The Recovery of Traditional Cultural Values in Rural Area in North Vietnam in the Doi Moi Period

Abstract

Due to the lingering impacts of the Vietnam war and the difficulties that Vietnam has been confronting in the post-war period, traditional cultural values in rural areas in North Vietnam were neglected. Since Đổi mới (in 1986), the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese government have drawn more concern and been thoroughly aware of the role of culture on Vietnam’s developing path of the country. In addition, the remarkable growth of Vietnam’s economy recently paves the way for Vietnamese residents to rebuild and renew their spiritual lifeas well as enjoy benefits created based on traditional cultural values. This research elucidates the resilience of conventional cultural values in rural areas in North Vietnam in the Đổi mới period, particularly emphasizing the following aspects: Inhabitants’ contributions to build and rebuild temples and pagodas; reinstating conventional rituals and festivals; restoring family customs, and compiling village convention.