Anything red. Following the interment, family and guests will return to the home for a meal or funeral reception. During visitation, menstruating women should not light incense as it is considered to be bad luck. that every Vietnamese person has been told at least once. Avoid wearing white or black. Superstitions in Vietnam. They are even concerned with who should first set foot in their house on . The job of coordinating and preparing Chinese funerals falls on the children or younger family members of the deceased person. Superstitious beliefs are everywhere on the planet and vary from all corners of the world. In fact, folks collect them in a corner of the house so that the shelter is still neat while the luck is saved. If you had bad luck in your dreams, perhaps there is some counter-vailing good luck that will pop-up elsewhere in your life. In addition, Vietnamese pregnant women avoid squatting in fear of dropping out the little kid or being in a mood since they dont want their newborn child to have a sorrowful face. 2. Moreover, kids are often taught not to use chopsticks to hit their rice bowls. At the site of interment, final prayers are made before the burial or cremation. Displays of wealth are not appropriate during the funeral. In certain cases, some shop owners perform the ritual if the first customer of the day leaves their shop without buying anything, as they believe the act is a sign that they wont get many more customers that day. These 25 old wives' tales are some of the most commonly believed ones around the world, so check them in preparation for your next cultural adventure. Meanwhile, others say 3 is an unlucky number in, 10. Vietnamese believe a person's soul wanders after death. On this joyous occasion, everyone is hopeful that the upcoming year will bring them good fortune. Vietnam has many customs involving superstitious activities. This may appear non-scientific and silly to an outsider, yet most Chinese adhere to this belief. Again, this is to avoid bringing bad luck into other peoples houses. If a woman is the first thing you see when you leave your house that is bad luck. Dogs are known for their absolute loyalty and love toward their, 8. Low denominations of money are thrown onto the ground during the funeral procession. In Vietnamese superstitions, people believe that their house comes with a history and negative or positive energy of their own. Ideas About Death and Dying in Vietnam. The ritual is simple: the shop owner lights a piece of paper on fire and waves it around in front of their shop to scare the bad luck away. In Vietnamese culture, religion dictates some of the rituals in the dying and bereavement process. Then, placing the shirt back into the coffin to complete the ritual. Red is a symbol of luck and is used in most Vietnamese celebrations. Embalming, burial, organ donation, and medical donation of the body are acceptable in the Buddhist faith. 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. For example, the, fishermen will remove the bones of the fish after finishing one side of the fish instead of turning it over as they believe this would turn over their boats. The casket is placed in a central room allowing visitors to come and pay their respects. 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. The best approach is to consult the family before the wake or funeral. Reasons? One is a story about how a family or merchant was blessed by a fairy hiding in their trash, but they werent aware and accidentally swept her out, resulting in the downfall of the family business. 1. Funeral traditions in Vietnamese culture can vary based on religious beliefs. Quite silly, actually. The oldest grandchild or child is responsible for holding a framed image of the deceased along the way. 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! They pray and give offerings to ancestors to show respect, something beautiful and healthy. The first stage is called " Nhap Quan " (Entering the Coffin). In an apartment complex, the door should not be placed opposite of the elevator because owners can feel like everyone is peeking inside their home, and the privacy of the family will be disturbed by outside energy. 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. While there are some fortune-telling methods seeming to use logical reasoning in the reading, but most of them are based on no actual scientific proof or solid pieces of evidence. Those prone to waterworks may compromise the future success of their children. I don't believe in this superstition. The owl is a sign of bad luck. Understanding Vietnamese funeral customs allows you to express condolences with respect. Youve probably heard sayings such as 13 is an unlucky number or dont walk under a ladder or youll face bad luck before. The body must be completely cold before it can be washed and prepared so as not to disrupt this process. Influenced by Buddhism, many Chinese people believe that the souls of the dead stay and protect their descendants. There isnt any scientific proof to back up this claim, but its still a story passed down from one generation to the next, especially in rural areas near rivers. They say doing so would bring misfortune upon the person at the center. The death anniversary is an expression of Vietnamese identity and values in a world where traditions inevitably change. As an old Vietnamese saying put it, a dog coming into your house signifies good fortune. Tet in Vietnam is associated with guest visiting, eating, eveloping, which means there is a lot of waste. Depending on religious beliefs, many of the Vietnamese culture believes that souls live on after death, but especially that a person should die in their home surrounded by his family. Some believe the ringing sound attracts hungry ghosts. Generally speaking, shop owners in Vietnam are known to be particularly superstitious, as many believe that how well their businesses are doing highly depends on their fortune. While it is common practice to give money in an envelope to assist with funeral costs, it is not mandatory to do so. You may wonder how the residence looks without being unclustered. . 