The "Quan Ho Folk Songs Past and Present" exhibition hall is a space rich in cultural significance. More than just a place to display artifacts, it's also a meeting and交流 (exchange) point for Quan Ho folk singers.
As one of the 49 ancient Quan Ho villages of Bac Ninh , Hoai Trung (Lien Bao commune, Bac Ninh) is famous for its Quan Ho singers. Among them, the Duong family in Hoai Trung has been performing Quan Ho for six generations.
The couple, Quan Ho folk artists Duong Van Quyen (1914 – 2007) and Nguyen Thi Hap (1915 - 2000), were exemplary artists who inherited a family tradition of performing Quan Ho folk songs for many generations.
In 1972-1973, Mr. Duong Van Quyen directly participated in teaching Quan Ho folk singing to the first class of the Bac Ninh Quan Ho Folk Song Troupe, now the Bac Ninh Quan Ho Folk Song Theatre.
Currently, Duong Duc Thang, the grandson of Mr. Quyen, continues the family tradition. Thang is currently the Vice Chairman of the Hoai Trung Quan Ho Club, teaching and promoting this heritage to the public and younger generations.
Mr. Thang has painstakingly collected artifacts and memorabilia associated with the Quan Ho folk singing tradition and initiated a private museum within the community in the ancient Quan Ho village of Hoai Trung.
Mr. Duong Duc Thang has painstakingly collected artifacts and memorabilia related to the Quan Ho folk singing tradition from 1996 to the present.
Many of the exhibited artifacts are symbolic, associated with the folk singers and their cultural exchanges, reflecting the sophistication and hospitality of the people of Kinh Bac.
Since 1996, Duong Duc Thang has been collecting items, costumes, and documents associated with ancient Quan Ho folk artists, such as betel boxes, lime containers, teapots and cups, wooden beds, tea cabinets, umbrellas, and conical hats.
In 2022, the "Quan Ho Folk Songs Past and Present" exhibition officially opened in Hoai Trung village, preserving nearly 200 ancient artifacts, ranging in age from 70 to over 200 years.
These artifacts are not just objects, but represent an exemplary cultural and artistic space, fully showcasing the beauty, emotion, and charm of Quan Ho folk singing.
In particular, Mr. Thang has collected more than 50 books on Quan Ho folk singing from 1928 to the present, 18 handwritten notebooks containing nearly 2,000 ancient Quan Ho songs, and more than 200 audio files of old singing voices.
Since its inception, the gallery has welcomed thousands of domestic and international visitors, researchers, and students who have come to visit and learn.
According to Mr. Duong Duc Thang, the artifacts he collected have been invited to be displayed and promoted at many major events such as the "Returning to the Quan Ho Region" Festival, the "Space for the Convergence of Intangible Cultural Heritage" in Bac Lieu , or at the Dien Bien Phu Museum, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, etc.
In this space, the male and female singers in Quan Ho costumes, their polite manners and interactions, along with the old objects and betel leaves shaped like phoenix wings, evoke memories for many.
Betel leaves shaped like phoenix wings are indispensable at gatherings and social events of the Quan Ho people.
One of the most precious artifacts in the exhibition is the mother-of-pearl inlaid betel box of Duong Duc Thang's grandmother – a renowned female singer from the ancient Kinh Bac region. Over time, the betel box was lost. Thang spent many years searching for it and a considerable amount of money to retrieve it.
The bronze tray - the first prize in 1936 and the bronze basin - the second prize in 1937, were won by the artisans Duong Van Quyen and Nguyen Van Che (Hoai Trung village) in the Quan Ho folk singing competition at the Lim festival in early spring.
The lacquered tray belonging to Mr. Thang's family has been preserved to this day.
The mother-of-pearl inlaid book chest has been preserved for generations.
The gallery houses costumes of Quan Ho folk singers, collected from many families.
The costume of artisan Nguyen Thi Hap (1915 - 2000) - a famous Quan Ho folk singer - though worn and tattered, is placed in a prominent position alongside many other meticulously collected artifacts.
The silver chains worn by the female singers are used for decoration and adornment when performing Quan Ho folk songs.
The set of dishes and bowls belonging to the family of artisan Dương Văn Quyến were used to serve meals to the Quan Họ singers at their home.
These trays and cups, some of which are many years old, are used by families when inviting guests to Quan Ho folk singing performances.
The collected items include betel boxes, oil lamps, teapots, pipes, etc.
Lime containers are preserved and displayed in many exhibition halls.
A set of wooden beds, tea cabinets, and other items belonging to a family who used to perform Quan Ho folk singing in Hoai Trung in the past.
A corner of the "Quan Ho Folk Songs: Past and Present" exhibition room.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/kham-pha-khong-gian-luu-giu-cai-dep-cai-tinh-cai-duyen-quan-ho-176566.html
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