The heritage of Hue folk singing continues to shine brightly.

VHO - After being restored, Chau Huong Vien historical site has taken on a dignified appearance, with the hope of becoming a special cultural space - a place to express gratitude and a meeting and performance venue for those who love Hue folk singing art.

This site is not only associated with cultural beauty, but also bears the strong imprint of the renowned figure Ung Binh Thuc Gia Thi, who made significant contributions to the development of Hue chamber music.

Artists from the Hue Chamber Music Club performed Hue folk songs by Ung Binh at the Chau Huong Vien historical site.

  Hue folk songs resound from Chau Huong Vien.

Amidst the cold, rainy weather of Hue during the spring season, the melodious sounds of Hue folk songs resonate from the Chau Huong Vien historical site, calming the emotions of those who cherish traditional art.

These pieces were composed by the venerable Ung Binh Thuc Gia Thi and performed by artists of the Hue Chamber Music Club. Some artists are over 70 years old, while others are young people in their twenties, but all together they offered incense in gratitude and sang simple songs, reminiscing about their profession and passing on the flame of passion for Hue folk music.

This event was organized by the Hue City History Museum in collaboration with other units to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the passing of Mr. Ung Binh (1961-2025). Through this, it contributes to the education of cultural traditions, expressing gratitude and remembering his immense contributions to the homeland in general, and to the Hue folk singing art heritage in particular.

Earlier, the Hue History Museum and artists also visited and offered incense at the tomb of the deceased in the Thuy Xuan hill area, on the outskirts of the city center.

Ung Binh Thuc Gia Thi (1877-1961), whose real name was Nguyen Phuc Ung Binh, was an intellectual from a royal family of the Nguyen dynasty, renowned for its literary tradition.

He was appointed District Chief, then promoted to Prefect, and subsequently to Assistant Minister, Minister of the Board of Rites, Governor of Ha Tinh , Governor of Phu Yen, and Prefect of Thua Thien. In 1932, Mr. Ung Binh actively participated in the movement to establish the Central Annam Buddhist Association.

From 1933, he retired and was promoted to the rank of Minister of State. Despite his advanced age, he remained actively involved in cultural and social activities, serving as President of the Association for the Promotion of the National Script in Central Vietnam and was elected President of the Central Vietnam Assembly, aiming to secure social welfare and democratic rights for the poor.

In 1943, he was promoted to Associate Grand Scholar. The Huong Binh Poetry Society, located in the Chau Huong Vien garden, was a center for poetry and art, closely associated with the renowned figure Ung Binh. This was also where he lived after leaving his official position.

Regardless of age, artists and lovers of Hue folk singing perform together, passing on the passion and spreading the heritage.

Poet Ung Binh and the cultural heritage of Hue

Poet Ung Binh Thuc Gia Thi left a vast treasure trove of poetry to modern Vietnamese literature, with nearly 2,000 poems in both Vietnamese and Chinese characters. He was also known as a talented playwright, making significant contributions to Hue culture and especially to Hue folk singing art…

With his free-spirited nature, generous and elegant character, and harmony between man and nature, Ung Binh Thuc Gia Thi elevated Hue folk singing to a new level. The Hue folk songs he composed have been embraced and performed by generations of Hue artists, becoming symbols of traditional art throughout history.

In 2019, the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province (now Hue City) decided to classify the historical monument commemorating the renowned figure Ung Binh at Chau Huong Vien as a provincial-level historical site and adjusted the management of this site to the Historical Museum. By early 2023, the Chau Huong Vien historical site was restored and preserved with a budget of over 10 billion VND.

Poet Vo Que, Chairman of the Chamber Music Club of Hue, shared: "After the Chau Huong Vien historical site was restored, we, the artists and those who love Hue folk songs, were extremely happy."

However, solutions and plans are needed to promote the value of the relics and recreate the cultural space here. This requires the participation of traditional art forces, from Hue Singing Clubs to the Hue Opera and Drama Theatre and the Hue Royal Court Traditional Arts Theatre.

“The legacy of Mr. Ung Binh is not only Hue folk songs but also many excellent plays, including the play 'Lo Dich' which was performed in Germany. The presence of artists from the Hue Royal Court Traditional Arts Theatre will help spread the plays and excerpts of Mr. Ung Binh's plays. From chamber Hue folk songs, Hue opera was formed, so the participation of artists from the Hue Opera and Drama Theatre is also important.”

"We, the Hue Chamber Music Club, are always ready to participate in performances to revive the atmosphere of Chau Huong Vien," poet Vo Que expressed.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Loc, Director of the Hue City History Museum, said: The preservation and promotion of the historical relic commemorating the renowned figure Ung Binh at Chau Huong Vien has always received special attention from the Party Committee, government, and people of Hue City, along with the direct guidance of the Department of Culture and Sports.

The Chau Huong Vien historical site completed its restoration and renovation work in June 2024, marking an important step in the preservation and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage values ​​associated with the renowned figure Ung Binh Thuc Gia Thi.

In the coming period, the Hue City History Museum will continue to cooperate with the Union of Literature and Arts Associations of Hue City and the Hue Chamber Music Club to organize regular poetry and music gatherings. This will be an opportunity for the resurgence of cherished melodies from a bygone era, contributing to the restoration of a renowned poetic site from the past.

At the same time, the Museum will coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to collect documents, artifacts, and works of Ung Binh Thuc Gia Thi, in order to build an exhibition room showcasing historical documents related to the Hue folk singing heritage.

A portion of the Chau Huong Vien historical site will also be used to host performances of Hue chamber music, Hue opera, and Hue poetry.

These programs will provide opportunities for artists and lovers of Hue folk singing to showcase their talents, teach Hue folk singing performance skills to the younger generation, and contribute to the preservation and promotion of the value of this national intangible cultural heritage.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/di-san-ca-hue-van-luon-toa-sang-124601.html