Nghi lễ trong chu kỳ đời người của người nùng cháo ở huyện văn quan, tỉnh lạng sơn hiện nay tt tiếng anh

VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES HOANG THUY DUONG RITUALS IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF NUNG CHAO PEOPLE IN VAN QUAN DISTRICT, LANG SON PROVINCE NOWADAYS Major: Anthropology Code: 31 03 02 DOCTORAL’S DISSERTATION IN ANTHROPOLOGY HANOI - 2019 The dissertation has been completed at: GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Supervisors: Assoc.Prof.Dr Nguyen Thi Song Ha 2.Dr Trinh Thi Thuy Examiner 1: Assoc.Prof.Dr Dinh Hong Hai Examiner 2: Assoc.Prof.Dr Vu Phuong Hau Examiner 3: Assoc.Prof.Dr Bui Van Dao The dissertation is defended before the Doctoral Dissertation Examining Committee at Graduate Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, 477 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi On …………………2019 The dissertation can be found at: - National Library of Viet Nam - Library of Graduate Academy of Social Sciences LIST OF SCIENTIFIC WORKS OF THE AUTHOR Hoang Thuy Duong (2018), Cultural rituals and practices in child education of ethnic Nung Chao in Van Quan district, Lang Son province, Journal of Social Sciences Manpower, vol Hoang Thuy Duong (2018), Customs in funeral rituals of Nung Chao people in Van Quan, Lang Son, Journal of Culture and Art, vol 411 INTRODUCTION The urgency of the topic: The Nung ethnic group is a member of a family of 54 ethnic groups, long-standing residence in the country of Vietnam With a population of 968,800 people (according to the results of the Population and Housing Census in 2009 of General Statistics Office), the Nung people reside in many provinces and cities nationwide: Bac Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Dak Lak, etc., in particular, in Lang Son, the population of Nung people is 314,295, accounting for 42.9% of the provincial population, and 32.4% of the total Nung people in Vietnam [24; pg.1] According to the report on ethnic affairs in 2017 of Van Quan district party committee, Lang Son province, the district's population is about 57,749 people with 13,545 households, of which the Nung people accounts for 64.66% of the population of Van Quan district, which is the highest population in the district [27; pg.1] Nung people have a long history of residence in Lang Son, with many different groups such as Nung Inh, Nung Chao, Nung Phan Slinh, Nung An, Nung Loi, etc., Nung Chao group mainly resides in Van Quan, Van Lang and Trang Dinh districts (Lang Son province); Na Ri district (Bac Kan province); Vo Nhai district (Thai Nguyen province) During their development, the Nung people in general and Nung Chao people in particular have formed and accumulated for themselves customs and rituals in the family and community imbued with ethnic cultural characteristics, which shows human life view, cosmic view, worldview of the Nung people in their awareness of the world and community relations Rituals in the life cycle are cultural activities of the spiritual, beliefs and religion of the ethnic group Through rituals and cultural characteristics of the ethnic group, it is clearly reflected, making the differences between one ethnic group and another, between this local group and other local groups Studying rituals in the life cycle is the core cultural and spiritual value of a nation, thereby finding important points in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values nowadays In the context of strong innovation, integration and globalization, there have been many impacts on the cultural change of ethnic minorities, including rituals in the life cycle in general and rituals in the life cycle of Nung Chao people in particular The impact of objective and subjective factors makes Nung Chao’s culture adapt to and integrate with new conditions, but also raises many problems in preserving and promoting cultural characteristics of the ethnic group and the issue of “losing” identity The 5th Resolution of the 8th Plenum and the 9th Plenum of the 11th Plenum on sustainable construction and development of the country has outlined the content of building, preserving and developing the national culture in localities, contributing to promoting the cause of national renewal and raising the cultural life of the people Therefore, the study of culture and cultural characteristics of Nung Chao people in particular in the process of cultural exchange and acculturation and the impact of the current market mechanism to encourage Nung Chao people to preserve their cultural values and be proud of their culture, helping local authorities to have basic theories for the dissertation, to ensure the content reaches the right direction In addition, the PhD student is a child of Nung Chao ethnic group, working at the state management authorityin the field of ethnic culture, so the research and understanding of the traditional rituals of Nung Chao people is very necessary Therefore, the author chose the topic “Traditional ritual of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang son province nowadays” as the research topic for the doctoral dissertation in Anthropology Research objectives and tasks: 2.1 Research objectives + The dissertation explores fully and deeply the current culture of Nung Chao people through rituals in the life cycle + The dissertation initially clarifies the changing factors in the life cycle, finding out the cultural values of Nung Chao people through the rituals + Proposing views and solutions for preserving and promoting the cultural values of Nung Chao people in the current context of industrialization, modernization and national integration 2.2 Research tasks + The dissertation focuses on the literature review to find new approaches for the dissertation, while identifying key concepts and scientific arguments to identify cultural values of Nung Chao people to get directions of preserving, promoting and inheriting positive aspects for building cultural life at grassroots level, helping state management authorities to have appropriate solutions and orientations in management and promulgating policies + The dissertation focuses on clarifying the rituals and practices in the current life cycle of Nung Chao people including rituals in childbirth and parenting, marriage, birthday, funeral Based on the research results, the dissertation shows the cultural characteristics and values of traditional rituals in life of the ethnic group + The dissertation initially forecasted the changing trend of the ritual in the coming time, thereby proposing some recommendations and solutions to help the local authorities carry out the preservation promotion of positive values of the rituals, reducing unsuitable factors in building new cultural lifestyles, building new rural areas of Nung people in general and Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province in particular Research subject and scope: 3.1 Research subject The research subject of the dissertation is Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province, one of the local groups of the Nung ethnic group in Vietnam, which mainly focuses on studying the rituals in the life cycle of Nung Chao people, including rituals in childbirth and parenting, marriage, birthday, funeral, these are important rituals that contain many typical cultural values, bearing the concept of human life point of view, worldview of the ethnic group 3.2 Research scope - The research area of the dissertation is Van Quan district, Lang Son province Van Quan district is the place where Nung people live, in