Vietnamese people believe that the world of the dead is the same as that of the living, and the burned items will be brought down to their relatives in the dead realm. These actions are only used to serve rice as offerings to the dead, and so they are considered bad luck in a regular meal. As such, the proper dining etiquette is to fill the bowl only two-thirds of the way, using at least two scoops of rice. 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. Just like the horoscope or zodiac sign, your element is also decided based on your year of birth. 5. Vietnamese Buddhist Funeral Customs (49 days). Those attending a Vietnamese funeral may choose to offer flowers, food, or verbal condolences to the grieving. Again, this is to avoid bringing bad luck into other peoples houses. The word for it in Vietnamese is "coi boi", and the most popular time for this is at Tet Holiday (coi boi dau nam). It is also about turning to a new page and having a fresh start for a new year. It is believed that by doing so, youd sweep out the good luck that the new year brings. Both the paint color as well as furniture inside the house should be compatible with the owners elements. after returning from a funeral to prevent the gloomy aura from clinging onto them. When Ngoc Hoang found out about this act, he punished her by turning her into a broom and forced her to work all year long, only allowing her to rest in the first 3 days of Tet. . A possible explanation for this belief is that the barking of dogs is often interpreted as gu gu in Vietnamese, which sounds similar to giu giu, where giu means rich. It is used as a lucky color for wrapping gifts, including red envelopes. If youre in need of suggestions for what to do and where to go when youre there, check out our detailed guide, 9. Reporter Christine Nguyen looks at her grandmother . This is a list of signs believed to bring bad luck according to superstitions. Relatives . Vietnamese people believe it is a bad misfortune to die away from home. If you are a man, subtract 10 from the final result, and add 5 if you are a woman. And there are more because every person, with their unique background, occupation, and experience will have their own superstition and ritual related to it. Superstition has been known to determine the conduct of the war in this ravaged country. 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. The first stage is called " Nhap Quan " (Entering the Coffin). On the other hand, those from the lower jaw should be thrown onto the rooftop. The oldest grandchild or child is responsible for holding a framed image of the deceased along the way. In contrast, there are those who feature ill spirits that they send pity to others. The best approach is to consult the family before the wake or funeral. People hope for a better upcoming year when Tet arrives. Here are history's 13 most enduring superstitions. Here are what you should know about Vietnamese superstitions so that you can cultivate your own luck too. Some believe it is a typical number mentioned in many instances in Buddhist and Taoist teachings. The biggest festival of the year in Vietnam. To chase away bad luck, Vietnamese will burn incense or a piece of paper and fan the smoke. Most funeral rites are performed in the presence of the body. Particularly number 8, because the Chinese pronunciation of it sounds like the word Phat in. The biggest festival of the year in Vietnam, Tt is a time when we bid goodbye to a lunar year and usher in the next. If youre interested in learning more about Vietnamese culture, check out: Cover image adapted from @ng10_11 and Phc V. Superstitions After Birth of Newborn Baby in Vietnam In Vietnamese customs, there are a lot of superstitions related to the newborn baby after birth. Vietnamese people think that it is a lucky . In Vietnam, a death anniversary is viewed as a celebration of life and a festive occasion. 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. Eggs look like the number 0, implying that theyd get a bad score. The arrangement of an altar. A simple line such as Im deeply sorry for your loss is appropriate. The death anniversary is an expression of Vietnamese identity and values in a world where traditions inevitably change. Settle down with a house and a job is an immortal saying of the old Vietnamese. They say doing so would bring misfortune upon the person at the center. 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. Commonly, judging the direction depends on the age and information of the eldest members, also referred to as the head of the family or the lineage. This superstitions list includes a lot of pretty common false beliefs that many superstitious people will recognize. This idea results in a. Learn more about how incense is made. You may wonder how the residence looks without being unclustered. Every country has its own superstitions, and here are. Every year after a Vietnamese person's death, their children and grandchildren make a feast. The first day of the Vietnamese New Year is a very important day for most traditional families. It is believed that the first person to entire the house after midnight of the Lunar New Year Eve is responsible for the good or bad fortune that follows the family throughout the year. As Vietnamese funerals will likely have some unique customs, you should respectfully observe them and feel no pressure to engage. 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. 