Folk beliefs, religions and cultural tourism in modern Vietnamese society: a case study of perfume temple festival

Abstract

This thesis presents an analysis of the folk beliefs and cultural tourism in modern Vietnam through a case study of the Perfume Temple Festival. It is presumed that folk beliefs and traditional folklore have always constituted the spiritual foundation of Vietnamese people in present day society. It is found that the introduction of religions from outside Vietnam does not affect traditional folk beliefs. These religious beliefs have been integrated into Vietnamese beliefs and traditional culture. This integration contributes to the stability and harmony of modern Vietnamese society. The Perfume Temple Festival, as one of the biggest national temple festivals, embodies elements of folk beliefs, religions, ancient architectural relics and folk art. It can be concluded that the Perfume Temple is a Buddhist temple with a combination of various elements of folk beliefs and Confucian culture. The Perfume Temple festival also plays an important role in the economic development of local community. Located with pleasant scenery, the Perfume Temple is ideal for boating, worshipping Buddha and participating in various activities during the temple festival. It offers distinctive enjoyment to local and foreign tourists who visit the temple for blessings and sightseeing. Thus, the Perfume Temple festival has a potential to address the modern cultural tourism by combining both tangible and intangible cultural resources to modern tourism management.