Their origins may surprise you. 1. If you are able to speak Vietnamese, then some sympathy messages include: If you do not speak Vietnamese, then general condolences will be welcomed by the grieving. The word for the number 4 sounds much like the word for death. Stay updated with the latest news of the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam and information for traveling to Vietnam. Family members hold constant vigil over the body. This belief dictates death planning for the Vietnamese. Placement of an oil lamp under the coffin during the wake will keep the spirit warm. Most Vietnamese have multiple altars in both their home and workplace to worship their ancestors as well as different deities like Buddha, Bodhisattva, Than Tai(Caishen) - God of Wealth, and Phuc Loc Tho - the three Gods of Prosperity, Wealth, and Longevity. First of all, we do not fill our bowl to the brim with only one big scoop of rice, and it is also frowned upon to plunge chopsticks straight down into the rice bowl. Read more about Religions in Vietnam here. A friendly or enemy commander may refuse to attack or may alter his strategy if the stars are not in his favor. Couples going to Lt together will break up. The purpose of this study was to begin to explore cultural variations in response to the process of dying and grieving among four Asian American populations--Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Filipino. The event joins generations together in a commitment that extends beyond death. 5. More Vietnamese are now being cremated after the. This superstitions list includes a lot of pretty common false beliefs that many superstitious people will recognize. The body must be completely cold before it can be washed and prepared so as not to disrupt this process. Comes with fortune-telling, there have to be remedies if the result of reading your destiny is bad. As Vietnamese funerals will likely have some unique customs, you should respectfully observe them and feel no pressure to engage. Then you might be a superstitious person. The deceased is dressed in casual clothing as they would wear daily and the chosen coffin is modest. When Vietnamese people celebrate Tet, which falls on the Lunar New Year date of Feb. 12, they describe it as "an Tet," an expression that translates to "eating the New Year." (Tet Nguyen . Age is seen as the most important factor for determination. Hence, there are some things, some actions that they consider good and of course, some are seen as bad, that need avoiding. Superstitions in Vietnam. Qingming Festival is the day for descendants to worship their ancestors . You can see more of these irrational beliefs inchopsticks-using manners and gift-giving etiquettes in Vietnam. Reporter Christine Nguyen looks at her grandmother . Speaking of superstitions related to eating, in Vietnam, a lot of students avoid having eggs in their diet in the days leading up to a big exam. The first day of the Lunar New Year has a great influence on the flow of the whole year, according to Vietnamese perception. It is believed that doing so will inhibit the childs growth. While much of the culture is past-oriented, these superstitions mostly focus on preparations for the future to ensure that it is a successful and bright one. Vietnamese funerals have complex rituals, to say the least: gold coins and rice in the deceased person's mouth, finger and toe nails clipped and packaged, and, weirdest of all, a vigilant guard for the coffin so that cats and dogs don't jump over the body and bring the deceased back to life. Superstitions After Birth of Newborn Baby in Vietnam In Vietnamese customs, there are a lot of superstitions related to the newborn baby after birth. Traditional Vietnamese funerals are multi-day events that last anywhere from one to three days or more. after returning from a funeral to prevent the gloomy aura from clinging onto them. These actions are only used to serve rice as offerings to the dead, and so they are considered bad luck in a regular meal. Superstition, sometimes, plays more than a passing role in Vietnamese society. Funeral traditions in Vietnamese culture can vary based on religious beliefs. Quite silly, actually. Can I Take Photos at a Vietnamese Funeral? They choose their numbers using a wide range of tools ranging from the year of birth, elemental/zodiac sign, or just a beautiful sequence of numbers, most notably quadruple eight and nine. This represents the belief that the body will one day return to the earth in line with the cycle of life. 7. Some people possess "good spirits" which will bring happiness and good luck to the person they contact. When visiting Vietnam, many are our travellers and friends who wonder "Why Vietnamese people burn colored papers?". Superstition and belief are still large parts of daily Vietnamese life. Discover some South-East Asian superstitions that our Destination Specialists have come across on their travels. To this end, key informants and focus group interviews were conducted with members of these ethnic groups, and significant differences among . More. Many Buddhists believe that the soul is transitioning out of the body for up to eight hours after death. Influenced by Buddhism, many Chinese people believe that the souls of the dead stay and protect their descendants. Funeral Preparation. Gold coins and rice are placed in the mouth of the deceased during the preparation of the body. A majority of traditional Vietnamese funerals consist of three stages ("Vietnamese Funerals," n.d. para. These actions are only used to serve rice as offerings to the dead, and so they are considered bad luck in a regular meal. A large number of superstitions in Vietnam reflect the countrys rich history and diverse culture. 