Phù Khê village has long been famous for its wood carving: "Hanoi embroiders fans and flags; Phù Khê carved a throne to worship the king. The person who is considered the founder of the craft and is credited with teaching the wood carving profession to the people of Phù Khê is Mr. Nguyễn An. Every year on January 7, craftsmen from craft guilds in the village gather to celebrate the death anniversary of the Craft Patriarch. Saws, planers, sharpeners, chisels, and various-sized straight chisels are among the instruments used in wood carving. Wood is a plentiful raw material that is dependent on the needs of the consumer and the product's price. Roughing, or horizontal working (cutting, sawing, and chiseling); rough touch; and fine touch are the three stages of the production process. The unique and trademark technique of the craft village is the dragon carving technique. In Phù Khê, there is a saying that partly shows the difficulty of the carving technique: "One wood, two people, three clouds, four animals" (the most difficult is carving trees, the second is carving human figures, the third is carving touching the cloud, the fourth is touching the beast). Decorative patterns carved according to the motifs of lotus, chrysanthemum, buddha's hand, orchid, and four precious flowers including "pine, chrysanthemum, bamboo, apricot", "dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix", "intellectual, farmer, industry and trade", etc. The craft village has two types of products: traditional products (dragons, statues, animals) and fine arts products (tables, cabinets, tables and chairs, incense burners, screens). Famous products of Phù Khê village are statues, horizontal panels, parallel sentences, incense burners, dragon mosaics, dragon pearls, etc.

Ví and Giặm songs are sung by a wide range of communities in Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh Provinces of north-central Viet Nam. Specific songs are sung without instrumental accompaniment while people cultivate rice in the fields, row boats, make conical hats or lull children to sleep. Ví and Giặm lyrics use the specific dialect and linguistic idioms of the Nghệ Tĩnh region and practitioners sing with the particular singing voice of Nghệ Tĩnh people. Many of the songs focus on key values and virtues including respect for parents, loyalty, care and devotion, the importance of honesty and a good heart in the maintenance of village customs and traditions. Singing provides people with a chance to ease hardship while working, to relieve sorrow in their lives, to express feelings of sentiment between men and women, and to exchange feelings of love between unmarried boys and girls.

Viet Nam 2014

The tradition-bears of the gong culture are the seventeen Austro-Asian and Austronesian ethno-linguistic communities living in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Gong music is an integral part of the life cycle of each person and important agricultural events of the community, performed in a wide range of ceremonies and rituals, such as ear-blowing for babies, weddings, sacrifice buffalo, abandoning grave, worshipping water troughs, celebrating new rice, closing rice storehouse, celebrating new communal house, so on. It is believed there is a god in each gong, a protecting shield for the family. Having gongs represents wealth and power. Gong ensembles in the Central Highlands are communal, each performer plays one note. Every member in the ensemble must remember the rhythms and melodies so that they can harmonize with other performers. Depending on the ethnic groups, the gongs are played by hand or with wooden sticks wrapped in cloth, leather or rubber strips. Each gong ensemble has between 2 and 13 flat and knobbed gongs with a diameter ranging from 25 to 120 cm, played by both men and women. Peoples in the Central Highlands often buy gongs from Kinh people in Quang Nam, Quang Ngai provinces, or even in Laos and Cambodia. The gongs are re-tuned in order to have the desired sounds. In the past, almost every village had a gong tuner. Today, there are only a few remaining gong tuners in the region. Economic, social and religious transformations have dramatically affected the lives of the local communities here. The safeguarding of gong space in the Central Highlands is thus more challenging. Senior tradition-bearers are passing away, while few people master the traditional rituals. Some major rituals with gong performance are no longer practiced. Younger generations are is less interested in traditional culture. Buffalo sacrifice is banned in many localities. Rice cultivation is altered with industrial crops. The instruments become trade items for other purposes. Nonetheless, the government is doing its best to ensure its practice and transmission.

