As a member in the community of the Vietnamese ethnic groups, Muong people reside mainly in the provinces such as Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Phu Tho, Son La and Ninh Binh. In the resent years, due to the characteristics of the emigration process, impact of the new economic construction policy, especially of the Renovation process, Muong people are present in most of provinces and cities of the whole country, but the most centralization is still in Hoa Binh (525,639 people). Therefore, until now Hoa Binh has always been considered as the cultural cradle of Muong people of our country.
The culture of ethnic groups, including the rites in the human life cycle, are the cultural values that are formed from the age-old time, become an important component manifesting the cultural nuance of the nation. The rites in the life cycle of Muong people is always mutable, adaptable to the new conditions.
The research on the rites in the human life cycle of Muong people in Hoa Binh at present provides a lot of useful information, contributes to the preservation and development of the national culture in the locality, makes the cultural life of Muong people improved continuously, meet the development demand of the country in the period of speeding up the industrialization, modernization and international integration.
The book includes the following main contents:
Chapter 1: Overview of the research situation, theoretical basis and research area.
Chapter 2: Rites in marriage. Provide readers with the information related to the marriage conceptions; Standards and conditions in marriage; Rites in wedding and some characteristics of culture of ethnic groups through the marriage rites.
Chapter 3: Rites in childbirth and children education. Provide readers with the information related to the childbirth and children conception; Rites, habits in caring pregnant women and protecting fetus; Rites and habits in childbirth; Rites and habits in caring and educating children.
Chapter 4: Rites in funeral. Provide readers with the information related to the world view; Conception of soul and death; Rites in funeral; Characteristics of culture of ethnic groups through the funeral rites.
Chapter 5: Some changes of the rites in the human life cycle. Provide readers with the information related to the change of rites in marriage; Change in childbirth and children education habits; Change of rites in funeral; Causes of the changes.
Pham Vinh Ha
