Filial Piety Fulfillment in religious behavior among the Khmer in Southern Vietnam

Abstract

Filial piety fulfillment is one human behavior to express his love and gratitude to and pay back his parents for what they have done for him. The behavior is highly respected and clearly manifested in most societies. However, depending on each people’s perceptions, lifestyles and behaviour, their practices of filial piety are different. In this paper, the author attempts to explore the filial piety fulfilment among the Khmer – one relatively densely-populated ethnic people in southern Vietnam in terms of their religious practices. The paper is based on data collected in a two-year project run by the Department of Anthropology (USSH-VNU HCMC). Interpretive approach is applied to analyze and interprete the meanings of the behavior and perception of the people related to the issue of filial piety in order to assess the values of the Khmer in the South in their religious life.