'Awakening' the value of Dong Mon Ca Tru singing

Originating from the cradle of Ca Tru singing in the northern coastal region, the Ca Tru art form of Dong Mon, Hoa Binh ward (Hai Phong) is gradually experiencing a strong revival.

Hoa Binh Ward will launch a model of effective community mobilization titled "Preserving and promoting the intangible cultural heritage of Dong Mon Ca Tru art" in May 2026.

The cradle of Ca Tru singing in the Northern coastal region.

When mentioning Ca Tru in the coastal region of Northern Vietnam, many people immediately think of Dong Mon village, now part of Hoa Binh ward. This place has long been considered the cradle preserving the unique values ​​of this art form, which has existed for hundreds of years within the national cultural tradition.

To this day, Hoa Binh ward still has the Dong Mon Temple - a place of worship for the two patron saints of Ca Tru singing, considered the founders of Ca Tru singing in the northern coastal region.

To commemorate the contributions of their ancestors, many generations of students and local people have established the Ca Cong Temple, which is now known as the Dong Mon Temple.

Throughout the vicissitudes of history, the monument suffered serious deterioration at times. In 2019, the People's Committee of Thuy Nguyen District (formerly) invested in the restoration and renovation of the Dong Mon Temple, contributing to the restoration of the cultural space and the practice of traditional arts in the locality.

In 2009, UNESCO recognized Vietnamese Ca Tru as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding. This event not only affirmed the unique artistic value of Ca Tru but also placed a great responsibility on preserving and transmitting this heritage to future generations.

Recognizing this, for many years, the local government has paid special attention to preserving Dong Mon Ca Tru. From its initial foundation of 18 members, the Dong Mon Ca Tru Club now has 25 core members including female singers, male musicians, officials, members of the Monument Management Board, and those who love the art of Ca Tru.

The singers, musicians, and drummers of the Dong Mon Ca Tru Club bring the art of Ca Tru into modern life through the setting of restaurants and eateries in the city.

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Encouragingly, more and more students are participating in club activities. In May 2026, the Party Committee and People's Committee of Hoa Binh Ward launched the model of effective mass mobilization "Preserving and promoting the intangible cultural heritage of Dong Mon Ca Tru art" with a Ca Tru music night "The Sound of Bamboo and Silk - Heritage Intermingling" at Hoa Binh Primary School.

The local authorities have established seven Ca Tru (traditional Vietnamese singing) clubs in primary and secondary schools in the area. This is considered an innovative approach to bringing the heritage closer to the younger generation, transforming schools into environments that nurture a love for traditional culture.

According to Tran Thi Mai Phuong, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Hoa Binh Ward, the locality is proud to be the cradle of Ca Tru art in the Northern coastal region.

Recently, the ward has been actively promoting the inclusion of Ca Tru singing in schools to nurture and cultivate the next generation of female singers, male instrumentalists, and drummers, contributing to the continued spread of Ca Tru's vitality in the area and in the city's cultural life.

Heritage meets heritage

International tourists enjoy learning about Dong Mon traditional folk singing on heritage cruise ships in Ha Long Bay.

While in the past, ca trù (traditional Vietnamese singing) mainly existed in communal houses, temples, and community gatherings, the art of Dong Mon ca trù is now finding new performance spaces that are suitable for modern life.

In recent years, the female and male singers of the Dong Mon Ca Tru Club have regularly brought this traditional art form to restaurants and cultural tourist destinations.

According to singer Pham Thi Lien, for many years, every Friday evening, the club has performed in the cultural heritage space "Vietnamese Ca Tru Singing" at Dong Cau clay pot rice restaurant in Thuy Nguyen ward or Ngoc Vi restaurant in Gia Vien ward. These culinary spaces are becoming a bridge helping the public get closer to this art form, which is considered to have a niche audience.

In particular, a promising new direction is to bring Dong Mon Ca Tru performances to heritage cruise ships in Ha Long Bay - a World Natural Heritage site. This is seen as a special encounter between two heritages: on one side, the magnificent natural beauty recognized by the world, and on the other, a unique traditional art form of the Vietnamese people.

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In the boat-like setting amidst the heritage site, the sounds of the đàn đáy (a type of Vietnamese stringed instrument), phách (clappers), and trống chầu (traditional Vietnamese drums) blend with the soulful voices of the Đông Môn singers, creating a deeply emotional experience for visitors, especially international tourists. Many who encounter ca trù for the first time are captivated by the profound Vietnamese cultural depth in each Đông Môn ca trù melody.

According to Mr. Pham Hai Quynh, Director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, this is a new approach that contributes to diversifying cultural tourism products, while also creating more performance and training spaces for artisans. More importantly, it helps female singers and male musicians earn additional income from their chosen profession.

When artisans can make a living from their heritage, the heritage can develop sustainably. Ca Tru, therefore, is truly present in contemporary life. This motivates artisans to strive to promote the value of their heritage, spreading it and contributing to the cultural and tourism development of Hai Phong as the city aims to become a city of music.

BUI HUONG

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/danh-thuc-gia-tri-ca-tru-dong-mon-544750.html