Tu Huan performance on the Ma River

Following the Ma Giang River, we found our way to the ancient village of Vinh Tri, Hoang Quang commune - where the Tu Huan play has "lived its life" with the land and people here through many ups and downs and historical changes.

Tu Huan play performed by Vinh Tri villagers.

According to the legend of Tu Huan play that is passed down here, the play is closely associated with the life and career of King Le Dai Hanh. When the king led his troops to defeat the southern invaders, he passed through Vinh Tri village, stopped to rest on high ground on the bank of Ma river, and was blessed by the gods, so when he charged into battle, he won the first battle. In the same year, to show his respect and gratitude to the gods for their blessings and protection, the king ordered the construction of a temple, granted the title of village tutelary god, and assigned Vinh Tri village to worship him. On the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month every year, the people of Vinh Tri village hold a memorial service for the god, including solemn offerings and sacrifices.

In the book “Vinh Tri su tich” it is stated that: In the past, the village held a ceremony, with “singing and singing”. Later, in addition to the annual ceremony, in years when the village had a good harvest or people achieved high results, the village held a festival, organized games composed and performed by villagers that were closely related to life such as Buddha casting, chicken dancing, Tu Huan...

Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoang Quang Commune (Thanh Hoa City) Nguyen Trong Kien said: "The Tu Huan play has existed in Vinh Tri village for many generations. Although it was lost at times, it is still passed down and continued from generation to generation, becoming a beautiful symbol in the cultural and religious life of the people here. The vitality of the Tu Huan play in particular, and the traditional cultural values ​​of Hoang Quang commune in general, are the result of the attention and focus of the local Party Committee and government over the years and the efforts of generations of people in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values".

Many places in Thanh Hoa province have Tu Huan performances and they are still passed down from generation to generation to this day, such as: Xuan Pha (Tho Xuan), Dong Anh (Dong Son), Thien Linh (Quang Xuong)... However, each place has a different way of performing Tu Huan, imbued with the nuances of that village.

In Vinh Tri, Tu Huan is usually held with the participation of 14 people, including father, mother and 12 children. Even the Tu Huan participants have their own meaning, showing the development and expansion of the village and the country. Generations follow each other, the next generation is larger than the previous generation. The previous generation (parents) must always be the support, the center gathering the next generations (children). On the contrary, the next generation (children) must know how to look at the origin and strive to strive. The costumes used in Tu Huan are scarves, shirts, and skirts like the ancient Vietnamese. The music of Tu Huan in Vinh Tri village is relatively simple but no less unique, it is the harmony of drum sounds (small drum, rice drum, xenh...) and the sound of "he, he" repeated after each verse, which sounds very pleasant to the ear.

One of the unique features of the Tu Huan performance in Vinh Tri village is that the men will directly play the mother and the continuity of the generation through the image of the child is "played" by the village teenagers. The graceful and flexible dance movements, combined smoothly with the music, create a unique and attractive performance.

Mr. Vu Duc Phu (82 years old, in Vinh Tri village) shared: “The most special thing is that the Tu Huan performance force has a legacy, with the participation of many young people. The 12 children selected to participate in Tu Huan are all between the ages of 10-14. Many people participate in Tu Huan from the time they are old enough to be children until they are trusted and chosen to play the mother. The elderly and experienced people pass on their experiences and teach the young how to perform Tu Huan. “When the bamboo is old, the young shoots grow”, Tu Huan continues to have a strong vitality”.

As a “child of the family”, Mr. Vu Duc Van and many people in his family have a deep understanding of the Tu Huan performance of Vinh Tri village. Since he was a child, he has had a love and passion for the dance movements and melodious singing when performing Tu Huan. At the age of 13 or 14, he was selected to join the village’s Tu Huan team to perform for major events in the province. Mr. Van excitedly said: “Back then, whoever was selected to join the team was very happy and joyful, practicing with all their might, not knowing what fatigue was. When performing far away, they had to walk, the whole group was in a “long line” but everyone was excited”. Currently, at an age that is rare in the past, he still maintains his passion, actively participates in performances, and teaches Tu Huan to generations of children in the village. The Tu Huan performance is one of the precious things that Mr. Van always preserves and cherishes.

The Ma River embraces in its heart many historical, traditional cultural and spiritual values. On its journey, the Ma River carries the vitality and uniqueness of the Tu Huan performance, along with the land and people of Vinh Tri, reaching far and wide...

Article and photos: Thao Linh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tro-dien-tu-huan-ben-dong-song-ma-224854.htm