Contagious magic rests on two laws: contact transfers properties, and similarity means shared essence. Rozin's 1986 experiments show they still shape us.
Ancestor worship is a long-standing Vietnamese custom, a moral standard, and a key part of spiritual life, with altars, death anniversaries, and Tet rituals.
Folk taboos for offerings on the Full Moon and the first day of the lunar month, from choosing fruit and flowers to the incense burner and a reverent mindset.
Vietnamese taboo names of ancestors: why giỗ prayers whisper the dead's name, whether children could share a grandparent's name, and where the custom endures.
Vietnamese Tet customs from day 1 to 7: first-footing, New Year greetings, votive paper burning and khai hạ, with their meanings and regional differences.
H'Mong wedding customs form a complex chain of rituals led by a matchmaker, from the proposal to multi-day ceremonies with ritual songs and symbolic gifts.
Explore the unique wedding customs of the Muong people in Thanh Hóa: from elopement and ancestor worship to bride-price negotiations and wedding day taboos.
The first outing and calligraphy of the new year are Vietnamese luck-bringing customs. See how times and directions are chosen by lunar calendar and deities.
The Xơ Đăng include the Xơ Teng, Tơ Đrá, Mnam, Ca Dong, Ha Lăng, Tà Trĩ and Chau subgroups in Kon Tum, Quảng Nam and Quảng Ngãi, with worship of Kiak spirits.
The Si La people live in Mường Tè, Lai Châu, speak a Tibeto-Burman language, worship ancestors, and hold the altar rite, New Year and new rice festivals.
Combining death anniversaries into one day is a practical choice for families whose children work far away. Here is what is reasonable and what to watch for.
Buying salt and carrying water at Tết are luck-seeking customs: lucky salt on the first morning in the north, hired carriers bringing water like money.
Đại Hàn is the last of the 24 solar terms, at solar longitude 300 degrees and lasting about 15 days. Here its calculation, customs, and meaning are explained.
Hạ Chí begins when the Sun reaches 90 degrees of solar longitude; from 2012 to 2043 it falls on 21 June, Vietnam time. Start times 2025 to 2030, old customs.
The Tà Ôi live in western Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên Huế, speak a Mon-Khmer language, and worship spirits with festivals tied to the swidden farming cycle.
Explore the main rites of a traditional Vietnamese funeral, from encoffining and mourning attire to burial and the 49-day rites, and their cultural meaning.
The Tay are Vietnam's largest ethnic minority. They live in northeastern valleys, speak a Tay-Thai language, worship ancestors, and hold long tong festivals.
Thu Phân, the 16th of the 24 solar terms, begins on 22 to 24 September as the Sun enters the Thọ Tinh station. Its calendar roots and customs, explained.
Vietnamese worship customs vary by region and ethnicity through environment, migration, and cultural exchange, not through one practice being more correct.