Where Vietnamese come from ?

Question

There has been a controversial debate of human origin all over the world - I think it is very interesting to post this question

Here are some background :

- Vietnamese civilization is heavily influenced by Chinese but remarkably instinctive

- Regardless of religions(Buddhism, Christian, Confusism ...) Ancestral belief is widely practiced by Vietnamese Kinh(I'm not sure about the ethnic minorities)

- 'DeathDay' is more important than 'BirthDay'

- Hung Vuong by recorded history !

- Most Important but understandably Neglected : The Legend of Au Co & Lac Long Quan (how do we understand the Unity & the Separation)

...

There are so many more

What do you think ?

Answer 1

- Vietnamese civilization is heavily influenced by Chinese but remarkably instinctive

The geographic separation of ancient Vietnamese as they inhabited the Red River Valley has much to do with the distinction between Vietnamese and Chinese. Another major influence was the Mongols. China had been dominated by the Mongols, while the Vietnamese (and the Japanese) were not. Vietnam retained much of their distinction, while the Chinese absorbed Mongolian influence into their culture.

- Regardless of religions(Buddhism, Christian, Confusism ...) Ancestral belief is widely practiced by Vietnamese Kinh(I'm not sure about the ethnic minorities)

- 'DeathDay' is more important than 'BirthDay'

Both of these points can be considered as one. The Vietnamese worship their deceased ancestors sometimes to a near godlike status, and especially if they had made remarkable accomplishments in their life.

My family has constructed a temple in Thai Binh for my Grandfather, where he and my ancestors will be remembered. Also constructed was my family's cemetery also in Thai Binh. There will be at least five generations of my family at rest there once all of the re-interns have been completed. A local family member has been given the honor (I don't say honor lightly) to maintain the temple and cemetery, and he will pass this honor to future family.  

The Hmong are known to worship their ancestors along with other Vietnamese minority cultures.  

- Hung Vuong by recorded history !

- Most Important but understandably Neglected : The Legend of Au Co & Lac Long Quan (how do we understand the Unity & the Separation)

I enjoy this fable of how the Vietnamese people came to be, but I don't analyze it because it would destroy the legend in my mind. It's obvious that the Vietnamese people were not hatched from 100 eggs of a dragon and a fairy. It's a great story to listen to if you don't concern yourself with the facts.

If you want to get technical... There are some Vietnamese who live near the sea and others who live in the mountains. The ones who live in the mountains are probably ancestors of the eggs that went with Au Co, while the ones who live in the sea are probably ancestors of the eggs that went with Lac Long Quan.

So what about the ones who live in the flatlands? Are they ancestors of the eggs that were dropped on the way to either the mountains or the sea?

As for Hung Vuong's history... Which one are you referring to? According to legend (or history) there could have been at least eighteen Hung Vuong. Each Hung Vuong was the heir of the (Vietnamese) empire from a previous Hung Vuong, with exception of the one who was hatched from an egg.

A good question to ask is:

"Which came first? The Vietnamese or the egg?"

Answer 2

In the South the Vietnamese seem to be more nearly related to Malayan than the Chinese, but you can see similarities to other South Asian cultures, such as Thai (Siamese), Burmese and Indian.

The more northern Vietnamese seem more like Chinese, but Vietnam also has numerous indigenous mountain tribes.

I'm not familiar with the legends you cite, but I am aware of the numerous religious influences in Vietnam.  When I was there, in 1970, I was told that at least six major religions were strongly influential.

They included Catholic Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and variations of these, including Protestant Christianity.  

Although Vietnam has been influenced by China it has also resisted the influence, and fought a war with China that lasted 1,000 years.

Vietnam also had a strong cultural influence from the French that lasted nearly 100 years.

It is a very interesting country.

Answer 3

vietnamese people are independent....welll some of us

Answer 4

If you're talking genealogy, history and ansestry, they come from China but all Vietnamese are loath to admit this.  Look at the Vietnamese features - they are all oriental. They are not Blacks or caucasian or Aryan or African. The main root came from China.

Answer 5

well.....they are from vietnam.....it's a southeast asian country so lots of influences from there. Vietnam was a colony of france for 100 yrs and so some ppl are french....some are from china...although due from lots of conflicts between those 2 countries some vietnamese do not like chinese. WE are form many different places

Answer 6

The Vietnamese people come from Vietnam

Answer 7

They are come from Vietnam. I'm Vietnamese if u want to know more. U can mail me at [e-mail]