v. the intangible cultural heritage list of unesco · b. space of gong culture in the central...

The Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO | 73

V. The Intangible Cultural Heritage List of

UNESCO

1. The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of

Humanity

A. Nha Nhac, Vietnamese Court Music

1) Heritage information

history, background: Nha Nhac, meaning ‘elegant music’, refers to a

broad range of musical and dance styles performed at the

Vietnamese royal court from the fifteenth to the mid-twentieth

century.

area: Hue city

2)Relevant information

year of inscription: 2008 (originally proclaimed as a Masterpieces

in 2003)

community involvement: This musical tradition has been kept alive

by the few surviving former court musicians. They together with

the concerned community have been enthusiastically involving in

the safeguarding project by cooperating, providing data and

information for the documentation and inventory work, as well as

transmitting their valuable skills and knowledge to the younger

generation.

3) Practitioners

The former practitioners are now in a very small number, but there are

more and more young people to come to learn, thanks to the

dissemination and awareness raising work.

74 | Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding Efforts in Vietnam

4) Relevant events

The Hue Monument Conservation Center has implemented various

safeguarding activities including Nha nhac transmission classes and

organizing performances on place and travelling oversea.

5) Information resource

Information is from Nha nhac nomination file and Nguyen Van Phuc,

Head of Cooperation and External Affairs, Hue Monument Conservation

Center, Add.Tam Toa 23 Tong Duy Tan, Hue city, Vietnam.

6) Safeguarding projects

Right after Nha nhac was proclaimed as a Masterpiece of Humanity in

2003, an action plan or a safeguarding project has immediately been

carried out. The project is expected to enhance the capacity of the

technical staff dealing with surveying and documentation. It will also

enable the development of a legal framework for the protection of aging

artists. The publication of promotional documentations, the

revitalization of old repertories and the reproduction of traditional

costumes and musical instruments will all contribute to raising

awareness regarding the significance of this cultural expression.

B. Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highland of Viet Nam


Inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible

Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2005)

local name, if any

- area: the core area spreads over 5 provinces of Dak Lak, dak Nong,

Gia Lai, Kon TumLam Dong.

- community: 17 ethnic groups of Austro-Asian and Austronesian

ethno-linguistic communities

history, background

Closely linked to daily life and the cycle of the seasons, their belief

systems form a mystical world where the gongs produce a privileged

language between men, divinities and the supernatural world. Behind

every gong hides a god or goddess who is all the more powerful when

the gong is older. Every family possesses at least one gong, which

indicates the family’s wealth, authority and prestige, and also ensures

its protection. While a range of brass instruments is used in the various


ceremonies, the gong alone is present in all the rituals of community life

and is the main ceremonial instrument.

The manner in which the gongs of Vietnam are played varies according

to the village. Each instrumentalist carries a different gong measuring

between 25 and 80 cm in diameter. From three to twelve gongs are

played by the village ensembles, which are made up of men or women.

Different arrangements and rhythms are adapted to the context of the

ceremony, for example, the ritual sacrifice of the bullocks, the blessing

of the rice or mourning rites. The gongs of this region are bought in

neighboring countries, and then tuned to the desired tone for their own

use.

Economic and social transformations have drastically affected the

traditional way of life of these communities and no longer provide the

original context for the Gong culture. Transmission of this way of life,

knowledge and know-how was severely disrupted during the decades

of war during the last century. Today, this phenomenon is aggravated

by the disappearance of old craftsmen and young people’s growing

interest in Western culture. Stripped of their sacred significance, the

gongs are sometimes sold for recycling or exchanged for other products.

2) Detailed information

year of inscription: 2008 (originally proclaimed a s Masterpiece of

Humanity in 2005).

community involvement: The communities involve largely in

playing gong since it requires playing in group and it attaches

closely to every stage of daily life of a human being. From three to

twelve gongs are played by the village ensembles, which are made

up of men or women. Different arrangements and rhythms are

adapted to the context of the ceremony, for example, the ritual

sacrifice of the bullocks, the blessing of the rice or mourning rites.

The gongs of this region are bought in neighboring countries, and

then tuned to the desired tone for their own use.

preservation association: in many provinces having gongs in the

Central Highland are now implementing or searching out good

method for the safeguarding of gongs tradition. Hundreds of Gong

clubs were set up to kipping gong playing.

members, activities: Many exchange performances and festivals

among gongs clubs at different scopes have been organized.


