What are types of folk literature of Vietnam? What are mandatory folk literature works in the general education curriculum for Literature in Vietnam?

What are types of folk literature of Vietnam?

Vietnamese folk literature consists of 12 main categories: mythology, legends, epics, fairy tales, fables, humorous stories, proverbs, riddles, folk songs, ve, narrative poems, and cheo.

The characteristics of each genre of folk literature are as follows:

- Mythology:

+ Folk narrative works.

+ Usually tell about gods to explain natural phenomena, expressing the ancient humans' aspiration to conquer nature.

- Epic:

+ Large-scale folk narrative works.

+ Use rhythmic language, creating grand artistic images.

+ Narratives about one or multiple events in the community life of ancient residents.

- Legends:

+ Folk narrative works.

+ Narratives about real historical events or characters, idealized.

+ Reflects the admiration and glorification by the people.

- Fairy Tales:

+ Folk narrative works.

+ The plot and characters are deliberately fictionalized.

+ Narratives about the fate of laborers in society, expressing humanitarian spirit and optimism.

- Fables:

+ Short folk narrative works.

+ Tightly structured.

+ Use metaphors to tell incidents related to people.

+ Present life lessons or human philosophy.

- Humorous Stories:

+ Short folk narrative works.

+ Tightly structured with an unexpected ending.

+ Narrate about ugly, unnatural events to create humor for entertainment and criticism.

- Proverbs:

+ Short, concise sayings.

+ Contain imagery, rhyme, rhythm.

+ Sum up practical experiences.

- Riddles:

+ Rhymed prose or spoken sentences.

+ Describe objects metaphorically for listeners to decipher, aiming to train thinking, imagination, and deduction skills.

- Folk Songs:

+ Folk lyrical works.

+ Often combine poetic lyrics with melodies.

+ Express people's thoughts and emotions.

- Ve:

+ Folk narrative works in rhyme.

+ Narrate or comment on current events or contemporary historical events.

- Narrative Poems:

+ Folk poetic narrative works.

+ Rich in lyrical quality.

+ Reflect human fate and aspiration when couple's happiness and justice are deprived.

- Cheo:

+ Folk theatrical works.

+ Combine lyrical and satirical elements to praise moral examples and criticize societal evils.

What are types of folk literature of Vietnam? What are mandatory folk literature works in the general education curriculum for Literature in Vietnam? ​ (Image from the Internet)

What are mandatory folk literature works in the general education curriculum for Literature in Vietnam? 

According to sub-section 1, Section V, the general education curriculum for Literature issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT on certain mandatory and choice-required works in the general education curriculum for Literature:

(i) Mandatory Works:

- Nam Quốc Sơn Hà (Ly Dynasty)

- Hich Tuong Si by Tran Quoc Tuan

- Binh Ngo Dai Cao by Nguyen Trai

- Truyen Kieu by Nguyen Du

- Van Te Nghia Si Can Giuoc by Nguyen Dinh Chieu

- Tuyen Ngon Doc Lap by Ho Chi Minh

(ii) Choice-Required Works:

- Vietnamese Folk Literature

+ Choose at least 4 representative works for 4 genres in the Vietnamese folk story treasury: legends, fairy tales, fables, humorous stories

+ Choose at least 3 folk songs on topics: homeland, country; love, family affection; human and society (lyrical or satirical)

+ Choose at least 1 Vietnamese epic

+ Choose at least 1 narrative poem from Vietnamese ethnic minorities

+ Choose at least 1 cheo or tuong script

- Vietnamese Written Literature, choose at least 1 work by each of the following authors:

+ Nom poetry, argumentative prose by Nguyen Trai

+ Chinese classical poetry by Nguyen Du

+ Nom poetry by Ho Xuan Huong

+ Nom poetry by Nguyen Dinh Chieu

+ Nom poetry by Nguyen Khuyen

+ Stories and poems by Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh

+ Short stories, novels by Nam Cao

+ Novels, reports by Vu Trong Phung

+ Poetry by Xuan Dieu before the August Revolution

+ Poetry by To Huu before and after the August Revolution

+ Short stories, essays by Nguyen Tuan

+ Plays by Nguyen Huy Tuong

+ Plays by Luu Quang Vu

- Foreign literature, choose at least 1 work for each of the following literary traditions: English, French, American, Greek, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian.

What are the criteria for selecting folk literature works according to the General Education Curriculum for Literature in Vietnam?

According to sub-section 1, Section 5 of the General Education Curriculum for Literature issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the criteria for selecting literature materials in general and folk literature works, in particular, are as follows:

- Directly serve the development of qualities and competencies per the program's goals and requirements.

- Suit the experience, cognitive abilities, and psychological characteristics of students in each grade and educational level.

Language used as teaching materials in primary education is selected within the cultural vocabulary range, with positive significance, ensuring educational goals on qualities, linguistic, aesthetic education, and matching with students' psychology.

- Have distinctive value in content and art, representative of text type and genre, standard and creative in language.

- Reflect achievements in national thought, literature, and culture; show patriotic spirit, national independence, awareness of national sovereignty; embody humanism, teach compassion, tolerance, love of truth and beauty, love of nature, spirit of international integration, aiming at universal human values.

The program has an open orientation regarding materials. Nevertheless, to ensure core educational content and nationwide unity, aside from the suggested texts for textbook authors and educators to select, the program specifies certain mandatory and choice-required texts.