Society

Visit Quan Thanh, meet the famous sacrificial drum artisan of Nghe An

Minh Quan • July 19, 2025 07:40

In the journey of preserving and spreading the art of Yen Thanh sacrificial drums - an art form that has just been included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the silent but profound contributions of artisans are extremely valuable. Prominent among them is artisan Le Khac Dinh in Quan Thanh commune (formerly Xuan Thanh commune, old Yen Thanh district).

The fate of an artist

One weekend morning in mid-July, in the large, tree-shaded yard in front of the house of artisan Le Khac Dinh, the sound of drums resounded loudly. More than 20 students, mostly children, mixed with a few middle-aged and elderly people, attentively followed the artisan's every demonstration.

Mr. Dinh's hands moved the drumsticks quickly, each drum move was decisive and slow, the sound resounded like the sound of horse hooves in the middle of a battle. Without a podium, without a lesson plan, that class was led by burning passion, by a charismatic inspiration and a deep sound that had penetrated the souls of many generations of Nghe An people.

Born into the family of the Le Khac clan in Ke Gam village, Quan Thanh commune - a place with a long tradition of sacrificial drums, Mr. Le Khac Dinh was destined to be attached to the sound of drums from the moment he was born. He said that since he was a child, he was lulled by the sound of drums every spring, when the village organized the Gam Temple - Pagoda Festival or the family's ancestral worship ceremony. At the age of 3, he was already babbling with drumsticks. At the age of 6, he was directly taught the basic techniques of sacrificial drums and ceremonial drums by his father and the elders in the family and village.

At the age of 8, his talent was recognized by the whole village when he was invited to join the village drum band. Since then, for nearly 50 years, he has never been absent from any festival of his hometown. With a wealth of accumulated experience, since 2015, Artisan Le Khac Dinh has been trusted by the village to hold the big drum to manage the ritual drum team, serving the ritual ceremonies. This position not only requires excellent personal technique but also recognition of prestige, experience and leadership ability in the community.

Not only is he a talented performer, Mr. Dinh is also one of the individuals who plays an important role in establishing a heritage profile for the art of Yen Thanh sacrificial drums. He has provided key information and directly supported the Nghe An Department of Culture to complete the profile to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to recognize Yen Thanh sacrificial drums as aNational Intangible Cultural Heritagein early 2024.

The desire to "keep the fire" of the origin

Mr. Dinh's passion for preserving heritage does not stop within the locality where he lives, but he has proactively taught drumming in many localities inside and outside the province, bringing with him the sacred atmosphere of Gam village drums and a burning love for heritage.

In the drum classes he organizes, in addition to teaching skills, he always focuses on explaining the meaning of each drum beat, each playing position, and each performance situation.

He shared that each beat of the sacrificial drum carries a different emotional state: sometimes majestic like the sound of galloping horses, sometimes deep like the sound of flowing streams, sometimes tragic like a funeral oration for ancestors. For him, learning to play the drum is not only learning an art form, but also learning to be a human being, knowing how to respect elders, preserving traditions and living responsibly towards the community.

With the spirit of preserving and promoting the heritage of their ancestors, Artisan Le Khac Dinh and those who share the same passion have been carrying out many specific activities. One of the important steps is the establishment of the "Ke Gam Village Sacrificial Drum Club" (formerly Xuan Thanh Commune Sacrificial Drum Club) to institutionalize the conservation work, shifting from the oral, spontaneous form to a more organized, professional model, creating favorable conditions for the transmission and sustainable development of the art of sacrificial drums.

The teaching activities of Mr. Dinh and the Club have achieved remarkable results. They have taught the traditional art of drumming to many families not only in Yen Thanh district (old) but also in other localities outside the province. Hundreds of students of all ages have been exposed to and learned this art.

In addition to teaching activities, Ke Gam Village Drum Club plans to produce videos using technology to communicate the significance of preserving and promoting this art form, helping Yen Thanh drum overcome geographical barriers and reach more people, especially young people.

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The sacrificial drum is not only a traditional art, but also a part of the spiritual life of the homeland. It is the sound of the origin, the sacred beat connecting ancestors with descendants today. Therefore, the sound of the drum needs to resound forever - not only in temples, but also in the hearts of the young generation.

Drum artist Le Khac Dinh (Quan Thanh commune, Nghe An province)