CONVENTION FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF

THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE
SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
Fourth session
Abu Dhabi, Unite Arab E!irates
"# Se$te!ber to " O%tober "&&'
No!ination (or ins%ri$tion on the Re$resentati)e List in "&&' *Re(eren%e No+ &&,#-.
A+ STATE PARTY: Viet Na!
B+ NAME OF ELEMENT: /uan H0 B1% Ninh (o23 son4s
C+ COMMUNTY(ES), GROUP(S) OR, F APPLCABLE, NDVDUAL(S) CONCERNED:
The Vit (Kinh) in 49 Quan ho villages and other neighbouring villages in current Bc
Ninh and Bc Giang provinces of Viet Nam.
D+ BREF TEXTUAL DESCRPTON OF THE NOMNATED ELEMENT:
Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs are alternating response songs between male and female
singers. They perform Quan ho songs in the spring and fall at festivals and gatherings of
friends. A pair of women from one village sings with a pair of men from another village
with similar melodies, but different lyrics, and always with alternating tunes. n each pair,
one person sings the leading tune and another sings a secondary part, but the two
should be in perfect harmony at the same timbre. They sing songs with lyrics from poems
and folk verses to express love without musical accompaniment. There are four known
singing techniques such as vang (restrained), rn (resonant), nn (ringing), and ny
(bouncing). Quan ho singing has three main types: ht canh (the singing at a host's
house), ht thi ly gii (singing for prizes), and ht hi (singing at festivals). Quan ho
singing is connected with tc kt ch (friendship custom) between villages, tc kt bn
(friend-making custom) between groups of singers, as well as tc ng bn (sleepover
custom). Although these customs are not practiced as much as in the past, communities
still preserve and transmit Quan ho folk songs.
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 1
Ori4ina25 En42ish
,+ DENTFCATON OF THE ELEMENT
,+a+ NAME OF ELEMENT: Quan Ho Bc Ninh Folk Songs
,+b+ OTHER NAME(S) OF THE ELEMENT, F ANY:
Quan ho singing, Quan ho bc ninh singing
,+%+ DENTFCATON OF THE COMMUNTY(ES), GROUP(S) OR, F APPLCABLE, NDVDUAL(S)
CONCERNED AND THER LOCATON:
The holders of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs are the Vit people who support themselves
through wet rice cultivation and handicraft production in the current Bc Ninh and Bc
Giang provinces. Quan ho villages are located on the two sides of the Cu river, more
than 30 kilometers from the capital, Hanoi. The villages are all situated within a
contiguous area of 60 square kilometers.
According to a 1962 inventory, there were 72 artists, 50 of whom were singers prior to
August 1945. A 1972 inventory in 27 Quan ho villages in Bc Ninh province identified
approximately 100 artists who had been performing Quan ho songs since the turn of the
20
th
century. A 2003 survey in Bc Ninh province identified 59 Quan ho artists among
whom six artists were recommended to the State to be recognized as Living Human
Treasures. Two of these artists have passed away, the remaining four are Nguyn Vn
Thj, Ng Thj Nhi, V Thj Chjch, and Nguyn Thj Nguyn. A 2008 inventory on Quan ho
cultural heritage identified 1417 artists and practitioners from 12 to 98 years old in the 49
Quan ho villages (see the Supplementary Documentation: Intangible Heritage Inventory:
Quan ho !"#c $inh %olk &ong', Vietnam nstitute of Culture and Arts Studies, Hanoi,
2008).
,++ GEOGRAPHC LOCATON AND RANGE OF THE ELEMENT:
At the beginning of the 20
th
century, Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs were performed in the
49 villages which are locally recognized as the traditional Quan ho villages. 44 of these
villages now lie in Bc Ninh province:
Bai Uyn, Du ng, Ha Giang, Hoai Thi, Hoai Trung, Lung Giang, Lung Son, Ngang
Ni, Vn Kham (Tin Du district)
Tam Son, Tiu (Tu Son district)
ng Mai, ng Yn (Yn Phong district)
B Son, Chm Kh, C M, Duong , u Han, iu Thn, ng Xa, Xa, Hoa
inh, Huu Chp, Kha L, Khuc Toai, Nem oai, Nem Son, Nem Tin, Nim Xa, Phuc
Son, Thanh Son, Thi Chung, Thi Cu, Tho Ninh, Thuong ng, Tra Xuyn, V An,
Vim Xa, Xun i, Xun ng, Xun , Xun Vin, Y Na, Yn Mn (Bc Ninh city)
The remaining five traditional villages are located in Bc Giang province: Gia Son, Huu
Nghi, Ni Ninh, Mai Vu, and Sen H (Vit Yn district).