1. i Tour Vietnam | Top-rated private Ho Chi Minh City tours and Vietnam travel guides. Vietnamese Superstitions. They will recite the rosary, sing hymns, and a priest will hold prayer services with mourners. 3:00-5:00 p.m.: Be careful. However, for Vietnamese, death-dreams are good luck! When she is not trying to configure websites, Kate can be found walking in nature with a coffee firmly in hand. Pass Under the Casket. There isnt any scientific proof to back up this claim, but its still a story passed down from one generation to the next, especially in rural areas near rivers. Here are what you should know about Vietnamese superstitions so that you can cultivate your own luck too. I don't believe in this superstition. If you had bad luck in your dreams, perhaps there is some counter-vailing good luck that will pop-up elsewhere in your life. Generally, Vietnamese good luck symbols are of Chinese origin. These usually occur a week after death, and then on the 49th and 100th day. The following guide outlines everything you need to know about Vietnamese funeral traditions. During the wake period (usually three days), loved ones will keep constant vigil over the body. Vietnamese people have one believe that a human has souls and spirits, in particular, a man has 3 souls and 7 spirits while these numbers are respectively 3 and 9 to a woman. Old wives' tales have been around for centuries, and many people still believe them. North and South Vietnam have different approaches). The family of the deceased will prepare a banquet to share and visit the grave of their loved one to pray. Whistle at night will attract snakes. 5:00-7:00 p.m.: Guests are on their way. In feng shui law, your personal lucky number iscalculated by adding the last two digits of your birth year together until you get a single digit. Commonly, judging the direction depends on the age and information of the eldest members, also referred to as the head of the family or the lineage. This extends from the belief that loved ones will receive these items in the afterlife. Sometimes, people can also. It is superstitious that cleaning should be finished before the new year's eve. Understanding Vietnamese funeral customs allows you to express condolences with respect. Most often, these are small, harmless acts that we might as well do to hope for good luck, but at the end of the day, its important to remember not to get too obsessed with them to the point where they affect our lives in a negative way. There are a total of five feng shui elements: earth, air, fire, wood, and metal. The intention was to target the alleged superstitions of the North Vietnamese, by making the Ace of Spades the symbol of death, humiliation, and suffering. Tet, or the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is an incredibly superstitious time for Vietnamese families. Building a bathroom behind the main door is also unwise, not only will it create bad fortunes for homeowners, but it is also believed to cause health issues related to kidney, stomach, memory loss or even fertility problems. The first person who enters the house on the first day of Vietnamese New Year can bring good or bad luck to that household. According to Vietnamese superstitions, whenever you seem to have too much misfortune in your life, youre being shadowed by a spirit. Four is unlucky as it sounds like the word for death or suffering. The same is true for many other Asian cultures, which share a number of linguistic similarities. Considered "windows to the soul," many superstitions involve the eyes of the deceased, such as placing coins on the eyelids of . Vietnamese funerals. Again, this is to avoid bringing bad luck into other peoples houses. It begins with the preparation of the deceased's body that will be on display at the family home until it is time for the funeral. These somewhat uncustomary views or actions arise from cultural beliefs, with some including: Pregnancy is viewed as causing bad luck. tragic circumstances) nature of the death. Pregnant women and people who have had a recent death in the family are considered bearers of bad luck. Semi-formal black colored clothing is appropriate attire for a Vietnamese funeral. The priest then conducts a. In the Vietnamese culture, as exemplified by these superstitions which my aunt picked up on from her own mother and other adult family friends, rituals surrounding the New Year are of utmost importance and not to be taken lightly. These Vietnamese superstitions originated from two folk tales. The number four gets its bad name because it sounds like "death" in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai. Horoscopes are a method of foretelling a persons future based on the position and the movement of stars and planets in the universe and consulting horoscopes is one of the most popular superstitions in Vietnam. Today, there are many who break with tradition and open a window so the soul can be . You can see more of these irrational beliefs in. Do not sing in the kitchen or you'll get an old husband. This is a list of signs believed to bring bad luck according to superstitions. Reasons? 