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. Red is a symbol of luck and is used in most Vietnamese celebrations. To make sure the soul finds its coffin, the monk or the shaman will wave the deceased's shirt towards four directions while saying out loud ba hn by va (for male) or ba hn chn va (for female). Superstitious beliefs are everywhere on the planet and vary from all corners of the world. 6. 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. 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. 1. TOP 7 VIETNAMESE SUPERSTITIONS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT, 1 - Vietnamese superstitions list: The first caller bringing luck, 2 - Avoiding sweeping the house during Tet holiday, 3 - Top 7 Vietnamese superstitions: Burning ghost money, 4 - Vietnamese superstitions: Burning a bamboo spill for chasing ill luck away, 5 - Top Vietnamese superstitions: Judging home direction before buying, 6 - Top 7 Vietnamese superstitions: Consulting horoscope, In Vietnams daily life, there are a lot of unusual things happening that no one can explain. This Vietnamese superstitionmay hold true in the time when people still live in shacks near forests, but it is still used today to scare the children when their parents don't want them to do the whistle. Family members must consult the Chinese Almanac to determine the best date to hold the Chinese funeral ceremony. This does not impact our reviews as our values are to remain objective. The body must be completely cold before it can be washed and prepared so as not to disrupt this process. My aunts superstitions still remain incredibly significant to her identity, shaping the way she lives life each day and permanently influencing her beliefs. The most gifted funeral flower in Vietnamese culture is the white lotus. Vietnamese Funeral Costume. Again, this is to avoid bringing bad luck into other peoples houses. A majority of traditional Vietnamese funerals consist of three stages ("Vietnamese Funerals," n.d. para. If the deceased will be cremated, then this is likely to be a final aspect of the service. Burning votive paper. Traditional Vietnamese funerals are multi-day events that last anywhere from one to three days or more. The main Catholic traditions observed in a Vietnamese funeral include: Whether a Vietnamese person has this belief is influenced by their religion. Losing your temper or shouting will bring bad luck for the year. I'll just list a few. This symbolizes the pure cyclical nature of life. Money. 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. 8 ways Tt is celebrated differently between northern & southern Vietnam, 9 childhood manga & comics we grew up reading, 10 Vietnamese Superstitions To Know To Wow Your Friends & Keep Your Luck Going, I Had Paranormal Encounters At My Office & Decided To Never Stay There Alone Again, Man Breaks Curfew In Saigon, Ends Up Getting Escorted To See His Brother For The Last Time, 20 Vietnamese Singers Whom Every Millennial Should Know About, From Ageless Balladeers To V-Pop Divas, 8 Vietnamese Supernatural Beliefs Thatll Send Shivers Up Your Spine, Domino Tower in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam Will Be Southeast Asia's Tallest Building. In an area as diverse as Corona and Riverside, we meet with families from many cultures and faith traditions and have deep knowledge of a variety of ethnicities and spiritual . Check out our, This Vietnam travel information page is written by a team of professional tour guides in Vietnam. Traditionally, blood sacrifices and magic words made spirits happy. Understanding Vietnamese funeral customs allows you to express condolences with respect. As a courtesy, ensure that your phone remains silent when in use. In Vietnamese culture, religion dictates some of the rituals in the dying and bereavement process. When we take pictures of funerals or wakes, it's not to be macabre but more like a quiet reverence. Eggs look like the number 0, implying that theyd get a bad score. These papers are known as "votive papers . No sweeping the house or taking out the trash on the first day of the lunar new year. 1:00-3:00 p.m.: You'll be safe and sound for whatever plans lie ahead of you. Whether you believe in superstitions and old legends or not, their cultural roots may surprise you. All rights reserved 2012 2023 TheSmartLocal.com, Youve probably heard sayings such as 13 is an unlucky number or dont walk under a ladder or youll face bad luck before. According to traditional Vietnamese beliefs, once removed, baby teeth from the upper jaw should be placed under the bed. 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. However, many feng shui masters have said that 9 is the luckiest number, it represents completion, fulfillment, and achievement. Some believe the ringing sound attracts hungry ghosts. 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. Another bizarre superstition in Vietnam is that it is not advisable to prepare clothes or baby stuff before eighth-month pregnancy. No matter which number you multiply 9 with, the addition of digits in the result of the equation always returns to 9 (for example, 9 x 2 = 18 -> 1 + 8 = 9), symbolizing a complete circle of heaven and earth. Especially red envelope money. In Vietnamese culture, religion dictates some of the rituals in the dying and bereavement process. In the S-shaped country, pregnant women need to pay close attention to a series of taboos, some of which have scientific bases, some dont. To guarantee a luckier new year, people follow superstitious beliefs. Owls are bad omens. 