Viet Nam News By Hoàng Hồ Have you ever been to a traditional Vietnamese wedding and happened to see a couple of small cakes wrapped in an attractive layer of green leaves? Well, everything has its own story and with the wedding season vibe in the air, today’s story is about Phu Thê cake – one of the symbolic specialties of Vietnamese wedding culture. In my experience, there are ways to increase one’s enjoyment of a dish beyond just tasting it, and Phu Thê is no exception. Understanding the meaning and story behind a delicious specialty can actually help improve the taste by stimulating the imagination. There are various tales about the cake. A legend says King Lý Anh Tông (1136 - 1175) was leading his army on the battlefield amidst a brutal war, he received a box holding a nearly decorated cake made by the Queen. The gift touched the king’s heart, so he named it Phu Thê (husband and wife) to honour the love of every … [Read more...] about Phu Thê cake: An eternal symbol of the love of husbands and wives in Vietnamese culture
Gift giving vietnamese culture
What Vietnam’s gifting culture sustains
Nguyen Khac Giang, researcher As the Lunar New Year draws near, a common topic among my entrepreneur friends is the recurrent visits of government officials to their businesses. They come for various reasons; either a random inspection for fire and food safety, or simply to "keep themselves in the loop." But one thing stays the same every year. Most businesses would give these officials some gifts as for the Lunar New Year. There’s no extortion involved. Most of the gifts are given voluntarily. A 2016 report by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) said 45 percent of surveyed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) businesses in Vietnam admitted to giving gifts to inspectors. Eight percent said inspectors asked for the "gifts" directly. I have experienced this firsthand. A few years ago, when I tried to open a small café in Cau Giay District in Hanoi, my team and I had to "gift" some cash to the local administration every month. These people didn't miss a beat; they … [Read more...] about What Vietnam’s gifting culture sustains
November, the best time to visit these awesome Vietnamese destinations
Ha Giang – buckwheat flower festival Ha Giang Province nestles in the mountains of northern Vietnam. It is home to ethnic minorities like the H’Mong, Thai and others. Visitors to the province can witness exotic local lifestyles. The wildness of its nature is the captivating feature of Ha Giang. The province attracts many motorbike riders and trekkers every year. Mother Nature has gifted Ha Giang with diverse scenery with mighty rocky mountains, golden rice terraces and, in November, magnificent white and magenta fields of buckwheat flowers. Photo by VnExpress/Tung Duong Buckwheat is among the staple grains of the locals, and is usually cultivated after the summer-fall rice crop every year. Now buckwheat flowers have bloomed all over mountain slopes in Dong Van District. This year the annual buckwheat flower festival starts on November 10 with cultural activities, traditional games and a buckwheat flower competition. 1,000-year-old capital, Hanoi Photo by … [Read more...] about November, the best time to visit these awesome Vietnamese destinations
Vietnam’s master plan on ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community 2025 updated
A mid-term review conference on Project 161 – which looks to implement and achieve the goals laid out by the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community until 2025 – in the central region took place in Da Nang city on July 23 (Photo: VNA) Da Nang (VNA) – A mid-term review conference on Project 161 – which looks to implement and achieve the goals laid out by the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community until 2025 – in the central region took place in Da Nang city on July 23. Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep said the ASEAN Community was officially established on December 31, 2015 on the pillars of political-security, economic, and socio-cultural communities, marking an important milestone to lift ASEAN collaboration to a greater height and requiring member states to build a community of over 630 million people in an environment of peace, friendship, and mutual support and development. Towards achieving the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s master plan on ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community 2025 updated
Complete guide to the tipping culture in Vietnam
Tipping is not compulsory in Vietnam, and only tends to happen at high-end venues. “70 percent of Vietnamese tourists don't tip or feel forced to spend money on tipping,” said Nguyen Mai Van, a long-time tour guide. Tipping maybe popular in some parts of the world, but in Vietnam the culture of tipping is still in its infancy. Vietnamese people rarely tip in general, although women usually tip in hairdressers. Giving tips is not compulsory in Vietnam. It depends on many factors, but is mainly based on the standard of service. In high-end international hotels or restaurants, tips are included in the bill, but customers can still offer more if they are happy with the service. Sadly, the same thing does not happen in less exclusive places, despite great quality and decent service. “Sometimes, tipping is a way to show people’s status,” Han said. In tourist cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, tipping is more commonplace. However, the … [Read more...] about Complete guide to the tipping culture in Vietnam