3) Practitioners

Despite the above mentioned efforts, there is a fact that the number of

practitioners is sharply reducing due to the following reasons: a portion

of practitioners now switch their belief, turning to Christian and do not

use gong any more. A portion of it were sold rout for recycling,

exchange for other products. To resolve this thread, we need to assist

the culture bearer to transmit their skills and knowledge and attract

young people to involve in gong playing.

D. Relevant events

organizing festival among gong clubs, involving gongs in other relevant

festivals, revitalizing different traditions and cultural spaces concerned,

etc.

5) Information resources (interviews)

Information is from the Nomination file and through interviewing Ms.

Le Thi An, deputy head of Professional division of the Department of

Culture, Sports and Tourism of Daknong province on January 15, 2010.

6)Safeguarding projects:

With assistance of the Department of Cultural Heritage and UNESCO

Paris and Hanoi Offices, The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism

of Dak Nong province had prepared a community-base project for the

safeguarding of their gong culture and was approved and funded with

amount of nearly a hundred thousand US dollars by the Fund-in Trust of

the Government of Norway. The local authority invested an other

portion to fulfill the project, which has been designed to develop a

network of gong practitioners and enthusiasts and to support

preservation and promotion of the Central Highland’s gong

performance tradition in the actual cultural context where it was born

and has been maintained in social life until today. The project will

directly benefit the artisans, artists, the devoted people and caretakers

who have greatly contributed to the safeguarding of the gong heritage,

but will also benefit the broader Vietnamese people. By mobilizing all

potential sectors from society, the project seeks to provide the

foundations for transmitting the skills of playing and especially of

tuning gongs to young generations, and to promote awareness of the

significance of intangible cultural heritage not only at the local level, but

also at the national level. It will include a systematic inventory of the

practitioners of gong tuning and performance and establish a policy of


recognition and valorization of older master artists. The project’s goals

are to:

safeguard gong culture in the present social situation in which

modernization and globalization are rapidly occurring, and young

people’s aesthetic taste has increasingly been deflected from

traditional heritage;

assist ICH custodians and practitioners in their efforts to safeguard

and transmit this heritage to future generations and to target

young audiences and potential performers;

raise the awareness of young people in the local community of the

important role they should have locally and nationally in

Vietnamese society at large by ensuring the conservation and

transmission of the know–how of gong tuning and performing ;

identify best practices in implementing the 2003 Convention on the

Safeguarding of the ICH , in respect of community involvement.

To date, most of the tasks have been implemented and gained optimistic

outcomes, for instance the inventory work with involvement of the

representative of communities, the development of gong clubs, revitalization

of several cultural spaces and traditions, a list of master artists has been set

up and a draft of Regulation for enhancing those who have made enormous

contributions to the safeguarding of gongs has been made. These activities

have sharply raised awareness of all sectors at all levels and strongly

encourage the community to maintain and transit gong traditions to their

successors.

D. Quan Họ Bắc Ninh folk songs


local name, if any: Dân ca Quan họ Bắc Ninh.

history, background: Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs. The songs are

performed as alternating verses between two women from one

village who sing in harmony, and two men from another village

who respond with similar melodies, but with different lyrics. The

women traditionally wear distinctive large round hats and scarves;

the men’s costumes include turbans, umbrellas and tunics. The

more than 400 song lyrics, sung with 213 different melody

variations, express people’s emotional states of longing and

sadness upon separation, and the happiness of the meeting of

lovers, but custom forbids marrying a singing partner. Quan họ


singing is common at rituals, festivals, competitions and informal

gatherings, where guests will perform a variety of verses for their

hosts before singing farewell. Younger musicians of both sexes may

practice the four singing techniques – restrained, resonant, ringing

and staccato – at parties organized around singing. Quan họ songs

express the spirit, philosophy and local identity of the communities

in this region, and help forge social bonds within and between

villages that share a cherished cultural practice.

area: In The Việt (Kinh) in 49 Quan ho villages and other

neighbouring villages in current Bă c Ninh and Băc Giang provinces

of Viet Nam, many of the villages are twinned, reinforcing their

relationship through social customs such as Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk

songs.

