Circular No. 04/2011/TT-BVHTTDL on the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the implementation of civilized customs

in weddings, funerals, and festivals

Article 1. Other types of artistic performances

Pursuant to Decree No. 103/2009/NĐ-CP dated November 6, 2009 of the Government promulgating the Regulation on cultural activities and public cultural service business operations;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2010/NĐ-CP dated July 12, 2010 of the Government stipulating administrative penalties for violations in cultural activities;

Pursuant to Directive No. 14/1998/CT-TTg dated March 28, 1998 of the Prime Minister on the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals;

Pursuant to Decision No. 308/2005/QĐ-TTg dated November 25, 2005 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Code of Conduct for the Implementation of Civilized Customs in Weddings, Funerals, and Festivals;

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hereby stipulates regulations on the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals as follows:

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular regulates the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals organized throughout the country.

Article 2. This Circular applies to Vietnamese organizations and individuals and foreign organizations and individuals participating in weddings, funerals, and festivals in Vietnam.

Article 3. Principles in organizing weddings, funerals, and festivals

Organizations and individuals must comply with the following principles when organizing weddings, funerals, and festivals:

Point 1. Not contrary to the traditional customs and practices of the nation; not allowing superstitious and unscientific activities to occur.

Point 2. Not exploiting weddings, funerals, and festivals to engage in activities that divide national solidarity, cause discord within communities, clans, and families.

Point 3. Not affecting traffic safety and public order and safety.

Point 4. Not organizing or participating in gambling under any form.

Point 5. Not using working hours and means of transportation from the organization for wedding and festival celebrations (except for organizations performing duties); not using public funds from the organization as gifts for wedding congratulations and funeral condolences.

Chapter II
SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Section 1
CIVILIZED CUSTOMS IN WEDDINGS

Article 4. Organizing Weddings

Weddings must be organized in accordance with laws on marriage and family, laws on registration and management of household registration, and other relevant laws.

Article 5. Registration of Marriage

Point 1. A male and female couple wishing to become spouses must register their marriage at the People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town where one of them resides, in accordance with the law.

Point 2. The People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town has the responsibility to guide and organize marriage registration according to the procedures prescribed by law.

Article 6. Issuance of Marriage Certificate

The People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town has the responsibility to organize the issuance of the marriage certificate to the male and female couple who have completed the marriage registration procedures, thereby recognizing the legality of the marriage by the State and the law.

Article 7. Organizing Wedding Ceremonies at Home or at a Venue

Point 1. The organization of wedding ceremonies at home or at a venue must comply with the following provisions:

a) Ensuring solemnity, thrift, joyfulness, healthiness, and suitability with local customs, traditions, and cultural heritage of each ethnic group and religion, and fitting the circumstances of both families;

b) Procedures such as visiting the bride's house, engagement, and bringing the bride to the groom's house should be conducted according to customs and traditions; avoiding ostentation and complexity; not placing excessive demands on offerings;

d) Organizing the wedding banquet in accordance with the family's circumstances, avoiding ostentation and waste;

đ) Decorations for the wedding ceremony should be simple, not complex or ostentatious; the attire of the bride and groom should be beautiful and appropriate, in line with national culture;

e) Music at the wedding should be healthy and joyful; sound levels must not exceed permitted noise levels according to the Vietnamese standard implemented in the Vietnamese Standard issued along with Decision No. 2351/1998/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated December 5, 1998 of the Ministry of Science and Technology (now the Ministry of Science and Technology); music should not be played before 6 AM and after 10 PM.

Point 2. Encouraging the implementation of the following activities in organizing weddings:

a) Using congratulatory notices instead of formal invitations for wedding ceremonies and banquets;

b) Limiting grand wedding banquets, only organizing tea and dessert receptions during the wedding;

c) Not using tobacco products at weddings;

d) Organizations, groups, and associations organizing wedding ceremonies;

đ) The bride, groom, and their families placing flowers at memorials for martyrs, martyrs' cemeteries, historical-cultural sites; planting commemorative trees in the locality on the wedding day;

e) The bride, groom, and their families wearing traditional or ethnic costumes on the wedding day.

