Traveling in the Quan Ho region

“The vast sea of green rice/ The towering towers, the moon playing with the areca trees/ A landscape before and after/ A picture of the ages imbued with the colors of the country”. The poetic words skillfully paint a rustic yet charming picture of the countryside of But Thap ( Bac Ninh province).

Simple colors together add to the elegant harmony of this fairy-tale-like countryside. We followed those poetic words to find the land of But Thap, resting our heads on the cool green banks of the Duong River, listening to the wind blowing on the water all year round, the rice and corn rustling on the banks like a lullaby.

Another chance to come here was through the warm invitation of Mr. Nguyen Sy Luong, the head of Phu My Singing Club (Tri Qua Ward, Bac Ninh Province). He invited us to attend the Quan Ho singing program on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23, 2025) held in the grounds of But Thap Pagoda, famous for its four national treasures.

Lien anh and lien chi singers participate in a Quan ho singing program in the grounds of But Thap Pagoda (Bac Ninh). Photo: DUC NAM

Winter had come but the weather was not yet cold enough, the sun was warm and dry, the grass was rustling. We followed the dike of the Duong River to enter But Thap Pagoda. The ancient temple was like a red line standing out in the middle of a green area. The dark brown tiled roof, the curved roof, the shining pen tower painted against the clear blue sky. Just arriving at the main gate, we recognized the second brother Nguyen Sy Luong with his elegant appearance and gentle smile. He shook hands firmly with a warm greeting. According to the custom of quan ho people, even though they are old, they still call each other "anh" (older brother), "chi" (older sister) and address themselves as "em" (younger brother). When in Rome, do as the Roman Catholics do, so we also took the liberty of calling each other "anh hai" (older brother).

I have been attached to Mr. Luong since the day I entered the Political Officer School. The school is located in the ancient citadel in the middle of a region rich in Kinh Bac culture. At that time, I was a student and he was a company officer. I respect him for his tolerance, sincerity and closeness. Those personality traits are due to the fact that he is from Bac Ninh, deeply imbued with the beauty of Quan Ho culture. I always remember the occasions of the first and second lunar months, sitting in the ancient citadel and the Quan Ho songs carried by the wind, sounding sweet. Then I also had the chance to attend the spring festival, immersed in the love of Quan Ho people. Until now, after many years of meeting again, I still feel the sincerity and warmth in him. Mr. Luong is a person with a deep love for his homeland. When he finished his public service, he returned to his hometown to retire and immediately founded the Phu My Singing Club. The name is truly meaningful to indicate a rich and beautiful countryside, both in material life and spiritual culture. People in his hometown work hard to have big houses, but they also love music and singing, and join hands to preserve the traditional culture left by their ancestors. The club was established to become a bridge connecting people who love to sing, exchange and share with friends near and far.

Taking advantage of the leisure time in winter, the second brothers Nguyen Sy Luong and Ngo Thanh Giang, who were well-versed in culture and folk songs of Quan Ho, coordinated with friends to send a "reunion" invitation to the brothers and sisters from three ancient Quan Ho villages of Bac Ninh: Lang Diem, Hoai Thi and Thi Cau to attend the traveling singing program. Accepting the invitation of the brothers, regardless of the long distance, the brothers and sisters from the three ancient Quan Ho villages immediately prepared offerings of betel and areca nuts, incense, flowers, tea and fruit to come and sing.

Entering the front hall of But Thap pagoda, the group of visitors lit a stick of incense, clasped their hands in prayer and sang the song: "Entering the pagoda, the pagoda opens the door, oh oh oh/ The pagoda door opens, oh oh, come in..." The fragrant incense and the resounding song warmed the ancient space. After the Buddha worship ceremony, the whole group prepared to sing together. Sitting on a red-striped mat, Mr. Nguyen Van Thuong, a guest from Diem village, spoke: "We are so lucky to come here to visit the pagoda and listen to old stories. The warm welcome from you and your sister is truly precious. We would like to bring this song to respond to that kindness."

After the opening words, the male duo Nguyen Sy Yen and Nguyen Van Quan sang: "Today the four seas are in love/ Although we are from four seas, we are born into one family...". In response, the female duo Ngo Thi Tien and Nguyen Thi Chieu sang: "Today the orchids and lilies are in a group/ The peach blossoms in the east ask the willows in the west a few words...". Their voices and manners were so perfect that both sides felt pleased and satisfied.

Sitting on the same mat, friends from far away also came to join in the fun. The singing session was open to all, as long as they loved to sing, they could participate. The openness was clearly shown when many guests from Bac Ninh, Hanoi , and Hai Phong came to join in the exchange.

Attending a Quan Ho singing session, the more you listen and think, the better it becomes! The love and meaning are contained in each style, lyrics, and harmonious behavior of Quan Ho singers. After dozens of verses, Nguyen Thi Ngu-Nguyen Thi Quyen sang the following verse: "The dragon boat goes down the river/ Four brothers, each with a fan and a hairpin, side by side/ Sending hairpins, bags, and flowers/ Sending scarves and bags, to bring them all the way home". After listening, Nguyen Van Toan-Nguyen Van Thuong immediately responded: "The proud tree has ripe fruit/ Looking makes your eyes tired, playing makes your hands tired/ The more you look, the more you are captivated, the more intoxicated/ The more you wait, the more you wait, each day you are further away".

It is true that “Love in a moment lasts a hundred years”. Quan ho people meet each other and use songs to bond their lasting friendship. The players sing and respond to each other until the moon is full and the watch is over. Sometimes, when they cannot come up with a suitable answer, they ask permission to go home to find a suitable answer, and then respond the next watch. Quan ho people also tactfully learn from each other. Whenever they come up with a new answer, they ask to copy it down and then go home to learn. Just like that, their knowledge of quan ho songs becomes more solid so that they can sing all night long.

Although he is over sixty, the second brother Nguyen Van Toan in Diem village still maintains his elegance. After singing, he sips a cup of tea and tells about his love for Quan Ho. Since childhood, he has been taught by his older brothers and sisters in the village. The songs of the morning gradually permeate his childhood. Then, when he reaches his youth, he also buys the traditional dress and turban to sing the love song. The people of the countryside are simple but their love is long-lasting. Once they have agreed to sing, they will come back together later, "oi a"... "hu la"... The second brother Van Toan shares sincerely: "In the season, we go down to the fields to wade in, in the free time, we help the masons with mortar. Although life is still busy here and there, we cannot give up Quan Ho. In the evening, we meet in Quan Ho to sing."

Listening to those simple words, I understand more about the love of quan ho singers. The songs are the connecting thread for "all over the world to communicate", for "guests coming to the house sing, guests drinking tea sing, guests going far away are kept from returning...". Quan ho du ca is a meeting place for "meeting and reuniting" to connect and share the songs of the homeland. Even without the red carpet, lights, flowers, drums, gongs, and clappers, why does the singing still resonate, resound, resonate, bounce, and linger "my dear, my dear, don't go home...".

Coming here, I understand more about the enduring vitality of the Quan Ho folk song heritage, like a silent source flowing forever in the veins of people in the countryside. Heritage lives forever when it is deeply rooted in community activities. Organizing Quan Ho folk songs is also a way for the heritage to spread everywhere like a source of love to cool people's souls. That day, we returned to the land of victory, our hearts filled with joy when we were immersed in the cultural flow imbued with love in the homeland of Kinh Bac, sweet with folk songs.

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/du-ca-tren-mien-quan-ho-1014548