The Tale of Kieu enriches the intangible cultural heritage of the three regions of Vietnam.

Imprints in folk songs

Many documents indicate that the folk songs of the Vi and Giam genres originated from the labor of the inhabitants on both banks of the Lam River, but they flourished most in the late 17th and 18th centuries, which was also the time when Nguyen Du spent many years in his father's hometown of Ha Tinh .

The image of Nguyen Du singing Vi in Truong Luu Fabric guild is recreated in the film "Great Poet Nguyen Du".

Legend has it that Chiêu Bảy, in his youth, used to sing folk songs in Trường Lưu, "prompting" the young men of Tiên Điền to respond to the women of Uy and Sạ in the weaving guild. This folk-song environment nurtured the inspiration, and later, the verses of the Tale of Kiều were imbued with a strong folk spirit. And when the Tale of Kiều was published, this very work became a source of rich material for folk songs and rhymes, adding further expressive depth.

Meritorious Artist Nguyen Trong Tuan affirmed: “The great poet Nguyen Du was captivated by the folk songs of Truong Luu before composing The Tale of Kieu. But The Tale of Kieu itself is also the excellent material for enriching the folk songs of the region. Many performance settings have borrowed verses and passages from The Tale of Kieu to express emotions, creating witty, humorous, and highly artistic love songs.”

Meritorious Artist Trong Tuan (second from left) and artisans of Nghi Xuan commune's Vi and Giam Folk Song Club recorded a TV program about heritage.

Many examples were given by Meritorious Artist Nguyen Trong Tuan regarding the lyrics of folk songs and love songs. For instance, a female singer sings: "Surely you are familiar with the Tale of Kieu/ Meeting here, I want to ask a few clear questions/ Why did the wealthy man come to the capital?/ Why did Kieu have to sell herself to redeem her father?/ Why did Kim Trong leave and go home?"

Nam replied: “I am well-versed in the national language and skilled in writing; I am also adept at writing the Tale of Kieu, explaining the story to the silk merchant; the false accusation by the silk merchant; that's why the wealthy landowner unexpectedly came to the capital; because filial piety was stronger than love; that's why Kieu had to sell herself to redeem her father; Kim returned home; and learned that his uncle had passed away…”

Drawing inspiration from the Tale of Kieu, artists can improvise in a variety of ways to address real-life situations. Even today, many authors continue to write new lyrics for folk songs by "borrowing from Kieu," adding vibrancy and a touch of traditional color to their repertoire, allowing them to smoothly address contemporary issues.

Ha Tinh troupe performed the piece "Convergence of Vi and Giam regions" at the festival "Returning to Vi and Giam regions - Connecting the quintessence of heritage" in 2024.

Kieu's voice echoes in three regions

Participating in the "Returning to the Land of Folk Songs - Connecting the Quintessence of Heritage" Festival in Ha Tinh at the end of 2024, People's Artist Do Minh Thuy (Bac Ninh Quan Ho Folk Song Theatre) shared: "In Quan Ho folk songs, there are many lyrics that use allusions from the Tale of Kieu, some even singing an entire stanza from the Tale of Kieu. The Tale of Kieu helps the male and female singers fully express the feelings and intentions in their courtship."

People's Artist Do Minh Thuy - Bac Ninh Quan Ho Theater

While the folk singing style of "giặm" leans towards simplicity, "quan họ" is a scholarly style of singing, closely associated with festivals and the tradition of "performing" Quan Họ. Therefore, Quan Họ singers often use allusions from the Tale of Kieu, such as "Liễu Chương Đài," "Duyên kim lá thắm chỉ hồng," "Mây Tần," and "Nguyệt lão," to add cultural depth to their songs. Some songs, like "Sầu đong càng lắc càng đầy," feature a long passage: "Sầu đong càng lắc càng đầy / Three autumns compressed into one long, terrifying day / Mây Tần locks the window / Dust of red leaves guides the path to dreams / The crescent moon's oil lamp runs low / Faces of dreams, hearts filled with weariness / The study room is as cold as copper / Bamboo withers, strings loosen."

In 2021, the Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House published the book "Quan Ho Folk Songs of Bac Ninh with the Tale of Kieu," which compiles 59 Quan Ho songs using the Tale of Kieu as lyrics. This is clear evidence of the enduring vitality of the Tale of Kieu in Bac Ninh folk songs.

Some performances by artists and actors of Bac Ninh Quan Ho Theatre at the Festival "Returning to the Vi and Giam region - Connecting the quintessence of heritage".

From Kinh Bac to Central and Southern Vietnam, Kieu continues to "transform" in many forms of folk songs such as Hue folk songs, Binh-Tri-Thien folk songs, Quang Nam folk songs, Southern folk songs, ly melodies, tai tu music, cheo opera, and cai luong opera... Wherever Vietnamese people sing, the image of the Tale of Kieu silently spreads. In their songs, ordinary people in each region recognize the humane beauty, filial piety, and unwavering loyalty of Kieu, true to the humanitarian spirit of Nguyen Du.

Not only does the Tale of Kieu thrive in folklore, but it is also strongly promoted by cultural policies. In 2015, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved a project to promote and publicize the Tale of Kieu nationwide. A series of art forms have commissioned adaptations of the poem from Kieu, including: Cheo, Cai Luong, Vi, Giam Nghe Tinh, Quan Ho Bac Ninh, Bai Choi, Ca Tru, Hat Van, Xam, Ca Hue, and Don Ca Tai Tu…

Southern Vietnamese Traditional Music Performance. Photo: Internet.

These adaptations not only enrich theatrical life but also affirm that The Tale of Kieu is capable of encompassing all emotional states and is suitable for various performance spaces—a rare value in classical literary works.

Quietly, over hundreds of years, The Tale of Kieu has permeated the national life in a simple way through songs and melodies. This affirms the immense value and vibrant vitality of The Tale of Kieu in the national cultural life of all three regions: North, Central, and South.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/truyen-kieu-lam-giau-them-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-3-mien-post300895.html