A bowl of rice filled to the brim is said to be for the dead and should not be served to the living 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. Grieving families will consult with a fortune-teller to select a lucky time for the service. Couples going to Lt together will break up. So when youre visiting a friends family during Tet, make sure not to comment about their piled-up trash or help out with cleaning, as you will be throwing out their good fortune. Can I Take Photos at a Vietnamese Funeral? You might notice that in a funeral, there are people who wear white headband with the clothes, some others just wear white . Vietnamese Superstitions. Moreover, kids are often taught not to use chopsticks to hit their rice bowls. 3:00-5:00 p.m.: Be careful. Meanwhile, others say 3 is an unlucky number in, 10. , check out our authentic motorbike tours with professional local guides! If you are a man, subtract 10 from the final result, and add 5 if you are a woman. While you should refrain from using your phone for leisure during the service, it is acceptable to take photos and videos during the funeral. When in doubt, observe how the family behaves during the funeral and be guided by them. Those other items used to be just clothes, hats, jewelry, cars, houses, etc., but now there are also modern and fashionable votives such as iPhones, computers, etc. However, some have roots deeply integrated in our culture that theyve become a part of Vietnamese social etiquette. The death anniversary is an expression of Vietnamese identity and values in a world where traditions inevitably change. 5:00-7:00 p.m.: Guests are on their way. 4. In general, it can be viewed as offensive or bad luck for an expectant mother to attend a Vietnamese funeral. 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 . It is part of the Confucian principle of filial piety and devotion to one's parents. And when things are not going well. It's A Good Time To Resolve Feuds National Geographic reports that the Batammaliba. 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. Four is unlucky as it sounds like the word for death or suffering. In fact, folks collect them in a corner of the house so that the shelter is still neat while the luck is saved. To the soldiers in Vietnam, superstition became a kind of . Vietnamese funeral costume is white clothes with white headband. Owls are bad omens. During visitation, menstruating women should not light incense as it is considered to be bad luck. calculated by adding the last two digits of your birth year together until you get a single digit. Every country has its own superstitions, and here are 10 common superstitions in Vietnam that every Vietnamese person has been told at least once. If you hear the hoot of an owl, it's certain death. 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. Whistle at night will attract snakes. However, a house, a building is such a valuable property that can be taken as granted. 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. "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" establishes many traditional beliefs Tibetan Buddhists have . 5. Buddha-anything. Necklace, wrist, ring, whatever. 8.7K. They will usually adorn white clothing or shrouds as well. Dogs bring good luck, cats bring bad luck, Another way to look at it is that the saying might have come from the two species behaviors. 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. As such, dont let the rumors stop you from visiting this beautiful city with your significant other. 1. 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. . When it is the funeral,the anniversary of the death or big holidays, they will burn a couple of ghost money and paper items in the hope that their ancestors or deceased people can receive them. Especially red envelope money. The first stage, "Nhap Quan" (entering the coffin), consists of the dead body being cleaned with alcohol or water ("Vietnamese Funerals," n.d. para. You can often see this ritualduring the Tet holiday, one's funeral, the death memorial occasions, andVietnamese Ghosts Month or so-called Thang Co Hon. This does not impact our reviews as our values are to remain objective. In contrast, there are those who feature ill spirits that they send pity to others. There are no unique expectations of conduct at a Vietnamese wake and funeral. Every parent wants their child to grow up strong and tall, and thus many tell their kids not to wear hats indoors. That said, as with all other superstitions, there is no scientific evidence for it, so dont let it stop you from capturing shots of memorable moments with your squad. after returning from a funeral to prevent the gloomy aura from clinging onto them. For example, people with the zodiac sign of the mouse should visit homeowners with signs of buffalo, dragon, monkey, and if people born in the year of the snake wouldn't be welcomed to visit a family whose head of the family is born in the year of the mouse. There are also other superstitions in Vietnam to wear off bad luck like wearing lucky charms made from jade. 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. Family members hold constant vigil over the body. This is because I wasn't born in Vietnam and I didn't know about . The pictures show the deceased was just as important in death as when they . Psych) by day and writer in the late evenings. "It turned us into a platoon of believers. Unfortunately, this number has many unlucky meanings, and people believe it brings misfortune and bad luck. Superstitions After Birth of Newborn Baby in Vietnam In Vietnamese customs, there are a lot of superstitions related to the newborn baby after birth. Wedding Dates: Lucky and Unlucky Months. Vietnamese Funeral Traditions. Some believe the ringing sound attracts hungry ghosts. Then, placing the shirt back into the coffin to complete the ritual. As such, it is holy and shouldnt be used by mere mortals. Gesture University of California Irvine. Vietnamese Buddhist Funeral Customs (49 days). Burning ghost money is a popular superstitions in Vietnam - Source: phunuvietnam.vn. Any of the Four Symbols. This may appear non-scientific and silly to an outsider, yet most Chinese adhere to this belief. Today, both dogs and cats are well-loved by thousands of pet owners. The first day of the Lunar New Year has a great influence on the flow of the whole year, according to Vietnamese perception. Breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years . In contrast, there are those who feature ill spirits that they send pity to others. Red is a symbol of luck and is used in most Vietnamese celebrations. One of the Vietnamese superstitions of buying a house is judging the home's direction. According to traditional Vietnamese beliefs, once removed. The main Buddhist customs you may observe at a Vietnamese funeral include: You will find that many of the funeral customs in the Catholic faith overlap with those of Buddhism. The same is true for many other Asian cultures, which share a number of linguistic similarities. There are some zodiac signs that will be on good terms with one another (usually a group of three zodiacs), while others will be conflicted with one another. The Italian culture has many beliefs passed down from generation to generation and even though many of them may seem absurd to an outsider, they are taken more or less seriously by natives! Many people are carried to the hospital if they are sick. In Vietnamese culture, numbers like 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 are thought of as lucky numbers. This is particularly true if you are not of Vietnamese ethnicity yourself. 