After 10 years of development, up to now, the program "Hat Xoan Lang Co" has become an indispensable spiritual dish for domestic and foreign tourists when coming to Phu Tho. The Xoan singing melodies imbued with the love of the land and people of Phu Tho in particular and the country and people of Vietnam in general always satisfy a large number of tourists on the occasion of the Hung Kings' death anniversary - Hung Temple Festival every year. According to researchers, the heritage of Xoan singing in Phu Tho and the Hung Kings' worship are two but one, linked together. The Hung Kings' worship exists and develops thanks to the Xoan singing in the ritual. According to historical records, Xoan singing has existed for more than 2,000 years. Since the time of the Hung Kings, Xoan singing has been held in the spring to welcome the new year, not only for singing, but also to pray for favorable weather, good crops, prosperity for every family, prosperity for the nation and the people, and to congratulate the Hung Kings. For a long time, Xoan singing has been associated with festivals and the spiritual needs of people's lives. The name and origin of Xoan singing are both associated with legendary stories about the time of Hung Kings founding the country.
Xoan singing is a heritage of performing art including singing, dancing, drumming and clapping associated with the worship of Hung Kings, a belief originating from the practice of ancestor worship of the Vietnamese people recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Because it originated from the Hung King era and is closely associated with the legend of the Hung Kings, Phu Tho Xoan singing has a special attraction for tourists. The lyrics, lyrics, dances, and performance instruments are extremely rustic and simple, but the rhythm and melody are clear and strong, especially the drum beats at the communal house gate urge, urge, and touch the most respectful consciousness of each person in the space and performance program of "Xoan singing in the ancient village". In 2013, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho built the program "Xoan singing in the ancient village" associated with tours and tourist routes serving groups of visitors to attend the Hung King's death anniversary - Hung Temple Festival every year. This is also the premise for building the tourism product "Xoan singing in the ancient village" in community life.
The ancient communal house of Hung Lo village (Phu Tho) is located along the Lo River, about 10 km east of Hung Temple.
In April 2018, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho in coordination with Viet Tri city announced the tourism product "Hat Xoan in the ancient village". This is the first product and tour developed and implemented by Phu Tho province in conjunction with travel companies. Accordingly, in one day, visitors will visit the Hung Temple Historical Site, practice the rituals of worshiping Hung Kings, learn about the process of building and defending the country of our ancestors; visit the Hung King Museum, learn about the exhibition space about the nature, cultural history of the land of the ancestors through the periods from prehistoric to modern times; Visit Hung Lo ancient communal house (a 300-year-old communal house located on the banks of Lo river) and Hung Lo ancient village with a corner of the countryside market, ancient houses, experience wrapping banh chung, pounding traditional banh day... Finally, visitors will visit Lai Len temple, the birthplace of Phu Tho Xoan singing and enjoy the smooth ancient Xoan melodies performed by the artisans of Xoan guilds. The program "Xoan singing in ancient villages" is associated with historical and cultural relics, the birthplace of Xoan singing and ancient communal houses - the areas where Xoan singing is spread such as: Lai Len temple, Thet communal house, An Thai communal house, Hung Lo communal house... The main performers of the program are the artisans of the 4 original Xoan guilds: Phu Duc, Kim Doi, Thet and An Thai.
International tourists, artisans and locals participate in Xoan singing at Hung Lo ancient communal house (Hung Lo commune, Viet Tri city, Phu Tho province).
The ancient and sacred space of the communal houses, combined with the skillful and fluent performance of the drums, singing, dancing, and moving feet of the artists and Xoan actors and actresses, exudes the beauty of solemnity, reverence, sincerity, simplicity, and depth that visitors cannot forget. People's Artist Nguyen Thi Lich (Xoan An Thai Ward, Phuong Lau Ward) said that the program "Xoan Singing in the Ancient Village" is organized on the occasion of the Hung Kings' Commemoration Anniversary - Hung Temple Festival every year to preserve, conserve, promote as well as introduce and promote the heritage of Xoan Singing and the Hung Kings' Worship in Phu Tho. Therefore, the entire Phuong Lau Xoan Ward always tries its best to bring the best and most meaningful Xoan melodies to serve visitors from near and far on their pilgrimage to the land of the ancestors.
With its outstanding global values, on November 24, 2011, at the 6th Conference of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO held in Bali - Indonesia, Phu Tho Xoan Singing of Vietnam was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding of Humanity. On December 8, 2017, at the 12th Conference, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO officially removed Phu Tho Xoan Singing from the state of urgent protection and became a representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In order to preserve and promote the value of Xoan singing cultural heritage, Phu Tho province has been and is continuing to implement many practical and effective solutions to preserve and promote the heritage values, making Phu Tho Xoan singing heritage a priceless asset.
Three-generation Xoan singing performance at Van Lang Park Stage, Viet Tri City (Phu Tho).
Mr. Nguyen Dac Thuy, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Phu Tho province, said that the province has synchronously and systematically implemented programs and projects to preserve Xoan singing. In particular, the province clearly identified the dissemination, promotion and promotion of the value of Xoan singing heritage as a key task throughout. Thereby, the Xoan singing heritage is preserved and its value is promoted in the period of innovation and international integration. Phu Tho identified that Xoan singing artisans are "living human treasures", the core force in protecting the Xoan singing heritage. Therefore, the province has proactively implemented activities to exploit and protect artisans. Currently, the whole province has hundreds of artisans capable of teaching, many of whom have been awarded the title of People's Artisan and Meritorious Artisan.
Xoan singing has long become a unique cultural beauty bearing the mark of the people of the ancestral land; contributing to the traditional beauty bearing the soul value of the nation.
Along with supporting daily allowances for artisans and students participating in teaching and training classes, the province has supported Xoan guilds with funds to raise funds for activities, organize activities, teach, purchase equipment, etc. 100% of schools in the province have included Xoan singing in their educational programs through the Music subject and extracurricular programs; about 50% of educational institutions have established school-level Xoan singing clubs. Along with that, over 100 Xoan singing and folk song clubs at all three levels of province, district, and commune have been established and maintained, meeting the needs of Xoan singing lovers, contributing to the strong spread of Xoan singing in community life.
The song "Mo ca" is one of the most anticipated songs by young men and women.
Phu Tho province always focuses on preserving the Xoan singing heritage associated with tourism development, sustainably exploiting the value of this heritage based on the community. This activity contributes to making Xoan singing a resource, a unique and attractive tourism product, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. The program "Xoan singing in ancient villages" has contributed to widely promoting and disseminating the representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity to a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. The program contributes to encouraging people and artisans of Xoan guilds to preserve, conserve, and teach, so that these singing melodies will last forever and continue to promote their noble values in the period of innovation and international integration.
Article: Toan Duc Photos, graphics: VNA Edited by: Ky Thu Presented by: Nguyen Ha
Tùng Anh•22/04/2023
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