which the Nung Chao people occupy a large number compared to other districts, and live alternately with some other ethnic groups such as the Tay, Kinh, and Hoa Research topics selected as research sites such as: Xuan Mai commune, Tan Doan commune, Van An commune, Khanh Khe commune, Bai Market, Duc Tam quarter, Van Quan town This selection helps the dissertation understand the culture of Nung Chao people and the process of cultural interference with the neighboring ethnic groups In addition, the dissertation also studies a number of other localities such as Cao Loc district for comparative research - The research period that the dissertation focuses on from 1986 up to now, in which ritual research is focused on the life cycle of Nung Chao people has been practiced in the community nowadays In the dissertation with a comparative study, the time is chosen from before and after innovation (1986) The source of the dissertation The dissertation uses the data collected through field trips in communes in Van Quan district, Lang Son province Besides, the PhD student inherits published documents, articles of researchers related to the dissertation topic New contributions to the science of the dissertation The dissertation has some main contributions as follows: - Building a documentary system on rituals in the life cycle of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province at present, paying attention to clarifying the cultural picture of Nung Chao people since the Party and the State implement country renovation up to now - The dissertation clarifies the changes and causes, trends in the traditional rituals of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province, in the context of innovation, socio-economic development, global exchange and integration - The dissertation initially clarifies the cultural values of the ethnic group through rituals in the human life cycle from which to explore and select cultural values that need to be preserved, promoted, especially the positive cultural values that contribute to the development of the life of the Nung Chao people in particular and of the Nung in general - The research results of the dissertation initially contribute to building scientific bases to help ethnic minority managers and policymakers, proposing recommendations and solutions on policies, especially cultural policies, which are practical to the Nung people and localities Theoretical and practical meanings of the dissertation 6.1 Theoretical meanings Research on rituals in the life cycle of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province contributes to supplementing scientific arguments and new sources of rituals in the life cycle of Nung Chao people in process of transformation and implementation of policies, particularly cultural policies and ethnic policies in the locality 6.2 Practical meanings In modern society, with the economic development, the lives of Nung Chao people are raised and improved, the access to the world through the media is a fundamental cause of the introduction of new cultural elements in both positive and negative directions This has resulted in the change of ethnic culture, the mutual influence of the peoples, obscuring traditional cultural values Therefore, the study of traditional rituals of Nung Chao people at the research site contributes to clarify the cultural characteristics of the Nung Chao people through the ritual, contributes to preserving the traditional cultural values, educate young people in the practice of healthy ethical lifestyles, aware of their role (as cultural subjects) in cultural exchange with other ethnic groups Since then, we can distinguish, respect and accept cultural differences, strengthen the solidarity of cultural exchanges between ethnic groups in the same locality of residence Besides, the dissertation provides scientific arguments to concretize cultural policies, conservation policies for cultural values of ethnic minorities, family planning policies, Law on marriage and family and evaluation of implementation of the Directive No 05 / CT-TTG of the Prime Minister on promoting the implementation of a civilized lifestyle in weddings, funerals and building local cultural life The structure of the dissertation The dissertation is divided into chapters of content (apart from the introduction and conclusion, references and appendices), including: Chapter 1: Overview of the research situation, theoretical basis and generalization of the study area Chapter 2: Rituals in childbirth and parenting Chapter 3: Rituals in marriage Chapter 4: Birthday ceremonies for the elderly and funeral rituals Chapter 5: Ethnic cultural values through rituals and factors affecting ritual changes in the life cycle of Nung Chao people Chapter OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH SITUATION, THEORETICAL BASIS AND GENERALIZATION OF THE STUDY AREA 1.1 Overview of the research situation of issues related to the dissertation topic 1.1.1 Research of foreign scholars Research on the Nung people, by Beth Nicolson, a scholar at the Summer Language Institute (USA), has had a research on the language of the Nung people in Vietnam In particular, the article “Nung language in Lang Son province” is noteworthy, published Proceedings of the First Vietnam International Conference in 1998 In 2007, author James A Anderson, Assoc Prof Dr., lecturer in History Department of North Carolina University, USA wrote the book “The Rebel Den of Nung Tri Cao” The book is a study of Nung Tri Cao's historical figure, edited and drafted at the Singapore Publishing House Council in 2007 1.1.2 Research of domestic authors 1.1.2.1 Research on Nung people In Vietnam, many scholars have had in-depth studies on Nung people Among them is the remarkable work “Brief introduction of Tay-Nung-Thai ethnic groups in Vietnam” (1968) by La Van Lo and Dang Nghiem Van In 1978, the Institute of Ethnology published the book “Ethnic minorities in Vietnam - the northern mountainous provinces” In 1984, the authors Ha Van Thu and La Van Lo published a book with the title: "Tay-Nung culture" In 1992, author Hoang Nam - who was very knowledgeable about the Nung culture published the book “The Nung in Vietnam” In 2004, author Hoang Nam continued to "launch" readers of the book “Ethnic Culture of Northeast Vietnam” In 1992, Be Viet Dang, Khong Dien, Dang Nghiem Van, Nguyen Van Huy and Pham Quang Hoan published the book "The Tay Nung ethnic group in Vietnam" The book is presented in a way that describes the traditional fields in many aspects including the life cycle rituals such as: family and family relationships, wedding ceremonies, birth practices, funeral rituals, etc., in a variety of locations, helping readers to understand and compare similarities and differences in rituals of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in different regions In 2011, author Nguyen Thi Thuy published the book "Traditional craft of Nung people in Vietnam" The book consists of chapters, introducing the natural and social characteristics of the Nung in Vietnam, traditional Nung craftsmanship and their conservation and promotion in modern life In 2014, authors Duong Sach and Duong Thi Dao launched the book "Wine culture of Tay - Nung people", published by the Culture and Information Publishing House In 1994, author Do Thuy Binh published the book "Marriage and family of Tay, Nung and Thai ethnic groups in Vietnam" In 2003, the Ethnic Culture Publishing House published the book “Customs and traditions of Nung Din in Tung Lau” by author Vang Thung Chung In 2006, the