Preserving the traditions of Nghe An clans

PV:Hello Mr. Dao Tam Tinh! It is known that you are a cultural researcher who has spent a lot of time researching family and clan traditions. So could you please tell us about the role of family and clan for each Vietnamese person?

Mr. Dao Tam Tinh: Yes! One thing that everyone acknowledges is that every person is born with a given name and surname, which is associated with them from birth until death. Each person's surname is associated with that person's clan, has bloodline and genetics, so it has the pride of a clan community, and is a typical characteristic of society.

Researcher Dao Tam Tinh. Photo: Cong Kien

The clause “Family - Relatives”, from ancient times, has been a positioning: “Family” must have “Rows”. It means order and succession, before and after, above and below, also respecting order to form and create family traditions.family.

Most of us are born, grow up and are attached to a family, characterized by marriage and blood relations, members living together under the same roof. Clan and family culture is the crystallization of material and spiritual values ​​that are forged in the process of labor and life, creating a unique and distinctive human identity.

PV:It is known that you are in the process of completing the project "Cultural clans in Nghe An", could you please tell us a little about the cultural traditions of clans and families in Nghe An?

Mr. Dao Tam Tinh:When studying the land and people of Nghe An, scholars all pay attention to emphasizing the "Sacred element", the "Sacred soul of mountains and rivers" as a prominent characteristic: "Spiritual land, talented people". The Nghe Tinh clan cannot be outside of that "sacred space". Nghe An people as well as Vietnamese people in general always promote family relationships, relatives, clans and the dedication of ancestors in the history of fighting to protect and build the homeland and country.

The joy of family reunion on Tet holiday. Photo: vietcotra.vn

Our country has undergone many historical changes and has had new steps of development in the economy and all aspects, so the issue of clan culture is also being raised as a necessity... Clan and family are important social institutions, directly contributing to the structure of villages and, more broadly, the country.

Many families in Nghe An are famous and associated withhistory of formation, the development of the country and the nation, contributing an important part in the cause of conquering nature, building and protecting the Fatherland. Vietnamese people, although having different names and surnames, although belonging to families that have gone through the process of rise and fall, ups and downs, all share a good tradition, which is always thinking about their roots, ancestors to worship, to find their roots.

Nghe peoplealways highly value the family church because it is the place where descendants gather on the occasion of their ancestors' death anniversaries, to show gratitude and admiration to their superiors (the first creator of the family), the place that creates deep faith and becomes a traditional spiritual connection for many generations. It also creates an exemplary order for the previous and following generations, encompassing true values ​​of moral education, family, family and social customs and traditions.

Tet and Spring are occasions for everyone to turn to their ancestors and roots. Photo: Nguyen Book

Ancestor worship has become a religious custom of each family, so it is revered and called Ancestor Religion. It creates a beautiful tradition, forcing descendants and successive generations to follow and protect the rules set by the family convention. On both sides of the ancestral altar, we often see a pair of parallel sentences that everyone can easily remember:Ancestors' virtues will prosper forever/Descendants' virtues will prosper forever”.

It is simple but it has profound spiritual power, reminding descendants to respect their ancestors so that they can enjoy the blessings of prosperity and their descendants will be obedient, succeeding generations well, rich and noble. Wherever children go, wherever they return, even if they become grandparents, they must always remember their ancestors, respect and worship their grandparents, parents, and those who have passed away.

Such traditions and family traditions have created the foundation for the prosperity of the clans in Nghe An. Each clan has its own cultural characteristics, famous figures, and great contributions to the country.

Many families in Nghe An are known throughout the region or the whole country because of theircelebrityFamous, typical characters, famous in history books such as the Mai family in Nam Thai (Nam Dan) with national hero Mai Thuc Loan; the Bach family in Ma Thanh (Yen Thanh) with Bach Lieu who passed the royal examination in the Tran Dynasty, founded the great examination and the royal examination line in Nghe An; the Ho family in Quynh Doi (Quynh Luu) with many outstanding characters famous in history books...

Such traditions and family traditions have created the foundation for the prosperity of families in Nghe An. Photo: Nguyen Book

Up to now, many generations of descendants of these families have continued to promote the tradition of studiousness and patriotism, striving to contribute their talents, making significant contributions to the cause of protecting and building the homeland and country.

PV:It can be said that Tet and Spring are the moments that most clearly demonstrate, or in other words, the convergence point of Vietnamese family and clan cultural traditions. Now that the 2021 Lunar New Year is approaching, could you share a few words about this issue, sir?

Mr. Dao Tam Tinh:Tet is an occasion for family reunion, an opportunity for each person to return to their roots and origins to share love, gratitude and respect. I really like the song: “Wherever we go, we always remember/Come back home to celebrate with our family" by Tu Huy. Not being able to stand before the family altar on the afternoon of the 30th of Tet, not being able to worship the ancestors on the morning of the 1st, everyone suddenly feels remorseful.

Tet and Spring are also occasions for many families to hold ancestral worship ceremonies, for generations to meet to exchange feelings, express respect and love, and look forward to good things...

PV:In recent years, the Party and State have paid real attention to building and promoting family and clan traditions. As a cultural researcher, how do you see this issue?

Mr. Dao Tam Tinh: Our Party and State have always focused on and considered the work of building a grassroots cultural life, with special attention paid to the issue of building cultural families and clans. Specifically, it is necessary to develop legal documents, develop criteria and exemplary standards for recognizing families and clans that meet cultural standards.

Clan building movement,cultural familyIn recent years, it has received great attention from the people and authorities at all levels. Many clans have organized into Clan Councils, compiled genealogies, established genealogies, drafted regulations, restored churches; erected steles to honor the merits of ancestors; built funds to encourage learning; encourage charity...

Drum competition at the beginning of the new year between clans in Yen Thanh district. Photo: Huy Thu

Thanks to that, the families are increasingly promoting good traditions: Children and grandchildren are united, striving to study well, work well, and contribute to building the homeland and country to become more and more prosperous.

The more social life develops, the more we see and realize that the family is the place to best preserve and promote the good traditional values ​​of the clan. Therefore, the first thing to be concerned about is to pay attention to and focus on close coordination between the family, clan with the authorities at all levels, social organizations, and schools to take care of building new generations of people. Building a cultural clan and family is to contribute to spreading the ethical values ​​of the clan, having a positive and effective impact on preserving social ethics.

PV:Returning to the issue of the role of family and clan culture, this factor is considered the best environment for each member to promote good traditions and truly mature. In your opinion, how should the education of children and grandchildren be conducted during the time of reunion, Spring Festival, and Tet?

Mr. Dao Tam Tinh:That's right! A cultured family, clan, and society will be the best environment to create conditions for members to promote good traditions to become cultured people and cultured families. Uncle Ho pointed out: "If the family is good, then the society will be good, and if the society is good, it will create conditions for building good families."

People of Yen Thanh district cheer for the drum festival in early spring. Photo: Huy Thu

Therefore, each family and clan needs to educate their children in both knowledge and how to behave towards the community. For example, on the occasion of meeting orancestral altarAt the beginning of the year, the Family Council highlighted the shining examples of the ancients, taking examples of overcoming difficulties, promoting studiousness and respect for teachers... so that descendants can use that as motivation to strive and follow.

At the same time, educate morality and patriotism by setting shining examples of filial piety and ancestors who are patriotic, compassionate, and humane, and are honored and worshiped by the State, the People, and their descendants...