1:00-3:00 p.m.: You'll be safe and sound for whatever plans lie ahead of you. Ancestral worship which includes the use of an altar with pictures, incense, and various food offerings is an example of this. In Chinese culture, the reason behind the superstition surrounding the number 4 lies in the way it sounds. Get the world-leading travel insurance for your adventure in Vietnam: itourvn.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. These somewhat uncustomary views or actions arise from cultural beliefs, with some including: Pregnancy is viewed as causing bad luck. Moreover, the architecture must ensure harmony amongst all feng shui details. Just like the horoscope or zodiac sign, your element is also decided based on your year of birth. Vietnamese Buddhist Funeral Customs (49 days). Perhaps its because the city has a melancholic vibe to it that makes people think of sadness, or perhaps because there are many supposedly haunted places around associated with tragic love stories and ghosts of young girls betrayed by their lovers who dont want anyone else to be happy. t va a common ritual for shop owners to shoo away bad luck. But for Ian Rose the hairy mole is a lucky . However, many feng shui masters have said that 9 is the luckiest number, it represents completion, fulfillment, and achievement. So, relish the nightmares! You can see more of these irrational beliefs inchopsticks-using manners and gift-giving etiquettes in Vietnam. Gold coins and rice are placed in the mouth of the deceased during the preparation of the body. Four is unlucky as it sounds like the word for death or suffering. The first person who enters the house on the first day of Vietnamese New Year can bring good or bad luck to that household. 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. Some believe the ringing sound attracts hungry ghosts. One of the Vietnamese superstitions of buying a house is judging the home's direction. Thats when the Vietnamese superstitions emerged as a resort to human mentality. Throwing childrens baby teeth onto the rooftop or under the bed. One story has it that an American commander always consulted a Vietnamese astrologer before planning the deployment of his troops. Burning ghost money is a popular superstitions in Vietnam - Source: phunuvietnam.vn. This is because I wasn't born in Vietnam and I didn't know about . Therefore, normally families will determine a person who is successful, generous, sociable, and healthy and send an invitation to him or her and note that they are the first caller of their home. Most of the time, the body of the family member who dies in Vietnamese New Year will be viewed and visited at their house or funeral home for two or three days, and at night one family member must sit and watch over the casket because they believe if a black cat jumps on or over it, that person wont go to heaven and theyll become a mean, violent ghost lingering here on earth.. The following are some examples: After a death, windows were closed so the deceased's soul could not fly out. Number 8 is believed to have auspicious meaning because this sound has a positive meaning of prosperity, whereas 4, a negative meaning . Another bizarre superstition in Vietnam is that it is not advisable to prepare clothes or baby stuff before eighth-month pregnancy. Once all clock hands hit number 12, the old year ends, a new one comes, the person is expected to enter the gate of the house, send best wishes to the host, and just remain for a short time. Some people possess good spirits which will bring happiness and good luck to the person they contact. 7:00-9:00 p.m.: More guests are on their way. It was believed that all these features were well-known to the Vietnamese and that the card was a potent symbol that would strike fear into the enemy ranks. Those attending a Vietnamese funeral usually provide gifts as a gesture of sympathy. 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. Culinary artist Pham Thi Anh Tuyet is known as a culinary "ambassador" who is always dedicated to bringing Vietnamese traditions to the world. 4. By the time a boy is old enough to marry, for example, he may not be able to wed the girl he loves because she was born in the wrong year. Their origins may surprise you. The Vietnamese, especially the young ones, also other kinds of fortune-telling from foreign countries like the horoscope and tarot. Superstition, sometimes, plays more than a passing role in Vietnamese society. You may take them as seriously (or not) as you wish! Remember to only eat an odd number of eggs (1, 3, 5) and crush the eggshells when youve finished. This practice is known as Dot phonglong. The priest then conducts a. While much of the culture is past-oriented, these superstitions mostly focus on preparations for the future to ensure that it is a successful and bright one. While you should refrain from using your phone for leisure during the service, it is acceptable to take photos and videos during the funeral. This superstitions list includes a lot of pretty common false beliefs that many superstitious people will recognize. Instead, they prefer eating beans, especially red beans, as red is the color of good luck and beans in Vietnamese are called u or , which are homophones for the word for passing an exam. A lot of people in Vietnam would shy away from taking group pictures in which there are three people in the frame. 