2) Relevant information

year of inscription: 2009

community involvement: During the preparation of the nomination

file, the communities of Quan ho in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang

provinces have involved wholeheartedly in making inventory and

by providing information, presenting their skills and disseminating

their knowledge for the documentation process. Through doing so,

they also realized the values and importance of their Quan ho

singing as heritage and were committed to maintain and transmit

it to the younger generation.

preservation association: The number of Quan ho singing clubs is

rising bigger and bigger.

activities: In Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces nowadays, Quan ho

singing activities and festivals are organized more often. Right after

it was inscribed into the Representative List, the local authorities

as well as the communities and NGOs here have organized various

events to warmly welcome Quan ho and these helped raising the

proud and awareness of the Quan ho communities and the whole

society, encourage them involving in its safeguarding mission.

3) Practitioners

On this context, Bac Ninh immediately composed a regulation for

rewarding honor Titles and enhancing Quan ho master artists. This also

promote the spirits of other practitioners to be more involved and

committed in maintaining the heritage for the younger generation.


4) Relevant events

In several months, Bac Ninh will organize a festival of Culture, Sports

and Tourism, welcoming 1000 years of Thang Long – Hanoi, a festival of

Quan ho singing will certainly be organized solemnly.

5) Information resource

Information is from Quan ho nomination file, action plan for the

safeguarding of Quan ho which has recently been set up and

approved by the Chairman of the People’ Committee of Bac Ninh

province and Mr. Nguyen Dang Tuc, Director of the Department of

Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh province, Vietnam.

6) Safeguarding projects: As mentioned above, the safeguarding project

has recently been approved with the following measures

To help the communities identify and annually implement an

inventory of Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs.

To develop a list of Quan ho Băc Ninh artists in Băc Ninh and Băc

Giang provinces; to set up award policies for artists such as salary

or subsidy, especially for those designated as ‘Living Human

Treasures’ in the Quan ho villages in the two provinces of Băc Ninh

and Băc Giang.

To complete documentations and research on Quan ho folk songs,

including those in the villages of the extended area.

To classify and systemize documents in order to archive and serve

communities to have access to the resources of Quan ho folk songs.

The two provinces of Băc Ninh and Băc Giang will work together

with communities to hold a biannual Quan ho Băc Ninh festival ,

based on annual Quan ho Băc Ninh festivals in each district; to

develop the Lim hill into a center for Quan ho culture, including

performance space, carrying out the project of planting new trees

and restoring the tomb of Nguyên Diên ; to develop the Lim festival

(Tiên Du district , Băc Ninh province ) and Bô Đa pagoda festival

(Viêt Yên district , Băc Giang province ) into an annual festival of

Quan ho singing exchange and competition; to revive religious

singing performance in the Viêm Xá village festival (Bắc Ninh city,

Bắc Ninh province) to preserve standard melodies of Quan họ

songs.

To support communities to revive and maintain social practices ,

beliefs and ceremonies relevant to Quan ho folk songs, revise the

annual singing competition for prizes in the Quan họ villages.


To establish an Association of Quan ho Băc Ninh Artists made of

members of existing village -level Quan họ Clubs, to set up activity

programs for the Association so that this non -governmental

organization can play an active role in transmitting Quan ho songs

to the younger generations.

Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies and Vietnam

Academy of Music conduct research and support communities to

self-manage and self -implement the transmission and revival of

traditional skills of Quan ho folk singing, design solutions for Quan

họ singing to be enhanced by advanced audio equipment in

contemporary society.

To support communities to identify content for transmission of

Quan họ songs in families, and open classes for communities in

villages and communes. The Department of Cultural Heritage and

Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies will collaborate with

the Băc Ninh and Băc Giang provincial Departments of Education

and Training to build the local curriculum on Quan ho folk songs

which will be taught in local literature programs in middle and high

schools; to establish the faculty of Quan ho Băc Ninh folk songs in

the School of Arts in the two provinces of Băc Ninh and Băc Giang.

To expand information forums such as a regular column about

Quan ho folk songs in Bă c Ninh and Băc Giang newspapers and

programming for radio and television stations of the two provinces;

To use mobile information troupes to introduce the values of Quan

ho Băc Ninh folk songs in villages ; To set up a website on Quan ho

folk songs.

To raise the awareness of communities on the values of cultural

heritage through the publication and production of cultural

products relevant to Quan ho Băc Ninh culture and folk songs such

as CDs, VCDs, DVDs, books, and brochures.

To create opportunities for communities to perform and exchange

Quan ho singing with other communities domestically and abroad.

To cooperate with the tourism industry in the sustainable

promotion of the values of Quan họ cultural heritage.


