Circular No. 04/1998/TT-BVHTT guiding the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals

CIRCULAR

On July 11, 1998, guidelines for implementing civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals were issued.
Guidelines for civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

On January 12, 1998, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam issued Directive No. 27/CT-TW on building civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

On March 28, 1998, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 14/1998/CT-TTg on implementing civilized practices in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

To effectively implement the directives of the Central Committee and the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Culture and Information issues this Circular to provide guidance as follows:

I. WEDDINGS

2. Collectives and individuals who have been awarded during the mid-term review of five years of Border Guard Day (March 3, 1994) up to now, if they do not have new outstanding and excellent achievements, will not be considered for further awards.

Marriage is a significant event in each person's life, highly regarded by the State and society, and protected by law. Organizing weddings in accordance with economic and social conditions will contribute to perfecting the customs and traditions of the nation during the period of industrialization and modernization. Therefore, weddings must comply with the following requirements:

1. Adhere to the provisions of the Law on Marriage and Family:

Voluntary and progressive marriage;

One husband, one wife;

Gender equality;

Prohibition of child marriage, forced marriage, and interference with voluntary and progressive marriage.

2. Weddings must be organized healthily, civilly, economically, and in accordance with the traditions of each ethnic group, reflecting the beauty of community culture.

B. BASIC RITUALS IN WEDDINGS:

A male and female couple must register their marriage at the People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town where one of them resides. This is a mandatory requirement.

1. Registration of marriage and issuance of the marriage certificate:

The People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town guides and organizes the public to register marriages according to the administrative procedures prescribed by the State.

After the male and female couple have complied with the registration requirements, if the People's Committee finds it valid, they accept and set the date and time for the ceremony to issue the marriage certificate. - Issuing the marriage certificate is a mandatory ritual, demonstrating the State's and Law's recognition of the couple officially becoming spouses.

The organization of the marriage certificate issuance ceremony must be conducted seriously and solemnly, creating a joyful atmosphere and leaving a beautiful impression on the happy day of the couple.

The marriage certificate issuance ceremony must be presided over by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, or member of the People's Committee responsible for household registration. The ceremony can be held at one of the following locations: the People's Committee office, meeting room, auditorium, cultural house, etc., in the locality (in some remote, mountainous areas due to difficult conditions, a convenient location may be chosen, but in the long term, a fixed and decent location should be established). Decorations at the ceremony venue must include the National Emblem. All attendees must dress formally and neatly. No food and drink should be served during the marriage certificate issuance ceremony.

2. Wedding at home and in the community:

The wedding at home proceeds in the following sequence:

a. Visiting the House:

This is a procedure that demonstrates the responsibility of two families when organizing a meeting to allow the male and female couple to officially get to know each other before deciding on marriage. Visiting the house does not require elaborate gifts or rituals but mainly establishes a relationship and responsibility between the two families to care for the happiness of the couple, while also agreeing on the time to organize the Engagement Ceremony.

b. Engagement Ceremony:

Organized after the male and female couple have gotten to know each other and received the consent of both families. This is a customary ritual. The engagement ceremony determines the responsibilities of the two families in organizing the wedding for the couple and sets the time for the wedding ceremony.

c. Wedding Ceremony:

This is the family's and the couple's organization after receiving the marriage certificate from the authorities. This part of the ceremony may include ancestral worship, sending off the bride, welcoming the groom, and a close family dinner, but should not be ostentatious, wasteful, or profit-driven. It can be organized in the form of a tea party or a close family dinner within the clan and close friends, suitable for the family's conditions and circumstances.

A congratulatory card can be used if the family and the couple do not wish to organize a tea party or a close family dinner.

Commercialization of weddings is discouraged; no food and drink should be served or displayed in a lavish manner on the happy day of the newlyweds.

Encourage newlyweds to place flowers at the Memorial or plant trees in the Happiness Garden in their locality on their happy day.

The attire of the bride and groom at the wedding ceremony should be beautiful, formal, and appropriate to the national culture.

II. FUNERALS

2. Collectives and individuals who have been awarded during the mid-term review of five years of Border Guard Day (March 3, 1994) up to now, if they do not have new outstanding and excellent achievements, will not be considered for further awards.

Funerals are rituals expressing sincere sorrow, mourning, and remembrance of the deceased by the living, and should be organized carefully, solemnly, and scientifically.

When someone passes away, the family or relatives must report the death in accordance with regulations.

Adhere to the provisions regarding hygiene maintenance in the burial of the dead as stipulated in Circular No. 29/BYT-TT dated October 21, 1971, of the Ministry of Health.

In cases of natural death, the body must be placed in the coffin 8 to 10 hours after breathing has ceased and buried within 48 hours of death. In special cases, if the time needs to be extended, the body must be kept in a hospital's cold storage room or a funeral home's cold storage room.

In cases of death due to infectious diseases such as cholera, plague, and other communicable diseases, the body must be embalmed according to the instructions of the health authority and then buried immediately, without exceeding 24 hours.

All funeral rituals must be carried out neatly, hygienically, civilly, and economically.

Eliminate superstitious and outdated customs such as rolling in the street, hiring mourners, exorcising evil spirits...

No banquet should be organized to invite guests on the day of the funeral.

B. FUNERAL RITUALS:

1. Establishing the Funeral Organization Committee:

When the bereaved family requests assistance, the grassroots authorities, elderly associations, village, neighborhood, and community organizations shall cooperate to establish the Funeral Organization Committee.

The Funeral Organization Committee is responsible for closely coordinating with the bereaved family and assisting the bereaved family in organizing the funeral in a solemn, neat, economical, supportive, and community solidarity spirit.

