Confucius Said
One of the most important and universally known virtues held by Chinese people is Filial Piety. The significance of Filial Piety cannot be understated, as it has been followed for centuries as an ethical standard stemming from the core teachings of confucianism.
Research shows that filial piety is a refined principle that is directly connected to ancestor worship. In order to be successful and knowledgeable in this world, one must listen and heed the teachings of their elders. They must provide more time and service to their elders.
Encompassing those standards is the idea that one should always respect and favor their family, especially parents and grandparents.
Reverence towards parents and elder members of the family serves as a jump point, as seniors outside of the household are expected to be treated in the same manner. This helps foster a larger hierarchy that serves as a major building block for societies of confucian thought. The idea is that because elders have provided life, knowledge, wealth, and leadership, there is an insurmountable debt that is owed by the younglings of Chinese society as the benefactors.
In context, this debt is paid by providing food, money, materials, and giving care to one’s parents when they are aging.
Xiao is the Chinese character for filial piety and it consists of two components - one being lao (meaning old) and the other being Erzi (or son). Lao is above Erzi on the character, which is to show that the elder is not only above the son in hierarchy, but is also supported by him.
Since filial piety is often the basis of obedience in Chinese culture, this virtue can be found in business dealings as well.
Filial Piety in Vietnam’s social culture
Ancestor worship is widely found throughout Vietnamese culture and can be contextualized in many ways - honoring deceased family members, clan members, hung kings, creators, and pioneers. It is said that almost every house in Vietnam has an ancestral altar in a prominent location, which is where candles are lit, incense is periodically burned, and offerings of food, drinks, and even material possessions are made, followed by prayer.
The altars usually have photos of deceased family members and wooden spirit tablets for each one.
A traditional custom that is still recognized today is the passing down of land from the ancestors to the eldest son, who is responsible for holding communion and taking care of the altar.
There are also widespread events in Vietnam that are connected to ancestor worship, including but not limited to the Lunar New Year, Wandering Souls Day, Full Moon Festival, Hoi An Lantern Festival, and Lim festival.
Many of these events include giving offerings, saying prayers, reconnecting and giving thanks to ancestors.
The emphasis on family is inevitable when it is ingrained in society. Many Vietnamese families live together in units, meaning there are multiple generations living in one household. Most households feature a nuclear or extended family, many of which work together under the same organization.
The decisions that a Vietnamese individual might make typically have everything to do with the collective reputation and welfare of the family. Most Vietnamese are not single-minded and worry about the group they inhabit first.
Vietnamese social culture is focused on social status and education as a means for building prestige, but more from a group aspect. In contrast, education is often seen as a way to increase personal prestige in America.
Filial Piety in Vietnam’s business culture
There is complete overlap in social and business culture when it comes to filial piety.
The hierarchical system that is built from filial piety can be even more apparent in Vietnamese business culture, as elder members are highly respected and considered to carry more weight.
Since Vietnamese culture is considered collectivist, business professionals are expected to work and strive for excellence in a group context. The bonds and relationships that are formed by this collectivist attitude often lead to chosen families, meaning friends and colleagues that one considers close to kin. This creates a business culture that is built on the foundation of respect and authentic teamwork. It is important that every member of a team is heard and considered when making decisions, which helps to build a true consensus, even if the process becomes exhaustive.
Despite the family feeling in business, there is no lack of formality and hard tradition.
One of those traditions is gift-giving and there are associated behaviors that come with it - using both hands shows a sign of respect, receiving gifts in an appreciative manner displays gratitude, aligning the gift with the situation at hand shows that one is paying attention, and even being cognizant of the colors of the gift means that both parties can override superstition.
It’s all about mutual respect.
Acknowledging the professional title someone carries and displaying a reverence towards senior business leaders who are often leading the discussions and providing wisdom is another major component. It is expected that one should call others by their titles or by their last names until told otherwise.
Respect also comes from the quality of a given relationship, which may be the most important element of business in Vietnam. Professional agreements are likely to happen if both parties build rapport in the beginning and further sustain it, as that will allow the long-term implications of a partnership to be considered. Vietnamese culture is usually concerned with the optics of everyday actions, and business dealings are no different.
Face (or Mianzi) refers to the integrity and reputation of oneself through the lens of others. Vietnamese people are so concerned about Face that they often don’t get into confrontations, while communication might often contain a healthy dose of indirectness to stave off less ideal conversations. Reading in between the lines and picking up on non-verbal communication becomes important when one is keeping Face.
Part of keeping Face is staying true to one’s word, being respectful to others, and even providing constructive criticism to others without antagonizing them.
Filial Piety and Mianzi are intertwined because both are concepts that are considered to govern how Vietnamese people conduct themselves on a day-to-day basis. Vietnamese culture does its best to stay consistent by honoring tradition and the customs that come with it. The belief is that there is a specific way to conduct yourself, a specific way to conduct business, and a specific way to treat others. Failing to honor these codes of conduct could result in losing face, which is the last thing most Vietnamese people want.