Viet Nam 2008

The Xa Mã Festival - Wooden Horse and Palanquin Pocessions at Hoàng Châu Communal House is a form of community spiritual and cultural activity that takes place annually from the 9th to the 12th of June (lunar calendar), with the main festival day being the 10th of June. The festival has a long history, associated with the national historical relic of Hoang Chau communal house, built about 300 years ago. The festival commemorates the day the villagers built the communal house, thanking the gods for always protecting and helping fishermen in the area to be safe and have a good fishing season. The festival takes place at the communal house and temples with the following rituals: Water procession, Cao yet, Xa gia - Palanquin procession, and Te an vi. The special feature of the Wooden Horse and Palanquin Pocessions at Hoàng Châu Communal House bears the mark of coastal culture, without the divine flag, tiet mao flag, cap kiem, bat buu, phuong bat am, gongs and drums. Usually, the long dinh palanquin is carried first, followed by the Lieu Hanh mother palanquin and other palanquins. But in the sacred moment, the palanquins and the palanquins also “fly”, drifting with the Saints, the palanquins are no longer arranged in a fixed order. The locals believe that when the palanquin flies, it is the time for the Saint to be present, when the palanquin turns (turns) it is the Saint who is not satisfied with his wandering. On the shoulders of the attendants, the Saint’s palanquin can fly everywhere in the region without any human direction and the time does not know when it will stop. That is the sacredness of the Xa Mã Festival - the procession of the Saint’s palanquin at Hoang Chau communal house. Previously, before each procession of the Saint’s palanquin, there was a “Xa Mã” procession. Currently, there is a slight change: in the morning, the Saint’s palanquin is carried first, then the “Xa Mã” procession. In the afternoon, the xa ma procession is carried first, then the Saint’s palanquin is carried later. The palanquin procession is carried out after the celebrant reads the prayer. The procession involves 6 palanquins including: (1) the Long Dinh palanquin carried by 4 people, who are female officials of the sacrificial team in yellow robes and turbans; (2) The palanquin with the altar and the statue of the Holy Mother Lieu Hanh, carried by 8 young women in red shirts, yellow turbans, and tight pants; (3) and (4) include 2 palanquins with the throne and the royal coffin of the Marshal and Deputy Marshal, carried by 8 young men in traditional costumes; (5) and (6) include 2 palanquins with the throne of the King of Nam Hai and the King of Dong Hai, carried by 8 young women. In addition to the activities: cockfighting, chess, Quan Ho singing, Cheo singing, water-based thum bridge... the "Xa Mã" performance is indispensable. "Xa Mã" or "wooden horse pulling competition" recreates the training and military exercises of soldiers in ancient times. With the participation of 2 teams, a pair of yin and yang, reflecting the people's desire for fertility and development. The two Xa Mã - wooden horses run strongly and fiercely under the skillful and rhythmic control of the commander. Each team must run 3 laps around the field, without touching the line, and without injuring the opponent and team members. The prize given to the winning team is the gift of the communal house. Participating in the competition, both the audience and the contestants feel like they are participating in a real military exercise. The festival bears the cultural imprint of the coastal region, expressing the wish to be blessed by the gods, and has a high educational value on the morality of drinking water and remembering its source, and the love of labor. With its unique and typical values, the Xa Mã Festival - Wooden Horse and Palanquin Pocessions at Hoàng Châu Communal House was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The Khen of the Hmong is made of Pơmu wood with 6 different large, small, long, and short bamboo pipes, symbolizing the gathering of brothers. There are two types of trumpet: long trumpet (high sound) and short trumpet (low sound). Khen is a wind instrument, used by Hmong people in many different contexts such as funerals, Gầu Tào festivals, fairs, weddings, etc. Therefore, the content of Khen songs has many topics, different songs such as the farewell of the dead soul to the ancestral world, the mourning of relatives with a slow, gentle, sad sound, the confession of love between a man and a woman, the blessing of a young couple with a fast, strong, cheerful tempo. Khen dance includes a number of basic movements such as raising legs, rotating in place, spinning in place, spinning in place and moving heel (on a large rotation and gradually narrowing in a spiral shape), bending over, playing with Khen, rolling on its side, rolling on its back, squatting dance, walking forward and backward in four directions, cock fighting, horse fighting, jumping and squatting, one hand patting the other leg, the sound of clapping must be heard while the sound of Khen cannot be stop. Taking the breath and forging the breath to make it deep and long is a special technique. At the age of 10, Hmong boys begin to be taught Khen dance techniques by their grandfather, father, or older brother. Hmong Khen dance can be performed solo to show off technique, or performed in pairs, triples, or collectively. Hmong Khen Dance can be combined with women's dances.

