What Will Become of Chợ Quê in the Era of Widespread Online Shopping?
Firmly taking root in everyday life, our hometown markets — chợ quê — are not simply a place to trade, but also puzzle pieces that make up childhood memories, holiday excitement, and even tales of har...
In Nam Định, a Village Goes All out in Festivities to Honor Their Holy Ancestor
Comprising a range of ceremonies and traditional activities reflective of Vietnam’s rice-growing culture, Keo Hành Thiện Pagoda’s annual festival is a momentous occasion for locals to pay respect to t...
Explore the Realm of Sơn Mài Paintings via Nguyễn Xuân Việt’s New Solo Exhibition
What does it mean for an artist to preserve and continue the legacy of traditional Vietnamese lacquer across generations? Through this solo exhibition, Nguyễn Xuân Việt showcases his vast expertise an...
Amid Saigon, a Traditional Lantern Craft Village Stands the Test of Time
Cellophane lanterns, the nostalgic anchors of our past full-moon festivals, are still alive thanks to the nimble fingers of craftspeople at the Phú Bình lantern “village” in Saigon.
This Trung Thu, Learn How to Make Lion Heads From Huế's Lân Artisans
Often seen as the heart of Central Vietnam, Huế is the birthing ground for many traditional crafts. Artisan products from the ancient city often exude its inhabitants' elegance and rustic quality. Amo...
This Charming Northern-Style Country House Is Made Entirely of Mooncake
Another Trung Thu season is just around the corner, and bakeries across Vietnam are busy at work churning out thousands of mooncakes to be given out as gifts or relish at home with family and friends....
This Terracotta Workshop Makeover Sings the Praises of Vietnam's Red Bricks
A Quảng Nam brick kiln that's been operating for over twenty years has received a makeover that allows guests to get a more intimate look at the traditional craft of making terracotta.
Into the Infernal Heat of One of Saigon's Last Remaining Forges
It's no exaggeration to say that working in a forge is akin to being in a fiery sauna.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
Into the Beguiling Backyard Rice Wine Distilleries of Long An
The highway eases into sand and gravel the way history descends into myth and legend when traveling towards Long An. A mere 27 kilometers outside of Saigon, the province feels a world away: the differ...
An Ode to Dried Fruit, Vietnam's Parent-Approved Way for Children to Sugar Load
I first knew dried fruit as a category of munchy snacks that had my parents’ approval.
From Tò He to Tamagotchi: Local Designer Brings Our Childhood Toys to Stamps
For Vietnamese kids today, when it comes to games, there’s a possibility that their childhood is entirely confined to the digital world. From phone applications like Temple Run and Pokemon GO to block...
Meet 90-Year-Old Huỳnh Văn Ba, the Father of Hội An's Foldable Lanterns
In his 90s, Huỳnh Văn Ba’s hair has turned completely silver, but when he was telling me stories about lanterns, his voice and eyes sparkled with a particularly lively hope. Thanks to Ba’s invention —...
In Hà Nội, a Martial Arts Master Preserves the Century-Old Tradition of Dragon Dancing
In Vietnam, during festive occasions such as Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year), mesmerizing dragon dance performances serve to eloquently spell the people's aspiration for fortune, abundance, and p...
Khôi Phạm in Culture
On Delving Into Vietnam's Eras of Tết Firecrackers via My Family History
Is it a valid reverie or just mere misguided nostalgia to feel a sense of yearning for lives you’ve never lived?
Xông Đất and the Art of Not Letting Randos Into Your Home on Mùng Một
Tết permeates all areas of life this time of the year, from TV programs to online memes and highly detailed charts, tables, and infographics that guide people to participate in a popular new year acti...
Khôi Phạm in Food Culture
This Tết, I'm Finally Learning Our Family Recipe for Candied Coconut 'Flowers'
Tết is the perfect occasion of the year to go ham on the sugar.
When Lịch Bloc Is Gone, What Will Vietnam Use to Keep Discarded Fish Bones?
I have never bought a lịch bloc, or tear-off calendar, for personal use, because every new year, I'm bound to be gifted a brand-new one. In Vietnam, a calendar is often something one purchases as a pr...
How Choosing My Own Áo Dài Tết Healed My Trauma Over Áo Dài Uniform
High school can be a frustrating time in virtually every culture, as seen from the myriad of coming-of-age movies depicting the range of clichés, stereotypes and expressions of teenage angst we all go...
Meet the Saigon Man Whose Home Is an Archive of Traditional Musical Instruments
“These instruments serve our everyday life, or even our spiritual life. For example, they mark the transitions of life. When a baby is born or a person passes away, people play these instruments to we...
Saigon, East of New Orleans: The Surprising Global Roots of Vietnam's Funeral Kèn Tây
Of all the forms of music one hears on the streets of modern-day Saigon, the sounds of the marching bands accompanying funeral processions stand out as absolutely unique.
In Tây Hồ, an Artisan Community Holds Fast to Their Lotus Tea Traditions
Every sip of lotus tea encapsulates all the essences of the natural landscapes of Tây Hồ.
