Without an adequate knowledge of the village, one cannot understand the structure of Vietnamese society or the national traditions which were carefully preserved in village life. This book offers the history and communal aspects of cultural life. Many scholars contribute information covering subjects such as the traditional Vietnamese village in Bac Bo, an analysis of the land register in Kien My (Binh Dinh), land distribution in the Tu Liem district, a survey of the foundation of villages in Ha Nam, Tien Hai and Kim Son districts early in the 19th century, the economic basis of the Tonkin community in villages and communes prior to 1945, the social relationships between traditional Viet villages, markets, sideline occupations of peasant households, and education in the villages.