book “Lap Tinh ceremony of Put Nung” collected and edited by two authors Nguyen Thi Yen and Nguyen Thien Tu, was published by the National Culture Publishing House to readers n 2009, the book “Folk beliefs of the Tay – Nung” by author Nguyen Thi Yen was published by Social Science Publishing House In 2009, author Trieu Thi Mai launched “Traditional culture of Nung Khen Lai people in Cao Bang” Authors Nguyen Thi Ngan and Tran Thuy Duong in 2008 published the book "Marriage and family of the Nung ethnic group" on the basis of revising the ministerial-level project in 2007 1.1.2.2 Research on Nung people in Lang Son province: Nung people in Lang Son with many different local groups have been the target of many domestic and foreign scholars and researchers as mentioned above But the in-depth study of Nung Chao rituals in Lang Son is very limited Master’s thesis in cultural studies of Le Thi Huong (2008) with the topic "Marriage of Nung Chao people in Bao Lam commune, Cao Loc district, Lang Son province" Author Hoang Thi Le Thao had a study on "Local knowledge of Nung people in Dai An commune, Van Quan district, Lang Son province"; and "Changes in the health care of Nung mothers and children in Dai An commune, Van Quan district, Lang Son province" (Master’s thesis in Ethnography) Le Minh Anh with doctoral dissertation in Anthropology on "Lineages relations of Nung Phan Slinh people in Cao Loc District, Lang Son Province" (2014) described quite well the relation of Nung's family in mutual economic support, in childbirth and parenting, thereby clarifying the psychological cohesion of Nung community [23;pg.8] In 2013, author Nong Ngoc Bac collected and compiled the book “Song in funeral of Nung Chao people” 1.1.1.3 Studies on life cycle rituals of ethnic groups in Vietnam Studying rituals in the life cycle of ethnic groups is a research issue that always attracts scholars and researchers This is the field of spiritual culture of each nation, containing many core intangible cultural values Some works have been published as follows: In 2001, author Ly Hanh Son in his doctoral dissertation studied and introduced "The main ritual in the life of the Dao Tien group in Ba Be, Bac Kan" In 2009, Phan Van Hoang compiled the book “Life cycle rituals of Xo Dang people” Diep Trung Binh has a research work on "Customs and rituals in the life cycle of San Diu people in Vietnam" The author Nguyen Thi Song Ha with her research project "Rituals in the life cycle of Muong people in Hoa Binh" published in 2011, is a very significant monographic work, helping PhD student to better understand research methods and how to exploit and select research issues 1.2 Theoretical basis 1.2.1 Some basic concepts: - Rituals - Rituals in life cycle - Childbirth rituals - Marriage ceremony - Mixed ethnic marriage: - Funerals and funeral rites: - Habit - Customs - Taboos: - Traditions - Cultural change 1.2.2 Theoretical basis: - The theory of cultural change: - Theory of cultural exchange and acculturation - Theory of cultural relativity 1.3 Overview of the study area 1.3.1 Natural conditions of Van Quan district, Lang Son province Van Quan is a mountainous district, located in the southwest of Lang Son province, 45 km from Lang Son city along the highway 1B, with geographical coordinates: from 21044’ to 22000’ North latitude and from 106024’ to 106043’ East longitude The North borders Van Lang district, the South borders Chi Lang and Huu Lung districts, the East borders Cao Loc district and Lang Son city, the West borders Binh Gia and Bac Son districts 1.3.2 Overview of population, ethnic group and historical origin Van Quan district has ethnic groups (Nung, Tay, Kinh and Hoa) In general, the ethnic situation in the district is stable; communities living in solidarity with no religious followers in the area 1.3.3 The Nung in Van Quan district, Lang Son province: Locality of Nung Chao people in Lang Son province, a province bordering on the Vietnam - China border, where there is a border economy and strong economic and cultural exchanges between the Kinh, Chinese and Tay ethnic groups, so the study of Nung Chao group among Nung groups to identify their own culture is a necessary task Nung Chao people in Van Quan district mainly focus on living in towns, townships, markets, and central quarters of the district such as Duc Tam and Duc Tam In addition, they also focus on living in villages in Xuan Mai and Khanh Khe communes; a few live scatteredly in Tan Doan commune, Van An commune, Bai market, Tu Don clinics and hospitals; the placenta is handled by the hospital, not traditionally [24; pg.55] 2.4 Rituals and customs in caring and raising children 2.4.1 Rituals and customs when the child is small The worship of Mu fairy is a long-standing custom of the Nung people in general and of Nung Chao people in particular Since the woman became pregnant, they have worshiped Mu fairy to pray for lucks and blessings for the mother and the unborn child The Nung stipulates that if the child is first-born grandchild, they must “lẩu mưng” ceremony at the 7th month of pregnancy, then during days of Mu fairy worshiping ceremony, the family on mother side (aunts, uncles) shall bring sticky rice, roasted chicken and roasted pig along with the Mu fairy worshiping altar, a flowerpot and a bamboo cradle to the family on father side to celebrate the child Nung Chao's Mu fairy worshiping ceremony is a very unique culture, different from other ethnic groups in the community of ethnic groups in Vietnam It is expressed through rituals, preparatory work and in worshiping When the child was days old, Nung Chao people have to organize a ceremony to worship Mu fairy (Sam nơ) for the child In every Nung Chao family, there are often two Mu fairy worshiping altars of two different generations (grandparents and parents) The altar is usually placed and in the position of the couple's bedroom door or placed next to the family ancestor's altar The big Mu fairy worshiping altar is of the eldest son in the family, made when parents gave birth to the eldest son Later this son married and gave birth to the first child, also set up a smaller altar placed next to the first altar [Fig 26] The Mu fairy worshiping altar which made by the child’s grandfather on mother side, is made of bamboo (or neohouzeaua) On the altar, there is also a bamboo incense tube with flower or cloth/ paper flower arrangement (also prepared and brought by the family on mother side) This flower symbolizes lucks and blessings, to bless and wish the child will always be as fresh as flowers, healthy and later on, this child marriage shall “blossom” When preparing the tray of worshiping Mu fairy, If it's a nephew, they shall prepare a rooster, if it’s a niece, they shall bring a hen On the way to bring these offerings to the family on child’s father side, the grandfather on mother side absolutely must not to talk to anyone, even when he meet his relations on the way, if someone ask him anything, he should keep quiet and go straight to the family on father side The 3-day worshiping ceremony of the second child is simpler than the first For the Nung people in general and Nung Chao people in particular, during the 1-month-old ceremony of the child, in addition to eating and worshiping for their ancestors, there is an important custom in such day is the ceremony of "Khai hảy, Khai hon" This ceremony means making the soul 10 and spirit of the child aware of the family, the lineage, and the integration into the community and the village 2.4.2 Customs and rituals when children reach school age