Vietnamese woman are highly regarded by Westerners, who find them very graceful and gentle with all sorts of qualities that men look for.

As young girls, they expected to keep their virginity until they get married and to getmarried only once in their life. As married women, they are expected to respect and be faithful to their husbands and accept whatever fate might come. When a woman gets married, she is no longer considered to belong to her family but becomes a member of her husband`s family. In other words, she is assumed to have a new duty and responsibility toward her husband and in-laws only.

Our women are taught to be observe three basic practices:
While they are still under their parents` protection, they must be obedient to their fathers (Tai Gia Tong Phu.)
When they get married, they have to be submissive to their husbands (Xuat Gia Tong Phu).
When their husbands die, they must listen to their grown-up sons (Phu Tu Tong Tu).

Under the old custom and good woman must have four feminine virtues:
1) She must be good at housework, needlework, or any work peculiar to women (Cong).
2) She must have feminine deportment and appearance (Dung).
3) She must speak gently and be careful with her speech (Ngon).
4) She must show good conduct and act in a virtuous way (Hanh).
And last but not least, when they go out, they have to dress properly and they had to have permission from their parents in order to go anywhere.

The role of women has traditionally been confined to the home. They are expected to bring up and educate their children, take care of the household, and not only serve their husbands in every respect, but also their husband`s families as well. They are expected to sacrifice themselves for their husbands and children husbands and children.