The Trò Ngô Festival of Giàng Village is held every two years, on the 10th day of the first lunar month, to review the tradition of fighting foreign invaders, the merits of establishing villages, establishing villages, and protecting the people of the two Supreme Gods Thanh Lãng Cao Diệu Địch Cát and Mr. Vũ Lôi District Duke. About a month before the festival, the people prepare for the organization, assign specific tasks to everyone and must complete them before January 9. Early in the morning of the 10th, the members of the troupe perform the vegetarian ceremony the day before and 8 male soldiers play the role of General Kim Cuong along with many people attend the festival with flags, gongs, drums, trumpets, and cymbals to Son Loc pagoda and Vu Loi District Duke's Temple to perform the ceremony and welcome the Saints to attend the festival. The festival takes place with the rituals of carrying the throne and worshiping the gods. To perform the rituals, the village elects a regular Oan mandarin to be on duty next to the thrones at the Ban Điện to light incense, offer tea, wine, and flowers to the gods. The ceremony leader kneels to perform the ritual, on both sides are 8 sacrificial officials standing in two rows to perform the rituals of offering tea and wine. Sitting behind the sacrificial officials are the first Lenh, the second Lenh, the head of the Huong, and the second Ban of 12 clans. The people in the area and visitors from all over come to offer sacrifices, burn incense, and pray for a happy and lucky new year. After the Ban Tế finishes the rituals, the people participate and enjoy the games, art performances, and unique folk performances such as: The Dậm dance - this is the first performance in the festival. The tribute performance - a performance depicting the scene of the Ngô Dynasty sending a delegation of envoys to the South to pay tribute to ask for peace. The performance of the Scholar - Farmer - Worker - Merchant. Thunder - lightning - rain performance to pray for "good rain, favorable wind and rain for the villagers to do farming and farming". Performance of wet rice farming. Performance of mulberry farming and silkworm raising. In addition to the performances, the community also organizes other folk games and performances such as swinging, Chèo singing. On January 11, 24 flags of 12 clans are lowered. The handover ceremony between the old Cai đám and the new Cai đám takes place with the participation of the old Cai đám, new Cai đám, Lềnh cả, Hương trưởng, Bàn nhì of the 12 clans and the village elders at the festival's gate. After completing the handover, Lềnh cả, Lềnh hai, 24 Hương trưởng, Bàn nhì, monks, trumpet troupes, old and new Cai đám and the young men carry the thrones and trays of offerings from the festival's gate back to Son Loc pagoda and Vu Loi District Duke's Temple. The festival ends with a communal meal at Son Loc pagoda, any family that does not attend will also receive a share of the saint's blessings. The Trò Ngô Festival of Giàng Village recreates the tradition of fighting against foreign invaders, the merit of establishing villages and hamlets, and protecting the lives of the people. The festival demonstrates folk knowledge related to praying for crops, demonstrating the strong relationship among clans, community cohesion, and contributing to educating generations towards the roots of the nation. With its typical value, the Trò Ngô Festival of Giàng Village was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2017.

The Thái people in Mường So, Phong Thổ, Lai Châu have over 30 Xoè dances, but all of them originate from six ancient Xoè dances: Khắm khăn mơi lảu (raising a scarf to invite wine), Phá xí (bottle), Đổn hôn (back and forth), Nhôm scarf (toss the scarf), Ỏ lọm tốp mư (circle of applause) and Khắm khen (holding hands). In addition to fan Xòe dances, scarf Xòe dances, hat Xòe dances, and music fruit Xòe dances, Thái people also have many dances named after events, content, and props, such as xòe chan khon, xòe kếp phắc, xòe kếp bók, etc. Xòe here also originates from the songs and dances associated with thirty-six farewell songs to Then (Heaven). However, the unique features of Xòe in Lai Châu are associated with the White Thai community. Mường So, Phong Thổ is the cradle of famous Xoè dances and Xoè dances in history, associated with the "Thái kings" of the Đèo family. The "Xòe Đèo Team" with hundreds of beautiful and talented girls once went to France to perform. Many Xòe dances associated with props have become "trademarks" of Thái Xòe here such as Xỏong, fans, scarves, and hats. The rhythm of stepping up, forward, backward, holding hands to form an inner circle, the outer circle and inner circle walking parallel, the outer circle and the inner circle going back and forth are the unique features of the community here. Accompaniment instruments in ancient Xòe include 1 drum, 2 gongs, and 1 cymbal. Xoe dance rhythm has 3 repeating melodies symbolizing 3 souls: heaven, earth, and humans. In the middle of the Xòe circle of the ancient Thái people, there was erected a trimmed pole - the tree of all things, on the tree hung the shapes of land and water animals, the moon and the sun, woven from bamboo or carved from wood. At night, you can spread around the fire - the fire is both the center of the spreading circle and provides light for spreading at night. Xoè dance helps people forget the fatigue of everyday life so that after the Xoè festival, returning to everyday life, people love work and life more.

