Influence Of Vietnam Culture

The Vietnamese Influence There are many ethnicities and nationalities that have developed a keen sense of cultural obligations that are inherited from the history of their own countries. From a time period of over a few thousand years ago, our foreign predecessors have developed characteristics that are hereby passed down for future generations to enjoy. Particularly speaking, Vietnam has affected a majority of the world in ways that are both positive and negative. Based on this knowledge, a person can infer that Vietnam has influenced the modern world greatly due to its prominent culture, religion, government, and scientific discoveries. In Vietnam, the term “culture” is understood in an extremely broad sense about human life and civilization.

However, religion has had an overall effect on the culture and the concept of life in Vietnam. The attitude towards life, death, and the world beyond is needed if one were to practice a religion. Buddhism, which is the predominant religion in Vietnam, is a popular religion to be followed worldwide. Under the Chinese authority, the Buddhist religion was welcomed into Vietnam. During the year 1010, it ultimately became the state religion of Vietnam under the Ly Dynasty until 1214. Ever since the Tran Dynasty in 1225, Buddhism has remained a primary religion and a major cultural force (Te, par. 1-2). Buddhism did not originate from Vietnam, however. A figure known as Gautama Buddha (563-483 B.C.), which means the “Enlightened One,” had introduced the religion into our world. His beliefs were that the cause of suffering is to be blamed on the craving for materialistic ideals that needlessly incite a chain of negative emotions. To be free from suffering, one must quiet the need to crave. A life revolving around the basis that one should obsess with appearance does not enable one to live a life of virtue (Te, par. 3). With the right mindset, one should be able to live life effortlessly with a clear conscience. To do well, to have absolute integrity is the law of Karma, or cause and effect. Unlike the Christian belief that one is to ascend to heaven after death, the Buddhist faith insists that instead of perishing at death,

Over the years communist factors have grown, and so has the corruption. The north and south counterparts of the country have not necessarily taken a liking to settling all of their problems by simply sitting down and talking, but instead have pushed towards efforts to fight until the end. Thích Nhất Hạnh’s time as a Vietnamese monk that has dealt with the government helps us understand that “In order to rally people, governments need enemies. They want us to be afraid, to hate, so we will rally behind them. And if they do not have a real enemy, they will invent one in order to mobilize us” (par. 9). The aftermath of the war led to a reunification of the country that eventually merged into a new Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The violence did not end, however. Tensions with the border escalated with Cambodia after the fall of Saigon. Ironically enough, China had attacked Vietnam as well. There had been a difficulty maintaining proper agriculture and business by the September of 1989 and postwar economic and social problems were out of hand. This sparked an effort to improve relations with the United States in order to encourage health and