Bac Ninh: Opening the performance of Quan ho singing on the boat to serve the people

Attending the opening ceremony were Mr. Nguyen Nhan Chien - Member of Party Central Committee, Secretary of Provincial Party Committee, Head of Provincial Delegation of National Assembly Members; Mr. Nguyen Huu Quat -  Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Mr. Nguyen Tu Quynh - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Provincial People's Committee; Ms. Nguyen Huong Giang, Chairwoman of Provincial People's Council; Members of the Standing Committee of Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, Fatherland Front Committee, Leaders of departments, unions with a massive number of local residents and tourists.

Provincial leaders attended and enjoyed the performance

The policy of the province on organizing Quan ho singing on the boat performance is to introduce and promote the special values and beauties of Bac Ninh’s Quan ho folk songs. It is also the occasion for the people and visitors to have full access to the folk songs’ values such as history, customs, performance style, costumes, etc.

It is quite diverse, rich in the performance of Quan ho with four popular forms including "singing for congratulation" (hát chúc, hát mừng); "singing at rituals" (hát thờ); "singing at a hosting house" (hát canh) and "singing at festivals" (hát hội). Quan ho singing on the boat is in the form of "singing at festivals" (hát hội). Quan ho troupe (bọn quan họ) can sing in love with each other on the river or lake. In traditional and ancient festivals in Bac Ninh - Kinh Bac region, Quan ho singing on the boat is an indispensable cultural activity, which has been conserved till now.

Male singers(liền anh) and female singers (liền chị) singing Quan ho on dragon boat

With a duration of about 60 minutes, Quan ho folk songs (with ancient words) were performed by the artists of Bac Ninh Quan ho Theater and Intermediate School of Arts and Culture. Especially, the opening program has singing exchange between artists and tourists aiming to create the interaction and spread of Quan ho folk songs’ unique.

It is an important activity to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Quan ho Bac Ninh, contributing to building and developing an advanced culture within national identity, which plays a role in the foundation for making Bac Ninh a municipality in 2022.

Previously, Dong Ngo water puppet show (Ngu Thai commune, Thuan Thanh district) was also taken place at the area of Ly Thai To monument from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

According to the policy of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee, the program of Quan ho singing on the boat will be organized periodically by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to serve the people and tourists to Bac Ninh, started in August 2017.