Thirteen other villages in Vit Yn district, Bc Giang that are not part of the traditional 49
Quan ho villages also perform the folk songs: inh Ca, ng Long, Kha Ly Thuong, Nui
Hiu, Mt Ninh, Quang Biu, Tam T ng, Th n Chuc, Tin Lat Ha, Tin Lat Thuo ng, Th
Ha, Trung ng, and Vn Cc. These villages are located in the extended area where
Quan ho folk songs are disseminated.
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 2
,+e+ DOMAN(S) REPRESENTED BY THE ELEMENT:
According to the Convention for the Safeguarding of ntangible Cultural Heritage, Quan
ho Bc Ninh folk songs belong to the domain of performing arts. Generations of Quan ho
singers have been composing, performing, and disseminating folk songs for hundreds of
years. They sing Quan ho at festivals as well as in their daily routine, at home, in
communal houses, in pagodas, on lakes, on rivers, and on the Lim hill. Each Quan ho
village has its own festival. Quan ho singing is performed at village festivals, and is
intertwined with the worship of tutelary gods, goddesses, and, in a couple of cases,
fertility rituals.
"+ DESCRPTON OF THE ELEMENT (CF. CRTERON R.1):
Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs are alternating response songs between male and female
singers. There is no consensus on their historical origin. By comparing Quan ho lyrics
with the development of the Vietnamese language, some claim that Quan ho songs
developed in the middle of the 18
th
century. The owners of Quan ho songs are the Vit
peasants in villages who mainly practice wet rice cultivation.
Quan ho singing has main types: ht th( (singing at rituals)) ht hi (singing at
festivals), ht thi ly gii (singing for prizes), ht canh (the singing at a host's house). n
addition to the songs "nvitation of Tea and "Areca Nuts and Betel Leaves, the singing at
a host's house has three phases including ging * l+i (standard tune), ging ,-t (variety
tune) and ging .i/ bn (farewell tune) types.
Quan ho is sung in pairs with one person singing the leading tune and another sings a
secondary part, but the two tunes should be in perfect harmony at the same timbre.
There are four singing techniques that scholars and communities identify as the specific
features which are restrained, resonant, ringing, and bouncing. Quan ho singing not only
requires round voices, clear words, smooth, graceful, and resonant singing with many
techniques such as vibrating, modulating, slurring, but also bouncing notes. The bouncing
technique, while it shares some common traits with ch0o theatre and ca tr1 singing, has
distinctive elements that cannot be confused with any other style.
Quan ho folk songs have 213 different melody variations and more than 400 song lyrics.
A song lyric includes two parts: the principal text is the core of the song, containing its
base lyrics; the secondary text includes words that are added to the melodies, such as i
hi) 2 h2) a ha, and so on.
Quan ho folk songs are mainly composed using folk verses (ca 3ao) and poems. This art
requires the additional sounds and words to the principal sounds and main lyrics in order
to make the songs fluid, make them flexible, reinforce their musical features.
Modulation of adjacent and intermediate tones is a special characteristic of Quan ho music.
Quan ho artists combine two and three pentatonic modes within a single song. This allows
artists to maintain an open structure while combining contrasting melodic features in one or
several pentatonic modes to add variety to a song. Modulation is one of the features that
places Quan ho B c Ninh at the pinnacle of folk arts in Viet Nam.
Lyrics of Quan ho songs are derived from folk verses of the Vit, mostly 6 syllable and 8
syllable verses, modified 6 syllable and 8 syllable verses, 4 syllable or mixed 4 syllable
verses. The lyrics are perfectly polished in poetic and standard language. The lyrics
express people's emotional states in metaphorical language: longing and sadness
experienced upon separation, and the happiness of the meeting of lovers, though artists
may not marry each other according to social customs.
Quan ho folk songs are always performed voluntarily in groups of men or women. Each
group usually has four to six people who are named by order such as "Second Sister,
"Third Sister, or "Second Brother, "Third Brother "Fourth Brother, and so on. f the size
of a group reaches seven or eight people, then they are divided into "older and "younger
siblings named as the "Third Younger Brother or "Fourth Older Sister.
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 3
Quan ho folk songs exist in a cultural environment with their own social customs, the
friendship among villages. Out of the 44 traditional Quan ho villages in Bc Ninh
province, there are 33 pairs of friendship villages, making up nearly 80% of the total. The
friendship customs are distinctive from those in the locations in the Red River delta, in
that they are linked to a folklore performance. From the friendship custom, Quan ho
songs have been developed and popularized in close association with Quan ho friend-
making. Each Quan ho group from one village makes friends with another group from
another village following the principle that male groups make friends with female groups
and vice versa. With the friendship-partner villages, men and women in Quan ho groups
from these villages are not allowed to marry each other.
n performance, the outfits of Quan ho are distinctive: The female costume includes no#n
thu#ng 4uai thao (the large round Quan ho hat) and a scarf for wrapping the hair,
camisole, tunic, skirt, and scarves tied about the waist. The male costume includes a
turban, umbrella, a shirt or robe including undershirts and long tunics with five pieces,
trousers, and slippers. The male umbrellas and female hats are symbols that embody
beliefs of the ancient Vit such as lingam (phallus) and yoni (clitoris) worship. These
beliefs express the ancient views of the Vit on nature.
