The Rise Of Caodaism In Vietnam

Mintz and McNeil of Digital History state that Vietnam, like Cambodia and Laos, was a French colony until it gained its independence after the First Indochina War. The Northern supporters and Southern dissenters of communism divided Vietnam during this time. The Geneva Accords, created after the war in 1954, required Vietnam to hold an election between the leaders of the North and South after two years. The US was afraid of what would follow if the North were to win, and decided to intervene in the hopes of stopping the spread of communism. With help from the US, South Vietnam avoided the agreement's orders and cancelled this election; power went to the South Vietnamese prime minister instead.

To understand the US involvement in Vietnam, it is necessary to understand the background of traditional independence and opposition to larger powers throughout Vietnamese history. The Vietnamese had a long history and tradition of opposing invading powers. This opposition and culture was to draw the U.S. into the longest war it has been involved in. This was an indirect but vitally important cause of US involvement in the Vietnam War. As early as 500BC, Vietnam was a country that held a strong sense of nationalism, and endeavoured for the goal of autonomy, independence, and self-rule. Up until modern history, there have been several events that have contributed towards intensifying this sense of nationalism and resistance against foreign powers. National resistance against the Chinese empire was one of the earliest examples of resistance against nationalism. Throughout the period of pre-modern history from 210 BC to 1789, resistances against foreign control and rule such as that against the Nan Yue, the Song, the Ming, and the Qing, were frequent. These attempts at national resistance came down to the basis that the nationalist Vietnamese did not want foreign influence determining the political future, culture, or customs of their country. Another main example that increased a sense of nationalism was French Colonialism. The French, who were appealed by Vietnam’s unique location, natural resources, and the extensive economic opportunities

A Turning point signifies a change in the past that has a great impact on the lives of people or an individual. The 1963, Buddha Riot is considered as a turning point in Vietnam history, it impacted the lives of Vietnamese people forever. It also captures the attention of millions of people globally and locally. There are many minor events that occurred in history that did not significantly affect individual’s lives like how the Buddha’s Riot printed the hearts of the Vietnamese people. However, the turning point that is chosen to be discussed in this research paper is the event that took place many years ago on June 11th, 1963 in Vietnam. The Buddhist Riot was not just an event that occurred out of pleasure; it was a dramatic event that

As a result of my curiosity, I visited a Buddhist temple in Des Plaines, IL, so that I can observe all the intricacies of the practice during the service. The specific temple I went to is named ‘Phat Bao Temple’, a temple that practices the Mahayana sect of Buddhism, one of the three sects of Buddhism. The Phat Bao Temple is Vietnamese temple engaged in the Mahayana branch, which is typical of Vietnamese temples due to Mahayana having a strong presence in Vietnam.

In Kevin Riley’s article “From Tribal to Universal”, him and several other historians argue that religious traditions emerge within and through traditions and beliefs that already exist. These new religions borrow from, adapt, and reject older traditions. Their ideas along with beliefs, can often be traced back and connected to multiple existing systems of belief. The documents collected in “Tribal to Universal Religion” help us understand and analyze the relationships between various religions, some of which did not originate in the same place, and their common ideas. Kevin Riley is surely right about religions borrowing from, adapting, and rejecting older traditions. This idea is clearly seen through the creation of Buddhism and Christianity.

Vietgone and Miss Saigon both center themselves around the Vietnam War but differ vastly in their portrayal of that conflict, and its effects on their characters. Both works tell the story of a romance that has been complicated by war and conflict. Vietgone stylizes the story of the playwright Qui Nguyen’s parents, who met in the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and portrays a specific individual take on a historic event. Miss Saigon, however, reworks the opera Madame Butterfly, to fit the context of the Vietnam War without much commenting on the war itself or offering the perspective of a Vietnamese person who experienced it.

