Appropriate altar etiquette.

In medicine in Vietnam the chair makes all of the decisions. Even if things change intraoperatively he (and it is always a he except for the reported very few women who have gone into opthamology, there have been no female surgeons in all of Vietnam) makes the decision. The hierarchy is the most extreme I have ever experienced. The chief assigns the cases and looks at all the xrays and determines what should be done. Even if it is not correct. No one argues. Except the americans (who are likely seen as a pain in the ass when they don't agree with the decision that has been made). This was the case today with one of our operations. We needed to change our plan intraoperatively for the benefit of the patient. It was not an easy thing to do. I must say, I am so thankful for the attendings that came on this trip to teach us in addition to teaching the vietnamese docs. They are all just great guys and a gal. Through and through. It has been great to work and be around with them every day.

After work today our hosts decided to show us around. I learned some very important things including: the importance of the death anniversary, the symbolism behind the crane standing on the tortoise that I have seen everywhere (they are true best friends who help each other depending on the season), and that there are rumors that the two of the kings whose tombs I visited. One was gay and impotent. The other was just impotent. This led to a discussion of appropriate offeritomboy alters. According to our guide you will never see a certain type of banana (the small ones are apparently ok to offer) as an offering because they were known to be used by the concubines in light of emperor Tu Doc's dysfunction. Tu Doc apparently drank some type of wine every night in hopes to remedy his problem. The wine was specially made for him and named something that in translation means 6 times a night. Because there were so many even at the 6 attempt per night rate concubines only had to see him once every 50 days (if he was equal opportunity). It is worth noting concubines once chosen were not allowed to leave.

You will also not see corn on an altar. Corn eventhough it was a staple was initially only an import product from china. It is said that the Chinese kept strict control of its trade. Plants for seed or seed in general was not allowed across the border (if attempted beheading was the penalty). So to remedy this situation a mandarin hid the corn seeds in a somewhat unlikely (at least unchecked place) and transported it via his rectum across the border. Vietnam finally could produce it's own corn but it became inappropriate to offer it on the altar of anyone but a wandering soul. Wandering souls are those who do not have a proper burial, but still receive offerings at special temples. Offerings in general are quite interesting. Anything you can dream can be made in paper copy and burned to send to your ancestors. Most recently people have been sending PCs and laptops. I wonder if they are also sending iPhones?

The pics: the team. A scholar mandarin and me, Tourists dressing like the king and queen (the line was too long)