TTLA: Quan Ho singing custom (Kinh Bac region) past and present

INFORMATION ABOUT DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name of the researcher:Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen    

2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: August 11, 1978

4. Place of birth: Hai Phong

5. Doctoral student decision number: 3676/QD-SDH, dated October 28, 2009 of the Director of Hanoi National University.

6. Changes in training process: No

7. Thesis topic name:Quan ho singing custom (Kinh Bac region) past and present.

8. Major: Ethnology Code: 62.22.70.01

9. Scientific instructor:Assoc.Prof.Dr. Hoang Luong- Instruction 1,Associate Professor, Dr. Le Sy Giao- Tutorial 2

10. Summary of new results of the thesis

The results of the study yielded the following key findings:   

1. Quan Ho is not only a form of love singing between men and women, but above all, it is a whole cultural activity associated with a series of local customs such as matchmaking and grouping according to certain principles. Quan Ho singers believe that Quan Ho singing is not only a form of entertainment but also has the meaning of praying for happiness, fertility and development of the community. The space of Quan Ho singing includes worship singing, watch singing, festival singing, and a fairly popular form of singing that does not follow the rules (ie, random voices or miscellaneous voices) called Quan Ho with headgear or Dum singing.

3. Traditional Quan Ho singing, also known as Quan Ho etiquette, has strict rules, from organization, hierarchical relationships, behavior, costumes, cuisine to singing methods and how to teach techniques and behavior to the younger generation.

4. The new Quan Ho singing style that was formed after 1945 has been staged and commercialized while Quan Ho clubs have a leading role of the local state. Traditional Quan Ho melodies have now been combined with modern vocal techniques, and the new singing style exists side by side with the old Quan Ho singing style that is still preserved in the two Quan Ho villages of Dien and Biu. It can be seen that after 1945, two forms of Quan Ho singing coexisted, and the public became more aware of the new Quan Ho thanks to the media system and staged.

5. Preserving old quan ho or new quan ho is still a controversial issue. Quan ho players in the villages also have different opinions. The older generation wants to maintain and popularize quan ho traditions while the younger generation only knows how to sing quan ho with accompanying music. In fact, quan ho, like any other intangible cultural phenomenon, also changes over time. There is no "original" quan ho that can survive through time. People in quan ho villages believe that preserving and developing quan ho is necessary, in which not only the ancient melodies are concerned but also the maintenance of the playing traditions and the role of the community because that is the core and the environment where quan ho culture was born.

11. Practical application:

Seeking scientific implications for Quan Ho cultural preservation policy

Contributes significantly to pointing out the approach to participate in the current discussion on Quan Ho in particular and intangible culture in general.

12. Further research directions:

Cultural heritage and cultural heritage conservation in modern life

13. Published works related to the thesis

1. Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen (2014),“Bac Ninh Quan Ho Folk Songs: Approaches”, Folklore Magazine(5), pp.23-33.

2. Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen (2014), “Characteristics and aesthetic values ​​in traditional Quan Ho costumes”,Museum and Anthropology Journal(3), pp.56-67.

3. Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen (2014), “Approaching Quan Ho singing custom of Kinh Bac region from cultural anthropology theory”, Journal of Human Resources and Social Sciences(11), pp.30-39.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name: Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: August 11, 1978 4. Place of birth: Hai Phong city

5. Admission decision number: 3676/QD- SĐH Dated: October 28, 2009 by President of Hanoi National University

6. Changes in academic process: No

7. Official thesis title: Quan Ho Practice (Kinh Bac region) Now and Then

8. Major: Ethnography 9. Code: 62.22.70.01

10. Supervisors: Associate Professor: Hoang Luong, Associate Professor: Le Sy Giao

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

1. Quan ho is not simply a type of singing exchange songs but first and foremost is the totality of cultural practices closely connected with local customs and traditions such asfather and son bondbasing on certain rules and belief of the real meaning of the quan ho singing for the development of the community. This concept is widely perceived in villages in Kinh Bac region and in the two research villages of Diem and Biu.

2. There are several types of quan ho singing: worship singing, gathering singing, and singing at lantern, and cover- head singing which is rather popular but not under any method category.

3. Traditional quan ho singing or the method category has strict rules, from the organization, hierarchy, behavior, costumes, food to ways of singing, ways of teaching methods and behaviors for youngsters.

4. New quan ho created after 1945 has been staged and commercialized where traditional quan ho tunes are accompanied by instrumentally music while the real synthetic quan ho has been preserved in the two villages of Diem and Biu. As can be seen, since after 1945 both two existing types of quan ho have been widely known among the public thanks to communication and staging.

5. Preserving new or old concerns is still a controversial issue. Quan ho practioners theyseves have different ideas. The old generation wants to continue and popularizelonelyquan ho while the youngsters find new quan ho accompanied by music easier. In reality, concerns regarding specific or any intangible cultural heritage will change with time. No original matter is timeless. Local people believe great preserving and developing quan ho are of importance, and not only quan ho tunes but also methods and the roles of the community should be highly considered since they are the core and the environment in which quan ho culture was born.

12. Practical applicability: Look for scientific suggestions for the preservation of quan ho folk songs.

It has also played an important part in pointing out the correct methods of approaching present discourses on quan ho in particular and intangible cultures in general

13. Future research directions:

Cultural heritage and preservation of cultural heritage in the modern society

14. Theses related publications:

1. Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen (2014)),“Quan Ho Folk Song: Some Approaches”,Folk Culture Review(5), pp.23-33.

2. Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen (2014),“Characteristics and Aesthetic Values ​​of the TraditionalRelativesCostumes”,Museum & Anthropology Review(3), pp.56-67.

3. Dinh Thi Thanh Huyen (2014),“Northern quan ho cultural practice from a cultural anthropological perspective”,Viet Nam Journal of Social Science Manpower(11), pp.30-39.