Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs: 16 years of journey to preserve and develop cultural heritage

VTV.vn - After 16 years of being honored by UNESCO, Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs continue to spread their vitality, becoming a unique cultural tourism highlight.

After 16 years of being recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs are not only the pride of Kinh Bac people but also become a "cultural tourism brand" attracting domestic and foreign tourists.

Spreading heritage vitality

Since being recognized by UNESCO in 2009, Bac Ninh has implemented a series of policies to preserve and promote the value of Quan Ho folk songs. Hundreds of Quan Ho singing huts and brothels have been restored; more than 260 Quan Ho villages and 600 clubs are maintaining regular activities with nearly 10,000 members. Mr. Nguyen Van Dap - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh - said: "The province has invested in building many Quan Ho performance huts to serve exchange activities at the festival; restored more than 10 Quan Ho houses in the ancient style with a budget of about 100 billion VND, becoming a tourist destination. After the merger, Bac Ninh currently has about 260 Quan Ho villages and more than 600 Quan Ho clubs with nearly 10,000 members. Units such as Bac Ninh Quan Ho Folk Song Theater, Quan Ho Cultural Center, Bac Ninh Cheo Theater... and many clubs still maintain performances, activities, and teach Quan Ho.

Quan Ho performance at Lim Festival, Tien Du commune in 2025.

Along with that, Bac Ninh organized many promotional activities such as the "Returning to Quan Ho" Festival, singing Quan Ho on boats in Nguyen Phi Y Lan Lake, Vua Ba Lake... The love songs between male and female singers and tourists have become unique highlights, helping Quan Ho spread strongly.

Not only stopping at domestic level, Quan Ho troupes also bring their homeland's melodies to perform in France, Germany, Japan, Korea, India, etc., bringing Kinh Bac's echoes to the world.

From folk melodies to tourism products

Nowadays, when coming to Bac Ninh, tourists can not only visit Do Temple, Dau Pagoda or Dong Ho painting village but also experience "Quan Ho tourism", a type of tourism combining culture with services, imbued with the identity of Kinh Bac region.

On the occasion of National Day September 2, the art program "Reunion of Bamboo and Plum" at Nghia Long Lake attracted thousands of viewers. In the shimmering space, five dragon boats glided gently on the water, blending with the smooth singing of the Lien Anh and Lien Chi singers, creating a cultural picture that is both ancient and modern.

Another highlight is the cultural tourist train "Hanoi 5 Gates - The Hanoi Train", which officially operates the Thang Long - Kinh Bac route from September 2025. The journey takes tourists from the capital to the Quan Ho region through train cars imbued with ancient flavors. On the train, tourists can listen to Quan Ho singing, learn about Kinh Bac culture; when arriving in Bac Ninh, they can experience printing Dong Ho paintings, enjoy traditional cuisine and participate in Quan Ho singing exchanges at Do Temple's water pavilion. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, shared: "I was very moved when I heard Quan Ho ancient lyrics in the space of Kinh Bac. This is truly an unforgettable experience."

In the National Achievement Exhibition on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day September 2 in Hanoi, Bac Ninh also introduced the Quan Ho heritage space through images, documentary films and live performances. The exhibition booth always attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Towards sustainable cultural tourism development

Bac Ninh currently identifies Quan Ho folk songs as a key tourism product, and at the same time the core in the "cultural industry" development strategy for the period 2025 - 2030. The province aims to build Bac Ninh people to develop comprehensively, harmoniously combining traditional and modern values.

According to Mr. Tran Quoc Dung - Director of Dinh Anh International Tourism Company: "For Quan Ho to truly spread and bring economic value, Bac Ninh needs to continue planning heritage spaces, developing specialized tours combining culture - tourism - cuisine, and at the same time promoting cooperation with neighboring provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Phong."

Quan Ho performance at Tay Yen Tu spiritual-ecological tourist area.

Experts also proposed many new solutions such as:

Developing Quan Ho experience tours: tourists can learn to sing, interact and live with Lien Anh and Lien Chi singers.

Building a Kinh Bac cultural homestay, where visitors stay in an ancient house, enjoy traditional dishes and listen to Quan Ho singing in the evening.

Create a digital tourist map of original Quan Ho villages, artisans, and festivals to help tourists easily look up and learn.

Creating souvenirs and OCOP gifts with Quan Ho spirit such as paintings, statues, musical instruments, embroidered fabrics...

In addition, Bac Ninh is implementing a plan to organize weekly Quan Ho performances at the Quan Ho Folk Song Theater, Nguyen Phi Y Lan Lake and some eco-spiritual tourist attractions. The performances are elaborately staged, combining lighting, dance and 3D technology to attract young people, while still preserving traditional culture.

Not only the pride of Kinh Bac people, Quan Ho folk songs today have transcended the space of ancient villages to blend into modern life. The smooth, sweet melodies not only recall the origin of national culture, but also open up a new direction - combining heritage conservation with sustainable tourism development.

With systematic investment and creative approaches, Bac Ninh is gradually turning Quan Ho heritage into a new economic and cultural vitality, spreading Kinh Bac's echoes far and wide, worthy of the title "Heritage land - duet singing land" of Vietnam.

Source: https://vtv.vn/dan-ca-quan-ho-bac-ninh-16-nam-hanh-trinh-gin-giu-va-phat-trien-di-san-van-hoa-100251102110838556.htm