OUR INSPIRATION: ZUNGZA – BRINGING THE FOREST HOME

"Zungza".

Perhaps this name feels vaguely familiar yet a bit strange to you. It seems to have no specific meaning, evoking no clear association, yet it carries a cheerful, gentle rhythm. For my generation – Gen Z – it is a stylized, youthful way of saying two words in Vietnamese: "Rừng Già" (The Old Forest).

I chose this name because it represents the very source of nature. It is where I was born, the place bound to my entire childhood. It is the place I left behind when I grew up, and it is also the place where I found myself again after long days of being lost.

I am a child of the Northwest mountains. My childhood did not have skyscrapers, only vast, rolling hills. I grew up with the mountains, doing the work of a true farmer: hands stained with mud, making friends with the terraced fields and the grass. Back then, the forest was my breath, a life so obvious that I never thought I needed to cherish or be grateful for it – because for us children, no one taught us that.

Then, like many children growing up in the villages, I craved the plains, I craved the city lights. I left the mountains for the city, carrying with me so many ambitions, dreaming of running free, of exploring places we had only seen on TV.

After some time in the city, I learned, worked, and experienced so many things: the flutter of romance, dreams achieved, and desires left unfinished. The city swept me away with its glitz and dizzying speed. I traveled much, learned much, experienced much. I was happy because I knew so much; the world out there was so wide.

But then, behind that "width of knowledge," I suddenly realized I lacked "depth of understanding."

At the age of 28, after 10 years of stepping out into the world, traveling to many places, visiting developed countries... amidst the sleepless nights of the city, I felt strangely unmoored. Dense experiences turned out not to fill the void in my heart. I had all the comforts, yet I lacked peace. I realized I was lost right in the middle of the excitement.

So, I left.

I decided to pack my backpack, start my engine, and turn back toward the mountains. This time, I didn't go to be a tourist. I went to escape, and to find. I threw myself into solo backpacking trips, camping deep in the Old Forest, where phone signals couldn't reach, where there was only the sound of babbling brooks and rustling leaves.

It was in the absolute silence of the great wilderness, beside the flickering campfire in the deep of the night, that I had the chance to "ruminate" on my memories, to contemplate what I had been through. The Forest did not judge my successes or failures. The Forest was simply silent, embracing, and soothing.

In that moment, I realized: Only when the mind is as still as a forest lake in autumn does wisdom truly awaken.

That was when I truly absorbed the philosophy that would later become the soul of Zungza: Balance (Trung Dung) in action, Awakening of wisdom for mindfulness, and Freedom to liberate the soul. I understood that I didn't need to reject the city to hide in the forest, but I needed to find a balance – bringing the stillness of the forest into the heart of the bustling city.

Zungza was born from that campfire.

I created Zungza with a simple desire: To do what I love, to inspire others with it, and to live a meaningful life.

I know that amidst the chaos and worry, you cannot always pack your bag and leave as I did at 28. Therefore, I have packed the breath of the great wilderness, the scent of decaying wood, of morning dew, of Northwest herbs... into every jar of candle, every bar of soap.

So that whenever you light a small flame, or touch the fragrant water, you will feel as if you are standing in the midst of the Old Forest. So that you may find a moment of peaceful silence, balance your emotions, and be healed.

Thank you for visiting this stopover. Let Zungza bring the Forest to your Home, and bring you back to yourself.

Warmly,

Cam

Founder of Zungza.