Ceremony of cleansing bad luck in student age (Ch l p t ch a) Nung Chao people believe in fate When a child reaches school age, if the child is too mischievous, often doing foolish, unsociable things and does not listen to anyone, it means that the child has a “student fate” When the child's parents go to see fortune telling, if the prophet says that the the child has “student fate”, they shall invite Then shaman to perform the “Ch l pít ch a” ceremony 2.4.3 Adoption habits * Ceremony of “khẩu k ” (Ceremony of consigning and adopting children): When the child was born, about years of age or older, was told by Mo shaman – Then shaman that if the child is compatible with his/her parents’ spirit, if their child is constantly sick, fussy, does not eat well, sleep badly or is difficult to raise, the parents of the child often send their child to another suitable family Usually it is the family of relatives, it’s better if the assigned family is closer, or it is a prestigious family in the village, which has a lot of children and grandchildren And “khẩu k ” ceremony is only performed if Mo shaman and Then shaman say so - “khẩu k ” ceremony is a ceremony of assigning your child to other family Conclusion of Chapter Nung Chao's childbirth and parenting rituals in Van Quan district, Lang Son province, from the pre-pregnancy period, the process of pregnancy, childbirth and care for children has many taboos and rituals aimed at wishing good things for mothers and babies Nowadays, as science and technology develop, cultural exchanges are promoted, the customs and habits of giving birth and raising children of Nung Chao people are also influenced by many new factors such as economy, population, family planning, health care, education, etc., therefore, there have been many changes in customs and rituals, many newly formed factors, many customs have been removed to adapt to the present life Rituals and customs of raising children of Nung Chao's people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province are vivid expressions of ethnic culture, with ancestral filial piety, parents and grandparents loving and covering their children, there are orders and harmonies between brothers and sisters The raising of children in the Nung Chao family deeply reflects the behavioral culture of people with people, their lineages and the community Good traditional customs are still preserved, like a layer of sediment that exists with time, ingrained in the lives of the people Along with the trend of interference 11 and development of new elements in modern times, the way of raising Nung Chao's children has changed a lot, in accordance with the period of integration of the country in the region and the world However, it still preserves the beauty in the traditional habits and customs Parenting is not only about taking care of food, clothing, but also comprehensive education for children, a close connection between family and school, between tradition and modernity, while educating children to understand their ethnic culture, and at the same time acquire scientific knowledge to catch up with the times Career orientation for children right from their school days is a preparation for the future, showing the progress of Nung Chao people in the integration period Thus, when children reach adulthood, they can become useful people for the community and good citizens for society Chapter RITUALS IN MARRIAGE 3.1 The concept of marriage Nung Chao people believe that marriage is an important thing in life, the marriage of a couple is an important thing for the whole family and lineage, in order to maintain the race, to form a small family and to develop the family finance In the tradition, Nung Chao people like to marry with their ethnic group peers because they know about each other's customs, activities, characters, and families, so the marriage and living together later of the young couple will be easier and more convinient However, ever since the country's renovation, when the socio-economic conditions have developed, more and more ethnic groups intermingled, the perception of Nung Chao people have changed Many Nung Chao young men and women are married to people of other ethnic groups and they accept the diversity and cultural intercourse in family life 3.2 Criteria for choosing a wife, choosing a husband and marriage age Previously, the girl chosen to be a wife had to have a graceful, goodlooking standard, good morality, good attitude, good health, be diligent and filial The boy chosen to be a husband must also meet the health standards, work hard and be resourceful, the family has a good moral tradition and is harmonious, the parents are prestigious people in the community Nowdays, the criteria for choosing a spouse of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district have also changed a lot, in addition to traditional criteria, girls and boys when choosing their partners all pay attention to education and social understanding, stable jobs and they are even really interested in the financial conditions of the partner’s family About marriage age: In the old tradition, the marriage age of Nung Chao people was often very young Today, the number of early marriages and child marriages is very low, most of Nung Chao people understand the Law 12 on Marriage and Family, in Van Quan district, Lang Son province, the average age of marriage for female is 20, and for male is 23 3.3 Customs and rituals in marriage The traditional marriage of Nung Chao couples usually consists of 06 steps: proposal ceremony, asking and comparing fortune tellings, fortune telling announcement, engagement ceremony, wedding ceremony and ceremony of visiting the wife’s home Nowdays, Nung Chao people have simplified these rituals, many rituals and customs have been absorbed and interfered with some other ethnic groups living in the region However, there are few changes in meaning and conception 3.3.1 Proposal ceremony (Pây sham m nh) Normally, in order to conduct proposal ceremony, a couple after learning about each other, shall report to their family about the partner, partner’s family and financial situation and ask their parents for permission to get married At this time, the groom's family will find a matchmaker to propose the bride's family The matchmaker may be a man or a woman, but it must be a relative or a prestigious person in the village, who has a happy married life, orderly family or maybe is Mo shaman, Tao shaman or Then shaman 3.3.2 Ceremony of asking and comparing fortune tellings (Au m nh) After about weeks of proposal ceremony, the groom's family will go to the girl's house to ask for fortune tellings Nung Chao people believe that a happy marriage is a couple first and foremost to be harmonious in destiny, fate, and blessed from heaven and earth On the contrary, if the fate is not harmonious, the marriage will face many obstacles Therefore, before the wedding, there is always the ritual of asking and comparing fortune tellings of the couple If the fortune tellings match, then the couple will get married, if the fortune tellings not match, they shall a ceremony called “soul collection” (thom khoăn) 3.3.3 Ceremony of fortune telling announcement (p o m nh hom) This ceremony is performed after asking and comparing fortune tellings, to notify the bride's family of the results of young couple and to set a date for engagement Previously, if the couple’s fortune tellings match, the groom’s family shall bring possesty to the bride’s family to officially announce the good news This ritual will be performed at the