The cult of ancestors in modern Vietnamese society: Perception, role, trends

During the whole history, worshiping the ancestors has been the tradition in Vietnamese society, but the status of this religious practice does not always remain unchanged. The cult of ancestors is said to be the basis of Vietnamese mentality. Despite the traditional nature of ancestor worship, it continues changing. This is the living matter of the nation, which adapts to new conditions of existence. In this article, three following issues are focused on: (1) the transformations have occurred with the cult of ancestors; (2) the status of ancestor worship today; (3) the tendencies of this belief and the forces that drive it. As sources in this article, scholarly publications of Vietnamese and Russian researchers, official documents and the authors' field materials are used. The basis of the research methodology is the systems concept and the principle of historicism. The main methods are observation and comparison. According to the authors, the basis for the development of practice is laid in the very idea of traditional Vietnamese beliefs, in which the concept of ancestors has been expanded to either historical people or political leaders. However, there is an increase in worship of the nation-wide ancestors of antiquity in modern Vietnam. In addition, the past century also created its heroes, who are gradually taking their place on the altars. Today, the dramatic changes in Vietnamese economy and society contribute to the social development in all areas, including the spiritual life of people. In this case, the development does not mean progress, but the search for new forms of reflecting change. The goal here is to discover these new forms, evaluate their significance and understand the consequences. The article analyzes the position of the cult of ancestors in modern Vietnam, investigates the factors influencing the development of this phenomenon. The authors also attempt to analyze the impact of today's events on the future of ancestors worship. Based on the analysis, the authors conclude that, in the near future, a number of transformations will occur with the cult of ancestors. These changes will reflect political and economic transformations in the country, the people's memory of the wars of the 20th century, and hopes for future achievements. However, the changes will not affect the basic principles of the belief.

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