The Ancestor Worship Practices’ Evolutions in Peri-Urban Vietnam A Case of Study in Ho Chi Minh City

Ancestor worship is not a particular religion, it is more a cultural fact and a social practice that crosses the different religious currents and may even involve individuals and families, not claiming religious affiliation [1]. However, ancestor worship is considered as the most fundamental ritual act in Viet Nam [2]. Most Vietnamese have practiced this domestic cult since the dawn of time. Each person is in two families, “hai họ”, including the paternal line, “họ nội” and the maternal line, “họ ngoại”. In the strict tradition, ancestor worship for a given individual concerns only the paternal lineage. That’s why boys play an important role in honoring them. In the family, if there are boys and girls, it is the boys who will organize the anniversary of the death of the ancestors. It is significant that “nội” and “ngoại” translated respectively inside and outside. Recall that the particular feeling that connects everything is filial piety, “hiếu”. The girls in the family are “externals” and the boys are “internals”. This thought is still strong in country life but has changed in urban life.