Abstract The Vietnamese language represents a case of digraphia due to the use of two writing systems: the square script Sino‐Nôm and the romanised quốc ngữ . Alongside the renewal of religious life quốc ngữ dominates most aspects of daily life. However, since the post‐1986 reforms, Sino‐Nôm has experienced a notable resurgence among the Kinh (or Viêt), the majority ethnic group in Vietnam. This ethnographic study investigates the phenomenon of writing petition sheets ( sớ ), requests to the gods at sacred sites in the urban core of Hanoi, by analysing the interactions between petition sheet writers, clients, and script choices. It explores the supplicants' motivations behind the selection of a particular script. The research argues that script choice is shaped by clients and scribes' beliefs about ritual efficacy, perceptions of sacredness, and by practical considerations. Furthermore, the writing process is examined as ‘performance’ and the petition sheets as ‘artefacts’, of which the latter serve as both tangible and intangible links between the human and spirit worlds. This study deepens understanding of how writing systems in religious practice shape ritual experiences.
Phuong Anh Phan (Tue,) studied this question.