Cao Dai is a combination of several religions, such as ethical precepts from Confucianism, theories of karma and rebirth from Buddhism, and influence from Roman Catholicism. Cao Dai is the third largest religion in Vietnam. Cao Dai was created to bring harmony to different religions. The term Cao Dai avoids gender, personality, and any other earthly attributes. Although Cao Dai avoids earthly attributes, it doesn’t seek to create a gray and identical world but, a world more tolerant of others. The main principle of this religion is if you study deep enough, all religion is the

Cao's refugee status is seen through the loss of his family from the Vietnam War and his turn to California. Within the Vietnam War, warriors named VCs catch his dad and in the long run slaughter him. The VCs speak to the Vietnamese military and their detainment of Cao's dad indicates how Cao's family is deceived. Subsequently, this shocks Cao's point of view on his Vietnamese roots, so he has no place else to go however America. The VCs treat Cao's dad like a detainee by “putting him behind barbed wire with other men, all very skinny, skinny and hungry, and they put chains on their ankles.”

Religions are ideas that passes down with traditions and rituals, with newer generations adding on to religion ideas with new ideas or borrowing other religious ideas. For Elk, religion is a running river rather than passing stone. For van de Veer, syncretism is how religion continue to exist today. Both Elk’s and van de Veer’s arguments tied into my chosen narrative and my family’s religious history. I want to connect my family’s religious history with Elk, Van der Veer, and the narrative “North Vietnamese Buddhist Nun” by James M. Freeman.

The declaration of Vietnamese independence made by Ho Chi Minh in 1945 served as a milestone in what was a century-old struggle against foreign control. In its history Vietnam had spent 1000 years under control of the Chinese and had resisted this control vehemently. Revolts and rebellions against China finally lead to Vietnamese independence in the tenth century. In the thirteenth century the Vietnamese drove back Kublai Khan three times under the leadership Dao. Tran Hung Dao not only led the Vietnamese people in driving Kublai Khan back, but did so by pioneering the guerrilla warfare methods that would later be employed against both the French and the United States. It is thus evident from this brief history of Vietnams that its

Vietnam’s Southern Revolution by David Hunt encompasses the history of North Vietnamese peasants, their social and political history, and the story of their uprising against the foreign backed South Vietnam. The RAND corporation, a “think tank” organization that assists research, advocacy, and policy suggestion was utilized by the U.S. military in Vietnam to explore the emergence of the NLF (National Liberation Front) in Northern Vietnam. The NLF, also known as the Vietcong, was the main antagonistic guerilla military force which U.S. forces conducted battle most frequently with in dense jungle brush.

The Domino Theory began in the nineteen fifties and extended into the nineteen eighties. During this time frame, the Vietnam War was in full swing. The end of the Vietnam War, began the Cold War. The Domino Theory, was the belief that communism was an aggressive, expanding imperialism, that would eventually take over the world (“The Domino Theory” n.pg.).

The tendency, of sacrificing, or changing parts of one’s culture in order to adapt to a new culture, is experienced by almost everyone who has any culture other than the predominant one. Nguyen was just an individual who had to let go of some aspect of her culture in an attempt to blend in, but there have been whole religions and followers who go through this process. One example of a religion that had been Americanized is Buddhism. Although there have been proper and preserved denomination of Buddhism in America, there have also have been groups such as Buddhist Churches of America that have changed their method and practice to fit in America (Seager 3). To assimilate into American society Buddhist Churches of America has tried to resemble

Religion is a fundamental element of human society. It is what binds a country, society or group of individuals together. However, in some instances it destroys unity amoungst these. Religion is a belief in a superhuman entity(s) which control(s) the universe. Every religion has its differences but most strive for a just life and the right morals. The three major groups are the primal regions which consist of African, Aboriginal and Native American religions, Asian which consist of South Eastern Asian religions and Abrahamic religions which consist of Middle Eastern religions. The foci of this essay are the differences between the Abrahamic religion, Christianity, and the Asian region Buddhism as well as making reference to the Islamic

International Business Wiki. (n.d.) Main Religions in Vietnam. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from International Business Wiki: http://internationalbusiness.wikia.com/