One particular characteristic of Quan ho singing is the teaching and dissemination
through "sleepover customs. Boys and girls from 9 to 16 or 17 years old, invite each
other to sleep over in their host's house to learn Quan ho singing techniques. Male and
female singers combine and practice their voices in pairs in order to have a unified timbre
for performance.
For hundreds of years, Quan ho songs have existed, expressing the spirit and awareness
of the Vit in the region about the nature and society, and the songs are also the means
for local people to perceive themselves and distinguish themselves from the Vit in other
regions. Thus, the songs are preserved and promoted by Quan ho artists.
n 1969, a new Quan ho form was developed by the Quan ho Folk Songs Troupe in order
to widely popularize Quan ho. This form adapted the lyrical and melodious qualities of
Quan ho to stage performance. Significant musical changes include simplified lyrics,
faster tempo and the addition of instrumental accompaniment to perform on stage. On the
other hand, in villages, communities still disseminate and preserve traditional Quan ho
songs.
-+ CONTRBUTON TO ENSURNG VSBLTY AND AWARENESS AND TO ENCOURAGNG DALOGUE
(CF. CRTERON R.2):
Historically, the creation and transmission of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs contributes to
the heritage of responsive singing of men and women in Viet Nam and worldwide.
Responsive singing and singing festivals are traditions not only among the Vit, other
ethnic groups in Viet Nam, but also in other countries. n other ethnic groups, this tradition
often forms part of an exchange between male and female groups in order to select
partners and carry out marriage customs. n Quan ho singing, however, the friendship
customs between villages in Bc Ninh and Bc Giang provinces regulate that men and
women sing Quan ho, but are usually not allowed to get married to each other. Their
feelings are platonic. For generations, Quan ho songs have attracted and impassioned
people. The immense sadness when singers are separated, the unutterable happiness
when they see each other after long time apart are expressed in the song lyrics, touching
the hearts of many people. After making Quan ho friends, members of Quan ho groups
respect and cherish each other like blood relatives. n the circle of the nature and
harvests, Quan ho villages, female and male Quan ho groups meet each other at the
beginning of the spring in festivals to perform their songs. They refresh themselves
through costumes, food and singing to reconnect with friends after a long absence. The
festivals connect people, villages, and communes by a folklore event, a performing art of
cultural heritage. Quan ho folk songs have a potential for dialogue and integration in a
larger space.
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 4
Over the history of the creation of Quan ho folk songs, artists have adapted elements of
songs from other regions as well. This includes aspects of traditional che5o theatre,
religious songs (ch65u v"n), and ca tru5 singing. Sometimes nearly the whole song is
adapted; other times the musical elements are modified in a way that develops or
extends a Quan ho song. This practice shows that Quan ho artists have been aware of
their songs' identities. This awareness penetrates in their blood and flesh, passing down
from this generation to the next.
Quan ho folk songs are created as a result of composition by sudden inspiration,
improvisation in competitions, alternate singing of songs at a host's house, and the skillful
transformation of song modes. That is an important creativity of many Quan ho artists
generations. People in the 49 Quan ho villages and other communities in Bc Ninh and
Bc Giang provinces have respected and appreciated Quan ho artists and acted to
disseminate and preserve the songs. Quan ho communities thus show a respectful
attitude toward cultural creation and diversity. n a Quan ho group, whether it is a male or
female group, their behavior amongst themselves is always very polite. This
characteristic is essential for a dialogue to safeguard cultural diversity.
Today, Quan ho villages encounter significant challenges. New-style Quan ho singing
leads to some divergence of their traditional features, to some loss of the values of music
art and language, singing techniques as well as other social customs. The Government,
local authorities and relevant institutions in Viet Nam make their efforts to safeguard this
important heritage.
6+ SAFEGUARDNG MEASURES (CF. CRTERON R.3)
6+a+ CURRENT AND RECENT EFFORTS TO SAFEGUARD THE ELEMENT:
Since 1954, local authorities have been interested in safeguarding and promoting Quan
ho songs and festivals. n 1962, Bc Ninh province held the first Quan ho conference.
