1. Eating out


In Vietnam, eating out is considered an important social activity as these busy people take the chance to unwind. There is also social intermingling taken place over meals.


2. Sports

Sports has become increasingly popular among the Vietnamese, especially soccer which caters to both sexes. In recent years, various martial art forms such as Aikido is taken up by many young people to stay fit as well as the purpose of self defense . Other sports like volleyball, badminton and basketball is also offered in schools. For more "leisure sports" would include the playing of chess, which is very common among the commonfolk and also the practice of "Chi Kong".


3. Music and theater
According to researchers, Vietnamese theater originated from 1000 years ago. Forms of traditional theater include cheo, tuong, cai luong and water puppetry.

Cheo: The players are seated on a mat spread on the courtyard of the village's communal house. A sheet of cloth is hung as the backdrop. Performers and musicians sat on two sides of the mat, while spectators gathered around. The only prop was a box placed on the mat.

Tuong: Tuong is based on the Chinese opera. It spread rapidly during the 17th century, using a bse of folk songs and dnaces. It is characterized by its strict rules for speaking, singing, dancing and gesturing.

Cai luong: Cai luong, which means renovated opera came into being after the world war 1 and is similar to European comic opera. It is therefore lighter and more romantic than tuong or cheo.

Water puppetry: It is a unique Vietnamese art that is closely connected to wet rice civilization, which dates back to the 11th century. It originated in the red River Delta.


4. Literature
Vietnam's age old literary tradition can be classified into two forms, namely oral literature and written literature.

Oral literature: This includes songs and dances which are performed at festivals like weddings and funerals. There are also poems composed to express the Vietnamese's innermost feelings, depicting the closeness of Vietnamese life to the nature.. Oral epics are also performed by artists

Written literature: Vietnam's literature has developed into several genres such as poems, essays, reportage, commentary, short stories and novels.


5. Fine arts
With Chinese domination in tis history, Vietnamese arts do have a lot of Chinese influence. Similarly, after the French colonization, French art was also introduced. This came in the form of pottery, silk, lacquer and ceramics. Modern fine art was born in the 1920s with artists that accquired the values of Western Fine art. For folk paintings, each woodblock print has its own symbolic meaning and is presented in a certain manner.


6. Traditional festivals and games
In Vietnam, a festiavl(le hoi) has two parts: le(ritual) and hoi(rejoicing). Le is connected with beliefs, legends and history while hoi involves games and recreational activities.
Folk games such as con(ball) throwing comes from the Thai ethnic group, buffalo and cock fighting comes from the Kinh ethnic group and elephant races and gong festivals are celebrated by minorities in the Central Highlands

Labels: Vietnamese leisure and recreation