Vietnam geography history culture

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 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!