Incredible Culture
The Vietnamese culture is one of the oldest in Southeast Asia and is heavily influenced by the Chinese culture. After Vietnam attained independence from China in the 10th century, the country began to expand southwards which led to the incorporation of elements of the Champa and Khmer cultures into the Vietnamese culture. Later, French colonial rule in Vietnam introduced the Western culture to the country and led to the spread of Catholicism and the adoption of the Latin alphabet. Once the communist regime started in Vietnam, several restrictions were placed over cultural exchanges with the Western civilization and instead exposure to the cultures of other communist nations like Cuba, Soviet Union, and others was encouraged. Despite the changes over the years, some elements of the Vietnamese culture like the veneration of the ancestors, respect for family values, devotion to study, etc., remained intact..