From 1963 to 1996, Ha Bc province (today comprised of Bc Ninh and Bc Giang
provinces) held six conferences on Quan ho folk songs. n 1969, the Quan ho Bc Ninh
Folk Songs Troupe was established as an institution to safeguard, develop and perform
Quan ho folk songs. Former H Bc province set up a center for Quan ho Bc Ninh
culture to collect and research the songs. n Decree No 1357/Q-CT dated November 19,
2003, Bc Ninh designated the Lim hill (Tin Du district) as a center for traditional
festivals and Quan ho performances. n 2004, the Bc Ninh Department of Culture and
nformation also has a project to safeguard the Quan ho village of Vim Xa. Annually, the
two provinces of Bc Ninh and Bc Giang hold Quan ho alternate singing festivals in the
spring in order to identify new Quan ho artists.
n recent years, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has identified Quan ho folk
songs as an exceptional form of cultural heritage and stressed the importance of
safeguarding and promoting it. n 2003, with the assistance of Hanoi UNESCO office, the
National Department of Cultural Heritage and B c Ninh Department of Culture and
nformation implemented a pilot project to identify representative Quan ho artists in B c
Ninh province. The Vietnamese government has awarded the title of $gh7 '8 9u t:
(Distinguished Artist) to Mrs. Ta Thj Hnh, a Quan ho artist. n March 2006, the Vietnam
nstitute of Culture and Arts Studies organized an international conference on &a;eguar3ing
an3 <ro=oting o; %olk &ong' in >onte=?orary &ociety (see 7.c.2). At the end of 2006, the
B c Ninh Department of Culture and nformation held a seminar on &a;eguar3ing o; @l3
Quan ho !"# c $inh %olk &ong'A For more than one hundred years, many collections and
works of research on Quan ho have been published (see Supplementary Documentation:
>ollection o; B''ay' on Quan ho !Cc $inh %olk &ong', VCAS, Hanoi, 2008).
The artists and local residents of the 49 Quan ho villages have agreed upon the
consensus to safeguard and promote Quan ho folk songs in a meeting held on November
10, 2005 in Bc Ninh province. n this conference about 500 artists signed a letter,
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 5
inquiring the Government to have a plan for the preservation and promotion of Quan ho
Bc Ninh songs. The artists of Quan ho villages in the survey on the intangible heritage
inventory in April, May, and July 2008 in the 49 Quan ho villages also confirmed this
consensus. Today, the documents with the artists' signatures and interviews are archived
at VCAS.
Since 1945, the friendship customs between villages and the friend-making custom
between groups of singers, the sleepover custom and festivals in Quan ho villages have
been changed dramatically. Artists who can sing old Quan ho songs are becoming fewer
over time. Traditional style competitions are no longer practiced in the Quan ho villages,
which means that Quan ho improvisation is disappearing. These changes have forced
local authorities and communities to hasten the implementation of measures to safeguard
and promote the value of Quan ho folk songs.
6+b+ SAFEGUARDNG MEASURES PROPOSED:
,+ Sa(e4uarin4 !easures5
To help the communities identify and annually implement an inventory of Quan ho Bc
Ninh folk songs.
To develop a list of Quan ho Bc Ninh artists in Bc Ninh and Bc Giang provinces; to
set up award policies for artists such as salary or subsidy, especially for those
designated as "Living Human Treasures in the Quan ho villages in the two provinces
of Bc Ninh and Bc Giang.
To complete documentations and research on Quan ho folk songs, including those in
the villages of the extended area.
To classify and systemize documents in order to archive and serve communities to
have access to the resources of Quan ho folk songs.
The two provinces of Bc Ninh and Bc Giang will work together with communities to
hold a biannual Quan ho Bc Ninh festival, based on annual Quan ho Bc Ninh
festivals in each district; to develop the Lim hill into a center for Quan ho culture,
including performance space, carrying out the project of planting new trees and
restoring the tomb of Nguyn Din; to develop the Lim festival (Tin Du district, Bc
Ninh province) and B a pagoda festival (Vit Yn district, Bc Giang province) into
an annual festival of Quan ho singing exchange and competition; to revive religious
singing performance in the Vim X village festival (Bc Ninh city, Bc Ninh province)
to preserve standard melodies of Quan ho songs.
To support communities to revive and maintain social practices, beliefs and
ceremonies relevant to Quan ho folk songs, revise the annual singing competition for
prizes in the Quan ho villages.
To establish an Association of Quan ho Bc Ninh Artists made of members of existing
village-level Quan ho Clubs, to set up activity programs for the Association so that this
non-governmental organization can play an active role in transmitting Quan ho songs
to the younger generations.
Vietnam nstitute of Culture and Arts Studies and Vietnam Academy of Music conduct
research and support communities to self-manage and self-implement the
transmission and revival of traditional skills of Quan ho folk singing, design solutions
for Quan ho singing to be enhanced by advanced audio equipment in contemporary
society.
To support communities to identify content for transmission of Quan ho songs in
families, and open classes for communities in villages and communes.
