Culture

The Culture of Vietnam is one of the oldest of such in the Southeast Asia region. Although Vietnam lies geographically in Southeast Asia, long periods of Chinese domination and influence has resulted in the emergence of many East Asian characteristics in Vietnamese culture, and generally Vietnam is said to be part of the East Asian cultural sphere, known widely as Chinese cultural sphere.

While Chinese culture has the largest foreign influence on traditional Vietnamese culture, there is also a much smaller influence from the Cham, Indian, and later Western cultures (most notably that of France, Russia and the United States).

Art

Traditional Vietnamese art is art practiced in Vietnam or by Vietnamese artists, from ancient times (including the elaborate Dong Son drums) to post-Chinese domination art which was strongly influenced by Chinese Buddhist art, among other philosophies such as Taoism and Confucianism.

The Chinese influence on Vietnamese art extends into Vietnamese pottery and ceramics, calligraphy, and traditional architecture. Currently, Vietnamese lacquer paintings have proven to be quite popular.

Calligraphy

Calligraphy has had a long history in Vietnam, previously using Chinese characters along with Chu Nom. However, most modern Vietnamese calligraphy instead uses the Roman-character based Quoc Ngu.

In the past, with literacy in the old character-based writing systems of Vietnam being restricted to scholars and elites, calligraphy nevertheless still played an important part in Vietnamese life. On special occasions such as the Lunar New Year, people would go to the village teacher or scholar to make them a calligraphy hanging (often poetry, folk sayings or even single words). People who could not read or write also often commissioned scholars to write prayers which they would burn at temple shrines.

Clothing

In feudal Vietnam, clothing was one of the most important marks of social status and strict dress codes were enforced.

Commoners had a limited choice of similarly plain and simple clothes for every day use, as well as being limited in the colours they were allowed to use. For a period, commoners were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white (with the exception of special occasions such as festivals), but in actuality these rules could change often based upon the whims of the current ruler.

The Ao tu than or '4-part dress' is one such example of an ancient dress widely worn by commoner women, along with the Ao yem bodice which accompanied it. Peasants across the country also gradually came to wear silk pyjama-like costumes, known as Ao canh in the north and Ao ba ba in the south.

The headgear of peasants often included a plain piece of cloth wrapped around the head (generally called Khan dong), or the stereotypical Non la (conical hat). Peasants would often go barefoot as sandals and shoes were reserved for the aristocracy and royalty.

Monarchs had the exclusive right to wear the colour gold, whilst nobles wore red or purple. Each member of the royal court had an assortment of different formal gowns they would wear at a particular ceremony, or for a particular occasion.

The most popular and widely-recognized Vietnamese national costume is the Ao dai, which is worn nowadays mostly by women, although men do wear Ao dai on special occasions such as weddings and funerals. Ao dai is similar to the Chinese Qipao, consisting of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over silk pants. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear, and likely derived in the 18th century or in the royal court of Hue. Ao dai is made compulsory in many senior high schools in Vietnam, and some colleges. Some female office workers (e.g. receptionists, secretaries, tour guides) are also required to wear Ao dai.

Dance

Vietnam has 54 different ethnic groups, each with their own traditional dance. Among the ethnic Vietnamese majority, there are several traditional dances performed widely at festivals and other special occasions, such as the lion dance.

In the imperial court there also developed throughout the centuries a series of complex court dances which require great skill. Some of the more widely known are the imperial lantern dance, fan dance and platter dance, among others.

Media

The Voice of Vietnam is the official state-run radio broadcasting services that covers the nation. Vietnam Television is the sole state-run television broadcasting company. As Vietnam moved toward a free-market economy with its doi moi measures, the government has relied on the print media to keep the public informed about its policies. The measure has had the effect of almost doubling the numbers of newspapers and magazines since 1996. Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernisation and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbours.

Music

Vietnamese music is slightly different according to three regions: Bac (North), Trung (Central) and Nam (South). Northern classical music is Vietnam's oldest and is traditionally more formal. Central classical music shows the influences of Champa culture with its melancholic melodies. Southern music exudes a lively laissez-faire attitude.

Some of the most widely known genres include:

• Imperial court music
  When referring specifically to the 'Nha nhac' form it includes court music from the Tran Dynasty on to the Nguyen dynasty. It is an elaborate form of music which features an extensive array of musicians and dancers, dressed in extravagant costumes. It was an integral part of the rituals of the Imperial court.
• Ca tru
  An ancient form of chamber music which originated in the imperial court. It gradually came to be associated with a geisha-type of entertainment where talented female musicians entertained rich and powerful men, often scholars and bureaucrats who most enjoyed the genre. It was condemned in the 20th century by the government, being tied falsely with prostitution, but recently it has seen a revival as appreciation for its cultural significance has grown. Vietnam has completed documents to have Ca tru recognised by UNESCO as a potential Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Religion

For much of Vietnamese history, Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism have strongly influenced the religious and cultural life of the people. Christianity was introduced by French colonists, and to a lesser extent during the presence of American forces. There is a substantial following of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism amongst the Cao Dai, and Hoa Hao communities. The largest Protestant churches are the Evangelical Church of Vietnam and the Montagnard Evangelical Church. Membership of Sunni and Bashi Islam is usually accredited to the ethnic Cham minority, but there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherents of Islam in the southwest. However, according to recent census, 80.8% of Vietnamese subscribe to no religion.

Sports

Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Vietnam. Sports and games such as badminton, tennis, ping pong and chess are also popular with large segments of the population. Baseball, introduced during American presence in Vietnam, has also gained some popularity.

Vietnamese martial arts have developed from the country's long history of warfare and attempts to defend itself from foreign occupation. Although most heavily influenced by Chinese martial arts, it has developed its own characteristics throughout the millennia in combination with other influences from its neighbours. Vietnamese martial arts are deeply spiritual due to the influence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, and are strongly reliant on the 'Viet Vo Dao' (philosophy of Vietnamese martial arts).

The general Vietnamese term for martial arts is 'Vo-Thuat', which encompasses all of the countless styles. Some of the more popular include:

• Vovinam
• Vo Binh Dinh
• Quan Khi Dao

Theatre

There are many different forms of theatre in Vietnam, including:

• Cai luong
  A kind of modern folk opera originating in South Vietnam, which utilises extensive vibrato techniques. It remains very popular in modern Vietnam when compared to other folk styles.
• Hat tuong (also known as Hat boi)
  A theatre form strongly influenced by Chinese opera, it transitioned from being entertainment for the royal court to travelling troupes who performed for commoners and peasants, featuring many well-known stock characters.
• Hat cheo
  The most mainstream of theatre/music forms in the past, enjoyed widely by the public rather than the more obscure Ca tru (see music section, above), which was favoured more by scholars and elites.

Water Puppetry

Water puppetry is a distinct Vietnamese art which had its origins in the 12th century. In water puppetry, a split-bamboo screen obscures puppets which stand in water and are manipulated using long poles hidden beneath the water. Epic storylines are played out with many different characters, often depicting traditional scenes of Vietnamese life. Despite nearly dying out in the 20th century, it has been saved by efforts of preservation and is now largely seen by tourists to Vietnam.