Viet Nam 2021

Held on the full moon day of January every year. The worshiped characters are King Miêu Tĩnh (Mạc Thái Tổ), King Cao Quyết, Saint Cao Sơn - King Qúy Minh. Ná Nhèm Festival is associated with the legend of fighting the enemy to defend the village and the cultural activities, games, and performances of the Tày people, Trần yêncommune, Bắc Sơn district on the full moon day of the first lunar month. During the festival, the young men participating in the procession all smear their faces with black paint to distract the souls of the enemy, as well as to prevent epidemics and disasters. Therefore, the Ná Nhèm festival is called the black face festival by the Tày people. The performance includes 7 contents: Mộc Dục; water procession; Procession of the royal throne and royal tablet from Mỏ village communal house to Xa Vùn temple; The performance of fighting with great swords, swords and offering gifts of two armies of generals of Ngô and Laos; the role of actor - farmer - worker - merchant, fisherman - woodcutter - cultivator - nomads; the general's Heavenly Lightning Spear; Procession of the King's throne and tablet from the temporary communal house to the Mỏ village communal house. Presided over by monks. The offerings are tree seedlings. The most unique is the performance of Hidden Silence - Moon Face - mascots that produce food energy. The ritual of offering offerings includes two mascot symbols of fertility: the mute (male fertility) and the moon (female fertility), to pray for many children and grandchildren to proliferate; Offering rice, corn, berries, etc to pray for an abundant harvest and for people to have a prosperous life. Ná Nhèm Festival has many contents related to the memory of King Mạc such as the custom of water procession - procession of the King, the custom of worshiping Grandfather Mạc Đăng Dung, hidden under the worship of the scimitar, the scimitar fighting performance at the festival, custom of offering offerings while shouting "long live"; The fact that the General borrowed the teachings to proclaim "Heaven gave birth to me"; the connection between the time of rebellion (1677) and the presence until the 14th generation of the Hoàng and Bế families at the door of Mở village communal house.

Tang quây or Khen dancing is a unique form of performance reserved for Mông men in Bac Kan. The trumpet functions both as a musical instrument and as a dance prop. They dance Khen in fun events, festivals and markets. The Khen tree consists of many small bamboo pipes that can be put together to blow out and inhale air. It is also a dance prop with a structure suitable for crouching and turning, jumping, etc. The sound of the Khen can be heard at the same time. emitting polyphonic sounds, many parts, resonating far and wide; The rhythm is 4/4 or 2/4, suitable for the movements of Khen dancers. It is estimated that there are 33 Khen dance movements and combinations such as jumping, gliding, turning, shifting weight, jumping sideways, kicking, crawling, gliding, wavering, cock fighting, kicking. Flipping, etc. In which the main motifs are spinning in place and spinning mobile on a large rotation that gradually narrows in a spiral shape. To become a good Khen player, a Mông man must practice from the age of 12 to 13 to have a strong and flexible body, but most importantly, how to take deep, long breaths. The most difficult move is to hug Khen while rolling around, dancing the "cock fight" and "horse fight" dance while Khen's sound does not stop. Most Khen dancers perform on large flat surfaces to show off their techniques. It can be affirmed that Khen dance clearly demonstrates the martial spirit, strong personality, courage, agility, dexterity, and talent of Mông men. Khen dance during the festival has a fun tone. The Mông people in Bac Kan also dance Khen at funerals and death anniversaries with the main movement of blowing the Khen while bending around the coffin, bowing, then kneeling and blowing the Khen in front of the prayer tray, expressing grief. the grief of those who lived with the deceased. The Mông people believe that without the Khen sound, the souls of the dead will not be able to return to their ancestors.