National Department of Cultural Heritage and Vietnam nstitute of Culture and Arts
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 6
Studies will collaborate with the Bc Ninh and Bc Giang provincial Departments of
Education and Training to build the local curriculum on Quan ho folk songs which will
be taught in local literature programs in middle and high schools; to establish the
faculty of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs in the School of Arts in the two provinces of
Bc Ninh and Bc Giang.
To expand information forums such as a regular column about Quan ho folk songs in
Bc Ninh and Bc Giang newspapers and programming for radio and television
stations of the two provinces; To use mobile information troupes to introduce the
values of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs in villages; To set up a website on Quan ho folk
songs.
To raise the awareness of communities on the values of cultural heritage through the
publication and production of cultural products relevant to Quan ho Bc Ninh culture
and folk songs such as CDs, VCDs, DVDs, books, and brochures.
To create opportunities for communities to perform and exchange Quan ho singing
with other communities domestically and abroad.
To cooperate with the tourism industry in the sustainable promotion of the values of
Quan ho cultural heritage.
"+ Res$onsib2e institutions an bu4et esti!ate5
Vietnam nstitute of Culture and Arts Studies is the responsible institution to develop
the national action plan of safeguarding and promotion of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk
songs, to implement and collaborate with Vietnam Academy of Music, local cultural
management institutions, especially communities, artists, Association of Vietnamese
Folklorists under the supervision of National Department of Cultural Heritage.
The estimated budget for the national action plan from 2009-2013 to safeguard and
promote the values of Quan ho folk songs is 2,000,000 US dollars.
The schedule for the national action plan is as follows:
2009-2010: Transmit and teach Quan ho folk songs in families and communities;
conduct research, collect, document, and restore customs and contexts of
performance.
2011-2013: to develop a website for Quan ho folk songs, open classes within
families and communities, training workshops for researchers on Quan ho folk songs,
and to organize national and international conferences for the safeguarding and
promotion of Quan ho folk songs.
-+ Brie( in(or!ation on $riorit7 ai!s5
The priority aim of the project of safeguarding and promotion of Quan ho folk songs is to
foster the transmission of Quan ho singing in the family and community level in the Quan
ho villages: grandparents and parents orally transmit their songs and singing techniques
to the children 9 years old of age and older.
6+%+ COMMTMENTS OF STATES AND OF COMMUNTES, GROUPS OR NDVDUALS CONCERNED:
Quan ho Bc Ninh cultural heritage is protected by Vietnamese law on Cultural Heritage
in the following articles: Article 9 (the state responsibilities to heritage); Article 17 (State
policies create conditions for organizations and individuals to safeguard heritage); Article
18 (Local and central governmental responsibilities to heritage that is submitted to
UNESCO for inscription); Article 20 (Safeguarding measures of heritage); Article 23
(nventory of intangible cultural heritage); Article 26 (Policies for artists and bearers of
heritage); Article 55 (State unanimously manages heritage); Article 57 (State policies
create conditions for non-governmental organizations to safeguard heritage); Article 58
(Financial resources for safeguarding heritage); Article 59 (priority of the financial budget
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 7
for the heritage that is recognized by UNESCO); Article 63 (Commitment to the
implement nternational Conventions); Article 65 (nternational collaboration to protect
heritage); Article 71 and 72 (Dealing with infringement or misuse of heritage).
Thus, pursuant to these articles, communities and local authorities and relevant
institutions will develop and carry out short-term and long-term programs and plans to
implement safeguarding measures (tem 4b).
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism considers Quan ho folk songs as an
exceptionally important intangible cultural heritage, continues to allocate a budget from the
national target programs on culture in the period of 2005 - 2010 to safeguard Quan ho
heritage. The authority of B c Ninh province has ratified the project on the socialization of
cultural activities up to 2010 in which the priority is for the safeguarding and promotion of
Quan ho heritage. The authority of Bc Giang province has developed the Action Plan No 34,
August 13, 2008 to safeguard and promote the values of Quan ho from 2008 to 2015.
Communities, local authorities with the relevant institutions such as the Vietnam nstitute of
Culture and Arts Studies, National Department of Cultural Heritage, Provincial Departments
of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in the two provinces have identified safeguarding measures
of Quan ho songs after it is inscribed (tem 4b). Communities of the two provinces have
reaffirmed their desires and propose safeguarding measures of Quan ho folk songs in the
conferences of artists dated November 10, 2005 in B c Ninh province, and July 15, 2008 in
B c Giang province and in the inventory of Quan ho B c Ninh cultural heritage (see the
Supplementary Documentation: Intangible Heritage Inventory: Quan ho !"# c $inh %olk
&ong') Vietnam nstitute of culture and Arts Studies, Hanoi, 2008, and >ollection' o; B''ay'
on Quan ho !"# c $inh %olk &ong', VCAS, Hanoi, 2008).
