The Beliefs in Communal Houses of Chinese-Vietnamese People in Hoi An

Abstract

The writing introduces the beliefs expressing in Hoi Quan (communal houses) as a part of spiritual life of the Chinese-Vietnamese people in Hoi An in particular and the Chinese migrating to Vietnam in general. By doing so, the writing would like to make its contribution into investigation of the Vietnamese – Chinese-Vietnamese cultural exchange process in Vietnam’s cultural history. The Chinese-Vietnamese people in Hoi An have the beliefs of worship of Thien Hau, Mon than, nhan than and the belief of fecundity. These beliefs have facilitated the meeting, exchange and integration of the Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese cultures. Additionally, the marriage exchange of Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese also makes contribution to the cultural exchange and integration of Vietnamese and Chinese-Vietnamese. The worshipping rites and festivals taking place annually in Hoi Quan of the Chinese-Vietnamese are the occasions for the Chinese-Vietnamese to meet each other and have attracted increasing participation of Vietnamese and travellers as well as express a harmony of spiritual life with profane life and solidary spirit of ethnic communities.