The thread connecting the time zones

In the spiritual and cultural life of the Dao people in Mo Sat village, Trai Cau commune, there is a special musical instrument that has been associated for generations, that is the Pi Le trumpet. In the middle of the mountain forest, the sound of the trumpet is sometimes sad, sometimes sacred, like a thread connecting people with the sacred world, connecting the present with many generations of ancestors.

Dao people in Mo Sat village, Trai Cau commune perform Pi Le trumpet in a traditional ceremony.

Melody of life

Coming to Mo Sat village, where 99% of households are Dao people, it is easy to feel the peaceful, rustic atmosphere of a highland village. Here, Pi Le trumpet has long been an indispensable part of the cultural and religious life of the people. The sound of the trumpet resounds in festivals, weddings, ordination ceremonies, or community activities, expressing joy, sadness and aspirations for a prosperous and happy life.

Mr. Trieu Van Phuong, Head of the Dao Ethnic Cultural Identity Preservation Club in Mo Sat village, shared: We Dao people believe that the sound of the trumpet is the call of our ancestors, the farewell to the soul of the deceased to return to their grandparents. Without the sound of the trumpet, the ceremony is considered incomplete. The Pi Le trumpet has existed for a long time, appearing in most important ceremonies.

According to connoisseurs, making a complete Pi Le trumpet is a meticulous process. The main materials for making the trumpet include wild mulberry wood, copper and tea worm cocoons. The body of the trumpet is turned round, about 35cm long, with 7 evenly spaced holes, plus 1 vent hole on the back. The two ends of the trumpet are attached with thin, hand-polished copper tubes, the speaker flares out to more than 10cm to help the sound spread far and wide.

In particular, the reed - the part that creates the sound is made from the cocoon of a tea leaf-eating caterpillar, must be thinly and evenly ground to make the sound clear, resonant and "soulful". The entire body of the reed is about 50cm long, just enough for the artist to hold in his hand. When blowing, the blower must have a long breath, flexible fingers and a calm mind to be able to create a true Dao melody.

Pi Le trumpet - a traditional musical instrument closely associated with the cultural life of the people.

Each note of the trumpet is associated with a specific rhythm: in funerals, the trumpet sounds sad like a farewell; in festivals, it is bustling, resonating with the sound of drums and singing. Especially, in the coming of age ceremony - an important coming of age ceremony of the Dao people, the trumpet sounds become a bridge between the shaman and the gods, between the mortal world and the sacred world.

The Pi Le trumpet can perform many different songs, depending on the ceremony. During the wedding ceremony, the trumpet sounds with the tunes "Welcoming the bride's house", "Welcoming the bride", "Seeing off the bride's house"... When the bride enters the "Pai Toong" (worshiping path) ceremony, the sound of the trumpet becomes deep, both bustling and mournful, as if expressing the new bride's homesickness and longing for her parents.

For the Dao people, a wedding is a major ceremony in a person’s life, so the sound of the trumpet is indispensable. It symbolizes the solemnity and dignity of the family, and at the same time carries the meaning of wishing for happiness, driving away bad luck, and bringing luck and peace to the young couple.

Mr. Trieu Van Phuong, who has spent more than half his life playing the Pi Le trumpet, said: The sound of the trumpet is very sacred to us. Every time it sounds, it is like hearing the call of our ancestors. No matter where we go, whenever we hear the sound of the trumpet, we feel warm inside and feel like we belong here.

Send back tomorrow

With the pace of modern life, the image of Dao people playing trumpets in the village is no longer as popular as before. Many young people work far away, and have little time to learn to play the trumpet. Some young people are passionate about modern musical instruments, gradually becoming indifferent to the traditional trumpet sound.

Mr. Trieu Van Phuong worries: In the past, every young person in the village knew how to play the trumpet. Now it is different, the younger generation is less interested. Partly because of the need to make a living, partly because they are caught up in the pace of modern life. If there are no classes to teach it, I am afraid that the Pi Le trumpet will gradually be forgotten.

From that concern, the authorities of Trai Cau commune and Mo Sat village have coordinated with artisans to organize Pi Le flute classes for teenagers. Every month, the village maintains 2 to 3 classes, attracting a large number of people to participate.

Trieu Tan Phat, an 8th grader, one of the members of the trumpet teaching class, shared: I find learning the Pi Le trumpet difficult but I really like it. I want to learn it to preserve my ethnic identity and perform in the village festival.

Not only teaching, Mo Sat village also brings Pi Le trumpet performances to cultural festivals, spring festivals, and great solidarity festivals, helping the trumpet sound live in community life, not just resounding in rituals.

In a conversation with us, Mr. Trieu Van Vinh, Head of Mo Sat Village, said: The government always creates conditions for artisans to teach the younger generation. We hope that the sound of the trumpet will not only resonate in the village, but also be known to tourists as a unique cultural beauty of the Dao people.

Trieu Tan Phat (left) practices playing the Pi Le flute with adults in the village.

Not only limited to the village level, Trai Cau commune has also included the preservation of Pi Le flute in the program of building grassroots cultural life. Art performances, spring festivals, and cultural and sports festivals of the commune all have Pi Le flute performances, contributing to promoting this beauty to a large number of tourists.

Trai Cau commune determined that preserving Pi Le trumpet is not only for the Dao people, but also contributes to enriching the cultural picture of Thai Nguyen province. In the near future, the commune government will build a Dao ethnic cultural club, which will include preserving and promoting the value of Pi Le trumpet.

Amidst the modern pace of life, the sound of the Pi Le trumpet still echoes in the Mo Sat mountains and forests as proof of the enduring vitality of folk culture. Preserving the trumpet sound is preserving the memories, identity and soul of the Dao people.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202511/soi-day-noi-nhung-mien-thoi-gian-d1f6808/