Meet the Hội An Family Making Cao Lầu Noodles From Scratch
Amid Hội An’s treat-filled culinary landscape, cao lầu emerges as something that’s both simple and one-of-a-kind.
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 ...
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Vignette: How Bình Định's Nón Ngựa Gave Me Hope for the Tourism Industry
In 1964, when Đỗ Văn Lan was only 14 years old, a group of American soldiers spent six months at his family’s Bình Định home learning how to make nón ngựa. Once he learned that I am American, he told ...
The Hanoi Village Where Making Folding Fans Involves Every Family
One summer day, I made a trek into suburban Hanoi to Thạch Thất District. Walking along the dirt road surrounded by green maturing rice fields, I reached Chàng Sơn Village.
Linh Phạm in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: What a Tea Ceremony Taught Me About Our Lotus Tea Traditions
“The lotus is our national flower, and lotus tea is regarded as the national tea.”
Bamboo Dance, Folk Tunes, and Fiery Guitar: The Spectable Behind Dzung's New Live EP
Following his critically acclaimed latest album "Dzanca," progressive metal guitarist Dzung is gearing up for the release of a special EP that chronicles his full live set at HOZO music festival takin...
Go Through Centuries of Ceramic History at Hanoi's Bát Tràng Museum
The Pottery Museum in Làng Gốm Bát Tràng (Bát Tràng Ceramics Village) showcases the cultural heritage of the village through its exhibits of the works of past and present artisans.
The Ethereal Fever Dream Inside MV 'Dung Họa' by Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx
After years in production, Hanoi indie duo Limebócx’s long-awaited music video for ‘Dung Họa’ was finally released this month, a much-needed treat for fans who have waited years for new music from the...
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.
Votive Dongs Must Be 50% Smaller or Twice Bigger Than Real Dongs, State Bank Says
To help citizens better distinguish between Vietnam dong bills for the living and the dead, the State Bank of Vietnam has put forth a draft law detailing specifications replicas must follow.
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?
The Peculiar Gender Dynamics of Hanoi's Male-Dominated Cờ Tướng Scene
On a sunset wander through Hanoi, you may be surprised by the peculiar sight of men haphazardly perched in nooks and crannies playing the ancient game of xiangqi.
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....
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...
An Exploration of H'Mông Fashion Through the Eyes of a Young H'Mông Curator
Combining elements of the traditional and the modern, Hnubflower and her collaborators have brought to life a project to recreate the fashion of many H’Mông communities in provinces across Vietnam.
Tân Sơn Nhất Airport's New Terminal Will Have Áo Dài-Inspired Design
After years of existing on paper, Tân Sơn Nhất’s third terminal (T3) has slowly materialized in the form of visual renderings.
A Merry Morning Over the Fish Markets and Salt Fields of Phan Rang
I live in Đà Lạt, so the most direct route to the coast brings me to Phan Rang, which is where I often go for the beach and seafood.
In a D6 Hẻm, Saigon's Last Remaining Broom-Making 'Village'
Nestled in a hẻm on Phạm Phú Thứ Street, District 6 is Saigon’s last remaining broom-making village.
Marvel at These Ceramic Boots Created by Legendary Bát Tràng Artisan Vũ Đức Thắng
"The Bát Tràng Ceramic Boots. An Inspiration from Italy" exhibition will feature 12 ceramic boots created by artisan Vũ Đức Thắng, who blended Italian fashion and Bát Tràng craft traditions.
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...
Handbook Project Empowers Local Communities to Write Their Own Cultural Narratives
“No one could sing our song but ourselves.” — Inrasra, Chăm poet and anthropologist.
Thanh Hóa Announces Mắm Tôm-Drinking Contest to Lure International Tourists
How much mắm tôm can you chug?
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
Linh Pham in Culture
The Wall, a Costume, and a Nation's Identity: How the First Áo Dài Came to Be
How does a nation represent itself to the world?
An Eclectic Collage of Tigers From the Viewpoint of Vietnamese Artists
The Year of the Tiger is officially here. To celebrate the arrival of the third zodiac animal, many Vietnamese artists have contributed to the community project "Behum 2k22." The name is a portmanteau...
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...
Saigon Postcard No. 29: Nhâm Dần Limps In
Humans adapted to fields, birds to branches... and yet, in Saigon...
Linh Pham in Food Culture
For 2 Decades, a Hanoi Family Has Kept the Fire of the Bánh Chưng Pot Burning
Much like the peach blossom or the lucky money envelope, bánh chưng is a staple part of Tết.
'54 Shades of Dần,' a Tribute to Tết in Tiger-Themed Playing Cards
Tết is coming, a time of joy, new beginnings and, for some, the ideal time for card games.
Indie Documentary Project on the Music of Vietnam Releases First Trailer
It started as a personal project that has turned into much more.
Chris Humphrey in Culture
At Hanoi's Thousand-Year-Old Flute Kite Festival, Melodies and Prayers Cross the Sky
Passed down by village forefathers since the Dinh Dynasty, Ba Duong Noi Village’s kite festival has become a source of pride for the local community. With three bamboo flutes attached to each kite, it...
