Phuong Lich - Where Ca Tru (traditional Vietnamese singing) is revived in every rhythm.
In the midst of modern life, there are still artisans who are deeply committed to traditional folk art. For artisan Le Thi Loan in Dien Hoa commune, Dien Chau district, the melodies of Ca Tru singing have become ingrained in her very being, a way of life for her entire being.
Da struggle with ca trù
One day in mid-March, in the small house of Ms. Le Thi Loan - the head of the Phuong Lich Ca Tru Club in Dien Hoa commune, Dien Chau district - the deep, resonant sound of the zither, the rhythmic clappers, the lively drumming, and especially the clear, melodious voices of the female singers in the club resonated.
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Phuong Lich village in Dien Hoa commune has a long tradition of Ca Tru singing, so from a young age, Le Thi Loan was exposed to the rhythms, the sounds of the zither, and was deeply immersed in the melodies of Ca Tru.
From a young age, I accompanied the local artists to performances. Even though I only knew the basics of ca trù back then, the sounds of the instruments, the rhythms, and the lyrics naturally seeped into my blood and flesh. Considered a scholarly art form, ca trù took root in the rice paddies of Diễn Hoa and became a companion to the hardworking, mud-covered people like us. Therefore, preserving and promoting this traditional art form is the heartfelt desire not only of enthusiasts and artists but of most of the local people in my commune.”
Ms. Le Thi Loan - Head of Phuong Lich Ca Tru Club, Dien Hoa commune, Dien Chau district
The rhythm, the sound of the zither, and the melodious, gentle singing have become ingrained in Loan's blood and soul, like the deep affection of her homeland. Therefore, along with her innate talent, Loan diligently learned from master artisans such as Cao Xuan Thuong, Cao Lang, and Cao De... She was selected to participate in Ca Tru training courses under the project to restore and preserve Ca Tru art of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Armed with the knowledge gained from these training courses, she returned to teach the younger generation of female singers in the Ca Tru Club of Dien Hoa commune. She has also continuously participated in many national Ca Tru festivals, winning the A prize in 2018; and participated in the Lang Sen festival, street festivals, and folk song exchange events at Ho Chi Minh Square.
Her biggest concern is how to spread the cultural heritage left by her ancestors, preserve the spiritual culture of the countryside, and find successors to learn Ca Tru singing. Therefore, Ms. Loan and the club members actively develop plans and organize activities to guide and teach the knowledge and skills of Ca Tru singing to young people and those who love the art of Ca Tru.
Since its establishment, the Dien Hoa Commune Ca Tru Club has opened many classes to teach Ca Tru to those with talent and a love for the art form. In particular, Ms. Loan participated in establishing and teaching Ca Tru singing to students of the Ca Tru Club at Dien Chau 3 High School and Nguyen Xuan On High School. During the summer, the club also teaches Ca Tru to young students so that the younger generation in the village can follow in the footsteps of their ancestors and continue to preserve and promote the Ca Tru singing tradition of their homeland.
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Ms. Loan further shared: “Because Ca Tru is a form of court art, the training must be very elaborate. The melodies are scholarly and academic, requiring teachers to meticulously guide students, from rhythm and tempo to pronunciation and mouth movements. Besides passion, students also need determination. Although it's difficult, many students enjoy it and study very diligently.”
To help Ca Tru spread
In addition, over the years, the Dien Hoa commune government in Dien Chau district, as well as elderly artisans, have revived traditional festivals and created performance spaces, so the Ca Tru club continues to thrive.
The club has 3 players of the đàn đáy (a type of Vietnamese stringed instrument), 6 female singers of the đàn đáy, and 6 female singers of the đàn đáy. The Diễn Hoa Commune Ca Trù Club meets regularly once a month and has a well-structured training and apprenticeship plan. With their passion and dedication to traditional art, the 9 club members voluntarily contribute funds to invest in instruments, percussion, drums, costumes, and volunteer to perform for the community during village festivals, birthday celebrations, and Tet (Lunar New Year).
“The Dien Hoa Commune Ca Tru Club was established in 2002. It has gone through many generations of club leaders, but Ms. Loan, a young female singer with a good voice, accurate percussion, and most importantly, organizational skills, has been able to gather members and regularly organize activities, improving the quality of the club's operations. We hope that with the enthusiasm and dedication of the previous generations, as well as the current club leader Le Thi Loan, and the support of all levels of government and relevant agencies, Ca Tru will be increasingly embraced by the public, spread, and continue to develop its unique values.”
Artisan Cao Xuan Thuong - Dien Hoa commune, Dien Chau district
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“The fact that the Ca Tru Club of Phuong Lich village, Dien Hoa commune, is actively operating shows that Ca Tru has achieved encouraging results. We are confident that the Ca Tru heritage will be firmly preserved in the future, thereby contributing to gradually moving Ca Tru from the list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding” to the list of “Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.”
Ms. Le Thi Loan - Dien Hoa commune, Dien Chau district
Watching the club members practice, with senior members guiding juniors, refining each rhythm and musical note, one can truly appreciate the love and respect the people here have for the art of Ca Tru singing. From a position facing the risk of extinction, 16 years after being recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent protection, the art of Ca Tru singing in Dien Chau district has overcome many difficulties and challenges to affirm its strong vitality. It is the humble farmers in the countryside, like Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan, who are making a significant contribution to preserving and safeguarding this beautiful cultural heritage of the nation.
“In 2009, Ca Tru art was included by UNESCO in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent safeguarding. After 16 years, Ca Tru has made a strong comeback, thanks to the joint efforts of the entire community, especially dedicated individuals like Ms. Loan. Currently, Dien Chau district has established 5 Ca Tru clubs, all of which regularly organize activities and performances, preserving over 20 ancient styles and dances and developing dozens of new melodies; more than 10 people are capable of teaching, and dozens are studying. To acknowledge Ms. Loan's tireless contributions to preserving Ca Tru art, we are preparing a dossier to propose that the State recognize Ms. Le Thi Loan as an Outstanding Artisan.”
Mr. Dao Hong Thanh - Head of the Culture, Science and Information Department of Dien Chau District
