Xoan singing in Phu Tho - World intangible cultural heritage in Vietnam

Xoan singing is also known as Khuc dong Dinh (song of the temple house), which is a worshiping style for the gods, which is said to be from the time of Hung kings. In ancient times, Van Lang people organized Xoan singing in the spring to welcome the new year. There are 3 forms of singing singing oval: worship song of Hung kings and village tutelary gods; singing rituals to pray for good seasons and health needs; and festival singing is a form of love for men and women.

Xoan singing in Phu Tho

1. History

According to historical records, Xoan singing has existed for more than 2,000 years, a very precious folklore heritage . In the long run, this type of art has been supported by many people with prestige and prestige in society, many poet writers have supported and created conditions for development. Including the great merit of Ms. Le Thi Lan Xuan , Xoan ward proclaimed as a benefactor. To express her gratitude, the Xuan Khanh Ward named her to go away and sing Xoan singing.

The ancient Xoan songs are all derived from the ancient villages located in the central area of Van Lang, when Hung kings built the country. The roots of Xoan singing are in Phu Tho area, then spread to the villages in the banks of Lo and Red rivers, through Vinh Phuc province. The four ancient Xoan guilds of An Thai, Phu Duc, Kim Doi and Thet are located in two communes of Kim Duc and Phuong Lau (Phu Tho).

2. Cultural value

Xoan's music is a performing music with a full range of musical forms: singing, singing, reciting and reciting songs; There are female singers, male chorus, top singers, anthem, multi-vocal singing, chasing songs, intermingling singing, chanting and singing. In terms of musical nuances, Xoan music has both serious and leisurely voices and strong pursuit sounds and charming and lyrical voices.

In Xoan singing, dancing and singing are always accompanied and combined, using dance to illustrate the content for the lyrics. Singing and dancing performances are usually in a certain order. Opening is 4 ritual repertoire, carrying content of prayer, praise, alternate description of production. These are old songs , mostly singing or reciting; in the order: empty spears, artillery spears, joss sticks, crowd plays. Next is the singing part (also known as the fruit). In this section, Mr. Trùm or a main double turned to a humorous book of 14 long poems with the voice of the dancers standing behind. Fourteen ways in Xoan singing are anonymous poems with different topics such as describing labor, living in the countryside, praising the natural scenery, telling the old stories. After singing the way to the folk repertoire with content lyrical, with the appearance of folk songs, love handbook, singing drum military. Each successive act here is often associated with dance movements and formation, or acting style which is of an animated nature such as singing, skipping, asking for love, chanting, word puzzles, singing, singing, fishing . The vitality of Xoan singing is a combination of ritual singing with charming love singing , long-term survival and many generations of love.

Xoan singing is organized very closely. People who go to sing Xoan often live together with their neighbors and organize a ward. This is an amateur cultural organization of people in the same village, most of whom are related. The head of a ward of Xoan (or Xoan family) is called Mr. Tram . Mr. Trai is a person with experience in social career and writing letters to lead some long songs written in writing. The members call their son, Kep and daughter, Dao. Each Xoan guild has about 15 to 18 people. Men wear the shirt, turban, white pants; women wear five-bodied shirts, crows, white blouses, bibs, waist packs, colored bibs, silk pants, and soap. Villages with people singing this Xoan means Xoan Ward and Xoan guilds are also synonymous with each other. They considered each other as close as brothers, but absolutely double-digging Xoan was not taken from the young men and women of the country of meaning.

Singing xoan meets all necessary requirements to be recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of mankind. It is an ancient form of music, combining elements of culture, history and art, unique in lyrics, melodies and melodies; contains many cultural values ​​and is preserved by the community for centuries, not disappearing in modern life.

On November 24 , 2011 , at the 6th Conference of the Intergovernmental Committee on the Conservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO held in Bali - Indonesia, Xoan singing - Phu Tho of Vietnam was recognized. is the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Xoan singing is often performed on occasions:

In the spring: Xoan wards in Phu Tho province in turn declared spring at the communal house and shrines right from the first year of the New Year. In the morning of the New Year, Xoan guilds sing in the communal house, and in the evening, Xoan guilds meet again and sing in communal houses and shrines as follows: the first one, singing in Ca Trong and Cam village An village Thai (Phuong Lau commune, Viet Tri city); on the second, singing in Doi communal house in Kim Doi; the third, singing in Mieu Interest Lenen village of Phu Duc; On the fourth day, singing in the family of Thét village (Kim Duc commune, Viet Tri city). On the 5th, often sing in Hung Temple (Hy Cuong commune, Viet Tri city). The time of singing is stipulated at a certain singing point, each 'ward' chooses a position of the house.