2. The List of Intangible Heritage in Need of Urgent

Safeguarding

A. Ca tru singing

1) Title: Ca tru singing

2) Other names of the element: Ả đào singing, Cửa đình singing, Cửa

quyền singing, Cô đầu singing, Nhà tơ singing, Nhà trò singing and Ca

công singing.

3) Communities, groups or individuals concerned

The Việ t communities in some villages and urban areas of fourteen

cities and provinces in the North, Central North, and Hồ Chí Minh city

in the South of Vietnam. (In the map of Ca trù singing, there is also Bắc

Giang province where two Ca trù-related relics are preserved. Ca trù

activity in this province is not in operation any more).

The folk artists keeping Ca trù belong to the Việ t communities in

villages and urban areas of fourteen provinces and cities in the North,

the Central North and Hồ Chí Minh city in the South of the country. (In

the map of Ca trù singing, there is also Bắc Giang province where two

Ca trù-related relics are preserved and whose Ca trù activity is not in

operation any more).

4) The list of Ca trù folk artists who were found in 2005 as follows:

Ca trù singers (known as đào nương):

- Nguyễn Thị Kỳ, born in 1916, Bắc Ninh province

- Nguyễn Thị Thiệp, born in 1928, Bắc Ninh province

- Phó Thị Kim Đức, born in 1931, Hanoi

- Nguyễn Thị Chúc, born in 1930, Hanoi

- Phan Thị Mơn, born in 1922, Hà Tĩnh province

- Phan Thị Nga, born in 1925, Hà Tĩnh province

- Trần Thị Gia, born in 1923, Hà Tĩnh province

- Nguyễn Thị Chính, born in 1922, Hả i Phòng city

- Nguyễn Thị Chín, born in 1924, Hả i Phòng city

- Tô Thị Chè, born in 1930, Hả i Phòng city

- Lê Thị Cung, born in 1918, Nghệ An province

- Nguyễn Thị Hồng, born in 1925, Nghệ An province

- Phạm Thị Bang, born in 1920, Phú Thọ province

- Phạm Thị Thứu, born in 1920, Quảng Bình province


- Nguyễn Thị Kim, born in 1926, Thanh Hóa province

- Đỗ Thị Dị , born in 1912, Vĩnh Phúc province

- Đặng Thị Thục, born in 1924, Vĩnh Phúc province

Instrumentalists (known as kép đàn)

- Nguyễn Phú Đẹ , born in 1923, Hả i Dương province

- Trần Trọng Quế , born in 1920, Hả i Dương province

- Trần Văn Hả i, born in 1909, Nghệ An province

- Ngô Trọng Bình, born in 1927, Thanh Hóa province

Geographic location and range of the element:

Ca trù has been present in the Việ t community living in rural and

urban areas of the following provinces and cities:

In the North: Bắc Ninh, Hà Nộ i, Hả i Dương, Hả i Phòng, Hưng Yên,

Nam Đị nh, Thái Bình, Phú Thọ and Vĩnh Phúc.

In the Central North: Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh and Quảng

Bình.

In the South: Hồ Chí Minh city.

5) Domain(s) represented by the element: Performing arts

6) Brief textual description of the nominated element

Ca trù became a fully developed music genre in the 15th century. At

that time it was often performed in the village communal house on

the occasion of worshipping the village tutelary god. Later, it was

performed in the royal palace and at private houses, in ‘singing

bars’ (ca quán) and at singing competitions (known as Hát thi).

Ca trù is a sophisticated art of sung poetry. A Ca trù group usually

includes a singer who both sings and plays the clappers (known as

the phách), an instrumentalist who plays the đàn đáy three-stringed

lute, and a ‘praise drummer’ known as quan viên cầm chầu. The

complex music of Ca trù is constituted by a highly ornamented

singing voice punctuated by the diverse rhythms on the clappers, the

deep tone of the đàn đáy three-stringed lute and the strong sounds of

the praise drum. Some Ca trù performances also include dance

(please see the supplementary inventory materials). According to

folk artists, Ca trù has 56 different musical forms or melodies, each

of which is called thể cách.


