The Power of Words and Names

In Vietnamese thought, language itself held power. To utter a word was to invoke the object or force it represented, making it nearly tangible. This belief was particularly strong concerning things that inspired fear. Dangerous animals such as elephants, tigers, and crocodiles were rarely mentioned by name; instead, they were respectfully addressed as “lords” to avoid attracting their wrath. Similarly, the personal names of emperors were avoided. Since Vietnamese is a monosyllabic language with a high incidence of homonyms, people often had to alter everyday words to prevent uttering an imperial name. For example, in the 17th century, when the country was divided between the Trinh lords in the north and the Nguyen lords in the south, southerners replaced the word for “yellow” (hoang) with “huynh” to show deference to Nguyen Hoang, the founder of their ruling family. Northerners, meanwhile, altered the pronunciation for “tung” (meaning “to submit” or “pine”) to “tong” to avoid saying the name of their leader, Trinh Tung.

Naming Customs and Superstitions

Vietnamese parents avoided naming their children after relatives, dead or alive, because calling a name aloud was thought to summon all those who bore it. It would have been unthinkable, for example, to scold a child by name if that name also belonged to a revered ancestor. Instead, children were often addressed by their birth order. Yet, there was a key difference between northern and southern naming conventions. While northerners openly acknowledged their firstborns, southerners feared the devil’s jealousy. They believed that the devil particularly coveted cherished firstborn sons, so they pretended that their eldest child was actually the second, starting the numbering at two rather than one. To further deceive malevolent spirits, parents sometimes disguised their sons as girls, painting their nails and piercing their ears. This practice, which persisted into the 1960s, was abandoned only when the child reached puberty, by which time parents felt more confident that their son would survive into adulthood. Similarly, newborns were often given ugly names to avoid attracting the devil’s attention. Once the reached adolescence, they would receive a proper name, which was then officially recorded in village registers. This cultural practice clashed with Western customs, particularly the practice of assigning a permanent name at birth on official documents.

Religion and the Stages of Life

Religious beliefs governed life even before birth and continued well beyond the grave. Pregnant women were subjected to numerous taboos designed to protect both themselves and their unborn children while also safeguarding the community from the powerful forces unleashed by pregnancy. They were advised to consume certain foods while avoiding others, refrain from nighttime activities, and avoid specific locations. For example, eating crabmeat was believed to cause a baby to lie crosswise in the womb, making delivery difficult. Consuming snails or oysters was thought to result in excessive drooling. Attending weddings or having one’s photograph taken during pregnancy was said to make the baby unattractive. Moreover, neither a pregnant women nor her husband could hammer nails into their home, as doing so was believed to delay labor indefinitely.

Despite these restrictions, pregnancy and childbirth were occasions for celebration. When a baby reached its first full month of life, families held a feast to give thanks. A second feast was held on the child’s first birthday, during which parents attempted to predict their child’s future. Objects symbolizing different professions – such as a scholar’s brush, a farmer’s sickle, or a merchant’s gold – were placed before the child, and the first item they picked up was believed to indicate their future occupation. After this event, birthdays were no longer celebrated until the individual reached the age of 60, marking another milestone worthy of festivity.

The Influence of Fortune-Telling and Auspicious Dates

Between birth and death, everyday life was meticulously planned around the determination of auspicious dates. Some dates were universally considered unlucky, such as the 5th, 14th, and 23rd of the lunar month, when no major undertakings-such as building a house, setting out on a journey, or starting a new business – were initiated. Finding a truly auspicious date required consulting a fortuneteller. These specialists, who included astrologers, palm readers, and I-ching diviners, were indispensable figures in Vietnamese.

The Relationship Between the Living and the Dead

In traditional Vietnamese belief, death was not an end but a transition to another world that remained closely connected to the realm of the living. Ancestors who had led virtuous lives could bestow blessings upon their descendants, while those who had acted wickedly brought misfortune until their sins were expiated. Through spirit mediums and trance masters, the dead could be summoned to offer guidance to the living. If properly buried and worshipped, they would remain content in the afterlife and serve as protective spirits. However, those who died alone, neglected, or without descendants to perform rituals for them became wandering souls, disturbing the dead and preying on the living. To appease these restless spirits, Vietnamese communities held the Feast of the Wandering Souls on the full moon of the seventh lunar month.

A proper burial was essential for an ancestor’s well-being in the afterlife, and choosing the correct burial site required the expertise of a geomancer. Geomancers assessed the lay of the land, including the positioning of hills, rivers, and streams, to determine the most auspicious location. Even in modern times, technology did not diminish the importance of geomancy; South Vietnam’s most famous geomancer in the 20th century reportedly conducted surveys from helicopters to select ideal burial sites.

Before Chinese rule, the Vietnamese practiced animism and totem worship, particularly revering birds and dragon.
Legends such as Lac Long Quan and Au Co, along with the sacred turtle symbol in history, reflect these belief. Natural phenomena such as mountains and rivers were imblued with mystical significance and personified as deities.

Influence of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. After Chinese rule, the three major East Asian religions – Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism became the pillars of Vietnamese religious life. Taoism flourished with fortune-tellers, feng shui masters, herbalists and shamans. Buddhism was initially used by the ruling class as a tool for national unity. Confucianism gradually replaced Buddhism as the dominant political and ethical ideology of the state.

The Rise and Decline of Buddhism. At first, Buddhism was state-sponsored due to its benevolence and its ability to soften harsh rule. Although Buddhism spread widely, it was criticized for lacking governance principles and tending to separate itself from social life. Rules gradually turned to Confucianism, as it provided better social control.

Confucianism and the Monarchy Confucianism emphasized social order, with the emperor regarded as the “Son of Heaven,” responsible for conducting important rituals. Ancestor worship was a mandatory duty, playing a crucial role in both family and social systems. When Emperor Tu Duc killed his brother to secure the throne, he believed that natural disasters were divine punishment for his actions.

Religion in Village Life Each villages had a guardian deity, often its founded or a famous historical figure. Village beliefs were closely linked to imperial power, with the state controlling religion by granting official titles to village gods. Catholicism was seen as a threat because it rejected village and ancestor worship, leading to conflicts with both the authorities and villages.

Religious Movements Against the Government. Religion and Uprisings Religious movements such as Buu Son Ky Huong and Hoa Hao emerged, calling for salvation and social reform. Buu Son Ky Huong believed in an impending apocalypse and awaited the arrival of Maitreya Budda to restore order. Hoa Hao, founded by Huynh Phu So in 1939, combined religion with politics, advocating resistance against colonial rule.

Caodaism – A Syncretic Religion Caodaism was established in 1926, blending elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity and even Western figures like Victor Hugo. It had a well-structured organization, a private army and significant influence in southern Vietnam.

Religion in the Modern Era Under the communist regime, the state attempted to control religion and banned independent religious organizations. Buddhism, Catholicism, Hoa Hao and Caodaism were all restricted but managed to persist.