6. People, especially the female, will go to fortune-tellers (thay boi) and see their, Vietnamese Superstitions - Remedies for Bad Luck and Changing One's Fortune, Most Vietnamese have multiple altars in both their home and workplace to worship their ancestors as well as different deities like Buddha, Bodhisattva, Than Tai, (Caishen) - God of Wealth, and Phuc Loc Tho - the three Gods of Prosperity, Wealth, and Longevity. If you wish to learn more about Vietnamese, traditions and customs, check out our previous article, A bowl of rice filled to the brim is said to be for the dead and should not be served to the living. It is during this time that they share food and toast to celebrate the deceaseds life. Of course, this is nothing more than an old belief. . So for kids who are afraid of going into deep water, Vietnamese parents will sometimes. on the first day of the lunar new year. There are several explanations as to why the number 3 is avoided. The door is one of the most important aspects of feng shui in your home. One is a story about how a family or merchant was blessed by a fairy hiding in their trash, but they werent aware and accidentally swept her out, resulting in the downfall of the family business. AboutContactPrivacy PolicyTerms & Conditions. Just as people from other countries have their own tales of tooth fairies, we Vietnamese also have our own way to deal with our baby teeth when they come off. So there is no wonder why Vietnamese practice a lot of these superstitions in order to make sure that the transition from the old to the new year happens as smoothly as possible. Thus certain traditions are observed to ward off bad luck. It is believed that by doing so, youd sweep out the good luck that the new year brings. Settle down with a house and a job is an immortal saying of the old Vietnamese. When it is the, Vietnamese people have one believe that a human has souls and spirits, in particular, a man has 3 souls and 7 spirits while these numbers are respectively 3 and 9 to a woman. There are plenty of strange Italian superstitions, irrational beliefs and practices that all aim to ward off bad luck. Many people are carried to the hospital if they are sick. Most funeral rites are performed in the presence of the body. Do you find yourself throwing spilled salt over your shoulder without even stopping to consider why? There are several explanations as to why the number 3 is avoided. Learn more about, For many business owners, whenever they meet a bad customer or their sales are down, they can also just light up a piece of paper and send their bad luck away in the wind with the dark smoke. Thats why this superstition in Vietnam comes to life. The funeral occurring at a random time and day. Remove a Corpse From a House Feet-first. Not having sufficient knowledge, faith or trust in scientific methods, a Vietnamese often relies on his prejudices, emotions and the word of his forefathers to guide his daily life. Low denominations of money are thrown onto the ground during the funeral procession. This idea results in a. If you are a man, subtract 10 from the final result, and add 5 if you are a woman. Breaking a bottle of fish sauce is bad luck. So for kids who are afraid of going into deep water, Vietnamese parents will sometimes have a dragonfly bite their belly buttons, telling them its a gift thatll help them learn how to swim. Remember to only eat an odd number of eggs (1, 3, 5) and crush the eggshells when youve finished. , check out our authentic motorbike tours with professional local guides! Stay updated with the latest news of the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam and information for traveling to Vietnam. For example, in the year of the dog, if your zodiac sign is a horse, a dog, or a tiger, you will bound to be in big trouble. Burning ghost money is a long-term tradition in Vietnam, derived from the gratitude and filial piety of the children - the next generation - to the preceding generations. Burning incense is a way to respect the gods and the deceased relatives. Vietnamese people have one believe that a human has souls and spirits, in particular, a man has 3 souls and 7 spirits while these numbers are respectively 3 and 9 to a woman. Flowers, money, or food are commonly shared with grieving families. The most gifted funeral flower in Vietnamese culture is the white lotus. However, a house, a building is such a valuable property that can be taken as granted. On the other hand, the meowing of cats sounds similar to ngho, which means poor in Vietnamese. However, today, it usually lasts around three days. Breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years . She used to cook for 21 heads of state at APEC Danang 2017 and was introduced by famous chef Anthony Bourdain on CNN. Tet or Vietnamese New Year's, is one of the most important celebrations in Vietnam. There are no unique expectations of conduct at a Vietnamese wake and funeral. Most funerals in Vietnam consist of three stages. However, it is a custom of the country that people dont clean their homes during the time because sweeping dirt means throwing away fortune. The second way is decided by the compatibility of the guest and the homeowner based on their age and zodiac signs. In the past, a Vietnamese funeral could last up to a month or more. Then, placing the shirt back into the coffin to complete the ritual. Psych) by day and writer in the late evenings. Red represents happiness. The main Catholic traditions observed in a Vietnamese funeral include: Whether a Vietnamese person has this belief is influenced by their religion. Vietnamese formal meals have lots of dishes, big and small, all served together For a big formal meal, with many guests, the standard is to have at least 4-5 dishes. calculated by adding the last two digits of your birth year together until you get a single digit. The deceased is viewed with similar reverence to the living and so the same norms for taking pictures apply. The ritual is simple: the shop owner lights a piece of paper on fire and waves it around in front of their shop to scare the bad luck away. Meaning of White Headband at Vietnamese Funerals, Vietnamese