7) Brief statement of the viability of the element, its need for

safeguarding and the proposed safeguarding measures

From 1945 - 1975, Ca trù cultural heritage was fallen into oblivion

partly because of insufficient awareness and partly because of long

lasting war. From 1990, Ca trù has undergone a modest process of

revival. Gradually the government and society at large have

become more aware of the value and importance of Ca trù, and by

2004, twenty-two Ca trù clubs were established in 13 over 14 cities

and provinces. In addition, seven scientific conferences have been

held to identify and define the artistic value of Ca trù, and to find

the best method for restoration and preservation of Ca trù. Five

national festivals on Ca trù have also been held.

Despite these significant activities and efforts, however, Ca trù is

still under threat of being lost. By 2004, only twenty-one old folk

artists including four instrumentalists and seventeen Ca trù singers

are still alive. Of them, the youngest is now 78 and the oldest is 100.

Although the folk artists have made a great effort to transmit the

old repertoire to the youth, the danger of suffering loss and

impoverishment is unavoidable.

With the safeguarding plans, it is expected that after three years

folk artists will hand down their whole art resources to the youth.

The space for hát chơi and hát thờ to worship the guardian spirit

of the village in eighteen communal houses of fourteen cities and

provinces will be restored. After five years, the task of collection

and systematization of materials will be completed and the number

of heritage practitioner will increase to two times compared to

2009. Also, the number of people who love Ca trù will be

estimated to expand at all age and all levels of society.

From the 15th century to the early 20th century, Ca trù developed to

become a vital component of the spiritual culture of the Việ t

people in fourteen provinces and cities above. The main categories

and functions of Ca trù are outlined below:

Hát thờ (worship singing) performed in rituals for worshipping the

guardian spirit of the village at the village communal houses and in the

festivals praising Ca trù’s ancestors.

Hát chơi (singing for entertainment) performed as entertainment

and for the aesthetic enjoyment of upper and middle classes in

society (e.g. mandarins, noble men, intellectuals).

Chúc hỗ (singing in royal palace) performed on celebratory

occasions in palaces of the King and Lords such as the birthday of


the King and his relatives, the birth of princes and princesses, the

banquets to welcome honored guests. Ca trù guilds had to select

the most skillful singers and instrumentalists to sing at the royal

palace.

Hát thi (competitive singing) held in Ca trù circles to honor,

recognize, and rank the skill and talent of singers and

instrumentalists.

8) Transmission

Ca trù was orally transmitted between generations, usually through

musically talented members of particular families.

About melody/tune: Ca trù musical forms or pieces are referred to

as thÓ c ch. Each of these musical forms consists of two

components: music and poem.

Presently, there are no longer such functions as hát thờ Thành

hoàng (singing for worshipping the guardian spirit of the village),

Chúc hỗ and hát thi but hát chơi is still organized by Ca trù lovers.

The folk artists still keep the way of teaching by oral and technical

transmission. Formerly, if they only transmitted their career to

their descendants within their family line, they now transmit their

career voluntarily to those who wish to learn Ca trù at all age.

Ca trù folk artists were social organized into different professional

music guilds known as Giáo phường. Each music guild was headed

by a leader, who was referred to as Trùm. The leader of the guild

managed all activities of the music guild such as looking after the

living conditions and professional interests of singers and

instrumentalists of the music guild.

Nowadays, there are no longer music guilds. However, Ca trù lovers

volunteer to take part in a new organization called Ca trù club, a

voluntary, non-profit and non-income organization.

In the past, a Ca trù group usually included a female singer both

singing and playing the clappers, a male instrumentalist playing the

đàn đáy three-stringed lute and an audience beating the ‘praise drum’

called quan viên cầm chầu to show appreciation for music and

performers and to mark the end of the phrase and the song. With just

three performers with four key timbres, Ca trù groups can convey a

wide range of human emotions.


9) Quan viên cầm chầu are those who have high social positions,

mastering in Han Nom script and knowledgeable about poetry and

Ca trù music.

Today, the three people performing style keeps unchanged.

However, the praise drummer is not a quan viên as before. A

musician from the group of Ca trù singer and instrumentalist is

replaced instead. It is because audience of today hardly knows

Han-Nom language and does not master in poetry and Ca trù music.

10) Some artistic features

Singing: the singer is required to have a naturally beautiful voice

and should be able to sing in a high register. When singing, she

should not open her mouth too widely. The singing voice arises

from the belly and the singer must use her belly to push her breath

up through her body to sing each word. She has to know how to

push the breath from the belly to create the sounds ‘ư’ and using a

vibrato technique and a unique form of ornamentation known as

‘nảy hạt’.

