The story of Hieu Van Ngu and the young woman born in the 1990s who 'promotes heritage full-time'.

Since her senior year of high school, Luc Pham Quynh Nhi has been exploring the zither to further her education and quickly "programmed" herself to become an promoter of Vietnamese heritage.

Since then, Quynh Nhi has simultaneously pursued her studies and taken on numerous roles: content strategist, presenter, tour guide, workshop designer and instructor, academic research assistant, performer, author, and more—all centered around promoting Vietnam's intangible cultural heritage, particularly traditional music (folk songs, ethnic music) and folk performing arts (Don Ca Tai Tu, Hat Boi, Cai Luong...).

Hieu Van Ngu collaborated with the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Opera Theatre to produce 10 programs introducing traditional opera.

Photo: HVN

Understanding more about "water"

To achieve this goal, at the age of 23 (in 2020), having built sufficient trust with her colleagues and the public, Quynh Nhi founded Hieu Van Ngu (Cultura Fish) - a project that aims to evoke the beauty of Vietnamese art in the hearts of young audiences through storytelling, workshops, introductory courses on appreciation, and applied products. The members come from various fields but share a common affection for Vietnamese art forms.

Hieu Van Ngu collaborated with the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Opera Theatre to produce 10 programs introducing traditional opera.

Photo: HVN

Like fish accustomed to swimming but with few questions about water, we too sometimes feel unfamiliar with "culture" - "water". the place in which we live, and that is also the reason why Hieu Van Ngu was founded: to better understand "water" . Hieu Van Ngu introduced itself as such, with the operating principle of researching - promoting - applying heritage along with very practical values: knowing others - understanding the world 's culture, knowing ourselves - understanding and practicing the culture from where we were born and raised, integrating into the world - helping each individual confidently become a global citizen.

Some of the traditional Vietnamese opera performances were organized by Hieu Van Ngu.

Photo: HVN

Those who follow Hieu Van Ngu will notice that a prominent feature of his activities since its inception has been the dissemination of the art form of Hat Boi (Vietnamese classical opera): through collaboration between researchers (specifically researcher Vuong Hoai Lam) and artists, along with technology and social media, contributing to giving audiences confidence in enjoying performances, as well as the ability to create with elements of Hat Boi through appreciation courses, workshops, and infographic content. In particular, with the project " Types of Characters in Vietnamese Hat Boi: A Quick Guide," co-produced with ICHCAP - UNESCO, Hat Boi art is introduced on ichLinks (a platform for sharing information about intangible cultural heritage in the Asia- Pacific region), helping international friends access and learn about this beautiful art form.

Dong Nhan fashion brand by Hieu Van Ngu applies his research and in-depth understanding of traditional Vietnamese and East Asian materials.

Photo: HVN

Dong Nhan fashion brand by Hieu Van Ngu applies his research and in-depth understanding of traditional Vietnamese and East Asian materials.

Photo: HVN

Besides that, a highlight when mentioning Hieu Van Ngu is the series of folk music workshops that have been maintained to this day. "The reason is because the treasure trove of Vietnamese folk music is endlessly rich, and also because the two accompanying artists: the talented Sau Hung (playing the kìm instrument) and Song Oanh (singing) also share the passion and desire to use all their strength to spread this art form to future generations, so we persevere in carrying it out," Nhi said.

Actor Sau Hung and Song Oanh – artists closely associated with Hieu Van Ngu's activities.

Photo: HVN

"Voluntary Cultural Ambassadors"

Quynh Nhi said that since 2017, she has been supporting friends in Taiwan in researching Vietnamese music, Vietnamese coffee culture, Vietnamese herbs, and Vietnamese urban culture through guiding local tours.

Quynh Nhi learns from researchers and conducts her own research on audience needs and desires to design activities that engage them and promote the practice of intangible cultural heritage (for children aged 5 to adults). To achieve this, Quynh Nhi has learned to play both traditional and Western musical instruments, mastered basic marketing knowledge, and read numerous sources to gain a broader perspective on each issue.

According to Quynh Nhi, the journey of promoting intangible cultural heritage is like sowing seeds in people's hearts and souls, hoping that one day those seeds will blossom into something truly beautiful. Therefore, along with numbers like reach or views on social media and the number of participants, she believes that social impact is what truly matters. This includes people adding traditional music to their Spotify playlists, people going to temples and pagodas to watch traditional performances (and inviting friends along), young mothers singing folk songs to their children, artists incorporating heritage elements into their works, and overseas Vietnamese, especially families with mixed-race children, seeking out and listening to the "Phong Hoa Ca Vinh" program.

Researchers Huynh Ngoc Trang and Quynh Nhi discuss Saigon - Gia Dinh at Nha Tap Hien.

Photo: HVN

Looking back on the past five years of Hieu Van Ngu, Quynh Nhi said: "It's hard to describe how happy, sad, and exciting it has been, but it's the work that Nhi and her friends strive to do every day, always asking themselves how to make each time better than the last." For Quynh Nhi, it's difficult to choose a "title" that fully describes everything she does, because spreading the heritage of Vietnam in particular and the world in general is something she considers a way of life – a "philosophy." Therefore, while others see her as a voluntary "cultural ambassador," Quynh Nhi prefers to call herself a "full-time heritage promoter."

Throughout this journey, what Quynh Nhi has clearly identified is that it is "very difficult and full of challenges, especially since the addition of Nha Tap Hien in 2024 (3/8B Nguyen Van Thu, Tan Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City). This is a space where Hieu Van Ngu can realize his ideas, a place where we can maintain the enthusiasm of our creative ideas while remaining very level-headed in operating a cultural meeting place with tangible and marketable products; a place where, amidst the increasingly noisy world and the hurried city, people can still gather to admire knowledge, to celebrate art, to sing together, and to let the light of truth, goodness, and beauty shine into our hearts."

Luc Pham Quynh Nhi was born in 1997 in Binh Dinh (now Gia Lai), and later moved to Ho Chi Minh City with her family. She is the co-founder and content strategist of Hieu Van Ngu, and also the "Hien Chu" of Nha Tap Hien - a space for knowledge and art established in 2024. Nurturing her love for heritage from her father's lullabies, Quynh Nhi learned to play the zither and soon brought Vietnamese culture to international friends in Canada (where she studied communications), China, and Taiwan (where she participated in student exchange programs).

Projects designed and compiled by Quynh Nhi include: over 300 events at Nha Tap Hien, Hat Boi 101 and Phong Hoa Ca Vinh (Hieu Van Ngu), Southern Performing Arts (CCD - Community Cultural Dialogue), Rhythms of Ancient and Modern Songs (Library of Traditional Music of the Six Provinces); published books: The Path to Traditional Music (author); The Story of Cai Luong: True and Beautiful (translator and research assistant for a British Council project).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-ve-hieu-van-ngu-va-co-gai-9x-quang-ba-di-san-toan-thoi-gian-185260130175433876.htm