Vietnamese Folklore: A Timeless Legacy

Overview of Vietnamese Folklore

Vietnamese folklore is a priceless treasure trove, preserving the spiritual values, morality, and wisdom of the nation through generations. From magical fairy tales, mysterious legends about the origin of the country, to folk songs and proverbs imbued with human affection, all reflect the life, thoughts, and feelings of the Vietnamese people.

Legends and Fairy Tales: Origins and Meanings

Legends:

Legends often tell about historical events, heroic figures, and mysterious events, contributing to explaining the origin and history of a region or a nation. For example, the legend of Con Rong Chau Tien (Children of the Dragon and Fairy), the legend of Son Tinh Thuy Tinh (Mountain Spirit and Water Spirit), all carry profound educational meanings about patriotism, solidarity, and the indomitable spirit of the nation.

Fairy Tales:

Fairy tales are fictional stories, often with magical elements, aimed at educating people about morality and lifestyle. Virtuous characters are always rewarded, while evil ones are punished. Fairy tales such as Tam Cam and Thach Sanh have become an integral part of the childhood of many generations of Vietnamese people.

Folk Songs, Proverbs, and Idioms: The Wisdom of the People

Folk songs (Ca dao) are short poems, often with musicality, expressing the feelings and thoughts of the working people. Folk songs reflect the rich and diverse emotional life of Vietnamese people, from love to family affection and community spirit.

Proverbs (Tục ngữ) are short, concise sayings that summarize the life experiences of the people. Proverbs often have an educational nature, guiding people’s behavior in life. For example: “Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây” (Remember the one who planted the tree when you eat the fruit), “Một cây làm chẳng nên non, ba cây chụm lại nên hòn núi cao” (One tree doesn’t make a mountain, three trees together make a high mountain).

Idioms (Thành ngữ) are fixed phrases with figurative meanings, often used to enliven speech and enhance expressiveness.

Preservation and Promotion of Folklore

Preserving and promoting folklore is the responsibility of every Vietnamese citizen. Researching, collecting, and teaching folklore to younger generations is crucial to maintaining the nation’s cultural identity. Today, many forms of folklore transmission are applied, such as books, films, television programs… contributing to bringing folklore closer to the public.

Conclusion: Vietnamese folklore is a precious treasure, which needs to be preserved and promoted to enrich the national cultural identity and passed on to future generations.