Impacts of Geography and History

on Vietnamese Culture.

UIUC Oct. 26, 2005

Questions we will answer

• Why Vietnamese alphabet is in Latin?

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…

A satellite view of Vietnam

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.

A natural map of Vietnam

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…

History of Vietnam

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.

Thanh Noi - Hue

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,…

Ho Chi Minh City

Thank you!