When you come to Hoi An, participate in a traditional Bài Chòi folk art performance.

VHO - On the evening of December 7th, the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center will organize an art exchange night titled "Bai Choi - The Rhythm of a Thousand Years Still Resounds" at An Hoi Roundabout, Hoi An Ward, Da Nang City.

The Bài Chòi folk art performance will take place at 7 PM on December 7th at the An Hội roundabout.

The program aims to celebrate the 8th anniversary of Central Vietnamese Bài Chòi art being recognized by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as a token of gratitude from Hoi An to tourists and the community who have loved the ancient town of Hoi An and the folk art of Hoi An Bài Chòi.

This is an opportunity to reflect on the journey of practicing, preserving, and promoting local heritage; to contribute to fostering appreciation for long-standing cultural values; and to continue nurturing the enduring vitality of a unique folk art form in Hoi An - a global creative heritage city.

Traditional Bài Chòi singing performances are held nightly at the An Hội roundabout area, Hội An ward, Da Nang city.

In order to preserve and create a solid foundation for the future of the folk art form of Bài Chòi, for many years, Hoi An has focused on organizing Bài Chòi training activities in schools.

From 2004 to the present, the former Hoi An Cultural, Sports & Broadcasting Center (now the Hoi An Center for Preservation of Cultural Heritage) has collaborated with the education sector to introduce folk songs and Bài Chòi (a traditional Vietnamese folk singing style) into school curricula; and opened nightly classes for singing folk songs and Bài Chòi at the "Night Street" event in the Old Town for students who are interested in this art form.

Bài Chòi artist Luong Dang performs Bài Chòi singing in Hoi An ancient town. PHOTO: TT

Bài Chòi performers will visit primary and secondary schools to guide students in basic skills such as: introducing the origins, gameplay, and cultural significance of this performance art form; how to beat the clappers, maintain the rhythm, and how to chant and pronounce words correctly in the Bài Chòi style…

From there, students not only naturally acquire knowledge of heritage, but are also inspired to love and be proud of the folk art of their homeland.

For many years, Hoi An has focused on training and passing on the art of Bai Choi singing and organizing Bai Choi singing competitions to create a platform for the younger generation.

In parallel, Hoi An also organizes training classes for young people passionate about Bài Chòi, providing intensive training to become the next generation, continuing and preserving Bài Chòi as a "living heritage" within the World Heritage site of Hoi An Ancient Town.

A class on Bài Chòi folk singing was organized by Bài Chòi artists in Hoi An for tourists visiting Hoi An during the Covid-19 pandemic.

These activities, in addition to their preservation purposes, also contribute to promoting Bài Chòi art as a distinctive cultural tourism product of Hoi An.

The free folk singing classes in the Old Quarter are now a popular stop for tourists visiting the night market. Visitors come to listen to the artists and children learn to sing and perform, with spectators, students, teachers, and pupils alike enthusiastically enjoying the melodies of Bài Chòi, Xàng Xê, Xuân Nữ, Hò Quảng, and Hò Khoan, immersing themselves in the traditional musical atmosphere.

Bài Chòi card game is frequently organized at local festivals, attracting the participation of locals and tourists visiting Hoi An.

Continuing the artistic traditions of Hoi An, since the 1990s, Hoi An has implemented many solutions to restore its local cultural identity, focusing on cultural and artistic activities, especially the mass art movement. Organizations, the education sector, and communes regularly organize competitions and festivals on folk songs and Bài Chòi singing.

Bài Chòi performance at Tra Que vegetable village.

In every competition and performance, Hoi An always encourages folk songs, and as a result, folk songs and Bài Chòi performances have become increasingly common, gradually becoming a tradition of performance and enjoyment. Today, every night in the ancient town, the folk game of singing and chanting Bài Chòi has become a unique cultural and tourism product in Hoi An ancient town.

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

It can be said that the Bài Chòi art form in Hoi An is unique in that it is both a heritage, a spiritual product of the people, and a cultural tourism product. The Bài Chòi heritage is deeply rooted and enduring in the cultural and spiritual life of the people of Hoi An, and in the key economic activity of tourism.

The nightly Bài Chòi singing performance at An Hội roundabout has become one of the characteristic cultural and tourism activities and products of Hội An's nightlife.

At the An Hoi roundabout in the heart of Hoi An's Old Town, every evening, artisans from the Hoi An Center for the Preservation of Traditional Folk Cultures perform Bài Chòi folk songs for tourists visiting Hoi An's nightlife. The open and cozy performance space allows visitors to easily immerse themselves in the folk rhythms.

The Bài Chòi folk art heritage has taken root in communes, wards, and schools.

VHO - The People's Committee of Hoi An city (Quang Nam province) has officially launched a plan to preserve and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritage of Bai Choi art form for the period 2024-2030 in 13 communes, wards, and schools in the area.

Furthermore, at events, festivals, and international exchange programs associated with the image of "Hoi An - the creative city," the art of Bài Chòi is skillfully introduced and performed to showcase the intact traditional spirit of this heritage, spreading and connecting Bài Chòi art in contemporary life, becoming a unique, vibrant, and cohesive cultural feature of the local community.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/den-hoi-an-tham-gia-dem-giao-luu-nghe-thuat-bai-choi-186318.html