Is Dã Tràng Vietnam's Cutest Sand Artist or a Folk Symbol of Fruitless Pursuits?
Strolling along Vietnam’s beaches when the tides are low, one might encounter a number of whimsical patterns created by countless sand pellets. These are the works of a tiny species of crustacean call...
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
Trái Thị: The Fruit of Heavenly Smell and Infernal Taste
If you had to pick a national smell that represents Vietnam, what would it be? There are a host of strong contenders: durian, lotus-scented green tea, fragrant pandan sticky rice, that enticing aroma ...
A World of Riveting Medically Inspired Magic in Vanessa Le's YA Debut
Captured by Butchers, the “blackmarket bogey men who deal in rare goods,” Nhika Suonyasan is caged and auctioned off to the city’s elite. A figure in a fox mask attempting to purchase her is outbid by...
Phan Thiết's Vibrant Whale Worship Festival Reflects Vietnam's Rich Animist Traditions
Whale worship started from a folk belief harbored by fishermen seeking help from the gods to endure the arduous days spent at sea, but over time, it grew to become one of the most prominent spiritual ...
In Phú Nhuận's Communal House, a Kỳ Yên Festival Right by the Train Track
The Kỳ Yên festival is the biggest annual event held at the Phú Nhuận communal house from the 16th to the 18th of the first lunar month.
At Phước Hải's Lễ Hội Nghinh Ông, Everything Every Whale All at Once
Phước Hải is a fishing township in the south of Vietnam, a short ride away from Vũng Tàu.
Local Studio's Animated Short Gives Adorable Crash Course on Vietnam's Spiritualism
Putting up offerings on the altar, burning votive money, and lighting incense: these are just some rituals that every Vietnamese is probably familiar with during Tết or even on special occasions. A lo...
Khôi Phạm in Literature
From Architecture to Folklore: 5 Indie Book Projects for Vietnamese Culture Buffs
In our years of writing about Vietnam, Saigoneer has had the pleasure to meet many passionate, inquisitive individuals whose creative and academic projects inspired us to appreciate the many facets of...
Learning About Life and Death From the Stories of Funeral Directors in Vietnam
Sitting down with Hương Thủy and Đức Thịnh, I was able to listen to a plethora of fascinating anecdotes about Vietnam’s funerary practices.
In Ninh Thuận's Chăm Community, a Joyous Celebration of Katê, the Year's Most Important Festival
The Katê festival is the oldest and most unique festival of the Chăm ethnic minority and has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage by Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tou...
Vietnam's Cultural Diversity via 3 Versions of Sọ Dừa in Kinh, Chăm, Raglai Folklore
On Sọ Dừa’s birth certificate, how should one fill in the “ethnic group” field?
Ghosts and Other Myths: How Vietnam Celebrates the 7th Lunar Month
In Vietnamese customs, the lunar month of July contains many special days of worship and celebration, with various traditions.
Khánh Hợi, Incomparable Cải Lương Icon of Northern Vietnam, Passes Away at 100
Earlier this month, Merited Artist (NSƯT) Khánh Hợi passed away in Hanoi at 100 years old. She was a cải lương legend with enthralling roles that shall live on in the heart of the community....
The Legends of Thăng Long Tứ Trấn, the 4 Guardian Temples Protecting Hanoi
In the edict to move Vietnam’s capital to Hanoi, Emperor Lý Thái Tổ described this land as the middle of heaven and earth, the center of the four directions. Such a place would bring peace and prosper...
From Oral Lore to a Mini Encyclopedia of Folk Demons, Ghosts, and Restless Spirits
River entities hiding the bodies of drowned victims, spectral ma lai whose head and guts hover in the air, ma trành spirits luring unassuming victims into the path of tigers, or the ghosts of a family...
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'U Linh Tích Ký' Shows Made-in-Vietnam Animation Prowess, but Is Light on Narrative
Premiered less than 24 hours ago, a made-in-Vietnam animation project has quickly become the talk of the town in the local cybersphere thanks to its high production values and intriguing concept.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
How to Navigate Coming Out to Your Parents With the Help of 3 Fairy Tales
Sometimes stories can articulate what we cannot put into our own words. Fairy tales can function as long-form proverbs that allow people to identify and pass on important values, expectations and expe...
Game Concept 'Vệ Thần' Crafts a Magical Realm From Vietnam's Wealth of Folklore
The recent renaissance in Vietnam's game-making market has been strongly driven by independent studios delivering highly acclaimed and anticipated productions.
Mythology, History, and Supernaturals Mingle in the World of 'Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái'
Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái was one of Vietnam’s first anthologies written in Hán characters in prose form. It’s a collection of 22 folk tales, mythologies, and legends surrounding the origin story of the Vie...