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.
Xòe, a Thái Dance Tradition, Is Recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Xòe, a distinctive performance art by members of the Thái ethnic minority, was the latest Vietnamese cultural tradition inscribed by UNESCO as an officially recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A Gia Lai Entrepreneur Brings Her Hometown's Brocade Art to Modern Jewelry
Vũ Thị Thanh Vân had a simple wish: she wanted to find a well-crafted brocade gift for a friend but the only items she could find were generic, run-of-the-mill fillers sold at tourist sites. Thus bega...
How to Make a Bamboo Basket Boat, as Demonstrated by Phú Yên Artisans
As part of the sweltering south-central coast, Phu Yen Province has cultivated strong roots in the arts of gathering and rearing seafood.
How a Hanoi Collective Found Audio-Visual Beauty in Bamboo and Red River Soil
Traditional music in Vietnam is a complex fabric woven of many threads. Some strands extend hundreds of kilometers across the country and others reach across borders and oceans to nearby neighbors.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Born Into Traditional Craft, a Young Sculptor Finds Joy in Carving Pop Culture
“Even though they know deeply that it’s beautiful, they cannot feel it because it’s not familiar to them,” Duy Trần says of younger generations that gaze upon the traditional wood sculptures in his fa...
Artist Trần Lâm Bình Moves Beyond the Shadow With Lacquer
Trần Lâm Bình’s new experiment with lacquer, sơn mài, offers a refreshing perspective into life during the pandemic, and Vietnamese identity in the context of globalization.
[Illustrations] Art Project 'Đất Bắc' Celebrates Craft Villages of Northern Vietnam
"Đất Bắc" is an awe-inspiring art collaboration between 56 Vietnamese artists, started by the Facebook page Practicus. The project seeks to honor some of northern Vietnam's most notable traditional cr...
Dzũng Phạm, the Progressive Metal Guitarist Enamored With Folk Music
“I want to elevate Vietnamese traditional music to the most glorious and heralded position. There, it's the center of attention, not merely something added just for the sake of embellishment.” Buildin...
Dầu Gió, a Poignant Link Between My Family Legacy and Traditional Medicine
This is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the book Pills, Teas, and Songs: Stories of Medicine Around the World by Debby Nguyen, republished with permission. Debby's family of pharmacists and doc...
For a Tết Full of Rich Traditions, Head to Saigon's Hoa Community
Up until 2011, I thought that everybody in Saigon had the same Tet every year, with apricot flowers in the living room and bánh chưng or bánh tét on the altar, and family trips to the Nguyen Hue flowe...
Adorable Stop-Motion Video Shows How to Prepare for Tết With Art and Craft
Rarely does preparing a traditional Tết meal put you at risk of papercuts.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 28: Embrace a New Fashion
What if cải lương tuồng cổ costumes became a new trend?
[Video] A Dynamic Visual Ode to Hanoi, a City of Paradoxes
Cái Gốc (The Origin) is the latest release from music producer and video director Robin Marty and his collaborator Jakub Zajac.
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnamese Christmas Movies and Author Debby Nguyen
Our second-to-last episode of 2020 is here!
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: 'Đoạn Trường Vinh Hoa' Is Cải Lương at Its Most Heart-Wrenching
As the screening came to an end, there were quiet sobs echoing softly across the auditorium. For a lot of us viewers with water in our eyes, it was a complete surprise that a documentary about a seemi...
Khôi Phạm in Culture
These Illustrations of Vintage Trung Thu Lanterns Are a Ticket to Your Childhood
There are many harbingers of mid-autumn in Saigon: the mushrooming of street-side mooncake vendors, the gradual arrival of corporate mooncake boxes, and a kaleidoscopic tapestry of lanterns along...
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.
Thua Thien-Hue Culture Department Officials Start Wearing Áo Dài to Work
Áo dài has become synonymous with the image of the Vietnamese woman, but what about its male version?
[Photos] Inside the Dust-Covered World of Ninh Van's Traditional Stone Carvers
It's a rare treat to see generations of skill in person.
In an Ever-Changing Saigon, Street Artisans Hold Fast to Dying Crafts
We delve into the lives of Saigon’s artisans — an animal coconut leaf folder, a woodcarver embracing modern influences, an accomplished street corner calligrapher, and an itinerant craftsman to see wh...
Saigon Postcard No. 21: The Year of the Rat Wedding
They say it's bad to get married during your year on the Lunar Calendar.
Khoi Pham in Culture
[Illustrations] The Mythological Race That Created Vietnam's Zodiac, Retold in Watercolor
After 12 years, Vietnam’s zodiac cycle will once again reset to welcome the Year of the Mouse, the first animal in the dozen.
An Opera Lover’s Introduction to Cải Lương
“How would you like to see a performance of cải lương — traditional Vietnamese folk opera?” my local friend asked. “Great opportunity for photos, and I think we can go backstage.” Knowing my love...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