girl's house, witnessed by representatives of both sides of the family, and will not invite Tao shaman to ceremony Possesty brought to the bride’s family consists of areca, betel, wine, dry tea and packages of confectioneries [Fig 40] 3.3.4 Engagement ceremony (khai đau c ) Before the wedding ceremony, the two families will hold an engagement ceremony In this ceremony, the groom’s and bride’s families will hold a meeting between two families, relatives to discuss the wedding 13 ceremony and choose a fortunate day to organize the wedding During the engagement ceremony, the groom's family shall bring possesty to the bride’s family, including a pair of castrated roosters, a pair of cooked chickens, loads of round glutinous rice cake, two loads (two baskets) of sweet sticky rice, a wine bottle, a roasted pig, a tray of betel; a set of cigarettes, a kilogram of dry tea For Nung Chao people, during the engagement and wedding ceremonies, there must be sticky rice with sugar and honey (khẩu nu) During the proposal ceremony of Nung Chao people, there is an important ritual called “khả c y” ceremony (Chicken neck chopping ceremony) In daily life, Nung Chao also called the engagement ceremony as the “khả c y” ceremony, meaning as an engagement ceremony of Kinh people 3.3.5 Wedding ceremony (Kin lảu) After the engagement ceremony, the groom's family has a period of time to prepare the possesty that the bride's family requested, which can last for several years or months The wedding is usually held in the fall (from August to February of the lunar calendar), which is a cool, fresh climate time * Ritual of welcoming ghost (pất phi) To perform such ritual, the groom's family has to prepare two offering trays First offering tray is put in the house, including sticky rice, castrated roosters, bottle of wine, fruits and votive money placed on the altar The shaman will perform the ritual of offering from the time the groom takes the bride Tao shaman shall invite ancestors and family ghosts to welcome a new daughter-in-law who is on her way The second offering tray is placed at the entrance, where the bride will step over to enter the house, which is placed in an uncertain, easily dumped position This tray is prepared very nicely: people take the ash from the kitchen and shape it into nine round cakes into a round woven bamboo tray along with a tray of fruits, confectioneries and cigarettes This kitchen ash cakes represent family ghosts When the bride arrived at the door, she should kick off the woven bamboo tray that containing kitchen ash cakes before walk into the house The Nung Chao people believe that, when the bride comes to her husband's house, there will be a ghost of the bride's family to follow, that ghost when coming to the groom's house to see the ghosts of groom’s family, will sit down by the tray, greet each other and feast 3.3.6 Ceremon of visiting the wife’s home (Hòi lòi) The word “h i l i” in Nung language means to return to the footprints Ceremony of visiting the wife’s home will be conducted days after the wedding, the groom will bring a pair of chickens, 2kg of pork, 2-3 liters of wine, sticky rice, dry tea, cigarettes and confectioneries to visit his parents-inlaw's family The groom only stays at his wife's house for a day to visit and recognize relatives of his wife then he will take the bride back to his house 3.3.7 Marriage ritual for special cases 14 Marriage of widows and widowers; The marriage of divorced people is still full of rituals like ordinary weddings, but on a smaller, simpler scale, the guests are people who are really close to the family Conclusion of Chapter The marriage of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province is based on the principle of inter-ethnic marriage but not lineage members The phenomenon of mixed ethnic marriages tends to thrive, taking place in most Nung Chao families The rituals in traditional marriage are still preserved and performed in families but are no longer as long and complex as before Traditional customs and rituals such as making sweet sticky rice on the engagemen and wedding ceremonies still exists, ritual of welcoming ghost, the custom of wearing a hat for the bride still exist in the wedding Although the form of weddings and costumes of the bride and groom has changed, the dishes have also been added with many new dishes similar to the Kinh, but in Nung Chao's weddings, there are alwaystraditional dishes such as Khấu nhục, roasted pork, round glutinous rice cake Worship rituals and wedding time are also shortened, usually within one day After the wedding, the bride goes to her husband's house permanently, does not reside in her mother's house as in the tradition The marriage of men and women of Nung Chao today complies with the State's Law on Marriage and Family, with the legal recognition of the local government but less subject to customary law However, the marriage conduct principles of the young couple still follow the customs and traditions of Nung Chao people Family rituals are maintained, reflected in the belief that taboos in marriage remain, people perceive that worship brings sacredness, avoidance of taboos brings goodness Chapter BIRTHDAY CEREMONIES FOR THE ELDERLY AND FUNERAL RITUALS 4.1 Birthday ceremonies for the elderly (kin khoăn) Birthday ceremonies are one of the most important rituals of the Nung Chao in the tradition, often organized by the people for the elderly with the desire to pray for the health and longevity of the elderly This is a basic transition for everyone's life Therefore, the PhD student would like to mention the content of the birthday ceremony in the content of chapter The Nung Chao people believe that children must show their filial piety to their parents and grandparents as soon as they are alive, when they can still be with their children and grandchildren to enjoy old age Nung Chao's birthday ceremony is a nice traditional culture, showing the filial piety of the young people towards the seniors in the family 15 Principles of celebrating birthdays: In Van Quan district, Lang Son province, in the Nung Chao family, parents from 50-60 years old are classified as seniors and can be celebrated birthday by their children In the tradition, Nung Chao people not celebrate birthdays for kids and parents not organize birthdays for children like the Kinh, but only children celebrate birthdays for grandparents and parents In the family, if grandparents are still alive, even though the parents are 60 years old, they will not be able to celebrate birthdays, but they must celebrate birthdays for the grandparents every year, until the grandparents pass away, children can celebrate birthday for their parents Birthday ceremonies are held only once a year on the birthday of the oldest person in the family And every year, when the birthday comes, the grandchildren celebrate, until the elderly person passes away This is also an opportunity for children and grandchildren to gather, meet and express their hospitality to their grandparents and parents Normally, the birthday ceremony of Nung Chao people was performed by Mo shaman and Then shaman, and they barely invite Tao shaman to come to the ceremony like in funeral ceremony In the birthday celebration of Nung Chao people, there is an indispensable ritual called “pủ khảu, pủ lườn” (meaning making up rice and making up the house) 4.2 Rituals and customs in funerals 4.2.1 About the worldview Funerals are the last ritual in the life cycle ritual, the end of life on earth and the beginning of the journey to the afterlife of a person For