Thesis information "Dog meat in Vietnamese culinary culture - Case study of Duong Noi ward, Ha Dong district, Hanoi" by HVCH Pham Thi Thu Hien, majoring in Ethnology.1. Full name of student: Pham Thi Thu Hien 2. Gender: Female 3. Date of birth: July 30, 1983 4. Place of birth: Ha Dong town, Ha Tay province (now Hanoi) 5. Decision to recognize student No.: 2551/2007/QD-XHNV-KH&SDH dated November 2, 2007 by the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. 6. Changes in the training process: none 7. Thesis topic: Dog meat in Vietnamese culinary culture - Case study of Duong Noi ward, Ha Dong district, Hanoi 8. Major: Ethnology. Code: 60 22 70 9. Scientific supervisor: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Van Chinh 10. Summary of the thesis findings: For many Vietnamese people, dog meat is considered a delicacy while for others, dog meat is not preferred, on the contrary, it is considered a dish that should be avoided. Why are there such opposite views on the same dish? Is there any connection between dog meat as a dish and the culinary, medical, and spiritual concepts of different groups of residents? How do Vietnamese people perceive dogs as a close pet of many families? Why do people eat or not eat dog meat? How is dog meat bought, sold, processed, and what material and spiritual functions does it have in Vietnamese people's lives? This thesis, based on a field survey in Duong Noi ward, a suburb of Hanoi today, hopes to help clarify some of the above questions. This thesis, based on the thesis of the famous Soviet nationalist NN Tre-boc-sa-rop on Material Culture and the method of studying material culture, argues that food, besides its material function of sustaining life, also has an important social function, that is, it helps to unite or divide people. The issue is not just whether people eat or drink certain foods or drinks just to satisfy hunger or thirst, but when people eat and drink together. He argues that social hierarchy, religious beliefs and the structure of gender relations have an impact on how people eat or not eat certain foods, and when people eat or not eat together. Tre-boc-sa-rop's thesis is especially important in the study of the role of dog meat in Vietnamese culinary culture. It helps to explain the issues raised in this study. Our survey in Duong Noi shows that there are different schools of dog meat processing, based on the view of the relationship between the pair of categories “Hot – Cold” in Vietnamese culinary culture. However, dog meat is not only a favorite dish of some people, dog meat is also a functional food that has the effect of supporting the treatment of diseases according to the traditional medicine perspective of Vietnamese people. The concept of dogs as pets and dogs as food and functional food can be considered factors affecting whether people eat dog meat or not and how to eat it. The trend of eating dog meat, whether as a favorite or as a functional food, seems to be increasing strongly in Hanoi, to the point of forming “dog meat kingdoms” like in Duong Noi to supply the huge demand of the city and its suburbs. Dog meat processing and supply is becoming a food "industry" with high commercial value, but the control of processing this dish is not strict and poses strict epidemiological issues to ensure food hygiene and safety. 11. Practical applicability: This study, in addition to exploring the nature, habits and spiritual beliefs related to the custom of eating dog meat and using it as a functional food, also raises epidemiological issues, disease control and ethical issues related to eating human's close pets. 12. Further research directions: The study can and needs to expand the scale of the survey on a large and in-depth scale as a basis for comparison, the concepts of communities and religions about dog meat.
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name : Pham Thi Thu Hien 2. Sex: Female 3. Date of birth: July 30, 1983 4. Place of birth: Ha Tay 5. Admission decision number: 2551/2007/ QD-XHNV-KH&SĐH; Dated November 2, 2007 6. Changes in academic process: None 7. Official thesis title: Dog meat as a way of the Viet's eating and drinking (Research in Duong Noi Ward of Hanoi City) 8. Major: Ethnology 9. Code: 60 22 70 10. Supervisors: Assoc.Prof.Dr Nguyen Van Chinh 11. Summary of the findings of the thesis: Dog meat is a well-known food preferred by part of Vietnamese but it is also considered as a food taboo that some should not eat. The questions could be raised for discussions as why it is a great food for some persons but for the others, it is not accepted? This study, based on the theoretical perspective as suggested by the soviet ethnographer Treboksarov, proposes that food has its social functions. One eats food not only to satisfy physical demands for survival, but more attention should be given to the fact that when ones eat together and when not, and how foods can create relationships or and separate people? Fieldwork in Duong Noi Ward of Hanoi City suggests that dog meat is not only a preferred food by part of Vietnamese, but this food is also used as a functional food for cases of sickness. It is the perception of the Vietnamese on the beliefs, sickness treatments, and food preference that schools of dog meat processing and cooking are created. The demand for dog meat has likely been on increase and some types of “kingdom of dog meat” like Duong Noi have been emerging. Besides, the epidemics of processing and selling the dog meat are also seriously concerning. 12. Practical applicability, if any: The findings indicate the importance of social functions of food, in this case, dog meat, and aspects of epidemic concerns. 13. Further research directions, if any: Further investigation on a larger scale and culturally comparative perspective could be developed in combination with epidemic point of views is expected.
