Preserving the cultural heritage of Quan Ho folk singing.

BAC NINH - The Quan Ho Club of Hoai Trung village (Lien Bao commune) has a space for displaying, preserving, and introducing artifacts and images related to Quan Ho culture from veteran artisans and the unique cultural features of Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs. This has become a destination for those who love and want to visit, learn about, and research this distinctive cultural form.

Holding a betel box inlaid with mother-of-pearl and depicting a triumphant return home – one of the artifacts preserved in the exhibition room showcasing Quan Ho folk artifactes from the past and present – ​​in his hands, Mr. Duong Duc Thang, Vice Chairman of the Club, confided: “This is a memento of my grandmother, Quan Ho artist Nguyen Thi Hap. In her youth, this was indispensable whenever she went out to offer betel to her fellow Quan Ho singers. When she married my grandfather, artist Duong Van Quyen, this betel box was also brought along. Later, the betel box was lost. Following the stories told by my grandparents, I learned that this artifact was in Choi village (now part of Kinh Bac ward), so I painstakingly collected it again.”

Then, Mr. Duong Duc Thang introduced the betel nut container of Quan Ho folk artist Nguyen Thi Hap.

In addition, many other items of historical and cultural value are displayed here, such as: a bronze tea set associated with the life and work of artisan Nguyen Van Thi in Diem village (Kinh Bac ward); a basket used to hold teapots for entertaining guests of Quan Ho folk singing, belonging to artisan Nguyen Thi Tuoc (Kha Le village, Vo Cuong ward); betel nut knives, etc.

For many years, Duong Duc Thang and members of the Hoai Trung Village Quan Ho Club have diligently traveled to many places and met many people to collect artifacts and items related to Quan Ho culture. To date, he has collected nearly 200 artifacts such as conical hats, umbrellas, sashes, and sash bags in various materials such as brocade, silk, oak, and satin used by the male and female singers; oil lamps used in night singing; betel nut containers, mortars, lime containers, tea sets, copper pots, flower bowls, wooden trays, etc. Along with costumes and household items, the club members have spent a lot of time collecting 50 books on Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs and preserving 18 handwritten notebooks of artisans containing 1,967 Quan Ho songs and more than 200 audio files of the voices, ancient songs, and unique pieces of artisans from ancient Quan Ho villages.

Over three years since its establishment, the exhibition hall has welcomed thousands of domestic and international visitors for sightseeing, research, exchange, and learning. Meritorious Artist Xuan Mui, former Deputy Director of the Bac Ninh Quan Ho Folk Song Theater, commented: “Although the artisans are no longer with us, their artifacts preserved in the exhibition hall contribute to helping Quan Ho folk song lovers gain a more complete and profound understanding of Quan Ho culture in its origins and past.”

Furthermore, the Hoai Trung Village Quan Ho Club actively participates in performing and displaying Quan Ho artifacts at many major cultural events inside and outside the province, such as: "Space for the Convergence of Intangible Cultural Heritage" in Ca Mau province; "Journey of Colorful Intangible Cultural Heritage Representing Different Regions" within the framework of the 2023 Quan Ho Festival...

Text and photos: Nguyen Hoa

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/luu-giu-mach-nguon-van-hoa-quan-ho-postid423088.bbg