Hai Duong journey to make rowing a UNESCO heritage

Recently, Hai Duong has actively implemented a number of tasks, making efforts with other localities to soon complete the dossier to request UNESCO to recognize the art of Cheo as a world cultural heritage.

Full of charm

“Do I have to introduce myself here?” - the opening line of the clown character in many cheo plays is probably ingrained in the memories of many people born in the 1980s and before.

“Back then, we mainly watched and listened to Cheo singing at village festivals, communal houses, pagodas, etc. performed by members of the village and commune art troupes. Although they were only homegrown works, they were very attractive and everyone watched with great interest,” Ms. Vu Thi Ngoan (in Vinh Hong commune, Binh Giang) recalled.

“From spontaneous cheo shows, from those non-professional actors, they have contributed to preserving and promoting traditional cheo art in the province. There is widespread development, achievements, peaks, and continuation of the unique features of cheo art that few other art forms have,” commented Meritorious Artist Khuc Ha Linh, former Principal of Hai Duong Intermediate School of Culture and Arts.

The art of Cheo has gone through 10 centuries with many ups and downs and events. Through research, it is shown that "Eastern Cheo" of Hai Duong also has high and low notes but still maintains its appeal in the cultural life of the people.

Since the early 20th century, the art of Cheo has developed strongly in Hai Duong. Many private Cheo troupes have flourished in the province. Many Cheo artists of Hai Duong are considered typical artists, having made great contributions to the art of Cheo in Vietnam such as: Mr. Trum Thinh (real name is Nguyen Van Thinh), Mr. Ca Tam (real name is Trinh Thi Lan) and Trum Bong. All three artists above were awarded the title of People's Artist in the first batch (in 1984). Many localities have established famous Cheo teams such as Nam Sach, Gia Loc, Ninh Giang, Thanh Ha districts... There are Cheo teams that have been operating for 50 years now.

“Cheo originates from production and labor, has a popular and popular character, has plays, characters, dances, lyrics, melodies, and is elevated by folk music… The content of Cheo plays criticizes bad habits and injustice in society, expresses love, tolerance, forgiveness, and is full of lyricism. Therefore, Cheo always has appeal and plays an important role in the spiritual life of the people,” said Meritorious Artist Khuc Ha Linh.

Efforts to make Cheo an intangible cultural heritage

According to the assessment of the leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, thanks to the correct orientations and directions of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee, traditional arts in general and Cheo art in particular in the province have been preserved and promoted. In particular, the Cheo art of Hai Duong is increasingly developing, especially Cheo plays in the countryside.

“More than 20 years ago, Phu Thu town established an art troupe and mainly performed cheo. We also wrote our own scripts and staged many cheo skits and scenes. Not only participating in local festivals, we have represented the town many times in the province's amateur theater festivals and won high prizes. In 2023, our cheo skit Tron nghia ton tinh won the A prize at the province's amateur theater festival,” said Ms. Truong Thi Hiep, a member of Phu Thu town's art troupe (Kinh Mon).

Not only performing at festivals, conferences, and events of the industry and local organizations, art troupes also increase exchanges to discuss how to play, sing, and perform for each other.

In order to help arouse and foster students' love of Cheo, many schools in the province have coordinated to open Cheo singing classes at school or include Cheo singing teaching in the local education program.

In recent years, Hai Duong Cheo Theatre and Hai Duong College of Culture, Arts and Tourism have also actively participated in preserving, promoting and maintaining the art of Cheo. Every year, Hai Duong Cheo Theatre stages and performs a new Cheo play; participates in national Cheo festivals. Hai Duong College of Culture, Arts and Tourism opens intermediate professional training courses on Cheo art, providing personnel for Cheo troupes, Cheo theatres and art teams in the province. Actors and lecturers of Hai Duong Cheo Theatre and Hai Duong College of Culture, Arts and Tourism participate in teaching, training and supporting mass cultural and artistic movements in localities; fostering grassroots art nuclei for Cheo clubs in villages and residential areas in districts, etc.

The Prime Minister's permission for Thai Binh province to coordinate with 14 provinces and cities in the Northern Delta and midland, including Hai Duong, to build a dossier on Cheo art to submit to UNESCO for recognition as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity shows the strong vitality and widespread spread of Cheo's value in cultural life.

Implementing the above direction, Hai Duong has urgently coordinated with Thai Binh to deploy the work. The province has completed the inventory of Cheo art heritage in the province; collected commitment forms to agree to build a dossier; participated in a number of scientific seminars on the value of Cheo art jointly organized by Thai Binh province; evaluated and built a profile of Cheo heritage in the province... According to the assessment, the steps of the dossier preparation process are being organized and implemented according to plan.