Quan Ho folksong of Bac Ninh

Quan ho folk singing performance on the boat.

Quan Ho folksong is the synthesis of various “finest” folk tunes: the pure, the vibrating melody of Cheo (traditional operetta); the sobbing, passionate Hat Dam (Nghe Tinh – styled folk song), the deep-lying Ca Tru (the ceremonial folk song); the free, energetic Southern folk… But above all, Quan Ho folksong represents the essence lyrics of the national cultural heritage of the Kinh Bac people.

From generation to generation, every community have been linked by the neighborhood, desiring for love, fight against natural calamities, invaders and hardships, “Love others as yourself”, “The whole world is one family”. Such spirits are expressed in Quan Ho folksong. It is the desire of Kinh Bac people, Kinh Bac land making the marvelous Quan Ho melodies of “Loi thi giao duyen, tinh thi anh em” (alternative spoonerism of “relationship” of folk singing lovers), nearly dreaming, as feeling expressing, as story felling, romantic and profound… The Quan Ho villages were formed, mostly located in Bac Ninh namely Viem Xa village, Hoi Thi village, Bo Son village, Thi Cau village, Tam Tao village, etc.