8+ COMMUNTY NVOLVEMENT AND CONSENT (CF. CRTERON R.4)
8+a+
PARTCPATON OF COMMUNTES, GROUPS AND NDVDUALS:
Quan ho folk singing is a form of cultural activity practiced among Vit people in the two
provinces of Bc Ninh and Bc Giang. The safeguarding and promotion of this intangible
cultural heritage has always been supported by local communities. On March 8, 1962, 30
representatives of elderly Quan ho artists had a meeting in Bc Ninh to assess the work
Quan ho !"#c $inh %olk &ong' published by researchers Luu Huu Phuoc, Nguyn Vn
Phu, Tu Ngoc, and Nguyn Vim (1962). n the effort of establishing the list of the 49
Quan ho villages, local communities played an important role. This list was the result of
collaboration between elderly artists and cultural managers in 1970s. This list was
reported at a meeting of Quan ho artists on March 3, 1971. Subsequently, the list was
reported at the Quan ho conference on May 14, 15, and 16, 1971 to cultural managers,
scholars, and more than 50 artists in the Quan ho region. On November 10, 2005, a
meeting of Quan ho Bc Ninh artists from Quan ho villages was held, and all participants
agreed with the implementation of the candidature file of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs to
be submitted to UNESCO. n 2008, after the inventory of Quan ho folk songs, the
communities of the 49 Quan ho villages in the two provinces of Bc Ninh and Bc Giang
once again consented to the policy of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to build
up a file to submit to UNESCO for the representative list. July 15, 2008, the artists of five
Quan ho villages in Bc Giang province had a meeting and signed on to the documents,
giving their consent.
n recent years, the communities involved in Quan ho folk singing have continued to
maintain an important role in safeguarding the heritage. n families, the old generation
has taught the young generations to continue the musical tradition. Many Quan ho
classes have effectively been held in local communities. Each Quan ho village has its
own club. Bc Ninh province has 30 Quan ho clubs at the moment and Bc Giang
province has 4 Quan ho clubs. These clubs hold their activities voluntarily and not for
profit without the financial support from the Government and they play an active role in
the safeguarding and promotion of Quan ho heritage. The communities participate in the
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 8
annual spring competition of Quan ho singing held by the two provincial Departments of
Culture, Sports and Tourism.
8+b+ FREE, PROR AND NFORMED CONSENT:
Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs are closely linked with social practices, beliefs and
ceremonies, and transmitted from this generation to the next. The people of the 49
villages always pay attention to safeguarding and protecting their local intangible
heritage. n the conference "mplementation of the candidature file of Quan ho Bc Ninh
folk songs to be submitted to UNESCO for Masterpiece of the Oral and ntangible
Heritage of Humanity held on November 10, 2005 in Bc Ninh province, after listening to
Decree No. 2608 dated May 9, 2005 by the Minister of Culture and nformation to prepare
the candidature file of Quan ho Bc Ninh to be submitted to UNESCO read by Doctor
Trn nh Luyn, the director of the Provincial Culture and nformation Department, and
listening to the cultural values of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs presented by Doctor
Nguyn Ch Bn, the director of nstitute of Culture and nformation, 222 Quan ho artists
agreed with: "We, the people who have the names below, are Kinh (Vit) folk artists in the
Quan ho Bc Ninh villages, consent to the submission of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs
for Masterpiece of the Oral and ntangible Heritage of Humanity, and signed on to the
agreement. n a meeting held on July 15, 2008, after listening to the policies of the
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and People Committee of Bc Giang province on
the implementation of the candidature file of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs to be
submitted to UNESCO for the representative list read by Mrs. Hong Thj Hoa, the director
of Culture, Sports and Tourism department of Bc Giang province and Dr. Nguyn Ch
Bn, the artists of five Quan ho villages in Bc Giang province consented to these
policies by voting by show of their hands. n the inventory of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs
in accordance to UNESCO's Convention for the Safeguarding of ntangible Cultural
Heritage in April and May, 2008 in 44 Quan ho villages in Bc Ninh province, the local
communities consented to the safeguarding and promoting this cultural heritage. On
September 2-3, 2008, the group of researchers doing the inventory of the intangible
heritage led by Doctor Bi Quang Thanh, the acting head of Department of Foreign
Culture and Arts Studies, VCAS went to five Quan ho villages in Bc Giang province. n
each village, the group of researchers had dialogues with the artists. After discussing on
the values of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs, each village had one document, giving their
consent. There were 220 artists of this performing art who agreed with: "We, the people
who sign below, are practitioners of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs, voluntarily consent to
the submission of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs to UNESCO for the representative list in
2008 by Vietnamese government. From September 4 to September 9, 2008, this group
of researchers went to 44 Quan ho villages in Bc Ninh province and held discussions
with the artists in each village on the values of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs. Each village
had one document, giving their consent to the implementation of the Quan ho Bc Ninh to
UNESCO for the representative list. 1490 artists in 44 Quan ho villages in Bc Ninh
province signed a statement: "We, the people who sign below, are practitioners of Quan
ho Bc Ninh folk songs, voluntarily consent to the siubmission of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk
songs to UNESCO for the representative list in 2008 by Vietnamese government. (See
the Supplementary Documentation: Intangible Heritage Inventory: Quan ho !"#c $inh
%olk &ong') Vietnam nstitute of culture and Arts Studies, Hanoi, 2008. All of these
documents that the artists signed in 2005 and 2008 are archived at VCAS).
