Before the advent of the Internet, societal consciousness was generated in physical public spaces: on the streets, in cafes, on buses, or in parks. These hubs of human contact were, and in many ways still are, essential for the dissemination of information, for the formation of relationships outside of the home, and occasionally for spreading the seeds of revolutionary change. For all of these reasons and more, public spaces are necessary for a society to feel that it is in fact, well, a society. The ability to congregate, to share, and to communicate gives a society a vital sense of self-awareness and allows for the formation of traditions and cultural identity.
Public space plays an especially significant role in Vietnam, as many of the Vietnamese conceptions of society place a heavy emphasis on communal gathering and shared experiences. In the cities, the sidewalks are lined with groups of men and women of all ages sharing drinks, food and conversation. Many street corners are dominated by packs of xe oms (motorbike taxis) who spend the day lounging on their bikes, smoking and talking. While many of the trappings of Vietnam’s communist background have been transformed by its socialist market economy, there is still an incredibly tangible sense of community. This is reflected in the Vietnamese language, where everyone refers to one another as brother, sister, uncle, aunt, etc., or in the unspoken rules of the chaotic traffic.
While public space can be a catalyst for the formation of traditions, it can also allow for the transformation of those traditions across time. Public space creates flexibility in cultures that are traditionally more rigid, such as Vietnam’s for example. Societal views toward public affection are changing in Vietnam, as more and more young people are questioning the conservative views of the older generations in favor of a more open and expressive lifestyle that some might compare to that of young people in Western countries. I decided to visit Hoan Kiem Park in Hanoi to see how these changes manifest themselves in a public space that included members of many generations. What I found is that, while the activities of couples from different generations vary, the public space still served the same function; it provided a safe place for couples to interact publicly (although also providing opportunities for alone time, which I would argue is equally important for a healthy relationship).
In the early morning hours, massive amounts of Vietnamese flock to the public parks to exercise, talk, and relax. I arrived at Hoan Kiem park around 730, which is relatively late by Vietnamese standards. I began walking around the famous lake in the center of the park, looking for couples of different ages to see if their activities varied. I noticed that people only walked or rested with their significant other. Most people either exercised by themselves or in large gendered groups. I found this interesting, for it seemed like many people separated to exercise and then came together to rest or stroll. Exercise seemed to be a time for either self-reflection or a time for bonding with the same gender. The only exception to this trend was when the specific exercise involved partners. I observed couple participating in dance groups/classes, as well as in badminton games against other couples.
It is also worth nothing that the vast majority of those exercising appeared to be over 30 years of age. The only young people I could find appeared to only travel in couples. While this age group’s behavior was similar to that of older couples (walking and resting) one specific behavior differentiated them: taking pictures. Every young couple I observed was constantly taking pictures of one another. While they were all exhibiting mostly normal behavior for Vietnamese couples, this one action was significant in that it represented a modern twist on the interaction with public space. Presumably most of these photos would end up on a social media platform, where they would in turn shape the Vietnamese understanding of community and physical public space, in an entirely new and virtual public space. The physical public space still represents togetherness and community in Vietnam, this is quite apparent. However, younger generations of couples are digitizing and typecasting this experience in a way that could be potentially limiting the amount of young singles that feel they can participate. This is merely conjecture of course, but it could explain the lack of young people exercising on their own.