Bài Chòi - 'living heritage' of Hoi An

Celebrating the 8th anniversary of the Central region's Bài Chòi art being recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Hoi An organizes the Art Exchange Night " Bài Chòi - A Thousand Years of Beats Still Resounding" at 7:00 p.m. on December 7, 2025 at An Hoi roundabout.

The Bai Choi singing program at An Hoi roundabout has become one of the typical cultural and tourism activities and products. Photo: Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center

The program offers a rustic and intimate performance space, where the community and visitors can interact and immerse themselves in the bustling melodies and witty chants and antiphons of Bai Choi Hoi An.

Amidst the peaceful old town space, the sound of clappers, drums and rustic melodies of Bai Choi seem to have become an indispensable part of Hoi An's cultural life.

Over the years, Hoi An has always focused on preserving and promoting the value of the Bai Choi art heritage. Teaching activities are organized right in the school environment.

The artists - who have a deep understanding of traditional singing - go directly to primary and secondary schools to instruct students on the basic skills of this type of performance: How to beat the clapper, keep the rhythm, how to sing, pronounce words in the correct Bài Chòi style... From there, the students not only receive heritage knowledge naturally, but are also inspired to love and be proud of their homeland's folk art.

Hoi An also organizes training classes for the next generation of young people, who are passionate about Bài Chòi and want to continue pursuing the profession. This is an important force in maintaining Bài Chòi as a living heritage.

If teaching is the “root”, then performance is the way Hoi An helps Bài Chòi spread strongly in life. Every evening, at the An Hoi roundabout, artisans from the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center regularly organize Bài Chòi singing sessions to serve tourists.

The open, cozy performance space allows visitors to easily immerse themselves in the folk rhythm. The artists sing, tell stories, and improvise flexibly according to the context, creating joyful, intimate moments.

The traditional form of playing Bai Choi cards is preserved, helping visitors fully experience the spirit of the Central Vietnamese folk game.

The bursts of laughter, the moments of suspense waiting to hear the names being announced, the endless applause… are proof of the appeal of this art form when placed in the space of Hoi An ancient town. Up to now, the folk game of singing Bai Choi has become a unique cultural and tourist product in Hoi An ancient town.

The traditional form of playing Bài Chòi cards is preserved, helping visitors fully experience the spirit of the folk game. Photo: Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center

In exchange events, festivals, and performances of Bài Chòi are also included in art programs to promote and introduce the beauty of this heritage.

It can be said that the art of Bài Chòi in Hoi An is not only a folk game imbued with community spirit but also a living heritage, preserved and nurtured every day by people who love the profession and are dedicated to local culture.

Source: https://congluan.vn/bai-choi-di-san-song-cua-hoi-an-10321733.html