Xoan Ward joins the festival.

The drums resound. The sacred flags flutter. The rhythmic clapping and singing stir the village... As the traditional Lunar New Year approaches, the Xoan folk singing troupes intensify their training, preparing for the traditional rituals of the new year. Spring arrives not only from nature but also from the hearts of the people. For the performers of Xoan folk singing, spring seems to arrive earlier with the bustling and vibrant atmosphere of the festival season...

Xoan singing at the Hung Kings Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival.

Song to welcome Spring

Xoan singing is a precious intangible cultural heritage of the ancestral land, closely associated with the worship of Hung Kings, a belief originating from the Vietnamese people's practice of ancestor worship. According to researchers, the two cultural heritages inscribed by UNESCO, Phu Tho Xoan singing and the Hung King worship belief in Phu Tho, are closely related. Essentially, Xoan singing is a type of ritual folk song, also known as temple gate singing or temple gate songs, a multi-faceted art form: music, singing, and dancing serving the religious needs of the community. It has a rich history, a tightly organized artistic structure, a vast cultural space, and a strong influence throughout the community. To this day, there is no unified explanation for the origin of Xoan singing, but many studies affirm that these melodies appeared during the time of the Hung Kings' founding of the nation. Xoan singing is performed in the spring to welcome the new year, not only for singing, but also to pray for favorable weather, bountiful harvests, prosperity for all families, good health for the people and livestock, peace and security for the nation, and to pay tribute to King Hung...

For agricultural communities, spring is also a time of leisure, with festivals held throughout the region. Xoan singing has become an indispensable ritual, echoing in village communal houses, adding vibrancy to the atmosphere and filling people's hearts with anticipation and hope for good things in life. Ancient Xoan singing troupes in the province still preserve the tradition of performing songs honoring the King at village communal houses on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year), and then performing at Hung Temple. According to People's Artist Nguyen Thi Lich - Head of the An Thai Xoan singing troupe (Van Phu ward), in the past, after singing songs honoring the King on the fifth day of Tet at Hung Temple, the Xoan singing troupes would pack their bags and go on spring excursions. Larger troupes had a few dozen people, while smaller ones had a dozen or so. They would carry rice balls wrapped in palm leaves, following the drums of village festivals throughout the region to enjoy the spring, socialize, and perform. What started as a novelty has become familiar over the years, as the performers of Xoan singing have traveled to villages throughout the province and neighboring areas such as Hanoi, Bac Ninh, and Hai Phong... The unique "Chơi dâu cách" (playing the mulberry branch) style, the 14th distinctive style in Xoan singing, was created when Xoan singing troupes visited Bac Ninh to participate in the Dâu Pagoda festival and perform.

Through the ups and downs of history, there were times when Xoan singing seemed to be forgotten, gradually disappearing from village festivals. However, with the vibrant life of this traditional folk art form, deeply rooted in rituals and the moral principles of gratitude to ancestors, combined with the affection and responsibility of generations of singers, actors, and artisans who cherish the songs passed down from their forefathers, Xoan singing continues to endure in the cultural life of the people of the ancestral land, becoming a cultural heritage of humanity. As Tet (Lunar New Year) arrives, Xoan singing resonates once again in the village communal houses. The spontaneous spring outings and performances accompanied by drums have now been replaced by specific programs, plans, and contracts, helping Xoan singing troupes grow stronger and the tradition of Xoan singing spread more widely throughout the community.

The gatehouse extends far

Located in the former capital of Van Lang, Van Phu ward is currently the cradle of Xoan singing, with four original Xoan singing groups: An Thai, Kim Dai, Phu Duc, and Thet, totaling approximately 300 members. In addition, the ward also has three Xoan singing and Phu Tho folk song clubs, recognized at the provincial level, that regularly operate with 140 members. In recent years, the Xoan singing heritage has spread increasingly widely, becoming an indispensable spiritual nourishment for the local people. Xoan singing frequently appears in cultural and artistic festivals, competitions, and performances, serving political purposes, propaganda, and education commemorating major holidays and historical events of the country, province, and locality, especially in spring festivals. As the Lunar New Year approaches, the Xoan folk singing troupes intensify their training, eagerly preparing for performances to serve traditional rituals at village communal houses and to meet the needs of tourists. Meritorious Artist Nguyen Van Quyet - Head of Kim Dai Xoan singing troupe, shared: “Our Xoan singing troupe currently has 60 members, including two elderly people who are 93 years old and many children who are still in elementary school. Although they have different ages and occupations, all members share a common denominator: affection, love, and passion for the songs dedicated to the King. I myself work in construction, but whenever the troupe has work to do, I always arrange my time to serve the community with the hope that Xoan singing will endure, reach higher and further, and become more accessible to a wider audience. The traditional Lunar New Year and the early days of Spring are the seasons for Xoan singing, so we focus our time and effort on participating in performances to serve traditional rituals and meet the needs of visitors.” Every year, on the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, the Kim Dai Xoan singing troupe performs at Chay communal house during the opening ceremony, in the afternoon at Lai Len temple, and on the seventh day of the first lunar month, they perform at the main village communal house festival... In addition, whenever localities, organizations, or tourists want to see, learn about, and experience the Xoan singing cultural heritage, the troupe is always ready to meet their needs.

People's Artist Nguyen Thi Lich - Head of the An Thai Xoan Troupe - enthusiastically said: "The more people know and love Xoan singing, the stronger and more enduring this cultural heritage passed down from our ancestors will become. The An Thai Xoan Troupe currently has 117 members with 5 generations participating in its activities. At the beginning of the new year, the troupe's performance schedule is always full. Starting from the first day of Tet at the An Thai village communal house festival, then to Hung Temple, Hung Vuong Ancestral Shrine, and after that, we travel to various village festivals and tourist destinations where we have performance contracts. Some days, the Xoan Troupe performs at up to 5 locations. It's tiring, but we feel very excited and proud..."

The preservation and effective promotion of our ancestors' heritage not only enriches the traditional cultural treasure and the cultural life of the people but also becomes an invaluable asset in attracting tourists, developing tourism, and making a positive contribution to the socio-economic development of the locality. From the beginning of the year until now, the historical sites in the ward have welcomed nearly 200 groups with more than 10,000 visitors, of which the Hung Lo community cultural tourism site alone has welcomed 182 groups with 8,005 visitors (37 international groups with 500 visitors). Xoan singing has truly become an attractive tourist specialty.

Despite being busy with her studies, Bui Nhu Quynh, a 9th-grade student at Phuong Lau Secondary School, still dedicates time to practicing with the An Thai Xoan singing troupe during the final days of the year. Born into a family with a rich tradition of Xoan singing, her maternal grandmother is a People's Artist and the head of the An Thai Xoan singing troupe. Quynh began practicing Xoan singing at the age of 5, and by the time she was in first grade, she had mastered many ancient Xoan melodies and performed with the troupe. Quynh shared: "Every time I participate in a performance, I feel happy and proud, I feel more mature, and I have more confidence and determination in my goal of staying connected with Xoan singing..."

The Spring Festival has begun, the Xoan folk songs resound in the village square, stirring the hearts of the people, marking the start of a new year filled with faith and determination to build a prosperous and peaceful life for the people of the Ancestral Land.

Cam Ninh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/phuong-xoan-vao-hoi-248137.htm