Coat of arms of Vietnam

Coat of arms of Vietnam
Bùi Trang Chước · Public domain · source
Name	Emblem of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Year adopted	1950 (current form 1955, modified 1976)
Motto	"Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc"
Supporters	rice and cogwheel
Designer	Nguyễn Văn Long (attributed)

Coat of arms of Vietnam is the official state emblem used by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to represent national authority, identity, and sovereignty. It appears on state seals, passports, official buildings, and currency and functions alongside national symbols such as the Flag of Vietnam, National Anthem of Vietnam, and the Seal of the President of Vietnam. The emblem’s imagery draws on revolutionary iconography prominent during the August Revolution and the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam under leaders like Ho Chi Minh.

History

The emblem’s origins trace to the late 1940s campaigns led by Viet Minh and the Provisional Government formed during the First Indochina War, when visual symbols were adapted from revolutionary emblems used in the Russian Revolution and by the Communist Party of Vietnam. Early versions appeared on proclamations issued by the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam following the 1945 August Revolution. After the Geneva Conference and the establishment of two Vietnamese states, the emblem’s use evolved through legal acts promulgated by the National Assembly of Vietnam and executive decrees under leaders such as Ho Chi Minh and later Ton Duc Thang. Following the Vietnam War and national reunification in 1975, the emblem was standardized in 1976 and revised with specifications reflecting the policies of the Communist Party of Vietnam during the Đổi Mới era.

Design and Symbolism

The emblem is a circular red field featuring a five-pointed yellow star, surrounded by a circular cogwheel and flanked by stylized rice ears. The five-pointed star echoes motifs used by Soviet Union sympathizers, appears on the Flag of Vietnam, and references revolutionary iconography shared with emblems of the People's Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The cogwheel symbolizes industrial workers as championed in writings of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and policy documents of the Communist Party of Vietnam, while rice ears reference agrarian culture exemplified in treaties and land reform campaigns such as policies implemented after the Land Reform in North Vietnam (1953–1956). The color scheme—red and gold—parallels revolutionary palettes used during the October Revolution and by socialist states like the German Democratic Republic and Socialist Republic of Romania. The emblem’s circular composition reflects heraldic traditions seen in the emblems of the Soviet Union and the Hungarian People's Republic adapted to Vietnamese nationalist motifs associated with figures like Nguyễn Ái Quốc (a nom de plume of Ho Chi Minh).

Legal Status and Usage

The emblem is defined and protected by law in statutes enacted by the National Assembly of Vietnam and regulations issued by the Government of Vietnam, specifying authorized uses on documents such as the Vietnamese passport, diplomatic credentials, judicial instruments, and legislative publications from bodies like the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam and the Government Inspectorate. Unauthorized reproduction or misuse is subject to sanctions under administrative rules enforced by ministries including the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Finance where counterfeiting intersects with currency control overseen by the State Bank of Vietnam. Internationally, the emblem is displayed at missions like Vietnamese embassies accredited to states such as the United States, France, and China, and on Vietnamese contributions to organizations including the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Variants and Modifications

State emblems and seals underwent modifications reflecting regime changes and administrative needs: earlier revolutionary seals used during the First Indochina War and by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam differ from the post-1976 national emblem adopted after reunification. Variants exist for ministerial use, municipal governments such as the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People's Committee of Hanoi, and military insignia used by the People's Army of Vietnam and Vietnam People's Public Security. Commemorative adaptations appear on stamps issued by Vietnam Post and on medals from institutions like the Vietnam People's Army Academy, while simplified graphical versions are used on digital platforms managed by agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Production and Specifications

Official production follows technical specifications set by decrees from the Government of Vietnam and standards issued by state organs such as the Office of the Government. Specifications include precise color values matching standards used in state printing for documents like the Vietnamese passport and banknotes produced by the State Bank of Vietnam, dimensions for seals used by bodies like the National Assembly and size classes for use on buildings such as the Presidential Palace. Manufacture involves authorized contractors and security printers working under oversight from ministries like the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Finance to prevent forgery; anti-counterfeit measures mirror practices employed by national mints and printworks collaborating with foreign firms experienced in secure document production, as seen in agreements with counterparts in France and Russia.

Category:National symbols of Vietnam