TÌM HIỂU PHONG TỤC KIÊNG KỊ CỦA NGƯỜI VIỆT QUA KHẢO CỨU BỘ SƯU TẬP THẦN TÍCH, THẦN SẮC TẠI THƯ VIỆN KHOA HỌC XÃ HỘI

Abstract

The Library of The Institute of Social Sciences Information preserves a substantial collection of Than tich (hagiographies) and Than sac (royal certificates of deity titles). This collection is the result of a nationwide survey on village deities and worship customs across Vietnam, conducted in 1938 by the Commission des Mœurs et Coutumes (France). Written in Vietnamese (Vietnamese script), French, and Han-Nom, these documents reflect local sacrificial customs, the origins of deities, and royal honors. Taboos represent a crucial component of each text, reflecting the community’s mindset and conduct toward their deities, such as phonetic avoidance of names, preservation of sacred spaces, and restrictions on specific offerings or ritual performances (hem). As a core element of religious belief and practice, taboos function as a socio-ethical category that reproduces sacredness, enriches local identity, and strengthens community cohesion. By examining taboos within this collection, this study clarifies their content and characteristics, while providing a reference framework for researching village history, culture, and the contemporary transformation of beliefs and religions in Vietnam.