The phách (clappers): The phách is made of bamboo or wood. It is

struck with two hard wooden beaters, one of which is split into two

so it creates a different slightly higher pitched sound. The phách

guides the singing voice and contributes a special timbre to the

music.

The instrument: The đàn đáy three-stringed lute has three strings

which are tuned at the interval of a fourth. The resonator of the lute

has a trapezoidal shape. Its neck is attached with 10 or 11 frets.

The frets on the instrument are high so that ornamentation such as

glissandi and vibrato can be created by pressing and releasing the

string against the fret. The timbre of the lute is muted and in the

bass register.

The praise drum: The praise drum known as trống chầu is small

and has two heads covered with leather. The praise drummer is a

connoisseur of Ca trù. The rhythms the drummer plays mark the

end and beginning of different sections and phrases of music and

he also uses particular drumming patterns to show his

appreciation of the music and the performers.

Dancing in Ca trù: It is often performed in the Hát Cửa đình

(singing at the village’s communal house). It consists of Bỏ bộ

dance performed by Ca trù singers who both sing and dance in

simulating work actions, the Tứ linh dance, which refers to the


dance of four supernatural creatures, describing four legendary

animals namely the dragon, kylin, tortoise and phoenix. Besides,

there is also the Bài bông (disposing flowers) dance.

Ca trù poetry: Poetry plays an important role in Ca trù and Ca trù

is a form of singing poetry. Lyrics of Ca trù songs are written in

Vietnamese traditional poetic forms, among which Hát nói (recital

melody) style makes Ca trù become a fascinating art form and

attracted many members of the Confucian literati to compose

poems for Ca trù.

Five features namely singing, clappers, instrument, drum and poem

of Ca trù art are now being respected and safeguarded by the folk

artists because they are the characteristics to form Ca trù. However,

dances have not yet been restored sufficiently in today’s Ca trù

activity because they are in the Hát Cửa đình - a performing space

no longer in existence.

11) Need for urgent safeguarding

Viability assessment

- Between 1945 and 1975, Ca trù cultural heritage was neglected

partly because of the incorrect understanding of the art and

partly because of the long lasting war. From 1976, thanks to the

support of the UNESCO, especially Prof. Dr. Trần Văn Khê(Trần

Văn Khê: the former professor of Sorbonne University, Honour

member of International Council of Music, Academician of

European Institute for Science - Literature - Arts.), Ca trù was

introduced to the world many times. Of those pieces, ‘Ca trù and

Quan họ ’ UNESCO’s Collection was also introduced. From 1990, Ca

trù began to be restored. In 2001, professor Trần Văn Khê directly

suggested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to nominate

Ca trù to the List of Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Cultural

Heritage of Humanity. In 2002, the Ford Foundation financially

supported classes to transmit Ca trù. In 2004, twenty-two Ca trù

clubs were established. In 2005 the Ford Foundation financially

supported to hold National Ca trù Festival in Hà Tĩnh and Hanoi.

- At present, the folk artists are making their great effort to

orally and skillfully transmit the performance of Ca trù’s thể

cách to the youths in Ca trù clubs.

- Concretely, the folk artists transmitted ways of playing and

singing Ca trù to 180 students at twenty-two Ca trù clubs

nationwide. It is these members of the clubs who practice this


heritage in the community life. Thanks to these clubs, the

community held five Ca trù festivals with the participation of

twenty-two Ca trù clubs in fourteen cities and provinces and

fifteen Ca trù festivals in localities.

- Because Hanoi and Hả i Phòng are large cities, they have many

Ca trù clubs operating effectively

- Thái Hà Ca trù club of elderly Nguyễn Văn Mùi operates

frequently and often trains the successive singers and

instrumentalists.

- Thăng Long Ca trù club of Phạm Thị Huệ holds activities

every week. Those who register to learn how to play Ca trù

are taught with free of charge. Every month, a performance is

organized on Saturday night.

- In Hanoi Ca trù club of Nguyễn Thị Bạch Vân, performances

of Ca trù are periodically held every month. The Club also

organizes many classes to transmit Ca trù to the youth.

- Hả i Phòng Ca trù club holds many performances of Hát chơi

and performances in service of the festivals of the city.

At localities, a small number of the public who love Ca trù

sometimes holds performances of Hát chơi and singing in the

village festivals. These performances received the appreciation

of the public.

Also from 1990 to 2007, seven scientific conferences on Ca trù

were held at the international, national and regional level. National

and local television and radio stations have also broadcasted

programs performing and introducing Ca trù.

