Ancient Quan Ho singing - Preserving heritage for the future

In 2009, UNESCO recognized Quan Ho as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Quan Ho singing originated from Canh singing - the oldest Quan Ho singing custom in Diem village, Hoa Long commune, Bac Ninh city. To this day, this place still preserves these ancient singing melodies as a precious part of Vietnamese culture.

To learn about this unique art form of the Bac Ninh Quan Ho singers, Vietnam.vn introduces to you the photo collection "Ancient Quan Ho singing - Preserving heritage for the future" by author Phan Nhat Anh, to see that singing is not only a form of performing art but also a way to convey the values, spirit and identity of Quan Ho culture. Through the melodies and lyrics, people can find the depth of a cultural tradition imbued with national identity. The photo collection was submitted by the author to the Photo and Video Contest "Happy Vietnam - Happy Vietnam", organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

Quan ho singers dress up before singing.

Every year on the night of January 12, Quan Ho singing - the oldest singing tradition of Bac Ninh Quan Ho - is held in some families in Lim town. Quan Ho singing is characterized by the brothers and sisters sitting on mats singing in response. The slow, resonant, deep, and bouncy voices of the brothers and sisters are even more melodious, touching the hearts of the listeners. Quan Ho singing only ends when both sides run out of responses and the man's side cannot hold the woman's side back and forth. Bac Ninh people with their passionate, rustic souls are always together. Every night of singing is a precious occasion, an opportunity for Quan Ho lovers to meet and make friends. The couples sing face to face, creating a harmony, immersing themselves in each song and their close affection.

The characteristic of Quan Ho singing is that when singing, they sit on mats. The male and female singers sing without accompaniment or supporting instruments, but with the singing technique of “resounding-sounding-background-bouncing”, it is enough to stir people’s hearts. Each singing shift usually has 3 stages: the traditional voice, the small voice and the friendly voice.

Betel leaves folded like phoenix wings represent the full meaning and affection of Quan Ho singers in singing.

Costumes are always carefully considered and meticulously prepared by the Lien Anh and Lien Chi singers in each singing session. For Lien Anh, costumes are not only about dressing beautifully but also a way to express the elegance and solemnity of Quan Ho singers. The Ao Dai with the inner layer of white brocade with delicate patterns, combined with white pants, black turban, and Gia Dinh shoes creates luxury and elegance. As for Lien Chi, it is a three-layered Ao Dai (called Ao Mo Ba), the outer layer is a thin layer of black silk in the color of cockroach wings. The peach-colored bib neck is faintly revealed, two bib strips tied behind the neck, crossed over one shoulder, the waist is tied in the shape of flower petals combined with a red velvet scarf, a black crow-beak scarf on the head, tied in the shape of a lotus bud. Lien Chi wears curved sandals, a cross-body belt, and a conical hat with three layers on her shoulders, all blending together to create a beauty typical of Kinh Bac.

The sisters in the Quan Ho singing show.

The Lien Anh and Lien Chi singers sing in Quan Ho. During the singing, the Lien Anh and Lien Chi singers sing in response without any musical instruments, just the Quan Ho technique that captivates people's hearts.

More specifically, the Quan Ho singing becomes more beautiful as the night progresses, the voices of the singers become more melodious and clear. They do not express themselves through lyrics but also convey their deep spirit and emotions through each word. The Quan Ho singing only ends when the dialogue is over. Although time passes and life has many changes, hat canh still exists and develops as a symbol of the sustainability and strong vitality of Quan Ho culture. However, to maintain and develop the form of male-female hat canh in response according to the old way is not easy. It requires concentration, investment, and a deep understanding of cultural heritage. There needs to be a transmission from generation to generation to keep the flame of this cultural candle burning forever. In 2024, the Photo and Video Contest "Happy Vietnam - Happy Vietnam" continues to be organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in coordination with the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists on the website   https://happy.vietnam.vn is for all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners aged 15 and over. The contest aims to honor individuals and groups with positive information products, making practical contributions to the propaganda and promotion of a beautiful image of Vietnam to the world . Thereby helping people in the country, compatriots abroad and international friends access authentic images of the country, Vietnamese people, Vietnam's achievements in ensuring human rights, towards a happy Vietnam. Each contest category (photo and video) has the following prizes and prize values: - 01 Gold Medal: 70,000,000 VND - 02 Silver Medals: 20,000,000 VND - 03 Bronze Medals: 10,000,000 VND - 10 Encouragement Prizes: 5,000,000 VND - 01 most voted work: 5,000,000 VND The winning authors will be invited by the Organizing Committee to attend the Announcement and Award Ceremony and Certificate on live television of Vietnam Television.

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