According to the census data of 2009, the Nùng ethnic minority had a population of 968, 800 people and was the seventh most populous group in Vietnam, who mostly live in the provinces of Lạng Sơn and Cao Bằng. The Nùng people have a rich treasure of folk culture and folk songs imbue with their group. Bụt (the Goddess of Mercy) is one kind of religious rituals of the Nùng people. In everyday life, the Nùng people believe that men have thirty hồn (souls) and women have forty vía (vital spirits). Hồn vía are associated with body. When the Nùng deal with difficulties, the soul and vital spirits escape from the body, making the body ill. If the soul and vital spirits leave the body for a long time, the person will be severely ill or die. At the beginning of spring, the Nùng people often worship for vital spirits at home. This worship includes twelve phases with singing meaningful lyrics. The singing melodies have many pitches—low, high, deliberate, strong, enthusiastic, passionate tunes, etc.—bringing deep emotions to people’s hearts. The song “Bụt lằn” (Expressing spring scenes) with lyrics on plants, flowers, and animals, paints a natural scene that is fervid and harmonious with the thoughts and feelings of the people, evoking a sense of honesty, talent, and intelligence.

This is an excerpt of a Tuồng play, called “Trảm Trịnh Ân” (Trịnh Ân was beheaded), which can be called “Tống Thái Tổ Túy Sát Trịnh Ân” or “Đào Tam Xuân loạn trào”), one of the classical Tuồng works. This excerpt is a conversation between Trịnh Ân and his son while walking to Trịnh Ân to an execution ground. Being unjustly convicted, Trịnh Ân had to endure that conviction. Because he did not want his son to witness his execution, he advised his son to go home. However, his son was grief stricken and did not want to leave his father. The melodies in this excerpt include Nam bình, Nói lối đạp Ai qua nói lối Ai, Hát khách, Nam ai, and Nói lối thường.

To celebrate our first day of the million years ahead\nI'm dressing up our boudoir so it can be fulfilled\nBut if I move here then I'd hit the trunk\nThen I move over there I'd hit the pillow\nAnd I thought it'd be my lover to caress \n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

The brown bird settles itself on the brown tree branch\nSo why won't you settle for a nearby husband and yet chose a faraway one\nOne day as (your) parents are old and weak\nThen who will hand us (parents) the chopsticks to eat, the tea to drink\n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

O think of the nailed wooden boards\nOr the shaking bamboo bridge that's hard to walk on\nIf it's hard to pass then mother is here to lead\nYou're on the path to school, I'm on the path of life\n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

The hands that hold the scissors and neddle\nThe hands that hold the silk to the tailor\nThe hands that provide the rich taste of ginger sauce\nOur love is as rich and deep as the ginger taste, so please don't leave me\n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

I hope our bond can last till tomorrow\nA thread can be sown into fabric, the iron can grind into a needle\nAnd if one day we fell into hardship\nOur precious bond can last like how a resilient rope is\n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

The lights of Saigon flickering with its city hues\nThe lights of Mỹ Tho flashing bright then dimmed\nI hope you get to come around with Nho writings\nAs I'll wait for as many moons as I could\n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.\n\n*Chữ Nho: Chinese character writing system

Mister Lữ goes fishing in the afternoon\nBut then the crocodile suddenly took him away\nIt is easier to find silver and gold\nBut to find a meaningful bond is rarer than most\n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

I thought the well was deep so I mended a long rope\nTurned out the well was shallow so I'm bitter about the rope \n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

I thought the well was deep so I mended a long rope\nTurned out the well was shallow so I'm bitter about the rope\n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.

I thought the well was deep so I mended a long rope\nTurned out the well was shallow so I'm bitter about the rope \n\nLullabies (Ru) within the family environment has a hypnotising function, where it's used to ease the child into sleeping. Southern Vietnam (Nam bộ) lullabies was formed and sustained through the many layers of Nam bộ culture. The environmental ecosystem and culture have given it a distinctive form that is expressed through lyrics, melodies, and rhytms.