If the deceased has no family or relatives to arrange for funeral matters, the local authorities (commune, ward, town) shall cooperate with mass organizations to responsibly organize a proper funeral.

2. Funeral ceremony and procession:

The mourning and farewell ceremony shall be organized according to the direction of the family or the Funeral Committee. During the mourning and procession, a funeral band (drum and horn ensemble, eight-tone music group, funeral music tape) or military music (if it is a military funeral or a funeral home) may be used. Marching songs and concert music shall not be used during the ceremony. Ethnic minorities and religious followers may use religious funeral music or ethnic funeral music. Funeral music shall not be played after 11 PM and before 5 AM.

Food offerings shall not be used for mourning. In cities and towns, efforts should be made to limit expensive flower wreaths and banners that are ostentatious and wasteful.

When organizing the funeral procession, traffic shall not be obstructed.

The three-day, forty-nine-day, hundred-day memorial services, ancestral worship, and reburial shall only be conducted within the family and kinship circle.

3. Funeral arrangements for high-ranking officials shall be governed by separate regulations.

C. SOME CUSTOMS IN FUNERALS:

Efforts should be made to encourage the people to gradually abandon customs such as wearing straw hats, carrying walking sticks, scattering paper money along the road; eliminating superstitious customs like casting spells, exorcising evil spirits, rolling on the road, hiring mourners, and other cumbersome rituals.

Funeral attire may be white or black, and should be neatly tailored or simply consist of traditional mourning scarves.

When relocating graves according to local customs, hygiene standards set by the Ministry of Health must be maintained.

Incineration and cremation are encouraged as civilized methods.

Communes and villages are encouraged to construct cemeteries according to planning and eventually develop them into cultural monuments in their locality. Ostentatious construction of tombs should be avoided.

It is strictly prohibited to exploit funerals for superstitious practices under any form.

III. FESTIVALS

2. Collectives and individuals who have been awarded during the mid-term review of five years of Border Guard Day (March 3, 1994) up to now, if they do not have new outstanding and excellent achievements, will not be considered for further awards.

Festivals are a long-standing cultural activity of the Vietnamese people. They have a strong appeal and attract various social strata, becoming a legitimate need of the people over many centuries.

The State encourages the organization of festivals to promote the fine traditions of the nation.

Festivals must meet the following requirements:

Guide the positive meanings of holidays and anniversaries.

Educate about the fine traditions of the nation regarding history, culture, art, fostering patriotism, love for socialism, and community spirit.

Remember the merits of ancestors and recognize the contributions of predecessors in the nation's history of founding and defending the country.

Study and introduce historical sites, scenic spots, cultural and artistic works; preserve and promote the nation's fine traditional cultural heritage.

Engage in healthy entertainment and recreation; maintain public security and order; do not damage historical sites.

Adhere to the Festival Regulations issued by Decision No. 636/QĐ-QC dated May 21, 1994, of the Minister of Culture and Information.

B. ORGANIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION:

Organizing festivals requires permission from the competent authority, according to the classification by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Traditional festivals must be reviewed by cultural agencies to preserve and promote the national cultural identity. Any changes in content or ritual must be approved by the competent authority under the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Festival flags may only be flown during the festival at the venue.

The duration of festivals shall not exceed three days, except for some festivals permitted by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Ticket sales for all festivals are strictly prohibited.

It is strictly prohibited to block roads for tolls, auction tolls at temples, pagodas, communal houses, caves... during festivals. Selling goods within the boundaries of historical sites is also prohibited.

It is strictly prohibited to exploit festivals for superstitious practices.

The agency granting permission to organize festivals must monitor and correct promptly any violations during the festival.

Encourage the solemn and lively organization of new festivals (established after the August Revolution).

Religious festivals have specific guidelines.

IV. ELIMINATING SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES

The State respects citizens' freedom of belief and freedom not to believe.

Worshiping ancestors, visiting temples, pagodas... is a belief respected by the State. Fortune-telling, calling spirits, automatic writing, prophecy, casting spells, exorcism, healing by magic... are superstitions strictly prohibited by the State.

Burning paper offerings (paper figures, mansions, cars, dollars, checks...) is prohibited at historical and cultural sites and during festivals.

Placing incense bowls at government offices, state-owned production and business units, political and social organizations, armed forces units is prohibited.

V. IMPLEMENTATION

1. Government agencies, economic organizations, political and social organizations, armed forces units are responsible for disseminating the Central Committee's Directive, the Prime Minister's Directive, and the contents of this Circular to members for implementation.

2. Ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries, and government agencies shall proactively coordinate with People's Committees at all levels, mass organizations... to develop programs and plans to implement the campaign to build civilized wedding, funeral, and festival customs according to Directive 27-CT/TW, Directive 14/1998/CT-TTg, and this Circular.

3. News agencies, press, radio, television, and cultural information organizations shall organize publicity to create a supportive social atmosphere for the campaign.

4. Departments of Culture and Information must pay special attention to guiding the establishment of wedding, funeral, and festival customs that are consistent with local customs and ethnic traditions; Focus on directing exemplary models and expanding successful experiences widely. Link the implementation of wedding, funeral, and festival customs with building civilized families, villages, ethnic groups... and civilized enterprises, schools.

5. The Cultural Information Department is responsible for monitoring and regularly reporting to the Ministry of Culture and Information on the implementation of this Circular.

6. Annually, the Cultural Information Department helps the Ministry to conduct mid-term reviews of the implementation of Directives, distill lessons learned, and propose appropriate measures for future guidance work./.