This, and the instrument's raised frets, allow for the bending tones which are so important to the proper interpretation of Vietnamese traditional music.
The Vietnamese government provides small monthly stipends to more than 200,000 Vietnamese believed affected by the herbicides; this totaled $40.8 million in 2008 alone.
Among the ethnic Vietnamese majority, there are several traditional dances performed widely at festivals and other special occasions, such as the lion dance.
