Vietnamese Folklore: A Precious Heritage

Overview of Vietnamese Folklore

Vietnamese folklore is a rich and diverse treasure trove, accumulated over thousands of years of history. It is the crystallization of the wisdom, life experiences, and soul of the Vietnamese people. It is manifested in legends, fairy tales, proverbs, folk songs, folk art forms such as water puppetry, cheo (traditional opera), tuong (classical opera), and many other unique customs and practices.

Legends and Fairy Tales: Stories of Origin

Legends often tell about historical events, historical figures, or explain the origins of objects and natural phenomena. Examples include the legend of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh (Mountain God and Water God), the legend of the Dragon and Fairy… Fairy tales focus on imaginary stories, which are educational, reflecting the aspirations and dreams of people. These stories not only entertain but also convey moral values, lifestyles, and concepts of good-evil, justice-injustice…

Famous Legends:

• Legend of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh: reflects the struggle between humans and nature.
• Legend of the Dragon and Fairy: the origin of the Vietnamese people.

Familiar Fairy Tales:

• Tam and Cam: a story about kindness and revenge.
• Thach Sanh: a story about righteousness prevailing.

Proverbs, Folk Songs, and Traditional Music: The Heart of the Nation

Proverbs are short, concise, and meaningful sayings that summarize the life experiences of the people. Folk songs and traditional music express the feelings, thoughts, and aspirations of the people, reflecting their working lives, love, family affections… They are valuable lessons about morality, love for the homeland.

Folk Art: Diversity and Richness

Vietnamese folk art is extremely rich with many different forms of performance such as water puppetry, cheo, tuong, ca tru… Each art form has its own unique features, reflecting the spiritual life of the people.

The Role of Folklore in Modern Life

In the present day, folklore still holds an important position in the spiritual life of the people. It not only helps preserve the national cultural identity but also contributes to educating the younger generation, promoting tourism and the economy… The preservation and promotion of folklore is the responsibility of every Vietnamese citizen.

In short, Vietnamese folklore is an invaluable heritage that needs to be preserved and promoted so that future generations can inherit the beautiful spiritual values of the nation.