"Supporting" the spread of the art of Bai Choi

VHO - Faced with the risk of the Bài Chòi art form fading away, the Quang Ngai provincial government and generations of artisans have worked together to overcome difficulties, bringing new life and spread to Bài Chòi.

Mr. Nguyen Van An, a member of the folk music and singing club of Binh Thuan commune, Binh Son district, is singing a traditional folk song.

Rekindle vitality

The Quang Ngai Provincial Center for Culture and Arts has opened training courses to teach the art of Bai Choi performance, aiming to connect people with shared passions and contribute to preserving and promoting the value of the nation's traditional cultural heritage.

Mr. Nguyen Van An, a member of the folk singing and playing club in Binh Thuan commune, Binh Son district, shared that he is very passionate about singing Bai Choi. Having participated in training courses on Bai Choi, he has been able to experience and appreciate the unique and captivating aspects of Bai Choi in a close and vivid way. From the way the huts are built, the names of the cards, the costumes, to the chanting, gestures, performance, and improvisational talent.

“When there was a training course on the art of Bài Chòi (a traditional Vietnamese folk singing style), I immediately participated. The humorous, witty, and artistic nature of the Bài Chòi melodies, combined with the two-stringed fiddle, flute, drums, and rhythmic clappers, ignited my love and passion for learning and singing Bài Chòi. Through the course, I can sing better to entertain tourists visiting the Bàu Cá Cái mangrove forest,” Mr. An expressed.

According to Mr. An, his hometown currently has the Bau Ca Cai eco- tourism destination, where visitors not only enjoy exploring the pristine nature but also get to experience the traditional Bài Chòi folk singing. It's truly delightful to sit on a small boat, explore the vast mangrove swamps, admire the picturesque waterways, and listen to Bài Chòi performances.

Recently, a folk song and Bài Chòi club under the Provincial Cultural and Arts Center was established. The club has nearly 30 members, each with different jobs and professions, but sharing a common passion and dedication to preserving and promoting Bài Chòi art. The majority of the club members are young people.

Teacher Ta Van Cuong, a teacher at Le Hong Phong Primary School, is one of the core young members of the folk song and traditional theater club at the Provincial Cultural and Arts Center.

Mr. Ta Van Cuong (37 years old), currently a teacher at Le Hong Phong Primary School in Quang Ngai City, is one of the core young members of the folk song and traditional theater club. Mr. Cuong said that he and other club members have regularly performed traditional theater acts at many programs, competitions, and festivals organized by the cultural sector. Currently a physical education teacher, he has a talent for performing arts and regularly participates in local cultural and artistic activities.

"Because I'm passionate about singing and Bài Chòi (a traditional Vietnamese folk game), I registered to participate in classes teaching the art form and folk song clubs to learn more knowledge and experience. From there, I pass on this knowledge to my students in particular and young people in general, to preserve and pass on the beauty of Bài Chòi art," Cương shared.

Distinguished artist Tran Tam (on the right) is the one who passes on the passion for Bai Choi to the younger generation.

Passing the torch to future generations.

Currently, many localities in the province, such as Quang Ngai City, Tu Nghia, Nghia Hanh, Mo Duc, Binh Son, and Duc Pho town, have established folk song and Bai Choi clubs. The head of the folk song and Bai Choi club (Provincial Cultural and Arts Center), Meritorious Artist Tran Tam, shared that with the guidance of many artists knowledgeable in Bai Choi, club members will hone their performance skills and master Bai Choi melodies, contributing to the promotion of Bai Choi art in contemporary life.

"We organize regular activities and performance programs to create a platform where everyone can participate, develop their talents, and discover new talents for training," Mr. Tam said.

Over the years, many clubs have been established and have participated in numerous art festivals and Bài Chòi competitions both within and outside the province. However, the current difficulty lies in the limited funding to maintain these activities. The generations of Bài Chòi artisans, considered "living heritage," are mostly elderly and few in number. Therefore, to ensure the effective operation of these folk song and Bài Chòi clubs, the authorities at all levels need to provide financial support to maintain their activities, pay attention to and care for the elderly artisans, and regularly organize classes to teach Bài Chòi art.

Traditional folk singing performances are held for tourists at Go Co community tourism village, Pho Thanh commune, Duc Pho town.

According to Nguyen Tien Dung, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ngai province: “Quang Ngai is implementing the Project on Preserving and Promoting the Art of Bai Choi. This includes focusing on developing Bai Choi clubs in localities and linking this art form with tourism activities. Introducing Bai Choi into tourism offerings is necessary to diversify tourism products and contribute to socio-economic development in the locality. This also helps preserve and promote the art of Bai Choi in contemporary life.”

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/tiep-suc-cho-nghe-thuat-bai-choi-lan-toa-112851.html