Section 2
CIVILIZED CUSTOMS IN FUNERALS

Article 7. Funeral Arrangements

Funerals must be organized in accordance with the provisions of the law on household registration and management, environmental protection laws, health laws, and other relevant legal regulations.

When someone passes away, their family or relatives must complete the death registration procedures before organizing the funeral according to the law.

Article 9. Responsibility for Organizing the Funeral

1. The funeral shall be organized at home or in a public place by the deceased's family.

2. In cases where the funeral committee organizes the funeral, the funeral committee is responsible for coordinating with the deceased's family to agree on issues related to the funeral arrangements.

3. If the deceased has no family or relatives to organize the funeral, the People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town will cooperate with mass organizations to responsibly organize the embalming and burial in accordance with traditional customs.

Article 10. Funeral Organization

1. When funerals are organized at home or in a public place, the following regulations must be implemented:

a) The funeral must be organized meticulously, solemnly, economically, and in accordance with national cultural traditions and the circumstances of the deceased's family;

b) The People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town is responsible for creating favorable conditions for the meticulous organization of funerals; encouraging families of the deceased to eliminate outdated customs and superstitious practices during funerals;

c) Embalming procedures must comply with Circular No. 02/2009/TT-BYT dated May 26, 2009, issued by the Ministry of Health, guiding hygiene in burial and cremation activities;

d) Wearing mourning clothes and hanging funeral flags during funerals must follow local, ethnic, and religious traditions; only hang funeral flags at the funeral venue;

đ) No funeral music shall be played before 06:00 AM or after 10:00 PM; sound levels must not exceed permitted noise levels as per Vietnam National Standards implemented in the standard issued along with Decision No. 2351/1998/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated December 5, 1998, of the Ministry of Science and Technology (now the Ministry of Science and Technology);

In cases where the deceased follows a religion or is from an ethnic minority, funeral music specific to that religion or ethnic minority may be used during funerals; inappropriate music shall not be used;

e) It is prohibited to scatter Vietnamese currency or foreign currency on the road during the funeral procession;

g) The deceased must be buried in a cemetery; if a cemetery has not yet been established, the People's Committee of the commune, ward, or town is responsible for guiding the people to organize burials in accordance with local land planning;

i) Strictly prohibit the exploitation of funerals for superstitious practices; strictly prohibit the exploitation of funerals to obstruct the exercise of citizens' rights and obligations under the law;

2. For the funerals of civil servants, employees, officials, workers in state agencies, public institutions, state-owned enterprises, political organizations, social-political organizations, occupational social organizations, officers, professional military personnel, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers in units belonging to armed forces (People's Army and People's Public Security), in addition to implementing the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article, they must also implement the provisions of Government Decree No. 62/2001/NĐ-CP dated September 12, 2001, regarding the issuance of regulations on funeral arrangements for state civil servants, employees, and officials upon death.

3. Encourage the following activities in funeral arrangements:

a) Rituals such as the third, seventh, forty-ninth, hundredth day, first anniversary, last memorial, and reburial ceremonies should only be held on those days and within the family and clan;

b) Implementing cremation, electric cremation, and single interment in planned cemetery areas;

c) Burial procedures must comply with the guidelines set forth in Government Decree No. 35/2008/NĐ-CP dated March 25, 2008, concerning the construction, management, and use of cemeteries;

d) Eliminating outdated superstitious customs such as casting spells, exorcism, rolling the road, hired crying, and other cumbersome rituals;

đ) Do not scatter paper offerings on the road during the funeral procession.

Article 11. Burial Construction

1. Burial construction must comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Construction.

2. It is encouraged for localities to construct cemeteries according to planning, ensuring scientific and convenient conditions for burial, in accordance with the laws on construction, management, and use of cemeteries.

