Singing the folk song of Kieu in Nghe An Province

(Baonghean)The appeal of Ví Dặm singing is perhaps due to its nature as a form of courtship singing, a competition and test of skill between men and women. The great poet Nguyễn Du once vividly described a Ví Dặm performance by a weaving guild: "Surrounded in the courtyard were nine or ten girls from the village, some singing Ví Dặm, some singing Ví Dặm, some spinning yarn, some weaving with a shuttle, and some even offering betel nut to their mouths; beauties as lovely as flowers" (Eulogy for the Two Girls of Trường Lưu).

Nguyen Du himself once acknowledged: "Village songs help us understand the language of mulberry and hemp growers" (in *Thanh Minh Ngau Hung*). The life and cultural capital that folk artists apply in these folk singing performances includes knowledge of labor and production, folk songs, folk tales, anonymous Nôm stories, and especially *Truyen Kieu*. The plots and verses from *Truyen Kieu* are used extensively and skillfully in these folk singing performances.

The opening of folk singing performances, especially those of the weaving guild, usually begins with introductory songs or welcoming verses expressing auspicious encounters. The young man hopes that this reunion will lead to a romantic union, like the couple Kim and Kieu during their spring outing.

Stay at home, then leave.
I met Kieu Nhi on the way to the festival just this week.

Or, if you happen to meet someone you secretly admire right after stepping out of the house ("Just stepped out and met a beautiful person"), it's likened to:

It was also during the Qingming Festival that Kim Trong met Kieu.

But sometimes, meeting the person you love requires a great deal of effort and hard work:

Step down into the Lam River to look for a swimming fish.
Climbing up Hong Linh mountain to pick each sim fruit.
It's because we love each other that I came here to find you.
Now let's meet.
like Kim Khap Kieu.

Sometimes the women sing first as a greeting. The girls boldly express their feelings:

Late at night, the dew falls and the ground is silent.
Music headphones
Kim approached.
And they innocently romanticize people and scenery:
Whose figure is faintly visible in the flower garden?
It seems like Kim Trong
We went to Kieu and Van's house.
The beauty confidently and proudly compared herself to:
I am truly like the character Kieu,
Waiting for Kim Trong
Coming and going morning and evening.

Following the introductory and welcoming songs are the call-and-response songs and riddles. This is the most challenging and captivating stage. Both sides must utilize their knowledge in various fields. The content of The Tale of Kieu becomes a rich subject matter to test the skills and abilities of the young men and women.

Woman: - You know the Tale of Kieu by heart,
Can you tell me one sentence?
Five people?
Man: - Hey husband, hey mother, hey father,
This is my younger sister, and this is my sister-in-law.
Woman: - I know the Tale of Kieu by heart.
Can you name a line of Chinese characters?

Male: - Ho Cong decided to inherit the position,
The ceremony begins with the soldiers, then they carve the flags and gather for battle.

When faced with a question they can't answer, the male contestant retaliates by asking the female contestant a question in return. For example, when the female contestant sings:

It is rumored that he is familiar with the Tale of Kieu.
The lady would like to ask a few questions.
categorical:
In what year did Kieu marry Thuc Sinh?
Every year, Kieu had to sell herself.
Redeeming my father?

The man replied:

- It's only right that I ask you that, my dear.
He asked me, "Whose son is Từ Hải?"
It should have been Kieu Van, my sister.
Why are they called Kim-Van-Kieu?

The folk singing performance usually concludes with a concluding song. At this point, all the innermost feelings and confidences are often revealed. Verses from the Tale of Kieu are also used, sometimes to express unwavering vows and promises.

Remember the vows made three lifetimes ago.
Whether going down rapids or up waterfalls
It's still just me, just us.
Sometimes it's to remind and encourage each other:
We are like Kim Trong and Thuy Kieu.
There were bitter times, and many spicy times.

The men and women of Nghe An province enthusiastically sing folk songs, "like butterflies intoxicated by flowers, like bees intoxicated by honey"... Many times:

Sing until the tavern collapses and the temple crumbles.
Let the stones roll and tumble, let the sky tremble.

The Tale of Kieu has long been one of the most captivating spiritual delights of the people of Nghe An province. People organize recitations of Kieu, perform Kieu plays (also called Kieu opera), comment on Kieu, compose and recite Kieu poems, practice Kieu, quote Kieu, compose Kieu poems, sing Kieu folk songs, and even use Kieu for fortune telling... as indispensable spiritual pleasures in rural villages.

Ho Sy Huy (Hung Dung Ward - Vinh City)