There are also influences of French (due to the colonial past) and Russian and English (due to the respective combatant forces during the Vietnam War). Vietnamese is the majority language and has been highly influenced by Chinese. Another traditional Vietnamese apparel is the Non-La - the conical hat which has become the hallmark of Vietnam’s culture.ĭo make it a point to buy the traditional Ao Dai and Non-La when in Vietnam! The price of an Ao Dai starts from VND 500,000, and the Non-La can be purchased at just VND 25,000! Languages in Vietnam Western outfits have taken over the clothing style of Vietnam these days, and the Ao Dai is either worn on special occasions or as uniform in schools and workplaces. Once worn by both men and women, the ao dai now remains mostly a woman’s apparel. The Ao Dai, however, has stood the test of time. The traditional clothing style of Vietnam has undergone various changes throughout history under the rule of many dynasties. Read More about Religion in Vietnam here. There are also a few Hindu temples in Vietnam like the Mariamman Temple which is believed to have been established by Hindu traders and is popular among the minority Hindu chams group. The Notre-Dame Basilica in Ho Chi Minh City, which has been built with bricks imported from France shows the colonizers’ effort in propagating Christianity in Vietnam. There is also a rise in the number of people who are following Catholicism due to the influence of the French colonialism.

It considers all religions as equal, and people of all faiths take an active part in its ceremonies. The Cao Dai Temple is, however, one of a kind. As a testimony to this practice, Vietnam has various Buddhist and Confucianist temples such as the Thein Mu Pagoda, Perfume Pagoda and the Bai Dinh Pagoda. Homes and offices usually have ancestral altars. The people of Vietnam mostly follow three major religions: Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. The colonial influence of the French is also seen in Vietnam through the use of the Latin alphabet, rise of Catholicism and the prevalence of bread and pastries in food. The rulers in Vietnam then went on to acquire other parts of the Khmer regime, thus assimilating elements of Cambodian culture as well. It is mostly regarded to be a melting pot of the migrants from China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea due to this. Although situated in the south-eastern part of Asia, Vietnam had been under Chinese rule, and hence its culture is very similar to that of China. The culture of Vietnam is a concoction of the cultures of China, neighbouring Cambodia and France.

Art of water puppetry