3. It is encouraged to build cemeteries as cultural monuments commemorating the dead at the local level.

Civilized Customs in Festivals

Article 12. Festival Organization

1. Organizations and individuals, when organizing or participating in festivals, must comply with the following regulations:

a) Rituals of the festival must be conducted solemnly, in accordance with national cultural traditions;

b) In the festival area, the national flag must be hung in a prominent place, higher than the festival flag and religious flags; only the festival flag and religious flags may be hung at the festival site and during the festival period;

c) Adhere strictly to the internal rules and regulations of the festival organizing committee;

d) Wear appropriate and elegant attire suitable to local customs and traditions;

đ) Do not use vulgar language, offend spiritual beliefs, or negatively impact the solemn atmosphere of the festival;

e) Ensure order and security during the festival; do not set off fireworks, burn paper offerings, or release sky lanterns;

g) Behave culturally during festival activities;

h) Dispose of waste in designated areas and maintain environmental hygiene;

i) Do not sell tickets to attend the festival;

k) If organizing games, performances, art exhibitions, or markets within the festival area, tickets may be sold for these activities; ticket prices must comply with financial laws;

l) Strictly prohibit the exploitation of festivals for superstitious practices such as fortune-telling, divination, soul-calling, spirit-mediumship, prophecy, cursing, exorcism, and magical healing;

m) Do not burn paper offerings in the festival area.

2. Encourage the following activities in festival organization:

a) Introduce the historical significance of the festival, educate about the fine traditions of the nation, foster love for the homeland, country, and Vietnamese people;

b) Commemorate the merits of ancestors and recognize the contributions of predecessors in the history of founding and defending the country;

c) Organize folk games, new games, and cultural and sports activities with beneficial and healthy content, suitable to the scale, nature, and characteristics of the festival;

d) Light incense according to the regulations of the festival organizing committee.

Chapter III
IMPLEMENTATION

Article 13. Responsibility for implementation organization

1. State agencies, public service units, state-owned enterprises; political organizations, political-social organizations, social-professional organizations; units under the armed forces have the responsibility to disseminate and implement Directive No. 27-CT/TW dated January 12, 1998 of the Politburo (8th term) on civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals, Directive No. 14/1998/CT-TTg dated March 28, 1998 of the Prime Minister on civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals, Decision No. 308/2005/QĐ-TTg dated November 25, 2005 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Code of Conduct for civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals; Conclusion No. 51-KL/TW dated July 22, 2009 of the Politburo (10th term) on continuing to implement Directive No. 27-CT/TW dated January 12, 1998 of the Politburo (8th term) on civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals, and this Circular to cadres, civil servants, employees, officers, professional military personnel, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, and the people.

2. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications to guide news agencies to organize propaganda to create positive public opinion supporting the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals as stipulated in this Circular.

3. Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall pay special attention to guiding the development of conventions regarding weddings, funerals, and festivals that are consistent with local customs and traditions; focus on directing exemplary cases and drawing lessons from them to expand widely; link the implementation of conventions regarding weddings, funerals, and festivals with building civilized families, villages, agencies, factories, and schools in the movement "All People United to Build a Civilized Life".

4. The Inspectorate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall be responsible for guiding specialized inspections by Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism and coordinating with relevant agencies to conduct inspections, checks, and handle violations within their authority.

5. The Grassroots Cultural Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall be responsible for monitoring and regularly reporting to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the results of implementing this Circular; periodically assist the Ministry in organizing nationwide summaries of the implementation of this Circular to draw lessons and propose appropriate measures for guidance work in subsequent years.

6. Cadres, civil servants, employees in state agencies, public service units, state-owned enterprises; political organizations, political-social organizations, social-professional organizations; officers, professional military personnel, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers in units under the armed forces (People's Army and People's Public Security) must set a good example in implementing and have the responsibility to mobilize their families and community residents to implement the civilized customs prescribed in this Circular.

Article 14. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from March 15, 2011, and replaces Circular No. 04/1998/TT-BVHTT dated July 11, 1998 of the Ministry of Culture and Information guiding the implementation of civilized customs in weddings, funerals, and festivals.

2. During the implementation process, if there are any issues arising or difficulties encountered, please report to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for review, amendment, and supplementation as necessary./.