the Nung people in general and the Nung Chao people in particular, the concept of the worldview, the human world and the cosmic world is a timeless space in which the universe is divided into three realms: heaven, earth, hell According to the concept and imagination of the Nung people, in such three realms, life and the relationship of each realm are not the same, there are different types of gods and demons in each realm 4.2.2 Conception of soul and death The Nung in general and Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province in particular have the notion that people have two parts: the soul and the body The soul is the invisible part, it exists within each human being, which is the deciding factor of each person's life or death If a person dies, the soul no longer exists in the person, at this time the soul will return to their ancestor or to another world ruled by a god, forever unable to return The deceased is basically classified into two categories: die in old age and die without a family For death in old age, the soul will be residing in a house of Muong heaven, for death in young age, the soul has not reach salvation, so they 16 must reside in the lower space, so according to the Nung, ancestors are always above, the living always on the bottom 4.3 Forms of funeral ritual According to the concept of the Nung people, from ancient traditions up to now, there are many different types of funerals, so depending on the funeral objects, people organize shall appropriate rituals As we know, the funeral of Nung people can be divided into the following three types: funerals for ordinary deaths (death in old age), funerals for shamans (Tao shaman, Then shaman, shaman Put) and funerals for unusual deaths (the young dead, newborn dead, sudden dead, etc.) 4.3.1 Funerals for ordinary deaths: including rituals: Grounding ritual and death announcement; shroud and mourning; Welcome ritual of Tao shaman ( n l o slay) Face wash ritual for the dead (sl o ang, sl o n ); Coffining ritual (kh u m y); mourning ritual; Tải Tưng ritual (Xiên tang); 3-day rice worshiping ceremony; Ceremony of ancestors (Phò chỏ chung worship); Bắc Cầu ceremony (p c b c k u, p c c c k u) Worship ceremony for the dead to come with the ancestors; Ceremony to bring dead souls to heaven; Pig sticking ritual (kh mu chẳm kháu); Horse sacrifice ( m ) Worship from daughters of the deceased (pưn xèn); Last look ritual (xu t slang); Burial ritual; Hồi phúc lộc ceremony ( i l c h l c lan Worship by grave ( hay tu m ) Funeral end ceremony ( hót khăn) 4.3.2 Funeral rituals for Tao shaman For Tao shaman, basic rituals are performed like normal dead people, but there are a number of different rituals, in the funeral, there are two groups of shamans The first group consists of one main Tao shaman and 2-3 additional Tao shamans (like the common funeral), the second group are group of Mo, consists of 2-3 Mo shamans 4.3.3 Funeral rituals for unusual deaths: For those who die due to an accident on the road, an accident on a field, or a hospital death (not at home), before performing the funeral in the usual rituals, Tao shaman must perform “qua làu” and “c ch slương” rituals “cách slương” in Nung means to separate pain from soul Conclusion of Chapter The birthday celebration of Nung Chao is a beautiful and unique cultural feature of the Nung in general and the Nung Chao in particular This ritual is a cultural feature, different from other ethnic groups in the same area If the Tay and the Kinh held a celebration of longevity for their parents and grandparents, the Nung Chao people celebrated their parents' birthdays Although the meaning is somewhat similar, both express the desire for parents to live a long, healthy life, but different offerings, way and time of worship are different The Tay and Kinh people often celebrate longevity when 17 grandparents and parents are 70 years old or older, while Nung Chao people can celebrate birthdays for 50-year-old parents The Tay and the Kinh can celebrate longevity for grandparents or parents if their parents are 70 years of age or older and grandparents are still alive, they shall celebrate longevity for parents and grandparents But the Nung Chao people are different, only celebrating birthdays for the oldest in the family Funerals are one of the family rituals that express the deepest morality, filial piety and relationships among members of the Nung Chao family, in the Nung Chao community ao shaman’s offering rituals in funerals are a logical sequence to recreate the process of sending the dead souls to heaven: Report to ancestors that there is a dead person in the house, report to the god, baptize the dead, guide the dead to heaven, give thanks to the gods and ancestors for their help, and many worshipping rituals of the descendants, relatives of the dead Compared with the rituals in birth and marriage, funeral rituals of Nung Chao people still retain the worshiping rituals and taboos, and traditional habits, there are only little changes in the practice of rituals Chapter ETHNIC CULTURAL VALUES THROUGH RITUALS AND FACTORS AFFECTING RITUAL CHANGES IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF NUNG CHAO PEOPLE 5.1 Ethnic cultural values 5.1.1 Humanistic values Humanistic values of morality and lifestyle have been highly appreciated and preserved by Nung Chao people in particular and preserved through cultural and belief activities, through a system of rituals in the life cycle, tradition of respecting the elderly, loving children, it is deeply reflected in the rituals relating to giving birth, young children, worshipping Mu fairy, marriage, birthdays for the elderly, etc., shows the profound attitudes of adults towards young children and their descendants towards parents and grandparents while still living When grandparents and parents pass away, the funeral is an opportunity for children to show filial piety, especially the role of the eldest son 5.1.2 Educational values The educational value of rituals in the life cycle of the Nung Chao people is expressed in many aspects, among which the prominent ones are family education From an early age, a child is taught by parents to be docile, polite, diligent and grateful to their ancestors The rituals of worshipping Mu fairy and “chá l pít ch a” ritual (Give paper and pen to children to go to school) has a profound educational meaning, both showing parents' care for their children and the beliefs and wishes for their children to grow up The educational value of the ritual is also expressed through way of teaching 18 daughter, a girl before comes to her husband’s house must prepare all the skills to be a bride, to be a wife, to be a mother, to love her husband's family By looking at the daughter-in-law, they can see the family order and discipline, whether the education of the parents of the girl is good or not In addition, when a husband and wife have completed the marriage, they will accept matchmakers as adoptive parents, every year there must be a reciprocity, being responsible to adoptive parents as biological parents express a good ethic of the Nung Chao people 5.1.3 Religious values Throughout the life of the Nung Chao, a system of rituals bearing the patriline color, the role of the man in the family holds a key position, reflected in the psychology of having a son to continue the lineage, through the son's initiative to come to the house of the girl to ask for fortune tellings, the eldest son shall decide all matters related to the parents' funeral Through the rituals, the blood relation is clearly manifested