Post on 16-Dec-2015
Questions we will answer• How come southerners
are dynamic and northerners have stronger traditions?
Questions we will answer
• Why Vietnam is small geographically, but so diverse in religions, traditions, ethnics…
Geography
• China in the North
• India not-too-far West
• Impact: both Buddhism and Confucius flourish.– Buddhism: popular in 10th, 11th.– Confucius: from 12th, still very strong now.
Geography
• A very long coast, so commercial interactions with Westerners started very early.
• Impact: western missionaries came to Vietnam to propagate Catholic, Protestant, Muslim…– Current Vietnamese alphabet was invented by
missionaries to teach the Bible.
Geography
• North: – Delta of the Red River: small and having regular
floods almost every year.– Hilly regions, surrounded by mountains.
• Impact:– Hard to make a living, need a lot of past
experiences.– Hard to interact with outsiders: keep going with
traditions.
Geography
• South: – Delta of the Mekong River: much better farms
than the delta of the Red River.– Surrounded by people from the North,
Cambodia, Indonesia…
• Impact:– Easy to make a living, can take risk.– Immigrants: open-minded, dynamic…
Geography
• Hilly in the South,
• Coast and plateau in the Central,
• (Mekong) Delta in the South
• Impact: diversity in geography results in diversity in religions, traditions, ethnics…
Vietnamese History in Brief
• Kinh Duong Vuong, Lac Long Quan, Au Co, Vua Hung (?),
• Chinese control (111 BC – 938 AD),• Ngo Quyen earned independence (938),• Ly Dynasty chose Hanoi as capital (1010),• Tran Dynasty fought against the Mongols 3 times,• Quang Trung: unified Vietnam (1789),• French control (1858-1945),• Socialist Republic of Vietnam
History
• Hanoi: – Capital since 1010,– Through almost all dynasties.
• Impact: strong Confucius culture– Order in the family, school,…– Strong traditions.
History
• Hue: – Capital of the last Dynasty (Nguyen, since
1802)
• Impact: – Preserve many material or immaterial cultural
heritages of Vietnam and the World.
History
• Ho Chi Minh City: – Established about 300 years ago.– Mostly immigrants from other parts of the country– Much interactions with foreigners.
• Impact: – Open-minded, dynamic,…