Bai choi singing, a popular folklore style of singing in central Vietnam, was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in late 2017 (Photo: VNA) Khanh Hoa (VNA) – The central province ofKhanh Hoa has approved a project on preserving and developing the value of thelocal intangible cultural heritage of Bai choi with a budget of 6.7 billion VND(nearly 286,200 USD).
The project, to be implemented to 2023, designsconcerted and feasible solutions to mobilize resources from all sources, andsets out seven tasks to realize the set target.
Under the project, Bai choi performances will berevived and recorded for archiving, and lyrics of Bai choi songs will be collectedand published.
Ninh Hoa town will pilot a site for regular Baichoi performances, where events will be held every Saturday and Sunday as wellas during festivals and holidays.
Six localities involved in the project – Van Ninh,Dien Khanh, and Cam Lam districts, Ninh Hoa town, and Nha Trang and Cam Ranhcities - are required to intensify communication activities on the art of Baichoi, include Bai choi into local music competitions and cultural festivals,and detect and foster talents in the art.
Bai choisinging, a popular folklore style of singing in centralVietnam, was recognized byUNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in late 2017.
The folksinging genre is popular in the central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri,Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa, and DaNang city.
Bai choi is often seen at local spring festivals andresembles a game, using playing cards and village huts.
The stage for Bai choi performances encompasses ninecottages, each containing five or six ‘players’. One of the cottages, thecentral house, contains a troupe of musicians and instruments. A deck ofplaying cards is split in half, with one stack distributed amongst the players,and the other placed in the central house. The cards are stuck onto bamboopoles and erected outside the cottages.
The game singer delivers a flag to each cottage, all thewhile singing Bai choi, and then draws a card from the central house. Whoeverholds the card closest in value to the game singer’s card wins.
The Bai choi songs are about festivals, daily life and work,and are accompanied by musical instruments.
The game and songs were developed by Mandarin Dao Duy Tu(1572-1634) to help locals protect their crops. Bai choi songs are morallessons, demonstrating patriotism, connectivity in the community and livingexperience of people./.
VNA