Funeral Etiquette What to Do & Not to Do, What do I Say? Some people also avoid cutting or washing their hair before the exam for fear of washing all their knowledge away. The death is just one thing that occurs for a person to be reborn somewhere else. However, the owner can change that by changing the arrangement of their home and surrounding environment according to feng shui to harness lucky energy. Unfortunately, this number has many unlucky meanings, and people believe it brings misfortune and bad luck. In Vietnamese culture, numbers like 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 are thought of as lucky numbers. The belief that souls of the deceased live on after death and a funeral is critical to entering the afterlife. Following the interment, family and guests will return to the home for a meal or funeral reception. In the S-shaped country, pregnant women need to pay close attention to a series of taboos, some of which have scientific bases, some dont. Vietnamese Buddhist Funeral Customs (49 days). The Vietnamese, especially the young ones, also other kinds of fortune-telling from foreign countries like the horoscope and tarot. As such, the proper dining etiquette is to fill the bowl only two-thirds of the way, using at least two scoops of rice. The rest of the country is divided between atheism and smaller religious groups. As such, it is holy and shouldnt be used by mere mortals. Tet is more than just family gatherings,sticky rice cakes, and Lixi(lucky money). Particularly, the first guest visiting the house is believed to bring luck to the host family and this Vietnam superstition has been standing for a very long time. Numbers, to most Chinese, are considered to be auspicious or inauspicious, depending on the sound of the number. Reasons? When the platoon was in the jungle, Tim O'brien talked about the following regarding the platoon. My mothers younger sister, Thuy, told me about these superstitions while I was helping her prepare the food in the kitchen for our familys big Vietnamese New Year celebration at my grandmothers house. Very superstitious. "It turned us into a platoon of believers. Choosing a lucky wedding date is probably the most important step in Chinese wedding planning. This is just for Buddhists though. When Ngoc Hoang found out about this act, he punished her by turning her into a broom and forced her to work all year long, only allowing her to rest in the first 3 days of Tet. Red is considered a lucky color because demons and evil spirits of legends were afraid of the color red. 5. My aunts superstitions still remain incredibly significant to her identity, shaping the way she lives life each day and permanently influencing her beliefs. However, you are best placed to avoid red flowers as this color is reserved for happy occasions such as the new year. A bowl of rice filled to the brim is said to be for the dead and should not be served to the living The word lon in Vietnamese means to reverse, so you should only eat a balut to reverse your bad luck and not when you are lucky. Many of these Vietnamese superstitions are old beliefs passed down from previous generations that you can choose to follow or not as you see fit. 1:00-3:00 p.m.: You'll be safe and sound for whatever plans lie ahead of you. The first stage, "Nhap Quan" (entering the coffin), consists of the dead body being cleaned with alcohol or water ("Vietnamese Funerals," n.d. para. Due to this. Your birth year is 1996, 9 + 6 = 15 -> 1 + 5 = 6If you are male: 10 - 6 = 4 then your lucky number is 4If you are female: 6 + 5 = 12 -> 1 + 2 = 3 then your luckynumber is 3. Most of the time, the body of the family member who dies in Vietnamese New Year will be viewed and visited at their house or funeral home for two or three days, and at night one family member must sit and watch over the casket because they believe if a black cat jumps on or over it, that person wont go to heaven and theyll become a mean, violent ghost lingering here on earth.. No taking pictures with 3 people in the frame, Vietnamese people often avoid taking pictures in a group of 3, believing its bad luck, A lot of people in Vietnam would shy away from. Again, this is just wishful thinking from parents, hoping that their kids will have all the best in life. However, many feng shui masters have said that 9 is the luckiest number, it represents completion, fulfillment, and achievement. As an old Vietnamese saying put it, a dog coming into your house signifies good fortune. Swimming is a useful and, in many situations, a life-saving skill thats best learnt at a young age. Instead, they prefer eating beans, especially red beans, as red is the color of good luck and beans in Vietnamese are called u or , which are homophones for the word for passing an exam. Everyone hopes to bring themselves and their loved ones good fortune over the coming year, and one thing that dictates the family's luck is the first visitor of the year. In order to get rid of it, it is advised that you should draw a line of salt in front of your door, this will act as a talisman or protective charm that will keep the spirits from entering your home. If he or she is happy and rich the whole year that household will be happy and prosperous. Relatives . They come as they please and leave as they see fit, so their presence is often linked to loss and misfortune. Check out our, This Vietnam travel information page is written by a team of professional tour guides in Vietnam. It is avoided to the extent that buildings sometimes 'skip' the 4th floor, labelling it as the 5th, which can be confusing if you're deciphering levels in a .

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