2. Your luck for the entire year depends on the first visitor. Nowadays, though, a lot of dentists are recommending that these baby teeth are preserved. Yet, it is also known for a rumor: any couple who come here together will break up. Pregnancy is viewed as causing bad luck. Therefore, buying a house is a basic need for everyone. The first option is to have the oldest person in the family be the home caller; this Vietnamese superstition comes from the view that the elders have accumulated a lot of good deeds, fortune, and knowledge in their long life and can share their longevity, peacefulness, and good fortune with the whole family. Vietnam's ancient history and rich local folklore have led to some strong held beliefs that certain behaviors will increase good fortune while others will doom family members to bad luck or invite evil spirits to lurk around the home. Both the paint color as well as furniture inside the house should be compatible with the owners elements. 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. And when things are not going well, t va, also called t phong long is a common ritual that they often perform to shoo bad luck off. Red represents happiness. Ancient history and rich local folklore have led to certain Vietnamese superstitions, most of which are related to bringing good luck or avoiding bad omens. This symbolizes the pure cyclical nature of life. 3:00-5:00 p.m.: Be careful. As such, the proper dining etiquette is to fill the bowl only two-thirds of the way, using at least two scoops of rice. They believe that everything must be cleaned before this day arrives as a tardy cleanse can sweep away all of the family's good luck and prosperity. What superstitions do you secretly believe? A simple line such as Im deeply sorry for your loss is appropriate. Particularly number 8, because the Chinese pronunciation of it sounds like the word Phat in meaning wealth, prosperity. 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. Being born and living here in Vietnam, I got a chance to see lots of beautiful places, try countless great dishes, & experience many interesting things in places I visited. There are no unique expectations of conduct at a Vietnamese wake and funeral. I'll just list a few. My aunt also mentioned the idea that the death of a family member must be shown a great deal of attention and care, so much that it is important for someone to be watching over the casket day and night to guard against evilness and the resurrection of a violent, Earth-bound ghost. Not having sufficient knowledge, faith or trust in scientific methods, a Vietnamese often relies on his prejudices, emotions and the word of his forefathers to guide his daily life. Older Vietnamese people may prefer to be at home at the end of life with . It is the outcome of coincident cases of miscarriage, stillbirth. 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. If the pot doesn't break, it means there'll be another death in the family soon. When we take pictures of funerals or wakes, it's not to be macabre but more like a quiet reverence. Every country has its own superstitions, and here are 10 common superstitions in Vietnam that every Vietnamese person has been told at least once. We're not kidding. The intention was to target the alleged superstitions of the North Vietnamese, by making the Ace of Spades the symbol of death, humiliation, and suffering. In fact, incense burning is a prominent part of Vietnamese funerals. The first day of the Lunar New Year has a great influence on the flow of the whole year, according to Vietnamese perception. Therefore, it's bad luck to carry a corpse home. If he or she is happy and rich the whole year that household will be happy and prosperous. Incense will be lit on a daily basis in tribute. In Vietnamese culture, numbers like 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 are thought of as lucky numbers. Here are 13 Thai superstitions that locals are familiar with - some of you might even be guilty of using it to scare little kids! It is common for Vietnamese memorial services to include an altar where friends and family can lay offerings of flowers, fruit, candles and incense. These actions are only used to serve rice as offerings to the dead, and so they are considered bad luck in a regular meal. Family members hold constant vigil over the body. The following guide outlines everything you need to know about Vietnamese funeral traditions. Today, both dogs and cats are well-loved by thousands of pet owners. A large number of superstitions in Vietnam reflect the countrys rich history and diverse culture. Qingming Festival is the day for descendants to worship their ancestors . The funeral occurring at a random time and day. Take this superstition as reason to be a kinder person under every phase of the moon. Vietnamese Superstitions - Beliefs in Afterlife and Spiritual Beings Vietnamese usually offer foods and burn ghost money and votive items like houses, clothes, and cars for the death so that they can eat, spend, use and continue their afterlife in another world. 1. 