8+%+ RESPECT FOR CUSTOMARY PRACTCES GOVERNNG ACCESS:
The Vietnamese Government's submission of the Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs to
UNESCO's representative list forms one of the Government's policies to build an
advanced culture imbued with national identities, and to foster respect for the cultural
identity of Viet Nam's different regions and ethnic groups. The friendship custom between
villages and friend-making custom between groups of singers, beliefs relevant to Quan ho
singing, festivals and ceremonies in the 49 villages are all respected. Quan ho artists are
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 9
encouraged and free in their performances. Vietnamese and foreigners are free to
communicate with practitioners of Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs. There are at least two
international doctoral dissertations written about Quan ho folk songs (see 7.c). Quan ho
singers not only perform songs in their villages but also in the other areas.
9+ NCLUSON ON AN NVENTORY (CF. CRTERON R.5):
Quan ho Bc Ninh folk songs have been collected since before 1954 by many
generations of collectors who documented, transcribed songs in Western notation and
recorded many Quan ho folk songs. n the collections of Viet Nam folk songs and books
on the history of Vietnamese literature published from 1954 until now, they all have
written and shown inventories of Quan ho folk songs. Since 2002, the former Ministry of
Culture and nformation (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) implemented a
policy to conduct general research on intangible heritage in Bc Ninh and Bc Giang
provinces. Quan ho folk songs are one of the intangible heritage forms that belongs to
this program. n November 2005, the nstitute of Culture and nformation cooperated with
Bc Ninh and Bc Giang Departments of Culture and nformation to conduct a survey on
the framework of the national program on culture. From March to July 2008, the Vietnam
nstitute of Culture and Arts Studies conducted an inventory of Quan ho folk songs in the
49 villages following UNESCO guidelines. Quan ho folk songs are included in the list of
Vietnamese intangible heritage by the Vietnam nstitute of Culture and Arts Studies.
:+ DOCUMENTATON
:+a+ REQURED AND SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTATON:
Primary materials Supplementary materials
Photos 10 30
Video - one 10 minute DVD
- one 10 minute DVCAM
- one 60 minute DVD
- one 60 minute DVCAM
- one 60 minute DAT
Audio - one 60 minute Audio CD
Maps 3
Books 3
:+b+ CESSON OF RGHTS:
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism grants UNESCO the non-exclusive rights to use,
publish, reproduce, distribute, display, communicate or make available to the public, the
enclosed materials (see annex) in any language or form and by any means including
digital, in whole or in part. We grant these rights to UNESCO irrevocably, for an unlimited
period of time and for the entire world.
:+%+ LST OF ADDTONAL RESOURCES:
In Chinese 2an4ua4e:
Pham Xun Lc, 1920. !"#c $inh Donogra?h (hand writing). France: Library of Asian
Studies Association, 6 volumes, No. 2167.H.M.
In Vietna!ese 2an4ua4e5
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 10
Chu Ngoc Chi, 1928. Ht Quan h EQuan h &ingingF. Hanoi: Thuy Ky published.
Minh Truc, 1937. Ht Quan h EQuan ho 'ingingF. Hanoi: Trung Bc Tn vn, ssues no.
5962, 5963, 5964, 5967, 5969, 5971, 5974, 5976.
Luu Huu Phuoc, Nguyn Vim, Tu Ngoc, Nguyn Vn Phu, 1962. G6n ca Quan h !Cc
$inh EQuan ho !"#c $inh %olk &ong'FA Hanoi: Cultural publishing House.
Many authors, 1972. Mt s vn d dn ca quan ho Bc Ninh [Some issues on Quan ho
folk songs]. Department of Culture of Ha Bc province.
ng Vn Lung, Trn Linh Quy, Hng Thao, 1978. Quan h) nguHn g+c vI 4u trJnh ?ht
triKn EQuan ho) @rigin an3 Gevelo?=entFA Hanoi: Social Sciences Publisher.
Hng Thao, 1997. G6n ca Quan h EQuan ho %olk &ong'FA Hanoi: Musical Publishing
House.
L Danh Khim, 2001. Dn ca Quan ho, li ca v bnh gii [Quan ho Folk Songs, Lyrics
and Comments]. Bc Ninh: Center for Quan ho Culture.
