The culture of Vietnam is one of the oldest of such in the Southeast Asia region.  Around 74% of Vietnamese currently live in rural areas and although many are being influenced by the process of a growing economy, rural tradition and customs still play a vital role in shaping the national culture.
 
In rural Vietnam, kinship plays an important role.  Vietnamese culture values clan over family and each clan has a patriarch, clan altar and death commemorations attended by the whole clan.  Today we can also still see three or four generations living under one roof.
 
As kinship has an important role in society, there is a complex hierarchy of relationships.  In Vietnamese society, there are nine distinct generations.  Virtually all commemorations and celebrations within a clan follow the principles of these nine generations.  Younger persons might have a higher position in the family hierarchy than an older person and still must be respected as an elder.  
 
This complex system of relationships is conveyed particularly through the Vietnamese language, which has an extensive array of honorifics to signify the status of the speaker in regards to the person they are speaking to. 
 
In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages.  Marriages were generally arranged by the parents and extended family, with the children having little to no say in the matter.  In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants.  The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important traditional Vietnamese occasions. 
 
Vietnamese cuisine is extremely diverse, often divided into three main categories, each pertaining to Vietnam's three main regions (north, central and south).  It uses very little oil and many vegetables and is mainly based on rice, soy sauce and fish sauce.  Its characteristics flavours are sweet (sugar), spicy (serrano peppers), sour (lime), nuoc mam (fish sauce) and flavoured by a variety of mint and basil.
 
Vietnam also has a large variety of noodles and noodle soups.  Different regions invented different types of noodles, varying in shapes, tastes, colours, etc.  One of the nation's most famous types of noodles is Pho, a type of noodle soup originating in North Vietnam, which consists of rice noodles and beef soup with several other ingredients such as bean sprouts and spring onions.  It is also often eaten for breakfast but also makes a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
 
Traditional Vietnamese religion included elements form Indian beliefs and three Chinese religious systems: Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.  Other religions include relatively new sects such as Hoa Hao, associated with Buddhism and Caodaism, a synthesis of Christianity, Buddhism and Confucianism.  Christianity, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, claims as many as 6 million followers.
 
The old Vietnamese house was related to the watery environment.  After that, came thatch-roofed house with clay walls which were built mostly from wood and bamboo.  This kind of house did not stand too high to avoid high winds and storms.  More importantly, the house should face to the South direction to be free from hot and cold weathers.  The interior of the house was also not so spacious to leave room for the courtyard, pond and garden.  Sizeable ancient architectures were often built shrouded and in harmony with natural environment.
 
The traditional means of transport is waterways.  Ship of all types together with the river and the wharf, are familiar in the Vietnamese geological and humanitarian images. 
 
Vietnam is the country of festive which take place all year round, especially in spring when there is little farming work.  The major festive are Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year), Mid-First month, Han thuc (cold food), etc.  Each region has its own ritual holidays.  The most important rituals are agricultural (praying for rain, getting down to the rice field, etc) and trades (copper casting, forging, making fire crackers, etc).  Ritual holidays are usually divided into two parts, the service is carried out for blessings and thanksgivings, the holiday is the cultural activities of the community consisting of many folk games and contests.