Preserving the Then dialect during the TikTok era.

Mr. Nguyen Van Huu, commonly known by his stage name Xuan Huu or Xuan Huu Dan Tinh.

From the father's student to the inheritor of the legacy.

Nguyen Van Huu, commonly known by his stage name Xuan Huu, was born in 1991 into a Tay family with a rich tradition of folk culture in Minh Khai village, Quang Minh commune, Bac Quang district, Ha Giang province (now Bac Quang commune, Tuyen Quang province). In 2005, as a 14-year-old boy, Huu began learning Then singing and Tinh playing from his father, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang. Those simple lessons by the fire, amidst the forest wind and the affectionate gaze of his father, instilled in Xuan Huu a passionate love for Then singing and Tinh playing.

Building upon that foundation, he continued to learn from artisan Nguyen Thi Yeu, a respected elder in Khiem village, within the same commune. In 2010, he attended a class on playing the Tinh instrument and singing Then songs organized by the People's Committee of Bac Quang district (formerly), taught by artisan Tham Ngoc Kien. Later, Huu also received advanced training from artisan Chu Van Thach, especially vocal training using the Tay-Nung folk song method taught by People's Artist Nong Xuan Ai.

In 15 years of keeping the tradition alive, Mr. Huu has taught more than 19 classes of Then singing and Tinh playing across localities inside and outside the province. Many of his students have grown up to become successors and continuers of this heritage. Names like Vi Thi Hoai Lim, Nguyen Mai Nuong, Nong Thi Le... are proof of a generation of young people who have loved Then since they were elementary school students.

Nguyen Mai Nuong, from Khiem village, Bac Quang commune, shared: “Before, I only knew about Then singing through festivals in the village. I liked listening to it, but I didn't fully understand its meaning. Thanks to Mr. Huu, who opened a class when I was in 5th grade during summer vacation, he guided me wholeheartedly. I now understand that Then is not just about lyrics, but also about how the Tay people preserve their memories and express their wishes. Now, every time I sing and play the Tinh instrument, I feel like I'm telling the story of my own people.”

Not content with merely passing on cultural traditions, Xuan Huu also experimented with a model combining Then singing and Tinh playing with community tourism activities. In several localities such as Du Gia, Xuan Giang, and Ha Giang 1 ward, he organized experiential learning sessions for tourists, combining guided performances and sharing about the history, beliefs, and cultural values of Then in the lives of the Tay people.

Ms. Vuong Thi Thuy, a tourist from Hanoi who participated in an experience in Du Gia commune, said: “I was truly impressed when I first got to hold the Tinh instrument and learn Then singing with the locals. Mr. Huu was very patient in guiding me. This was a very different experience compared to typical tours.”

This is considered a new approach that helps combine cultural preservation with community economic development, thereby creating livelihoods for people and increasing the connection between culture and tourism in the locality.

Xuan Huu in a video performing Then singing and Tinh playing on social media.

Bring Then to the digital stage.

What sets Nguyen Van Huu apart in the community of artisans is his keen awareness of the times. Instead of confining himself to the traditional stage, he brings Then singing to digital platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.

The YouTube channel "Xuan Huu Dan Tinh" currently has 46,600 followers, and his TikTok channel has 12,100 followers. Each uploaded video attracts hundreds of thousands of views – an impressive number for an individual involved in folk art. Huu's video content is not just a video product, but a cultural product, featuring mountain scenery, the sounds of Then music and Dan Tinh playing, and the radiant smiles of the women, mothers, and children participating in his community classes.

Sharing with us, Mr. Huu said: "Social media doesn't replace tradition, but it's a tool to bring heritage to more people. I've kept the original essence of Then, but chosen to tell the story in a modern way."

Throughout his artistic career, Mr. Xuan Huu has represented Vietnam in many major programs such as the 2018 National Then Singing Festival, the "Through Heritage Regions" program in Cao Bang, and has won numerous awards at provincial and national festivals: Gold Medal for solo performance on the Tinh lute (2022), A prize for the ancient Then performance "Suoi Thuong" and C prize for the adapted Then ensemble at the national festival (2024). He has also been recognized by the People's Committees at various levels for his achievements in preserving and disseminating cultural heritage through digital media activities.

In an era where traditional values are easily overshadowed by modern trends, Xuan Huu has chosen a more challenging path, becoming a bridge between the past and the present.

Classes in remote areas, simple videos on YouTube and TikTok of singing lessons for tourists, performances without a large stage – all are musical notes that Xuan Huu is weaving amidst the hustle and bustle of life.

"Every time I play a Then melody, I feel like I see the stilt house, the hearth, the faces of my grandmother, my mother, and the old village again... I don't want those things to remain only in my memory," he said in a low voice, his eyes gazing into the distance.

In that pure, clear resonance, there is also the spring of love for culture, the spring of a young person silently guiding national culture through the digital landscape with all their heart.

Text and photos: Mai Dung

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/202507/giu-tieng-then-thoi-tiktok-02504e4/