The guardian of the Dao Xa lute's soul

Artisan Dao Anh Tuan has been making traditional musical instruments for 20 years. In a conversation with us, Mr. Tuan recounted his connection to the craft. He explained that when he was young, he didn't follow in his father's footsteps. However, seeing his father's passion – even in the harsh weather, diligently carving and shaping instruments – and realizing that losing the craft would be a great loss, he decided to return and continue his father's legacy.

Under the old eaves, a thin man with skillful hands meticulously carves each key of the moon lute, an instrument closely associated with the art of folk singing. “Making a traditional lute requires 13 steps, from selecting the wood, drying, baking, molding, carving, assembling... to sound testing. Each step has its own difficulties,” Mr. Tuan shared.

Artisan Dao Anh Tuan meticulously crafts traditional musical instruments. Photo: HONG PHUC

According to Mr. Tuan, each type of instrument requires different types of wood. The wood used for the instrument must be of good quality and carefully selected; even a slight deviation can alter the sound. For the zither or the pipa, the soundboard is usually made from paulownia wood, which helps produce a clear, resonant sound. As for the tam instrument, the soundbox is made of wood and covered with leather, and the leather processing also requires a unique level of precision.

Unlike modern mass-produced musical instruments, each instrument from Dao Xa has its own unique sound. It's the warm, deep tone of the bầu and tranh zithers; the clear, elegant sound of the nguyệt and thập lục zithers. What's special is that, even though no one in the village has received formal music theory training, the craftsmen of Dao Xa can still accurately judge and adjust each key and string to produce the most precise and pleasant sound. This is something that industrial craftsmen would find difficult to achieve. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue, an instrument maker in Dao Xa, shared: "I find this job very hard. Sometimes I have to sit meticulously all day just to carve a small detail to fit perfectly. But I am proud to be preserving the traditional craft passed down from our ancestors."

Day after day, the sounds of chiseling and planing echo regularly in the small workshop. However, behind those sounds lies a deep concern for the future of the craft village. "This is a craft passed down from our ancestors; we don't want it to disappear. But making a fortune from it isn't easy, so we're just preserving it to prevent it from fading away," Mr. Tuan confided.

To this day, artisan Dao Anh Tuan's only wish is for the craft village to continue to be inherited and developed. He hopes for more support policies to attract young people to learn the craft, continuing the legacy of Dao Xa musical instruments. "Without support policies, no one will dare to learn the craft anymore, and the craft will surely disappear. There must be a way for them to make a living from the craft in order to preserve it," Mr. Tuan confided.

To keep the craft alive, besides the efforts of the artisans, support from policies assisting vocational training is essential, as well as cultural and artistic schools that can bring students to learn about the craft firsthand. Most importantly, young people need to dare to try, dare to love, and dare to commit to traditional values. Although it's not easy, artisans like Mr. Dao Anh Tuan persevere in preserving the craft, hoping to pass on the flame to the younger generation, so that the sound of Dao Xa musical instruments will resonate forever.

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/nguoi-giu-hon-dan-dao-xa-1013295