Religion

Religion in Vietnam is a confusing affair. It tends to be a rough amalgamation of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, with a sprinkling of animism, astrology, and local superstition thrown in for good measure. No church or organization wields any profound nation-wide influence, thanks in large part to governmental suppression, and observance is mostly an individual or family affair. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, albeit with the unsettling caveat that religion may not be used “to violate state laws or policies,” which has translated to arbitrary restrictions on organized religious practice. Today, religious persecution is uncommon, except in the central highlands, and particularly the provinces of  k L k and Gia Lai, where minority Protestants are still harassed by local police.

The Triple Religion

Vietnam’s home-grown “triple religion” derives from Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, but the extent to which each informs one’s spiritual lifestyle varies wildly from person to person.

Buddhism. Most adherents of the Triple Religion classify themselves as Buddhists, but some refer to themselves as non-religious, though they all make offerings at Buddhist pagodas and engage in ancestor worship. Buddhism was born in the 6th century BC with the enlightenment of Prince Siddhartha “the Buddha” Gautama, a prince-turned-ascetic-turned-sage. Buddhists seek to attain nirvana, the state of enlightenment wherein one is free of all desire and pain. This can only be achieved by following the Eightfold Path—Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. Tough luck, lefties.

Mahayana (“Great Vehicle”) Buddhism is Vietnam’s favorite flavor; the older Theravada (“Way of the Elders”) school, popular in the rest of Southeast Asia, is practiced mainly in the Mekong Delta by ethnic Khmer. Mahayana, unlike Theravada, teaches that anyone, not just the clergy, can attain nirvana.

Taoism. On a basic level, Taoism is a means of understanding the role of man in the natural and metaphysical order, relating everything to the all-powerful Dao (“the Way”). Simplicity, balance, and the unified nature of everything are hallmarks of the Taoist philosophy. It also propounds the harmony between yin (stillness/contraction) and yang (movement/dilation). The indigenous spirits and demons of ancient Vietnamese spirituality are accounted for in the triple religion via Taoist cosmology. Consequently, Taoism was the subject of government censure after 1975 and until recently, as socialist Vietnam cracked down on what it perceived as antiquated superstition.

Confucianism. Where Taoism and Buddhism have clear religious characteristics, Confucianism inhabits a more secular, philosophical area of Vietnamese popular thought. Confucius, born in 551 BC south of latter-day Beijing, stressed the importance of sacred rituals and hierarchies of respect: sons should obey fathers, wives should obey husbands, and subjects should obey rulers. Social harmony is more important than the needs of the individual, and filial piety, everyone’s favorite Confucian catchphrase, is of great significance. The individual is judged by his self-cultivation, benevolence, and loyalty, and noble birth does not ensure noble worth. The importance assigned to family resonates deeply within the Vietnamese psyche, and is an essential component of Vietnamese culture—even for those who don’t practice the Triple Religion.

Other Religions

Catholicism, Hòa H=o Buddhism, Cao ài, and Protestantism are Vietnam’s major minor religions; each has a following of over one million and a stormy relationship with the Communist government. Islam, Hinduism, Baha’i, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have smaller followings.

Catholicism. The Roman Catholic Church enjoys official recognition by the Vietnamese government and roughly six million followers (about 8% of the population). It was introduced to Vietnam by the French in the 17th century, and though the Church’s members were harassed by the Communist government after reunification, Catholicism was finally accepted as “a positive force” in recent government statements. Demographically, the balance remains skewed to the south, where Catholics fled to after the country split in 1954, although Hà Nÿi and H=i Phòng are witnessing a mild Catholic renaissance of sorts.

Hòa H=o. Established in 1939 by HuÇnh Phú S%, Hòa H=o (“Harmony”) Buddhism is extremely low-profile; official estimates place its following at anywhere between 1.5 and three million. This quiet religion has no clergy and rejects most ceremony, emphasizing spiritual over material wealth. Value is placed on individual acts of worship and service to others, as manifest in the Four Debts of Gratitude—one’s allegiance to family, homeland, mankind, and the Buddha. Not until 1999 did the government give official sanction to one branch of Hòa H=o; the rest are still seen as dissident political groups. The religion’s devotees are concentrated in the Mekong Delta, where HuÇnh Phú S% did the majority of his teaching.

Cao Ài. Cao ài (“High Palace”), another Mekong Delta creation, was founded in 1926, seven years after founder Ng® Vn Chiˆu was visited by an enormous floating eye (see “Someone to Watch Over You,&rdquo). In Cao ài iconology, the eye is the symbol of the Supreme Being; among the religion’s recognized prophets are the Buddha, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad. According to the nearly two million Caodaists, all religions share the same origin and recognize the same Supreme Being in some way. The purpose of Cao ài as a whole is to unite all worshippers by demonstrating their fundamental sameness, while each practicer’s goal is to unite him or herself with the Supreme Being.

Protestantism. Protestants are the most persecuted religious group in Vietnam. Some have been summarily hunted down and executed, their churches torn down and their leaders beaten or sent to prison. Though repression has slackened somewhat, reports of harassment persist, and the government has restricted travel to the Central Highlands, preventing outsiders from getting accurate confirmation of either persecution or the state’s reassurances to the contrary.

Other Minor Religions. Vietnam’s 65,000 Muslims tend to be comprised of ethnic Chàm and immigrant communities; many Chàm practice Bani Islam, which is made distinctive by a 20-page Qur’an and prayers to Chàm and Hindu divinities. Roughly 50,000 Hindus, mostly ethnic Chàm and Indian-Vietnamese, reside along the southern central coast and in HCMC. Baha’i and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are both mainly confined to expat communities in the cities of HCMC and Hà Nÿi.