Vietnamese Proverbs: Values Preserved in Modern Society

Abstract

Vietnamese proverbs has created long-lasting values which are being passed on to the modern society with numerous passions. These values include humanistic values confirming the human position in life. They also comprise social values and human philosophy as well as aesthetic values. Therefore, typical proverbs of the Viet people which have beem transferred to the younger generations via literary works such as Việt điện u linh (A collection of Vietnamese misteries) in the 14th century, Lĩnh Nam chích quái (A selection of the Viet extraordinary stories) in the 15th century are still being passed on until the present days. With the foundation of traditional Vietnamese proverbs, modern proverbs have undergone profound changes as seen in modern life through different forms of media including printed and audiovisual media as well as internet. It is obvious that traditional proverbs has regenerated in the new appearance. Proverbs are reproduced in modern literary works. Proverbs are also recreated and transformed in prose, poetry and drama. The movement and development of proverbs in our modern society confirm their deep values of the traditional culture. Writers, journalists and artists of other art forms have not only received the art tradition of word use of the ancestors but more importantly they have inherited the culural environment, humanistic values and life philosophies in order to transfer to the next generations. Henceforth, in the modern society Vietnamese proverbs are not obliterated but remain their vitality with different forms and have been of the Vietnamese people’s favourite.