Hanoi Mr. Kieu Van Thanh, 46 years old, is the third generation of the Kieu family in Dong Ha village, Dong Yen commune, Quoc Oai district to follow the profession of crying at funerals.
His two sons, 18 and 22 years old, also followed in their father's footsteps, becoming the fourth generation to do this job.
The Kieu family's career in Dong Ha village began in the 1950s, when Thanh's great-grandfather passed away and had to hire a drum and trumpet troupe (the octet troupe) from Chuong My district, nearly 20 km from home. Unfortunately, the funeral upset them, and the family suffered from gossip for several years after. Seeing that many of their relatives had artistic talent, his grandfather came up with the idea of establishing an octet troupe to serve the relatives and the surrounding village.
Mr. Kieu Van Thanh uses an electric guitar while holding a funeral for a deceased person in Hanoi in 2024 with an octave instrument. Photo: Provided by the character
Mr. Kieu Van Bay, Thanh's uncle, who has been in the profession for nearly 20 years, said that during its heyday, the Kieu family's octet was famous throughout the region. In addition to serving in the village, they traveled to all the districts and communes of the old Ha Tay province, even to Thai Nguyen, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, and Thai Binh. "Many people, before passing away, told their children and grandchildren that they had to wait for the Kieu family to arrive before they could hold their funeral," Mr. Bay said.
In those days, the work of the octet revolved around blowing trumpets, beating drums, and expressing their grief on behalf of the deceased's relatives. At night, they changed into costumes and performed ancient stories such as Maudgalyayana's search for his mother (a Buddhist story praising the filial piety of children).
Today, the practice of performing this story at funerals is still preserved, but mainly in rural areas. In the city, if the Kieu family's octet is invited, the performance is shortened to 45 minutes or completely eliminated. The act of crying on behalf of others still receives many requests because almost every family has children working far away and cannot return in time for the funeral.
According to Mr. Thanh, crying for hire is essentially using singing to express the feelings of those left behind, not wearing mourning clothes like family members and struggling in front of the coffin like some other groups.
Thanh's eldest son (far left) and two relatives cried at the funeral in Quoc Oai district, Hanoi, April 26. Photo: Provided by the character
The mourning songs of the Kieu family's octet must have two elements. One is to mention the merits of the deceased, and the other is to express the longing and regret of those left behind. Usually, each "role" will have its own mourning song, such as a child mourning for his parents, a wife mourning for her husband, a husband mourning for his wife, a grandchild mourning for his grandparents, or siblings mourning for each other...
Many funerals today, even though they have many children and grandchildren, still hire people to cry on their behalf to share and express their feelings through songs. For families with few people, the host asks the octet troupe to sing with the hope that the deceased will feel less lonely. There are also many cases where the deceased is in a pitiful situation, causing the person who cries on their behalf like Mr. Thanh not to use a prepared song but to spontaneously express the words.
In the past, mourners often used ancient Cheo tunes such as Hat Su Sau, Hat Lan Tham or Khuc Lam Khoc... both sad and nostalgic. Nowadays, to suit the needs, they also play modern songs such as Mother's Heart, Father's Love, A Realm of Going Back or Soul of a Soldier . The troupe's musical instruments include drums, trumpets, flutes, two-stringed fiddles, blue zithers, three-stringed lutes, moon lutes and electric guitars.
According to Mr. Thanh, to do this job, in addition to being proficient in using musical instruments, you also need to have a good singing voice. When he was young, he went to Hanoi to take a basic vocal class to understand the basic theory, then he explored and learned from his father and uncle.
To preserve his singing voice, the 46-year-old man absolutely abstains from alcohol, beer, and ice, and always sings in the correct key to avoid breaking notes and affecting his larynx. When he was young, Thanh worked almost every day of the year, but now he works one day a year and takes one day off to maintain his health.
Currently, the cost of playing music and crying at a two-day funeral is 5 million VND. If the family is well-off or satisfied with the singing, they can give more as they wish. But many times, seeing the family of the deceased in difficult circumstances, Mr. Thanh does not take money or takes very little, just enough for travel expenses.
"A few years ago, there was a funeral for a poor, lonely old man. We gave all the money we earned," Thanh said. "In any job, you should put your heart first. A few more dollars won't make you rich."
Mr. Thanh (far right) and members of the Kieu family's octet troupe came to serve the funeral of a family in Hanoi in 2023. Photo: Provided by the character
However, Thanh often felt hurt because others looked down on him and discriminated against him because people believed that anything related to funerals would bring bad luck. Moreover, going early and coming home late at night, performing was tiring, so the Kieu family's octet, which used to have dozens of members, now has only a few people following the profession. On days when there were many funerals, Thanh mobilized more people in the village to help.
Mr. Kieu Van Thinh, head of Dong Ha village, said that the Kieu family in the village has had four generations in the profession. Compared to other funeral troupes that only blow trumpets and beat drums, Mr. Thanh's octet also composed lyrics for the children and grandchildren of the deceased, which moved the listeners. In particular, the historical plays performed the night before the deceased is laid to rest have been passed down through many generations, a unique cultural feature of the commune.
"Not only do villagers cry or come to offer condolences, they also often gather at the funeral to listen to the funeral procession reenact stories reminding them of filial piety and gratitude to ancestors and parents," said Mr. Thinh.
Ms. Ngoc Hoa in Dong Ha village has been going to see the funeral performances of the Kieu family since she was a child. According to the 62-year-old woman, the lyrics not only express sadness and sorrow but also remind the living of the upbringing of their grandparents and parents, always touching the emotions of the listeners.
As the third generation to keep the profession, Mr. Thanh said he is lucky that two of his four sons are still continuing their father's profession. Instead of self-studying, his children are now receiving formal vocal training, know how to use musical instruments properly, and are dedicated to their profession.
"As for me and my children, the Kieu family's funeral band will continue to be maintained. That also means that the traditional cultural features in funerals left by previous generations will continue to be preserved," said Mr. Thanh.
Quynh Nguyen - Hai Hien
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