12)Threat and risk assessment

Although Ca trù has been initially revived, it is still facing many threats and

risks.

The research on Ca trù in 2008 revealed that among the twenty-one

folk artists who were found in 2004, four folk artists passed away

(Nguyễn Thị Kỳ, aged 92, Lê Thị Cung, aged 90, Phạm Thị Bang,

aged 88 and Phạm Thị Thứu, aged 88) and five other ones are so

weak that they cannot perform or teach Ca trù (Đỗ Thị Dị , aged 96,

Đặng Thị Thục, aged 84, Trần Trọng Quế , aged 88, Nguyễn Thị

Hồng, aged 84, Nguyễn Thị Chính, aged 87). There are now more

than 10 folk artists who can remember and transmit Ca trù. However,


they are all over 70 - 80 years old and become increasingly weak. If

we do not quickly support their life and give them good conditions

for transmitting Ca trù, they will pass away in a few years and bring

with them the whole existing Ca trù heritage.

Ca trù performing spaces in royal palaces are no longer in existence.

Hát Cửa đình (singing in the village communal house) does not exist

anymore. Singing for praising the Ca trù’s ancestors and competitive

singing have not been fully restored. Old Ca trù songs have not been

thoroughly restored. Meanwhile, not many people can compose new

lyrics of Ca trù songs in the traditional pattern.

Furthermore, Ca trù is a high professional art that requires much of

time for practicing to be able to play and sing it. The singing lyrics

are old poetry and have many difficult Han Nom scripts. Those are

large obstacles for the learners and public of today when

approaching this art form.

Vietnam is entering the integration of multi communication and

information system that creates good conditions for the youth to

easily select many new art forms suitable to their enjoyment. It is

also a big barrier and a challenge to Ca trù art.

13) Safeguarding measures

Current and recent efforts to safeguard the element:

- From 2004 to 2008, through many investigations conducted in

fourteen cities and provinces, a list of twenty-one folk artists was

made. Moreover, those investigations also influenced the

founding of twenty-two Ca trù clubs. Activities such as collection,

preservation, performance and transmission to young

performers about 180 ones have frequently been carried out at

these clubs.

- Under the instruction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and

Tourism and with the support of some non-governmental

organizations, the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology in

conjunction with some Provincial Departments of Culture, Sports

and Tourism, have held scientific conferences, workshops and

discussions about Ca trù. Participating in these workshops and

discussions included musicologists, researchers, representatives

of Ca trù folk artists, and cultural managers. The aim of these


workshops was order to assess the situation of Ca trù music

culture, to recognize the value of Ca trù, to establish plans for the

research, documentation, restoration, transmission and

preservation of Ca trù, and to increase awareness and the

dissemination of Ca trù in social life.

- The conference on Ca trù Cổ Đạm was held by Vietnamese

Institute for Musicology and Department of Culture, Sports and

Tourism of Hà Tĩnh province in December, 1998.

- The conference on Ca trù Thăng Long was held by Hanoi People’s

Committee, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of

Hanoi in December,1999.

- The conference on Ca trù Thanh Hóa was held by the Association

of Vietnamese Folklorists, the Provincial Literature and Arts

Association and the Thanh Hóa Provincial Branch of Association

of Vietnamese Folklorists in January, 2005.

- Discussions on Ca trù between the Vietnamese Institute for

Musicology and authorities of provinces of Bắc Ninh, Hả i Dương,

Hả i Phòng, Hanoi, Nam Đị nh, Hưng Yên, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An,

Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Bình were held from August 2005 to March

2006.

- The International workshop on Ca trù singing of the Việ t people

(June 2006), the workshop on Dancing in Ca trù (April 2008); the

Forum on Inventory of Ca trù cultural heritage (May 2008) were

held by the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology.

- Some Ca trù festivals were organized to create opportunities for

the community to introduce and disseminate Ca trù on its own in

today life. They are as follows:

- Hanoi Ca trù Festival in 2000.

- National Ca trù Festival in 2005.

- National Ca trù Show Night in 2006.

- National Ca trù singing contest and the night honoring Ca trù in

2007

- The above-mentioned activities have facilitated the identification

of the value of Ca trù art. They have also enabled assessment of

the history of Ca trù and its viability in the present and future.