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. It is during this time that they share food and toast to celebrate the deceaseds life. Very superstitious. 30. Their origins may surprise you. 8.7K. Moreover, kids are often taught not to use chopsticks to hit their rice bowls. Tet in Vietnam is associated with guest visiting, eating, eveloping, which means there is a lot of waste. Balut - fertilized duck egg embryo - also known as Hot vit lon, is a popular food Vietnamese use to get rid of bad fortune. Embalming and organ donation are acceptable in the Catholic faith. In Chinese culture, the reason behind the superstition surrounding the number 4 lies in the way it sounds. Your luck for the entire year depends on the first visitor. t va a common ritual for shop owners to shoo away bad luck. In fact, incense burning is a prominent part of Vietnamese funerals. Your birth year is 1996, 9 + 6 = 15 -> 1 + 5 = 6If you are male: 10 - 6 = 4 then your lucky number is 4If you are female: 6 + 5 = 12 -> 1 + 2 = 3 then your luckynumber is 3. on the first day of the lunar new year. Kate is a qualified psychologist (M.A. The purpose of this stage is to clean the death body and place it inside the coffin. Take this superstition as reason to be a kinder person under every phase of the moon. If there is a long delay between the death and burial then an embalmer will attend and support with preservation of the body. If you wish to learn more about Vietnamese Tt traditions and customs, check out our previous article here. Therefore, it's bad luck to carry a corpse home. When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them. Anything red. In fact, despite a long and deep Catholic tradition, certain pagan rituals in . The key steps include: Contrary to standard black attire adorned in western cultures, the immediate family of the deceased traditionally wear white headbands during a Vietnamese funeral. People, especially the female, will go to fortune-tellers (thay boi) and see their luck in the relationship with family members, love life, and work or business progress in the next year. Meanwhile, others say 3 is an unlucky number in fengshui. Every country has its own superstitions, and here are 10 common superstitions in Vietnam that every Vietnamese person has been told at least once. Vietnamese people believe that it is a bad misfortune to die away from home, but also bad luck if they carry a corpse home. In line with tradition, immediate family members are expected to wear white and adorn matching headbands. According to Vietnamese superstitions, whenever you seem to have too much misfortune in your life, youre being shadowed by a spirit. While it is common practice to give money in an envelope to assist with funeral costs, it is not mandatory to do so. The music chosen reflects the happier or somber (e.g. According to Staticia, 14.9% of the population are practicing Buddhists while 7.3% are Roman Catholic. However, it is a custom of the country that people dont clean their homes during the time because sweeping dirt means throwing away fortune. However, some have roots deeply integrated in our culture that theyve become a part of Vietnamese social etiquette. Ideas About Death and Dying in Vietnam. Thats when the Vietnamese superstitions emerged as a resort to human mentality. Grieving families will consult with a fortune-teller to select a lucky time for the service. Red is considered a lucky color because demons and evil spirits of legends were afraid of the color red. Vietnamese believe that by cleaning the house during Tet, especially the first 3 days, they will sweep the good lucks and prosperity out of their home. When it is the funeral,the anniversary of the death or big holidays, they will burn a couple of ghost money and paper items in the hope that their ancestors or deceased people can receive them. Age is seen as the most important factor for determination. It is unclear how this belief came to be and none can actually testify if thats actually the case. . This extends from the belief that loved ones will receive these items in the afterlife. Dogs are known for their absolute loyalty and love toward their, 8. The main Buddhist customs you may observe at a Vietnamese funeral include: You will find that many of the funeral customs in the Catholic faith overlap with those of Buddhism. During visitation, menstruating women should not light incense as it is considered to be bad luck. 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. 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Festive occasion your phone remains silent when in use, because the Chinese pronunciation of it sounds an saying. Thrown onto the rooftop they will usually adorn white clothing or shrouds as well furniture! Kinder person under every phase of the Vietnamese superstitions so that you can cultivate your luck! In superstitions and old legends or not, their children and grandchildren make a feast a simple line such Im... The color red a corpse home the happier or somber ( e.g previous article here remains silent when in.. The belief that loved ones will receive these items in the dying and bereavement process peoples houses x27 ; 13! Word Phat in guides in Vietnam is associated with guest visiting, eating, eveloping, which there... Music chosen reflects the happier or somber ( e.g aunts superstitions still remain significant.: you & # x27 ; s 13 most enduring superstitions misfortune in your life, youre being shadowed a. Baby teeth from the final result, and here are they send pity to others year is a part.
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