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. My aunts superstitions still remain incredibly significant to her identity, shaping the way she lives life each day and permanently influencing her beliefs. 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. Read more about Religions in Vietnam here. The sellers often do this when a customer comes and leaves without buying anything first thing in the morning as they believe the customer has brought bad spirits to the shop. Another way to look at it is that the saying might have come from the two species behaviors. Some of them are: burning votive paper, meeting fortune tellers to ask for a prediction of future, especially some negative superstitions prevent some young couples from marriage because of their contrasting ages. North and South Vietnam have different approaches). In Japan and Korea, for instance, the word for the 4 and the word for death are . 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. 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. That way, the permanent teeth will grow straight and even, resulting in a beautiful smile. Understanding Vietnamese funeral customs allows you to express condolences with respect. Read more about, Depends on what youre praying for, be it health, wealth, or general fortune for yourself and your family, you will pray to different deities. i Tour Vietnam | Top-rated private Ho Chi Minh City tours and Vietnam travel guides. The purpose of this stage is to clean the death body and place it inside the coffin. To this end, key informants and focus group interviews were conducted with members of these ethnic groups, and significant differences among . Superstition, sometimes, plays more than a passing role in Vietnamese society. You shouldnt place any mirror opposite to the entrance because after a long day of working, seeing a shadow or reflection in the mirror as the first thing when you come home can create paranoia which can negatively affect homeowners mental health or make them suffer from nightmares, especially if you are a woman. 4. The Vietnamese strongly believe that a person should die at home and be surrounded by his family. And It's so great to share all things I know about Vietnam to you. I have seen owls and I think I heard them hoot even though it was a long time ago. is a time when we bid goodbye to a lunar year and usher in the next. Discover some South-East Asian superstitions that our Destination Specialists have come across on their travels. 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. 2013-2022 i Tour Vietnam | All Rights Reserved | contact: info@itourvn.com, MUI NE, DA LAT & NHA TRANG (6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS). Here are 13 Thai superstitions that locals are familiar with - some of you might even be guilty of using it to scare little kids! People hope for a better upcoming year when Tet arrives. Due to this, expectant mums are encouraged to avoid funerals as they risk putting an omen on the grieving. Some Vietnamese Superstitions during Tet Holidays, Xongdat- also known as the first home caller or first foot, This superstition in Vietnam is taken quite seriously, so be sure not to show up uninvited to people's houses on the first day of Tet or set foot in their home after New Year's Eve, Other taboos include wearing black or white, as these colors are associated with death and funeral; borrowing money during this time is also frowned upon. 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. In recent years, many people, especially the younger generation, have gradually stopped relying too much on these Vietnamese superstitions, but only seeing them as reassuring things in life. The Chinese Vietnamese has a similar ritual where they burn and step over charcoal. However, there are many people who are completely delusional and blindly believe in these things, harming not only themselves but also those around them. Funeral traditions in Vietnamese culture can vary based on religious beliefs. 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 . At sunrise or very early on the final day, a procession to transport the coffin to a gravesite or crematory will occur. 9:00-11:00 p.m.: Particularly number 8, because the Chinese pronunciation of it sounds like the word Phat in meaning wealth, prosperity. In fact, some people prefer having cats as they dont need as much attention as dogs, making them perfect for the busy lives were now leading. 6. In fact, incense burning is a prominent part of Vietnamese funerals. Many also choose to arrange the display as a wreath so that it can be draped over the coffin. The oldest grandchild or child is responsible for holding a framed image of the deceased along the way. Check out our Vietnam travel guide or our private tours if you wish to learn more about the traditions and customs of Vietnam. Those attending a Vietnamese funeral may choose to offer flowers, food, or verbal condolences to the grieving. . Phm Cng Sn, (1996) a Vietnamese anthropologist, said, "Death is not the end but is the final stage of one life to be transformed into another." He also asserted that death rituals provide the bereaved with a chance to fulfill their filial obligations to the deceased. Of course, this is nothing more than an old belief. Again, this is to avoid bringing bad luck into other peoples houses. The parents need to help the person to be reborn in the proper place by providing a peaceful and religious environment for death. 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. Evidently, these superstitions reveal a great deal about Vietnamese culture and thought. Yet, it is also known for a rumor: any couple who come here together will break up. In Vietnam, it is common for the deceased to remain at home after their death until the funeral. As an old Vietnamese saying put it, a dog coming into your house signifies good fortune. Of course, this is often taken lightheartedly as a simple little act to hope for good luck on the big day. This allows the soul to find its way home. 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. The Vietnamese hold special dinners to commemorate the 49 th and 100 th days of mourning as well as the first anniversary of their beloved family members' deaths. 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