14) Proposed safeguarding measures:


Inventory and systematization of Ca trù documents

Implementing period: 3 years (2008 - 2010)

Total expenditure: VND 1,500,000,000 (one billion five hundred million

Vietnamese dong)

Funds: National budget, administrative budget of the Vietnamese

Institute for Musicology, budget of provinces and cities where Ca trù

exists

Implementing organizations: Vietnamese Institute for Musicology,

Provincial Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and

communities and groups preserving Ca trù heritages

Research and publication of books on Ca trù

-Implementing period: 5 years (2010 - 2015)

- Total expenditure: VND 3,300,000,000 (three billion three hundred

million Vietnamese dong)

- Funds: National budget and administrative budget of the Vietnamese

Institute for Musicology

- Implementing organizations: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and

Tourism; Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of

provinces and cities where Ca trù exists and Vietnamese

Institute for Musicology

Restoration and transmission of Ca trù

- Implementing period: 3 years (2008 - 2010)

- Total expenditure: VND 7,432,000,000 (seven billion four hundred

and thirty-two million Vietnamese dong)

- Funds: National budget; budget of provinces and cities where Ca

trù exists and support from cultural funds and non-

governmental organizations.

- Implementing organizations: Communities and groups keeping Ca trù

heritage; and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of provinces

and cities where Ca trù exists.

Organizing Ca trù Festivals


- Total expenditure: VND 7,000,000,000 (seven billion Vietnamese

dong)

- Funds: National budget and budget of provinces and cities where Ca

trù exists and sponsored funds.


- Implementing organizations: Vietnamese Institute for Musicology

and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of cities and

provinces where Ca trù exists; communities and groups

preserving Ca trù heritage.

Restoration of related relics


- Total expenditure: VND 30,000,000,000 (thirty billion Vietnamese

dong)

- Funds: National budget and sponsored funds.


Tourism and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of cities

and provinces where relics related to Ca trù exist.

Dissemination and popularization of Ca trù in high schools and

universities.


- Total expenditure: VND 1,000,000,000 (one billion Vietnamese

dong)

- Funds: National budget and sponsored funds


Tourism, the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnamese

Institute for Musicology, and communities and groups keeping Ca

trù heritage

15) Community involvement and consent:

Nowadays, the government, social organizations, and the

communities and individuals concerned all recognise Ca trù as a

highly valuable cultural heritages and that each organization,

community, group and individual has the responsibility to

participate in safeguarding and promoting its value in

contemporary life.

Many communities in rural or urban areas where Ca trù exists, Ca

trù groups, guilds, and especially folk artists consented and

positively participated in revitalizing Ca trù and organizing

activities at local Ca trù clubs. Between 1991-2000, only two Ca trù

clubs in Hanoi and one Ca trù club in Hồ Chí Minh city were

established. Up to 2004, twenty-two Ca trù clubs were established

all over the country. Almost members of the club are at the age


between 25 and 45. They take part in the club not to earn their

living but for the purpose of culture.

In order to support the operation of the club, local authorities created

many good conditions for them such as lending place for activities,

supporting part of expenditure so that the clubs could buy clothing

and musical instruments. Some localities such as Hà Tĩnh, Hả i

Dương, Thanh Hóa, Hanoi directly supported money to the folk

artists who were difficult in life. Thanks to timely encouragement,

many folk artists such as the elderly Nguyễn Phú Đẹ living in Hả i

Dương; Nguyễn Thị Chúc, Phó Thị Kim Đức, Nguyễn Thị Khiếu,

Nguyễn Thị Vượn in Hanoi; Phan Thị Mơn, Phan Thị Nga in Hà

Tĩnh, etc enthusiastically took part in handing their existing resource

of the profession down to the youth.

Additionally, many Ca trù folk artists and family lines attended in

the process of preparing the file on ‘Ca trù singing’. They provided

with valuable information and materials related to Ca trù heritage

and enthusiastically reperformed Ca trù musical forms so that the

Vietnamese Institute for Musicology could make audio and video.

16) Inclusion on an inventory

Ca trù has been put on the inventory list of Vietnamese musical

heritage and performing arts carried out and managed by the

Vietnamese Institute for Musicology. The information on this list

was updated after the inventory in 2008 in preparation for

preparing the file of Ca trù singing.

Address: Vietnamese Institute for Musicology - Area CC2 - Mỹ Đình

New Urban Complex, Mễ Trì, Từ Liêm district, Hanoi, Vietnam.

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