A Vietnamese unicorn, or Kỳ Lân (Qilin), is a mythical, benevolent creature from East Asian folklore, symbolizing luck, protection, and prosperity, often depicted as a hybrid with dragon, deer, and lion features, unlike the Western white horse; there's also the real-life, critically endangered Saola, sometimes called the "Asian Unicorn" due to its unique appearance.
In any case, it is believed that wherever a unicorn appears, people will have peace, happiness, prosperity, and longevity.
The most popular sacred animals for Vietnamese cults are the Four Sacred Animals: Dragon, Kylan, Tortoise and Phoenix. These are also key sacred animals in other Asian cultures. In Vietnam, the Four Sacred Animals were constantly featured in a wide range of art genres, from folk art to court art.
Lac bird. The Lac Bird is one of Vietnam's iconic symbols, deeply rooted in the country's ancient history and mythology. Found on Dong Son drums, this mystical bird represents the spiritual link between heaven and earth, symbolizing freedom, strength, and the enduring resilience of the Vietnamese people.
A qilin is a creature in Chinese mythology. Some sources describe it as something akin to a dragon, while others call it a Chinese unicorn. Both descriptions are reasonably accurate: each qilin is said to look unique, so some might look more dragon-like, and others could more closely resemble a unicorn.
Qilin as unicorns
In modern times, the depictions of qilin have often fused with the Western concept of unicorns, and qilin (麒麟) is often translated into English as "unicorn". The Han dynasty dictionary Shuowen Jiezi describes qi as single-horned, and it can sometimes be depicted as having a single horn.
The Qilin (Kỳ lân in Vietnamese), also spelled Kirin from Japanese, or sometimes Kyrin, is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear in conjunction with the arrival of a sage.
In Vietnam, the 🤞 (fingers crossed) emoji and gesture are highly offensive, considered vulgar, and symbolize female genitalia, equivalent to using the middle finger in Western cultures; it's best to avoid it and use a thumbs-up (👍) or say "Chuc may man!" (Good luck) for good wishes instead.
The Vietnam national animal is the water buffalo – a powerful symbol of strength, diligence, and prosperity deeply rooted in the country's cultural and agricultural identity.
Betel and areca are enduring symbols of love, faithfulness, and strong bonds. The legend of “The Tale of Betel and Areca” has become a touching Vietnamese folk story about brotherhood and marital devotion.
The Kylan, or Asian unicorn, is one of the Four Sacred Animals of Asian mythology. It is a mythical creature with characteristics of many animals like deer, dog, camel, eagle, lion, and bull. Depictions of the Kylan vary but often show horns, fins, and colorful fur.
They are the Azure Dragon, the Vermilion Bird, the White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise. As recorded in Shan Hai Jing (an ancient book of mythic geography existed since the 4th century), each one of them represents a direction and a season, and each has its own individual characteristics and origins.
Vietnamese. Ông Tơ and Bà Nguyệt are the two gods of love and marriage.
The 🦄 (unicorn) emoji represents fantasy, uniqueness, joy, and playfulness. 🦄 is associated with the LGBTQ+ community, symbolizing pride in your identity. On Tinder and other dating apps, 🦄 can refer to a unicorn, which is slang for someone who joins a relationship with a heterosexual couple.
The dragon, majestic and powerful, is the most important sacred animal in Vietnam. Often associated with rain and land fertility, the dragon symbolizes power and prosperity.
MoMo became a unicorn in late 2021 following a $200 million Series E round led by Japan's Mizuho Bank, which valued the company at over $2 billion.
Yes, $100 (around 2.5 million VND) is a significant amount in Vietnam, enough for budget travel for several days to a week, covering local food (especially street food), transport, and budget lodging, but it can be spent quickly on Western-style meals, cocktails, or luxury goods, making it feel less substantial for a lavish experience. For locals, it's nearly half an average monthly income, while for tourists, it offers excellent purchasing power for local experiences.
Cats hold unique spiritual and practical meaning in Vietnam. They are considered lucky, and help to ward off bad spirits. In the 2011 Year of the Cat, there was a baby boom recorded due to the association of luck with those born under this zodiac.
The Tiger's Place in Culture of Vietnam
Not occasionally, the tiger is called the sovereign of jungles in the title of this article, though this status is oftener ascribed to the lion in literature. However, the latter, being not present in the rich fauna of Vietnam, was essentially a kind of “model” for works of art.
444 Angel Number Death
In certain cultures, the word for the number 4 and the word for death are surprisingly similar. "Four" in Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean all sound almost the same as the word "death." For this reason, the number 444 is sometimes seen as a not-so-positive thing.
The 🤌 (pinched fingers) emoji means “What do you want?” in Italian. Italians are known for speaking with their hands, and the pinched finger gesture is most associated with the phrase, Ma che vuoi? (“What do you want?”).
However, this hand gesture in Vietnam has a totally different meaning. Actually, it's considered as bad as the middle finger in Western cultures, and refers to a female body part. If you cross your fingers or raise your middle finger towards somebody, they'll find it rude and disrespectful.
1. Gấu ⎯⎯⎯ lover. Gấu literally means “bear” the animal, or “teddy bear” the toy, which people also use to call their boyfriend, girlfriend or lover.
Nguyễn (chữ Hán: 阮; sometimes abbreviated as Ng̃) is the most common surname among Vietnamese people. Outside of Vietnam, the surname is commonly rendered without diacritics as Nguyen.
Luong is a gender-neutral name of Vietnamese and Chinese origin. It is a simplified version of the Vietnamese last name Lương, which in turn comes from the Chinese last name Liang.