TL;DR: Vietnamese folk music comprises many genres tied to village life, festivals, beliefs and labour: quan họ, ca trù, chèo, xẩm, hát văn, đờn ca tài tử, nhã nhạc and many regional folk melodies. Each genre has its own performance setting, instruments and singing style, reflecting different cultural layers in Vietnamese history.
What Genres Does Vietnamese Folk Music Include?
Vietnamese folk music is a broad system comprising many different genres tied to labour, festivals, beliefs and community life. Notable genres include quan họ, ca trù, chèo, xẩm, hát văn, đờn ca tài tử, nhã nhạc, along with many regional folk melodies such as xứ Nghệ folk songs, Huế songs, hò, lý and lullabies. Each genre has its own performance setting, instruments and singing style, creating a diverse picture of Vietnamese traditional music.
What is Quan Họ?
Quan họ is a genre of responsorial singing between liền anh (male singers) and liền chị (female singers), tied to the Kinh Bắc cultural region, now in Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces. It is a form of singing in festivals, hát canh (evening singing) and hát hội (festival singing), with styles such as hát đối, hát đáp, hát mời and hát mừng. Quan họ lyrics often use lục bát and song thất lục bát verse forms, with rich imagery and lyricism. Traditional quan họ instruments include đàn nguyệt, đàn nhị, phách and trống con. Quan họ was inscribed by UNESCO as a Representative Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
What is Ca Trù?
Ca trù (also called hát ả đào or hát cô đầu) is a traditional chamber singing genre that flourished in the Lê and Nguyễn dynasties. A ca trù guild typically includes ca nương (singer), đào nương (lead singer) and kép (đàn đáy player). The main instruments are đàn đáy, phách and trống chầu. Ca trù lyrics are often Nôm or Hán poetry, with techniques of melisma and ornamentation requiring high aural skill. Ca trù was inscribed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
What is Chèo?
Chèo is a popular folk theatre form in the Red River Delta, combining singing, dancing, acting and instrumental accompaniment. Chèo often performs folk tales and fairy tales, with humorous and satirical lyrics criticising bad habits. The chèo orchestra includes đàn nhị, đàn nguyệt, sáo, trống, phách and thanh la. Chèo melodies such as làn sử, làn sa, làn hề, làn vỉa, làn kể and làn hát sắp create its distinctive character. Chèo is one of Vietnam's typical traditional theatre forms.
What is Xẩm?
Xẩm is a genre of street singing by blind people, often performed at markets, wharves, village communal houses and street corners. Xẩm singers usually accompany themselves, with simple instruments such as đàn bầu, đàn nhị, sáo and phách. Xẩm lyrics tell stories of life, love, and the joys and sorrows of working people. Xẩm has many melodies such as xẩm chợ, xẩm thập ân, xẩm huê tình, xẩm xoan and xẩm giăng. Xẩm is a unique folk music genre reflecting the life of the poor in old society.
What is Hát Văn?
Hát văn (also called hát chầu văn) is a music genre tied to the hầu đồng (spirit mediumship ritual) in the Mother Goddess worship of Tam Phủ and Tứ Phủ. Hát văn singers are usually women, singing in a style of ngâm, ngợi and kể, with accompaniment of đàn nguyệt, trống, phách and thanh la. The lyrics praise the merits of saints and deities in the Mother Goddess pantheon. Hát văn has many melodies such as văn thờ, văn chầu, văn ca, văn thi and văn luyện. The Mother Goddess worship of Tam Phủ was inscribed by UNESCO in 2016, in which hát văn is an inseparable element.
What is Đờn Ca Tài Tử?
Đờn ca tài tử was once famous in the Sa Đéc area and the provinces of the western Mekong Delta. Đờn ca tài tử is often performed in families and gatherings, with instruments such as đàn kìm, đàn cò, đàn tranh, đàn bầu, sáo and tiêu. Lyrics are often poetry, phú or narrative, with pieces such as Nam xuân, Nam ai, Nam đảo, Oán and Tứ đại cảnh. Đờn ca tài tử was inscribed by UNESCO as a Representative Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2013.
What is Nhã Nhạc?
Nhã nhạc is a court music genre used in sacrificial rites, court assemblies and grand ceremonies of the Nguyễn dynasty. Nhã nhạc includes many forms such as nhạc tế giao, nhạc tế thái miếu, nhạc ngũ tự, music for grand ceremonies, music for regular audiences, music played nine times at grand banquets, and music used in the palace. Nhã nhạc instruments include biên chung, biên khánh, trống đại cổ, đàn tranh, đàn tỳ bà, sáo, tiêu, kèn and many others. Nhã nhạc was inscribed by UNESCO as a Representative Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003.
Overview Table of Vietnamese Folk Music Genres
| Genre | Region | Performance Setting | Main Instruments | UNESCO Inscription Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quan họ | Bắc Ninh, Bắc Giang | Festivals, hát canh | Đàn nguyệt, đàn nhị, phách, trống con | 2009 |
| Ca trù | Red River Delta | Chamber, hát ả đào | Đàn đáy, phách, trống chầu | 2009 (urgent safeguarding) |
| Chèo | Red River Delta | Theatre | Đàn nhị, đàn nguyệt, sáo, trống, phách, thanh la | |
| Xẩm | Many regions | Street singing, markets, wharves | Đàn bầu, đàn nhị, sáo, phách | |
| Hát văn | Red River Delta | Hầu đồng ritual | Đàn nguyệt, trống, phách, thanh la | 2016 (Mother Goddess worship) |
| Đờn ca tài tử | Southern Vietnam | Family gatherings, meetings | Đàn kìm, đàn cò, đàn tranh, đàn bầu, sáo, tiêu | 2013 |
| Nhã nhạc | Huế | Court, sacrificial rites | Biên chung, biên khánh, trống đại cổ, đàn tranh, đàn tỳ bà | 2003 |
The Difference Between Nhã Nhạc and Tục Nhạc
According to the book Vũ trung tùy bút by Phạm Đình Hổ, under the Lê dynasty, nhã nhạc and tục nhạc were not mixed together. Nhã nhạc was used in sacrificial rites and grand court ceremonies, while tục nhạc (folk music) was managed by the Giáo phường office[1]. The book states: “Nhã nhạc with tục nhạc were not mixed together. But without dedicated officials, the classical precedents could not be maintained for long”[1]. This shows a clear distinction between court music and folk music in history.
What is the role of music in spiritual life?
Vietnamese folk music is not only a means of entertainment but also a form of moral education and community bonding. The book Nho giáo by Trần Trọng Kim quotes Confucius: “Lạc nhi bất dâm, ai nhi bất thương” (Joyful but not licentious, sorrowful but not harmful), emphasising music's role in harmonising emotions[2]. In funerals, the nhạc hiếu band plays the kèn and drums to share grief, recounting sorrow and regret, creating a solemn atmosphere. In festivals, quan họ, chèo and hát văn contribute to a distinctive community cultural space.
Conclusion
Vietnamese folk music is a rich and diverse treasure comprising many different genres, from rustic folk melodies to refined chamber and court forms. Each genre bears deep cultural and historical imprints and the soul of the Vietnamese people, contributing to national cultural identity. Preserving and promoting folk music genres is the responsibility of every Vietnamese citizen.