through the ritual of marriage, funeral, with the participation of all family members and lineages, so that the rituals are not only for an individual 5.1.4 Community cohesion values The ritual is considered a "favorable environment" to enhance and strengthen solidarity among family members, lineages, communities and society When practicing the ritual, family members and lineages have the opportunity to reunite and share, thereby creating psychological stability, preserving security and order through the principles of conduct between people and people, between humans and gods Through rituals in general and rituals in the life cycle in particular, we can see the value of community cohesion very clearly, such as it is the discussion and unification of family members, in lineages, in the community when organizing birthday ceremonies, wedding ceremonies and especially funerals 5.1.5 Cultural values Ethnic cultural values through rituals not fall outside the moral, cultural and social values Nung Chao people take care of each family member from birth, until maturity, marriage, old age and death These ethical traditions go on from one life to the next, transmitting, preserving them through rituals, through beliefs in the gods, beliefs in the "sacred" element of the ritual This helps families have a hierarchical order, their relatives have a close unity in the relationship of gloom and bride’s sides, society has a stable spiritual base with conventional conventions and behaviors that are not legally binding but have great effect 5.1.6 Aesthetic values The aesthetic value of rituals in the life cycle is manifested through the rituals performed in weddings and funerals Traditionally, the sli tune and 19 wedding intercourse singing have been a mandatory condition in rituals for the groom to be able to take the bride to his home, but to this day it has been lost and almost no longer exists During the Mu fairy worship ceremony, the birthday ceremonies, the songs and the dances of Then shaman are considered the unique cultural heritage of Nung Chao people, which are folk and highly artistic The melodies are not only congratulating and praying, but also a "bridge" to connect the human world with the divine world, convey the aspirations and desires for a better life The cultural identity of the ethnic group is also clearly manifested through the dancing and worshiping of Tao shaman in funerals, the powerful sounds of drums, cymbals and gongs are played to ward off evil spirits and protect the souls of the dead, take them peacefully to the afterlife 5.2 Factors affecting ritual change 5.2.1 Background that affects ritual Nowadays, the strong wave of globalization and international integration has made a lot of changes in ethnic culture, including the life cycle ritual Rituals associated with each individual, family and village in the ethnic community, are under the influence of many directions and dramatic changes 5.2.2 Impacts on ritual changes - The impact of economic factors - The impact of policies and laws - The impact of cultural and social factors - The impact of information communication systems and cultural exchanges - The change in people's awareness 5.3 Changes in the Nung Chao traditional rituals - Changes in Nung Chao people 's customs, birth and parenting rituals Changes in perceptions and notions: In Van Quan district today, Nung Chao people no longer have the concept of having many children to continue the lineage, creating more strength and labor for the family, the notion of respect for men and disdain for women and the preference for boys have been greatly reduced compared to tradition Today, the Nung Chao people believe that children are the result of love, marriage, the number of children and gender are no longer important, sons and daughters are equally loved Changes in rituals and taboos: Nung Chao women in the tradition from pregnancy to childbirth must abstain from many things to ensure the fetus is developing normally and healthy Nowadays, when Nung Chao women get sick, they use modern medicine which is sold at drugstores When they get seriously ill, they go to the hospital for medical treatment Change in marriage rituals of Nung Chao people Change of conception: in the tradition, Nung Chao's marriage is often imposed by parents, lineages, forced marriages still exist Since the country's 20 renovation, the marriage of Nung Chao people is built on the basis of knowledge and love of the couples, marriage is decided by the young couple themselves Change in wedding attire, food, and wedding gifts: today, the wedding dress of Nung Chao’s bride and groom Changes in wedding offerings and how rituals are performed: Nung Chao's steps in marriage are often simplified Change in funeral rituals Compared to the ritual in birth and marriage, the funeral rituals of Nung Chao people still have many original rituals as in the tradition The transformation of funeral rituals is somewhat slower Nung Chao people in Van Quan district still carry out all the funeral procedures in the tradition, but the taboo is not so serious as before 5.4 The positives and limitations of rituals in the life cycle of Nung Chao people 5.4.1 Positive values 5.4.2 The limitations of rituals in the life cycle 5.5 Ritual in the life cycle with building new rural life For the Nung in Van Quan district, Lang Son province, the process of implementing the new rural construction is closely related to the material and spiritual culture of the people, psychological and cognitive factors of cultural subjects (Nung people), including rituals in the life cycle One of the most important psychological factors in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is the community factor Every citizen, every household in the process of living, working and producing as well as performing important rituals in one's life, cannot separate themselves from the community 5.6 The trend of changing traditional Nung Chao rituals in the coming time 5.6.1 The trend of cultural exchange and acculturation has been increasingly expanded 5.6.2 The trend of fading traditional culture 5.6.3 The trend of reduction and simplification of ritual procedures in the life cycle of Nung Chao people 5.6.4 The trend of recovering and restoring some traditional cultural values 5.6.5 The solution contributes to preserving and promoting the cultural values of Nung Chao people through rituals in the life cycle Based on the research results of the dissertation, the PhD student proposed a number of solutions to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of the Nung in general and and Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province in particular as follows: 21 + Preserving and promoting cultural values in the traditional rituals of Nung Chao people must have a choice to suit the new situation, with the awareness of the ethnic community, to discard the inappropriate customs + Preserving and promoting cultural values in rituals in the life cycle is to know how to replicate positive cultural values, thus creating a national cultural identity + It is necessary to change people's perceptions about their traditional culture, overcome the inferiority and outward thoughts, underestimation of their own cultural values, even turn their backs, refuse traditional values, especially in the younger generation + More attention should be paid to the training of cultural cadres, equipping them with necessary knowledge about ethnic groups and ethnic cultures and for preserving ethnic minority cultures Conclusion of Chapter Study rituals in the