"Hat canh” - ancient form of Quan Ho folk singing

Ancient Quan ho, consequently handed down within only 49 Quan ho villages of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces, is primarily a type of singing to express affections between singers to make friends. (Photo: Nhật Anh/VNA)

It has different forms of singing such as singing for congratulations (hat chuc hat mung), singing at festivals (hat hoi), ritual singing (hat tho), singing at a host’s house (hat canh), etc., with each form having its own regulations on ways of singing, on space and time for organizing singing occasions. (Photo: Nhật Anh/VNA)

Singing at a host's house is organized in the house at night as a game between two groups of male and female singers through the match of lyrics and melodies.(Photo: Nhật Anh/VNA)

The antiphonal performance comprises several sections lasting from 7-8 p.m to 2-3 a.m. The duration of a section can be long or short, depending on the singers' repertoire of Quan ho songs. (Photo: Nhật Anh/VNA)

Nguyen Huu Bien, who hosts the Quan Ho performance at his home, introduces the performing artists of the night. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

Mr. Bien's family in Trung hamlet, Lung Giang village (Tien Du, Bac Ninh) has been hosting Canh singing sessions for nearly 20 years. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

The singers know by heart hundreds of Quan ho songs. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

Meritorious artisan Nguyen Thi Ly (middle) and her fellow Quan Ho singers demonstrate their beautiful call-and-response singing in their performance. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

(Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

Canh singing means singing from the heart. It means "opening up" your heart to express all your longing to friends you have not met for a long time. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

Quan Ho folk singing is an integral part of Vietnamese culture and was recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2009. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

Canh singing sessions attract a lot of folk art lovers. (Photo: Nhat Anh/VNA)

"Hat canh” - ancient form of Quan Ho folk singing

26-02-2024 06:00

(VOVWORLD) - "Hat canh” (singing at a host’s house) is considered as the most typical and unique form of Quan ho singing, a folk art in the northern province of Bac Ninh that combines various elements, including music, lyrics and costumes, and features the distinctive culture of people in the region, formerly called Kinh Bac.