Originating from the worship of General Trần Công Bát at Cấm Temple, the Kin Chiêng Boọc Mạy Dancing and Singing Celebrations under Bông Ritual Pole is held annually by the Tai people in Xuan Phuc Commune on the 15th day of the first lunar month to express gratitude to their ancestors, heaven and earth, and gods, and to pray for favorable weather, a prosperous, peaceful, and happy life. The Tai people consider this a cultural and artistic activity of the community, so everyone in the village participates in full force. This ceremony usually lasts from 1 to 3 days and nights, to satisfy the spiritual needs of all classes of people in the village. The Bông Ritual Pole is the centerpiece of the festival, symbolizing the life of the village and nature. The most unique feature of the “Kin Chiêng Boọc Mạy” Festival is the singing and dancing under the Bông Ritual Pole. The Bông Ritual Pole is made of bamboo or bamboo, the Bông Ritual Pole flowers are made from mulberry trees, cassava trees, and tens of platforms with shapes of birds, animals, and production tools. Depending on the generation of the Mo family, the Bông Ritual Pole is made from 3, 5, 7 to 9 or 12 floors. Currently, the Bông Ritual Pole in the "Kin Chiêng Boọc Mạy" Festival in Roọc Răm village, Xuân Phúc commune is allowed to be 9 floors (meaning it has gone through 9 generations of Mo masters), with thousands of gerbera flowers from 30 to 40 petals. Each Bông Ritual Pole is compared by the people to a human destiny, each flower is a crop season. The festival is divided into two parts: The ceremony part is the spiritual rituals - the basic prayers told by the Mo masters about the story of establishing the village, establishing the village, praising ancestors, and those who have contributed. The person who plays the role of "God", plays the role of "Muong Troi" in the "Kin Chiêng Boọc Mạy" Festival - Singing and dancing to celebrate under the Bông Ritual Pole has borrowed the "power" of the god to teach people to do good things, not to do evil, and to love each other. The festival is a system of 26-50 performances performed by Shamans or "Shaman Guests" such as: chopping wood, farming, sword dancing, sweeping the house, people playing the khene... each performance has a god from Muong Troi participating (played by the Shaman). In addition, there is also the playing of traditional musical instruments: Gongs, bamboo flutes, drums, boong bu, khene, flute; along with folk games such as: Hat khap, jumping on bamboo poles, beating mats, tug of war, throwing con... and cultural and culinary exchange. All rituals and performances take place under the Bông Ritual Pole. The Dancing and Singing Celebrations under Bông Ritual Pole has the meaning of community consolidation, and has a high traditional education value in the community. Through this ritual, the entire life of the community is recreated, including production activities, behavioral culture, beliefs... creating a unique and distinctive cultural and artistic form. From the long-standing spiritual and cultural values, the "Kin Chiêng Boọc Mạy" Festival - Singing and dancing to celebrate under the Bông Ritual Pole of Roọc Răm cultural village, Xuan Phuc commune, Nhu Thanh district, Thanh Hoa province was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017.

The art of performing double drums, triple gongs, and quintuple chings is an ingenious combination of three types of musical instruments in specific quantities: two drums (Chi gưl), three gongs (Mí - mother, Mai - sister, and Con - child ) and five chings (Pồng, Pềnh, Pang, Poong, Pếnh). The gong maintains a low tone, deep timbre, and slow tempo. Gongs have a peaceful, gentle, resonant, and distant sound. The vibrant, powerful drums push the chords to a climax. To create sound, artists do not beat the drum with sticks but dance the drum by using four fingers and hands to twist, stroke, and tap on the drum's surface, creating complex tones and rhythms. When performing, two artists wear drums across their stomachs, stand facing each other, their legs dance, and move, and their hands perform the operations rhythmically. Therefore, artists, in addition to being able to play musical instruments and have good pronunciation, must also have good health. In the minds of the Ba Na and Chăm H'roi people, the sound of chings and gongs is a special signal for people to connect with the Giàng, the gods. Therefore, the art of double drums, triple gongs, and quintuple chings is performed on many occasions such as weddings, funerals, and community festivals. During the proposal ceremony, it is like a reminder that the couple loves each other and is faithful. When someone passes away, its sound is sad and soft, like saying goodbye to the person who has passed away. It is artistic, entertaining, and sacred, meeting the spiritual needs of cultural heritage subjects.

Trần Thương Temple Festival commemorates the death anniversary of Saint Trần Hưng Đạo, a national hero.This is a cultural event held in the community to verenate and honor sacred and real figures in the national history like Saint Trần Hưng Đạo. He is a national hero who defeated foreign invaders then was considered as a Saint to support communities to have a prosperous and happy life. Trần Thương Temple Festival is famous for its typical ceremonies like water procession, palanquin procession, food delivery. Especially, there are performances of spirit mediumship with some shamanism practices in Trần Thương Temple Festival.