Thank you for the article After reading the article I was shocked to see how much money people are willing to spend on burning offerings and believe that deceased people can actually receive the items. I now do agree with you that it is such a waste and the money should be donating to other good causes.
Save papers, save trees, save the earth........
Reply to Ldinh I couldn't find your email, so I send you the link to an article in Vietnamese about how much Vietnamese wasted their money for burning votive items. Monks also advised that we'd better spend such money helping poor people. Vàng mã công sở: Tiền tỷ vẫn... cháy http://tintuconline.vietnamnet.vn/vn/doanhnghiep/430655/index.html
Reply to Ldinh Since Vietnam is still a poor country and at the office we use white papers imported from Indonesia, I wonder how people think when trees are cut down to make papers. There are various ways to show our love to the deceased people, including respect and good treatment when they are alive.
you are brave I believe you are a brave person to say you
are nonreligious, and that you believe in yourself.
I wish I had thought of your statement first.
The tradition of burning offerings has been going on for years and it is a way to make the people feel closer to their love ones and not so much of trying to get these items to them. People do not think it is a waste because it is a way to cope with the lost of their love ones and to ease their mind.
interesting When I enter this site, nearly every day, I think to myself: "OK, let´s see if Hong Ha has written something new". I remember one of the pagodas you show on a picture on this blog. It´s very interesting the simple and clear explanations you write about. Thank you. Love from Argentina, Graciela.
When in Vietnam Lorenza and I found the tradition of burning offerings like votive money, etc very curious. We noticed that some people also burnt offerings such as fake mobile phones. Lorenza cheekily asked if the people ever thought to burn an instruction book for the mobile phone so the people on the other side were able to learn how to use it.
We also found it interesting that people could make a good living selling votive items. We even lent some money via a micro credit loan to a women in Vietnam who was raising funds to start such a business. The business was profitable for her and she repaid the money very quickly. I was surprised that people would buy fake US dollars and it does seem a waste.
Thanks for your lovely blog. It's really interesting when you said the Japanese in Japan seems more polite than those whom you work with in Vietnam (This suggests me that Japan be a destination for my future visit). This fact appears to opposite to that in Europe. Having traveled quite a few to Europe, I feels that the European people here are much less polite than those I met in Hanoi, especially the German, Dutch and Belgian. Your blog really makes me wish to come back to S.E.A.
On The Move Great traveller don't stop.. get moving if you have the time and Vitamin M. We treaure all sweet memories and it's actually what life about. A fortune worths finding. Happy travelling
Amazing experiences in an amazing World.!!! I think that You are an amazing beautifull Lady, with a heart for adventure, I admire You and Your Love for lifes experiences. I think that You have a lot of knowledge about a lot of different People, Cultures and Countries.
Nice blog! Speaking as a Westerner, I have great admiration for a Vietnamese woman who can manage to do so much foreign travel alone and given the relatively weak Vietnamese currency. It shows great courage and determination. I find all her blogs very interesting and varied.
Thanks for sharing such a nice blog with us, your feelings show through so well in your words! Lorenza also wanted to mention that we met the same person making conical hats and liked what she made so much that we took some home with us. She is a very talented person. Cheers! Take care. We are counting down the days until we fly to Hanoi and getting very excited.
Your history of travels Thanks ! I enjoyed reading your blog "My life during the last decade", really appreciate your thought of trips and travels, and will expect your life in the next decade full of surprise and curiousity.
Tour price update This tour is now (Jan 2010) advertised on the Công ty du lịch Sông Hồng tour comopanies website for VND255,000, if you google the Vietnamese name of the company you will find their site.
Congratulations on your high number of viewings! :) If you have time, come and tell us the secret of your success on http://www.travelblog.org/Forum/Threads/21363-3.html
Excellent Idea! Great idea there. I was thinking of doing one for my own city but you have gone and done one for your whole country! Blog's like these should be put in a certain place where people can find them easily. When I was thinking of blogging my city I was thinking wouldn't it be great if there was a "What To Do In...." section here on travel blog. I know it would have helped while I was traveling. Blogs are excellent but tips from people living in the country are invaluable.
Darren.
I am a Hanoi_girl who loves to travel. When working for a Japanese construction company in Hanoi, I had the chance to travel to 28 countries and to all the 63 provinces in Vietnam, including 25 trips to Huế city. Egypt, Mongolia and Italy are my love, and other favorite countries are Australia, France, New Zealand, Nepal, Fiji, Japan, India, Indonesia, Belgium, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China (8 trips, 15 cities), South Korea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Cambodia (3 trips), Brunei Darussalam, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Laos (3 trips), Malaysia (4 trips), Singap... full info
ldinh
non-member comment
Thank you for the article
After reading the article I was shocked to see how much money people are willing to spend on burning offerings and believe that deceased people can actually receive the items. I now do agree with you that it is such a waste and the money should be donating to other good causes. Save papers, save trees, save the earth........