Designer Lucia Phạm's Animated Video Refreshes Tết Wishes With New Visuals
To Lucia Phạm, a young graphic designer and illustrator, creating a personal project for the Lunar New Year has become an annual tradition. This year, instead of crafting static images, Lucia went all...
Khoi Pham in Natural Selection
A Eulogy for the Last Wild Cọp of Vietnam
The story of Vietnam and cọp is not one where we will come out looking good.
Saigon Postcard No. 29: Nhâm Dần Limps In
Humans adapted to fields, birds to branches... and yet, in Saigon...
NPO Keep Hanoi Clean Prepares to Collect Plastic Waste After Kitchen God Day
Keep Hanoi Clean is preparing for its biggest event of the year: cleaning up Lễ cúng Ông Táo, or Kitchen God day.
What If Disney Fairy Tales Took Place in Vietnam? A Local Illustrator Wonders.
Cinderella, Snow White and The Little Mermaid are all iconic animated characters whose imagery has left a strong impression on generations of children. What if these stories, popularized by Disney car...
'Thần Đồng Đất Việt' Author Lê Linh: 'I Will Never Stop Working With History'
For Vietnamese comic fans of the past two decades, the names Lê Linh and Thần Đồng Đất Việt will most definitely ring a bell.
Revisit the Legend of Hoàn Kiếm via Stunning Illustrations by Artist Rồng Phạm
At the heart of Hanoi is Hồ Hoàn Kiếm with a legend that has been told countless times.
Fantastic Beasts of Vietnam's Mythology Reimagined by Local Student Project
Drawing from Vietnam’s myths and legends, a young artist has created a series of illustrations of figures that pay tribute to the country’s supernatural beliefs.
Nha Trang's Whale Worship Festival, as Portrayed in This Stunning Graduation Project
The Cầu Ngư Festival, a whale-worshipping tradition that takes place every February on the lunar calendar, has become a source of inspiration for artist Tường Vân’s graduation and illustration project...
This Ghost Month, an Other-Worldly Exhibition Not for the Faint-Hearted
The topic can be summed up in one word — “ghosts” — but it was enough inspiration for illustrators to create a plethora of artworks as part of the Hù project spearheaded by Khô Mực Studio.
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: Despite Laughable Jump Scares, 'Bắc Kim Thang' Is Surprisingly Smart and Topical
With lush landscapes of the Mekong Delta as the background, Bắc Kim Thang is surprisingly wicked and intelligent, but most importantly, it provides feminist advocates a new way to topple the patriarch...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 19: Learning to Swim
Folk wisdom offers a unique way to achieve aquatic efficiency.
Chris Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 9: The Turtle God of Hồ Gươm
Hanoi's lakes, including Hồ Gươm, are brimming with fish, debris and memories of historical lore.
This Set of Rare 20th-Century Đông Hồ Paintings Depicts a Society in Flux
The well-known woodcut folk paintings have always offered unique insights into the times during which they were produced.
[Illustrations] Rebranding Tết Candied Fruits Using Elements From Vietnamese Mythology
It’s Tet time next week, and you know what that means: heaps of candied fruits, seeds and even vegetables in various shapes and colors.
Thi Nguyễn in Food Culture
Bánh Pía: The Dreamy Mooncake Alternative With a Side of Teochew History
From sweet treats such as yam paste, chè bạch quả (ginkgo soup) and bite-size pastries to savory staples such as lotus root soup, bánh củ cải (radish cake), cốn xại (pickles) and xá pấu (salted radish...
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
The Wild, Wondrous History of Lychee
Treacherous rebels were amassing support in the outskirts while licentious interlopers lounged in teahouses and corruption lurked in every alleyway and courtyard in the capital. The 8th-century Tang E...
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Whale Worship: Exploring the Role of Whales in Vietnam's Coastal Lore
In 1799, the ferocious Tay Son army forced the first Nguyen Emperor, Nguyen Anh, and his troops to flee to the sea. While making their escape, a great storm engulfed the retreating army. As their ship...
Thi Nguyen in Food Culture
Tết Tales: The Many Folk Stories Behind Vietnam's Sticky Rice Cakes
To me, there's nothing that screams Tet as much as sticky rice cake. However one wants to spice up the usual celebration by replacing some dishes with something new each year, sticky rice cakes remain...
Thi Nguyen in Culture
In Vietnam, Joss Papers Link Life and Death, Modernity and Tradition
Joss papers and effigies consumed my experiences before I began to even question their meaning. On the anniversary of my grandfather’s death (giỗ), my grandmother routinely set up a large pot in ...