life cycle of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province to clarify the cultural values of the ethnic group, including human values, educational values, religious values, community cohesion, cultural values and aesthetic values During the renovation period in Vietnam, the culture of ethnic minorities in general has undergone a dramatic change along with the process of global cultural integration The culture of the Nung Chao people, including life cycle rituals, is also subject to that common impact The main changing trends of the ritual are the trend of increasing cultural exchange and acculturation, the trend of simplifying rituals and the trend of losing cultural values, especially intangible culture These are the three main trends that create ritual changes, profoundly impact on the cultural life of the Nung Chao people, forming a new face in the traditional Nung Chao ritual system nowadays The research of ritual system in the life cycle of people in the process of the country having many rural development policies, in building a new civilized and modern rural life State regulations on weddings, funerals, village conventions have a strong impact on the change of ritual forms, time and space of rituals This is also the adaptation of culture in the regulation, harmony between national culture and ethnic culture, distilling the fine cultural values, gradually eliminating cumbersome and expensive rituals that no longer suitable for the modern world CONCLUSION Van Quan is a mountainous district 45km far from the center of Lang Son province with 23 communes and town Ethnic groups throughout the district include the Nung, the Tay, the Kinh and the Hoa, among which the Nung ethnic group accounts for the largest number (63.34%) [102; pg.1] In addition to the cultural similarities of the Tay, the Kinh and the Nung Phan 22 Slình, Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, have their own customs and rituals most clearly reflected in the rituals in the life cycle of people Nung Chao's rituals of giving birth and raising children are no longer as strict as they used to be, they have received scientific achievements in fostering pregnant women and caring for mothers and newborns, supplementing the knowledge of modern parenting with a variety of foods Mu fairy worshipping ceremony (sam nơ ceremony) and ceremony for one month old baby (lẩu bươn) is considered to be deeply imbued with the Nung's culture, which is still performed in Nung Chao families by inviting Mo shaman and Then shaman to worship, both to pray for the child and to celebrate the joy of family for having a new member The offerings still have many traditional elements: bamboo altar, red couplets, votive money, talisman, etc., being used in families In raising children, Nung Chao people focus on educating young children to ethical standards in the family and community In addition, most children go to school and are fully cared for by their parents Nung Chao children speak both Nung and Kinh languages Rituals relating to parenting: Pen and paper handover ceremony (chá l pít ch a), Ceremony of consigning and adopting children (khẩu kí) and adoption ceremonies and birthdays for the elderly have been handed down in the cultural life of the Nung Chao community, as a beautiful cultural identity that has been preserved by the people for hundreds of years Marriage rituals are always respected by Nung Chao people, because it is one of the most important things in life In the past, marriage was mainly arranged by parents, nowadays Nung Chao's young men and women learn and choose their partners freely and their parents respect the decision Under the influence of the Law on Marriage and Family, along with the increasing understanding of the laws of Nung Chao people, the phenomenon of child marriage has been limited, most couples have registered their marriage The organization of weddings today is also simpler, shorter, no longer have wedding request as before but depending on the conditions of the two families The time for organizing rituals in marriage is also shorter If in the tradition, the time from interrogation to marriage can last up to several years for the groom's family to prepare the gifts, now it is only withdrawn from to months The role of the matchmaker is no longer so important as before, today they are just intermediaries connecting the two families and helping them perform necessary marriage rituals such as: proposal ceremony, engagement ceremony, ritual of welcoming bride to husband’s house Due to the characteristics of coexistence with other Nung groups and other ethnic groups in the same area, mixed marriages occur naturally and tend to increase This is one of the reasons for the ritual transformation It can be 23 considered as a natural cultural intersection, making the influence of cultural absorption among each ethnic group Funeral rites of Nung Chao people in Van Quan district, Lang Son province still have many traditional funeral rites With the notion that humans have two worlds of yin and yang, humans after death will return to the afterlife with their grandparents, ancestors, Nung Chao people organize extremely sophisticated funerals with strict, complicated rituals that takes a lot of time, effort and money Despite the mobilization of the authorities in the implementation of a new way of life, it seems that the Nung Chao still carries a heavy tradition, mostly holding funerals for a long time, with the main role and help of Tao shamans and other groups Through funeral rites, the filial piety of the children to their deceased parents and grandparents is judged by whether the funeral is thoughtfully prepared or not, and whether the family is reputable and know to behave or not, is also expressed through the care, participation and assistance of neighbors, villagers; The cohesion and community support of the Nung Chao people are clearly expressed, as a cultural identity, which needs to be promoted Today, there are a lot of research works on Nung people in general and a number of research works on Nung Chao people in particular in different areas Most authors make scientific contributions to the description, evaluation, and analysis to highlight ethnic cultural characteristics However, in Van Quan district, there are still many issues related to the physical and mental culture of Nung Chao people who have not been studied in depth, especially rituals in the life cycle, with some typical rituals like birthday celebration for the elderly The need to study life cycle rituals today to compare with tradition, to see which factors still exist, which ones have been lost, from which recommendations and solutions for conservation, promoting the good cultural values of Nung Chao people in the trend of integration and globalization in order to protect the beautiful cultural identities, restricting inappropriate customs and rituals, and developing sustainably the ethnic culture 24 ... before the Doctoral Dissertation Examining Committee at Graduate Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, 477 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Ha Noi On …………………2019 The dissertation... and Duc Tam In addition, they also focus on living in villages in Xuan Mai and Khanh Khe communes; a few live scatteredly in Tan Doan commune, Van An commune, Bai market, Tu Don Nung Chao people... glutinous rice cake, two loads (two baskets) of sweet sticky rice, a wine bottle, a roasted pig, a tray of betel; a set of cigarettes, a kilogram of dry tea For Nung Chao people, during the engagement