Four great philosophies and religions have shaped the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Over the centuries, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have melded with popular Chinese beliefs and ancient Vietnamese animism to form what is known as Tam Giao(or `Triple Religion’). The Vietnamese language (kinh) is a hybrid of Mon-Khmer, … Read more Vietnamese Culture
Religion & Culture The State religion is Drukpa Kagyupa a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. It has been institutionalised in the Dratshang (Central Monk body), headed by the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) who is chosen from among the most learned lamas and enjoys an equal rank with the King. Bhutan is the only country in the … Read more Bhutan Religion & Food Culture
The official language is Malay. Other languages include English and Chinese (various dialects). Brunei’s culture mainly derived from the Old Malay World, which encompassed the Malay Archipelago and from this stemmed what is known as the Malay Civilisation. Based on historical facts, various cultural elements and foreign civilisations had a hand in influencing the culture … Read more Culture & Sports
Learning the cultural differences between Westerners and Vietnamese (From the Vietnamese point of view) Western Vietnamese Affection 1. Touching between people of the same sex is not acceptable It is quite acceptable. One can see two men or women in the street holding hands 2. A man and a woman may hold hands … Read more Cultural Differences
Social and religious duty has, over time, been refined to form a code of behaviour called adat or traditional law. Islam is the predominant religion of the archipelago but it’s somewhat tempered by elements of Hindu-Buddhism, adat and animism. In Java, especially, there are hundreds of places where spiritual energy is thought to be concentrated … Read more Indonesian Culture
Filipinos highly value the presence of their families more than anything. Regardless of the liberal influence they have gotten from the west, the family remained the basic unit of their society. This trait clearly shows among Filipinos abroad who suffer homesickness and tough work just to support their families back home in the Philippines. In … Read more Philippine Culture
Korean society is based on the tenets of Confucianism, a system of ethics developed in China around 500 BC. Confucianism is big on devotion and respect – for parents, family, friends and those in positions of authority. Confucius also emphasised justice, peace, education, reform and humanitarianism. Many Koreans attribute their country’s remarkable success in recent … Read more Korean Culture
The relaxation of censorship that followed the overthrow of Rana rule in 1951 encouraged a revival of artistic and intellectual expression. In literature and poetry, Nepali works emphasize the cultural renaissance and national patriotism. King Mahendra, a poet whose Nepali lyrics have been published in English translation under the name of M.B.B. Shah (for Mahendra … Read more Nepali Culture
The Tibetan Flag Introduction “The Tibetan national flag is intimately connected with the authentic history and royal lineages of Tibet which are thousands of years old. Furthermore, in the Tibetan Royal year 820 or in the seventh century of the Christian era, at the time of the Tibetan religious King Song-tzan Gampo the Great extensive … Read more Tibetan Culture
Cambodia (Kampuchea) Cultural Info Khmer Household and Family Structure The family is the major unit of both production and consumption. Within this unit are the strongest emotional ties, the assurance of aid in the event of trouble, economic cooperation in labor, sharing of produce and income, and contribution as a unit to ceremonial obligations. A … Read more Khmer Family Structure