Young people learn about Hat Boi art at Ho Chi Minh City Museum

On the morning of September 19, at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, a thematic activity took place with the theme "Learning about Hat Boi art", attracting the participation of many students from schools in the city.

The program aims to contribute to preserving and promoting the value of traditional art, while also celebrating Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day on November 23.

A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum said that this is an activity within the museum's regular thematic activities, with the goal of introducing and spreading the nation's intangible cultural values to the public, especially the young generation.

Young people learn about Hat Boi art at Ho Chi Minh City Museum - photo 2 — Experts share about the art of Hat Boi

In the sharing part, researcher Vuong Hoai Lam presented an overview of the history of formation and development of Hat Boi, a traditional theater genre that flourished under the Nguyen Dynasty and spread widely in folk life, especially in the South.

The researcher also analyzed prominent features such as conventionality, the meaning of costumes and makeup, and the character system in Hat Boi.

Young audiences also enjoyed Hat Boi folk songs to introduce the art of masks, and enjoyed two classic excerpts, On Dinh slashing Ta and Hero Tran Binh Trong, performed by artists from the Ho Chi Minh City Hat Boi Art Theatre.

Young people learn about Hat Boi art at Ho Chi Minh City Museum - photo 3 — Classic Hat Boi excerpts performed in the thematic session

This is an opportunity for young people to get closer to the art form that has been closely associated with the cultural life of the community, evoking many thoughts about the spirit of loyalty and humanity that Hat Boi conveys.

After the performance, the program gave time for students to ask questions directly to the speakers and artists. In particular, the activity "Try to be an artist" attracted the enthusiastic participation of students: trying to transform with dance movements, typical voice of Hat Boi, and experiencing mask decoration - a unique element rich in convention.

Young people learn about Hat Boi art at Ho Chi Minh City Museum - photo 4

Young people learn about Hat Boi art at Ho Chi Minh City Museum - photo 5 — Young people exchange and learn about Hat Boi

Hat Boi, also known as ancient theater, is one of the unique traditional theater forms of Vietnam, with high conventions in acting, makeup and music .

Hat Boi plays often take historical themes, praise the spirit of loyalty and filial piety, and contribute to building the foundation of social morality. Not only a performing art, Hat Boi is also associated with village festivals, has spiritual values, and has become a familiar spiritual "food" in the lives of ancient people.

Through this topic, Ho Chi Minh City Museum hopes to create a space for the young generation to learn and experience directly, thereby contributing to spreading love for national art, while affirming the role of the museum in preserving and promoting Vietnam's intangible cultural heritage.