EE00000013

Then a ritual practice indispensable in Tày, Nùng and Thái ethnic groups' spiritual life, reflects concepts about human beings, natural world and the universe (the Earth realm, the 3-layer Heaven realm). Then ceremonies describe a journey in which Then Master (Male/Female) controls ghost soldiers travelling from the Earth realm to the Heaven realm, the residing place of the gods, to offer worshipping items and show their praying requests for peace, bad luck relief, illness treatment, good crops, new house inauguration, initiation/title-conferring ritual (cấp sắc), blessings and happy new year. Then Masters start the journey by singing and plucking the tính lute (two or three-string lute). Depending on worshipping purposes, Then Masters will arrange worshipping trays to pray different native Gods, among whom Ngoc Hoang is the highest God. Then Masters often use a summoning tablet, a seal, a demon-expelling sword, a yin and yang rod, a bell, a fan and items such as pork, chicken, wine, rice, fruits and votive papers to perform Then ceremonies in the believer’s house, outdoor or at Then altar of the Master’s house. While practising, Then Master wears ceremonial dress, sings the language of his ethnic group and plays the tính lute, shakes the chùm xóc nhạc (rattle-bells), waves a fan. In some ceremonies, a female dancing group will accompany. Then rituals performances express Tày, Nùng and Thái’s cultural identities, from customs to musical instruments, dance and music. Then is always transmitted orally while its rituals are being conducted, reflecting the succession between generations.

EE00002009

The Tay people have many rituals and prayers to ask for blessings, ask for good things, and banish evil and bad things. The vows made in the rituals called then roads are performed by the Thens (in the vowing rituals, there is also a system of words called Mo, Tao, and Phat roads, which are performed by magicians and teachers. Tao, Buddha - different names for worshipers). Therefore, the then ritual is a system of rhythmic lyrics, accompanied by rituals in religious activities of the Tay ethnic group. Those who can practice then rituals must be people with special abilities. According to the Tay people's concept and in reality, Then is someone sent down by heaven or selected by ancestors with then karma to help earthly people perform then rituals, meeting the spiritual needs of the community, if it is a woman, it is called Me Then (or Me Slin), and if it is a man - very rarely, it is called Po Then (or Po Slin). Then in Tuyen Quang, there are 2 types: the fan key and the calculated key. Currently, there are very few people who are "granted" Then Fan in Tuyen Quang. Then Fan (also known as Then Ky yen) is used in rituals to pray for peace such as: worshiping the mother, praying for relief from drought, praying for healing or worshiping ghosts... Then Tinh has an accompaniment musical instrument such as a pipe, a squirrel beam. and music.

EE00002677

Then means Heaven - Sky, a song passed down by the gods. Then is a cultural activity associated with spiritual rituals, performed to worship Then to pray for peace, relieve drought, bless, wish for the new year, cure illness, or used in ceremonies to pray for good harvests, entering a new house, and granting honor., etc performed by Then masters. Therefore, Then forms a fundamental part of the spiritual life of the Tày and Nùng people in Thai Nguyen province. The person who makes Then must be knowledgeable about customs. Mr. Then and Mrs. Then are always respected in the community. The tune consists of two lines: Then Literature and Then Martial. The music in Then is rich and lyrical and combined with rhythmic and lively Then dance. Then Dance has three forms: Adoration dance, Slương dance, and ritual dance. The decoration of the ceremony table, offerings, honeysuckle... especially the Then hat is a distinctive feature of the Then ceremony in Định Hóa region. Through Then music, the community conveys its wishes for life. Attached to Then is the lute - the Heavenly organ, a bridge between heaven and earth. It can be affirmed that the Then ritual is a special performance environment, preserving traditional cultural values ​​of music, dance, singing, costumes, cuisine, shaping, beliefs, etc.