produced in a very original way. Ripe fruits are fed to 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 "Exeliaza" (also called "High coffee") is used to make blends. He gives the drinkpleasant shades and unusual aroma. The variety is expensive because the tree it grows on does not bear fruit regularly.
Coffee premium "Kuli" is produced in the province of Dak Lak from selected Arabica and Robusta beans, which are selected by hand. Coffee has a strong aroma and rich flavor range. The drink is characterized by a pronounced and long aftertaste and a strong tonic effect.
