July 11, 2022

Bamboo: The Vietnamese Spirit and Tradition

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With the image of a slender but sturdy, bamboo tree that does not break in the face of strong winds and storms which has long become a symbol of the noble and precious qualities of the Vietnamese people. Besides, bamboo is also an endless source of inspiration in composing Vietnamese poetry and art. Not only that, with the creativity of Vietnamese people, bamboo has become a solid material to make very useful products used in daily life.


Here are the great qualities of Bamboo - the traditional plant of Vietnam.


  • Bamboo and Vietnam historical value.


Bamboo grows in ramparts across Vietnam, the trunk is tall, the leaves are shaped like a small boat, the roots are deep into the ground. No one knows how long bamboo has existed, only that bamboo ramparts have been growing steadily for a long time, appearing in fairy tales and Vietnamese folklore thousands of years ago.

The Vietnamese have a fairy tale about Saint Gióng, which tells about a hero in Gióng village. Legend has it that when the country was invaded, the hero pulled up a bamboo clump, along with iron whips, iron horses and iron armor as weapons to fight the enemy. After fighting, he took off his iron armor and flew into the sky. The king built him a temple in his hometown and the people here called him a saint.

Bamboo used in Vietnam Wars - Source: Download.vn

Later, in the wars against invaders of the old dynasties, bamboo played a very important role. Bamboo is a raw material for creating weapons such as crossbows, bows or even made into strong bamboo fences or traps against the enemy.

Bamboo in Vietnam historical tradition - Source: Google.com

Bamboo is also a food that helps Vietnamese soldiers overcome hunger. The young bamboo shoots, called Măng, are used to make quick foods. Or rice is stuffed into bamboo tubes call "Com lam" to eat during the resistance wars.

Bamboo in Vietnamese Food Tradition - Source: Google.com

  • Bamboo and Vietnam cultural value.



1. Symbol of Vietnamese people


Bamboo in Vietnam is often grown in ramparts to represent the solidarity of the Vietnamese people. The image of a slender but sturdy bamboo tree symbolizes the appearance, character, soul and noble qualities of the farmer - straightforward, resilient and benevolent, both diligent and thorny, withstand all the perilous challenges. Bamboo is often compared to a gentleman who is strong and resilient in all circumstances. All of them made bamboo becomes a tradition of Vietnam.

Bamboo is a symbol of Vietnamese tradition - Source: tamnhin.trithuccuosong.vn

Today, bamboo is considered a plant that brings good luck, stability and solidity in feng shui. In addition, bamboo is believed to have the energy to bring health, happiness, love, and prosperity.

2. Bamboo and Vietnam artistic value


Bamboo flowers are pale yellow, fragrant, and bloom only once every 60 years. The image of a slender, thin but very resilient bamboo tree has long entered Vietnamese literature and art.

In the treasure of Vietnamese literature, many poems and folk songs talk about bamboo or mention bamboo. Bamboo is often a metaphor for many important virtues of Vietnamese people. Currently, our country's literary treasure has thousands of works imprinted with bamboo images passed down through generations. It can be said that bamboo has always been an indispensable part of Vietnamese tradition.

Besides, bamboo is also made into traditional musical instruments. These simple instruments are often played at Vietnamese events and festivals. Bamboo musical instruments create a very clear, resonant sound, which is the pride of the nation. Some musical instruments made from bamboo include: Flute, The T'rung, Dinh Tut, and Ko Ni percussion instruments of the Central Highlanders in Vietnam.

Bamboo are used to make a musical instruments - Source: Vietnam Economic News

Bamboo dance, also known as Cheraw dance, is a dance on bamboo sticks, this is a very prominent folk dance in the North of Vietnam. The long bamboo stalks are paralleled and controlled by the people to the rhythm of the song and create gaps. Dancers will flexibly dance following the music into these gaps. Ethnic groups in Vietnam often organize stall dancing on festivals and holidays, such as harvest days, Lunar New Year or on moonlit nights.

Bamboo dance - Source: bvhttdl.gov.vn

Today, bamboo is also used as a prop to perform circus, dance, etc.

Bamboo circus - a tradition of Vietnam - Soucre: excursionvietnam

  • Bamboo and Vietnam economic value


When there was no plastic and steel, bamboo was the main source of materials for daily living, preferred in every family and in construction.

In the past, bamboo is used to make columns, trusses, roofs, fences. Especially, Bamboo is also used to make a special bridge, called Monkey Bridge - a tradition of Vietnam. It is a handmade bamboo or wooden passway across a stream or gully, it becomes an unmistakable cultural feature of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, associated with the rivers and garden life. Some suggestions about the reason why people call this bridge is “Monkey bridge", some people explain it is because they are so difficult that you need to be an agile monkey to make it across without falling off, according to the Top Tens Things, Vietnam’s monkey bridges have been voted in the top 10 scariest bridges in the world. Others believe the term originated from the stance most individuals adopt when attempting to cross a bridge. People lean over and hold on tight like monkeys to avoid falling into the river below.

Nowadays, the monkey bridge is gradually changed into a concrete bridge that is stronger and safer, but the monkey bridge made from bamboo has become subconscious in the hearts of Vietnamese people. Visitors can still encounter them in the garden resorts, used as an interesting experience challenge for tourists.

Monkey bridge - Source: Zing.vn

Today, stemming from the needs of people in production and daily life, there are craft villages producing bamboo tools and utensils. On the market, there are many bamboo products that are very diverse in types, forms, designs, rich in use value and economic such as:

- Baskets, chopsticks, toothpicks, bamboo cages, Vietnamese bamboo dragonflies, bamboo pinwheels, handicrafts - bamboo, rattan, etc and notably Vietnamese bamboo straws, an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic straws are all made from the stems.

Bamboo straws - Source: bamboostep.com

- Bamboo may be used in Vietnamese Food Tradition like "cơm lam" which is rice cooked in a bamboo tube.
- Bamboo shoots - Măng, are utilized in many well-liked meals, including bamboo shoots salad, fried bamboo shoots, sour bamboo shoots soup, and more.
Măng also be one of the special vegetables of Vietnam which combined lot of nutritions good for health, Măng and other vegetables are introduced in this article: Common Vietnamese Vegetables You Should Know
- Bamboo leaves are used in herbal medicines in Vietnam because they have a number of therapeutic characteristics.
A few other items such as: flower vases, food containers, pen cases. Besides the inherent rustic beauty, bamboo interior designs also bring a modern beauty, suitable for today's lifestyle.

In conclusion, bamboo represents the quality of Vietnamese people, bamboo is the raw material to make everyday items. In the past, bamboo was also a powerful weapon that contributed to victory in the ancient wars of Vietnam. Not only having great effects in the Patriotic wars, village bamboo is also an effective tool in our people's struggles against the harshness of natural disasters, to protect and serve life.
With economic, cultural, military values and even use values in life, bamboo has shown its superiority - as well as the beauty in the personality, soul, and tradition of Vietnamese. 

To finding another customs in Vietnam, visit here: Vietnamese Customs and Traditions 


Bamboo: The Vietnamese Spirit And Tradition


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