Nguyn Trong nh, 2005. $hLng M-c MiK= ngh7 thuNt Quan h EOhe >haracteri'tic' o;
Quan ho Prt'FA PhD. Dissertation. Hanoi: Vietnam Academy of Music.
Many authors, 2006. QhRng gian v"n hSa Quan h !Cc $inh) bo tHn vI ?ht huy EOhe
&?ace o; Quan ho !"#c $inh >ulture) &a;eguar3ing an3 <ro=otion, The proceedings of
nternational Conference held by Ministry of Culture and nformation and Bc Ninh
province People Committee in Hanoi, March, 2006 Hanoi: nstitute of Culture and
nformation and Bc Ninh Department of Culture and nformation.
Fren%h
Nguyn Vn Huyn (1934), Les chants alterns des garons et des filles en Annam.
Paris: Libr. P. Geuthner.
Trn Vn Kh, 1987. A Propos d'un chant quan ho de la province de Bc Ninh. Paris:
Revue Musicale, No 402-405.
En42ish
Le Ngoc Chan, 2002. Quan h &inging in $orth ,ietna=: P Tearning ;or Ue'olution.
Ph.D. Dissertation. Berkeley: University of California in Berkeley.
Lauren Meeker, 2007. Musical Transmissions: Folk Music, Mediation and Modernity in
Northern Vietnam, Ph.D. Dissertation. New York: Columbia University.
#+ CONTACT NFORMATON
#+a+ SUBMTTNG STATE PARTY: Viet Nam
#+b+ CONTACT PERSON FOR CORRESPONDENCE:
;e7 %onta%t5
Mrs. L Thj Minh L, Vice Director, National Department of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of
Culture, Sports and Tourism. Address: 51-53 Ng Quyn St., Hon Kim district, Hanoi.
Phone: +84.4.9436129; Fax: +84.4.9439929; Mobile: +84.913591266; Email:
minhly@dch.gov.vn; lethiminhly@gmail.com.
Other %onta%ts5
Mr. H Minh Tun, Vice Secretary General, Vietnam UNESCO Committee; Address: 8,
Khuc Hao St., Ba inh District, Hanoi; Phone: +84.4.1993605, Mobile: +84.913593253;
Email: unesco.tuanhm@mofa.gov.vn
Mr. Nguyn Chi Bn, Member, National Heritage Council; Director, Vietnam nstitute of
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 11
Culture and Arts Studies (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); Address: 32, Hao Nam
St., Cho Dua Ward, ng a District, Hanoi; Phone: +84.4.5116460; Mobile:
+84.913211008; Email: vncvhnt@fpt.vn
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 12
#+%+ COMPETENT BODY NVOLVED:
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Address: 51-53, Ng Quyn St., Hoan Kim
District, Hanoi. Phone: +84.4.9438231; Fax: +84.4.9439009.
National Department of Cultural Heritage; Address: 51-53, Ng Quyn St., Hoan Kim
District, Hanoi. Phone: +84.4.9436129; Email: dsvh@dch.gov.vn
Vietnam nstitute of Culture and Arts Studies; Address: 32, Hao Nam St., Cho Dua
ward, ng a District, Hanoi; Phone: +84.4.5116460, +84.4.8569160; Email:
vncvhnt@fpt.vn. Website: www.vicas.org.vn
People Committee of Bc Ninh province; Address: 4, Ph ng Thin Vuong St., Bc
Ninh city, Bc Ninh province; Phone: +84.241.822470; Fax: +84.241.822492. Website:
www.bacninh.gov.vn
Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bc Ninh province; Address: 15, L Thi T
St., Bc Ninh city, Bc Ninh province; Phone: +84.241.822532; Fax: +84.241.822532;
Email: sovhttdlbacninh@yahoo.com.vn
Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bc Giang province; Address: 74 Nguyn
Thj Luu St., Bc Giang city, Bc Giang province; Phone: +84.240.856310; Fax:
+84.240.856310
#++ CONCERNED COMMUNTY ORGANZATON(S) OR REPRESENTATVE(S):
Association of Vietnamese Folklorists; Address: E1, 29 Alley, Ta Quang Bu St., Hai B
Trung District, Hanoi; Phone: +84.4.8693280; Fax: +84.4.8682607
Branch of Association of Vietnamese Folklorists in Bc Ninh province. Address: 366 Ng
Gia Tu St., Tin An ward, Bc Ninh city, Bc Ninh province; Phone: +84.241.820940.
Branch of Association Vietnamese Folklorists in Bc Giang province. Address: 63
Nguyn Vn C St., Bc Giang city, Bc Giang province; Phone: +84.240.854480.
Heads of the 49 Quan ho villages (enclosed list).
Quan ho Bc Ninh artists clubs.
'+ SGNATURE ON BEHALF OF THE STATE PARTY:
<signed>
RL09 - No. 00183 - page 13