The Tong Goi boat rowing festival has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.

On May 14th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 1351/QD-BVHTTDL announcing the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Traditional boat rowing song. Photo: Dan Phuong

Accordingly, the traditional Chèo boat singing festival of Tong Goi commune, Tan Hoi district, Dan Phuong city, Hanoi, has been included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Gối district, comprising four villages: Thượng Hội, Thúy Hội, Vĩnh Kỳ, and Phan Long (Tân Hội commune, Đan Phượng district), has long been famous for its unique Chèo Tàu (boat opera) festival. According to ancient legends, General Văn Dĩ Thành, a descendant of the Trần dynasty's mandarins, was born in the ancient Gối district. A man of great learning and talent, well-versed in history and classics, he was instrumental in recruiting and training soldiers to fight against the Ming invaders. He was renowned for his six oaths and for leading his troops to victory in every battle. Under his skillful leadership, the enemy suffered heavy losses. After his death in Gối district, to honor General Văn Dĩ Thành's virtues, the people of Gối created the unique Chèo Tàu performance art form. Every year on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the people of Gối district (now Tân Hội commune) organize the traditional Chèo Tàu festival.

Traditional boat rowing song. Photo: Dan Phuong

The highlight of the festival is the Chèo Tàu performance, featuring call-and-response singing between two boats – wooden dragon boats that are not launched but symbolically rowed on land. Each boat has 13 people: the boat queen, two main boats, and ten smaller boats. During the performance, the boat queen strikes a gong, the two main boats lead the singing, and the smaller boats sing along. Behind them are a pair of elephants with two mahouts who blow horns as signals.

The songs in the Chèo Tàu performance consist of individual songs and call-and-response songs between the "boat" and the "statue," all praising the merits of the tutelary deity Tổng Gối Văn Dĩ Thành. The Chèo Tàu Tân Hội performance comprises 20 melodies, divided into forms such as: presentation songs, boat songs, and discontinued songs.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/hoi-hat-cheo-tau-tong-goi-duoc-ghi-danh-la-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-702309.html