5:00-7:00 p.m.: Guests are on their way. To guarantee a luckier new year, people follow superstitious beliefs. If you are a man, subtract 10 from the final result, and add 5 if you are a woman. Those are for good luck. Vietnamese Funeral Costume. These papers are known as "votive papers . Buyer must ponder days and nights before making a decision. A large number of superstitions in Vietnam reflect the countrys rich history and diverse culture. Beliefs and religions are spiritual needs of a nation, which have existed and will exist with the nation and cannot be completely eliminated. Some believe it is a typical number mentioned in many instances in Buddhist and Taoist teachings. Learn more about, 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. Interment of the deceased will follow at the site of burial. Here the Vietnamese superstitions that I love and know: 1. . She used to cook for 21 heads of state at APEC Danang 2017 and was introduced by famous chef Anthony Bourdain on CNN. It is during this time that they share food and toast to celebrate the deceaseds life. There are plenty of strange Italian superstitions, irrational beliefs and practices that all aim to ward off bad luck. This is one of the very few Vietnamese superstitions which can pose a threat to the environment. 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. What Flowers are Appropriate for a Vietnamese Funeral? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Many also choose to arrange the display as a wreath so that it can be draped over the coffin. A marching band will lead the hearse which is followed by attendees. Regardless of customs, the focus of the service is to respectfully farewell a loved one. . The Chinese Vietnamese has a similar ritual where they burn and step over charcoal. 7. , telling them its a gift thatll help them learn how to swim. To this end, key informants and focus group interviews were conducted with members of these ethnic groups, and significant differences among . The belief may have to do with an idea of luck and "balance": good luck somewhere is balanced by bad luck elsehwere. Despite the fact that there is disapproval of superstitious practices from the government, most Vietnamese still have strong deep-rooted beliefs in superstitions that were set by our ancestors long ago. Any of the Four Symbols. This is a list of signs believed to bring bad luck according to superstitions. Embalming and organ donation are acceptable in the Catholic faith. Also, while it is customary for people to visit their friends and relatives during Tt to catch up, those who just lost a family member will refrain from doing so. In the Buddhist tradition. Just as an old Vietnamese proverb goes Co kieng co lanh, which can be roughly translated to There is no worship without sacredness, there are no taboos without luck. They say doing so would bring misfortune upon the person at the center. Some people just see them as things to remember in life, but there are people who follow them as if they were the ultimate law of the universe. 2). As we were readying the food and setting up the table, she asked if I knew any Vietnamese superstitions regarding the New Year, and proceeded to enlighten me. Most Chinese people believe that burial brings peace to the deceased, so they follow the tradition of inhumation. If you visit a shop early in the morning in Vietnam, its considered common courtesy to buy something even if you dont really need it it neednt be a big purchase, a small item will do. If you wish to learn more about Vietnamese, traditions and customs, check out our previous article, A bowl of rice filled to the brim is said to be for the dead and should not be served to the living. The music chosen reflects the happier or somber (e.g. Even so, people continue to do so because they think it is something they can do for the people who gave birth to them or the people they are indebted to, giving them peace of mind. When she is not trying to configure websites, Kate can be found walking in nature with a coffee firmly in hand. If youre in need of suggestions for what to do and where to go when youre there, check out our detailed guide here. In general, the mourning process and grieving etiquette reflect traditional Han Chinese beliefs about family and . 6. 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. The arrangement of an altar. For example, pregnant moms must refuse to attend funerals because these are the gathering places of miasma which can threaten the life of the fetus. Many Buddhist funeral ceremonies extend over a long period of time to assist the spirit of the deceased in transition. A way to get rid of this bad omen is to put up a curtain or feng shui painting in front of your bathroom door to cover it up. 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For your loss is appropriate: Pregnancy is viewed as causing bad luck your! Ll just list a few 4 lies in the frame embalming,,... Common practice to give money in an envelope to assist with funeral costs, &! Are acceptable in the Buddhist faith sounds like the word Phat in meaning wealth, prosperity person... A gift thatll help them learn how to swim a history and diverse culture pop-up! Bring bad luck the shirt back into the coffin ) body must be completely cold before it can found... To complete the ritual that many superstitious people will recognize regardless of customs, the reason behind the surrounding... Some believe it is not mandatory to do so 3 is an expression of identity! Ian Rose the hairy mole is a list of signs believed to have auspicious meaning this! 5 if you are a man, subtract 10 from the final result, medical!