The person who transmits the "country soul" rhythm in the sacrificial drum beats

VHO - In the journey to preserve the art of Yen Thanh sacrificial drums, a national intangible cultural heritage, artisan Le Khac Dinh in Quan Thanh commune is one of the people silently keeping the fire burning and spreading the cultural tradition.

Every weekend, in the large, shady yard in front of the house of artisan Le Khac Dinh in Quan Thanh commune ( Nghe An ), the sound of drums resounds loudly.

In the midst of the circle of students, artisan Le Khac Dinh (born 1975) is still enthusiastically holding the drumsticks. His steady hands and bright eyes seem to put his whole soul into each beat of the drum, the sacred sound that has been with artisan Dinh for many years.

Drum artist Le Khac Dinh

Born into a patriarchal family with a long tradition of sacrificial drums, Le Khac Dinh had drumming “in his blood” since his childhood. He picked up drumsticks at the age of three, learned the craft with his father at the age of six, and was selected to join the village drum team at the age of eight. After more than four decades of dedication, he has become one of the most knowledgeable and standard performers of sacrificial drums in the region.

“Every time the drums sound, I feel like I see the image of my ancestors and my homeland in each beat,” artisan Dinh said emotionally. Since 2015, with his talent and prestige, artisan Dinh has been trusted by the community to keep the big drum, the position of “conductor” in the drum team of Ke Gam village (formerly Xuan Thanh commune, now Quan Thanh).

He has continuously won many high awards such as First Prize in the Traditional Drum Beating Competition at the Gam Temple Festival in 2015, and First Prize overall at the Drum Beating Competition within the framework of the Ca Temple Festival in 2023.

For the people of Nghe An, the sound of the sacrificial drum is not only the sound of rituals, but also the call of the origin, the spiritual thread connecting generations of descendants. During each sacrificial occasion, village festival or Tet, the sound of the drum resounds, sometimes solemn, sometimes bustling, as an invitation for the ancestors to gather, then a respectful farewell.

“The sound of the sacrificial drum is the soul of the ancestral worship ceremony, containing the pride and solidarity of the whole family. Master Dinh is the one who is attached to and keeps the fire of this traditional art,” said Mr. Phan Duan Loi (65 years old, member of the drum team).

A drum team usually has 4-7 members, coordinating rhythmically between the big drum, small drum, gong and nao bat. Each piece follows its own rules, often based on the seven-word eight-line poem, creating a rhythm that is both disciplined and emotional.

Drummers must understand etiquette and “beat with their hearts,” because drumming is not just for listening, but also for feeling with the soul. Artist Dinh believes that drumming is not difficult, but to make it resonate well, with beautiful sound and shape, is an art.

Drumming class of artist Le Khac Dinh

The sacrificial drum has a style that simulates ancient battlefields with a majestic, urgent rhythm, expressing a majestic atmosphere; and has a spring festival style, bustling yet leisurely and warm. Talented artists often skillfully blend these two styles, creating a performance that is both powerful and profound, imbued with the soul of Nghe An.

However, the development of modern life has made today's youth less attached to traditional rituals. Many drum teams in the village only have elderly people left. Worried about the risk of losing their heritage, in 2024, teacher Le Khac Dinh and some enthusiastic people established the Ke Gam Village Drum Club, opening free classes for local students and youth.

Every weekend, Mr. Dinh's house is filled with the sound of drums and laughter. No lesson plans, no blackboards, only passion and pride for the homeland. Mr. Dinh meticulously guides his students through each movement of holding the drumstick, each beat, each tone of the gong and drum. For him, teaching the ritual drum is not only about imparting skills, but also about instilling love for the homeland, teaching students to understand that "playing the ritual drum is learning the words Humanity, Etiquette, and Righteousness."

In that class was Nguyen Canh Dat, the youngest at 6 years old, but he played the drum firmly and decisively. At the age of three, Dat was already babbling along with his father beating the drum; at the age of four, Dat surprised the whole village when he was in the drum formation at the Gam Temple festival.

Not only teaching in his hometown, teacher Dinh also brings the sound of his hometown drums to perform, instructs on the restoration of rituals, makes videos introducing heritage, contributing to spreading the unique culture of Yen Thanh sacrificial drums to the community.

Village artisans put their heart and soul into every drum beat, preserving the soulful sound of the traditional sacrificial drum heritage. Photo: Huy Thu

From small classes, the art of Yen Thanh sacrificial drums gradually revived, spreading through generations. And in June 2025, great joy came to the people here, "Yen Thanh sacrificial drum art" was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is not only a recognition of long-standing cultural values, but also a worthy reward for those who silently preserve the soul of the homeland.

During the process of establishing the heritage dossier, artisan Le Khac Dinh was a major contributor, providing documents, supporting performances, and connecting drum teams in the region. When the Yen Thanh drum was honored, joy burst into the hearts of Mr. Dinh and many generations of people.

“This is not just a title, but a responsibility. From now on, I have to teach even more so that the drum sound never stops,” artist Dinh added.

Nowadays, Yen Thanh sacrificial drums are no longer limited to communal houses, temples or family churches, but have become "spiritual food" in festivals, competitions and cultural exchanges throughout Nghe An.

Besides traditional games such as tug of war, stick pushing, cockfighting or human chess, the drum exchange between clans and villages is always the most anticipated highlight. In particular, in recent years, female drum teams have appeared more and more, adding a fresh color to the homeland's heritage.

Amidst the modern pace of life, the sound of the sacrificial drum still echoes in the countryside of Nghe An, solemn and sacred as a reminder of the origin. In the passionate eyes of the children holding the drumsticks, there is the image of the devoted teacher Le Khac Dinh. And when the sound of the drum still resonates, the soul of the village, the soul of the countryside of Nghe An still remains in the hearts of the people here.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/nguoi-truyen-nhip-hon-que-trong-nhung-hoi-trong-te-177815.html