TL;DR: The Tắc Xình dance is a unique synthesis of the Sán Chay people's (Cao Lan group) folk dances, performed during the Harvest Prayer Festival to mimic the entire swidden farming cycle, from clearing fields and sowing seeds to harvesting. It is not only a prayer for favorable weather and abundant crops but also an invaluable cultural, artistic, and spiritual heritage of the community.
What is the Tắc Xình dance?
For the Sán Chay people, particularly the Cao Lan group, wet-rice and swidden agriculture is not just a livelihood but an endless inspiration for cultural and spiritual life. Among their many heritages, the Tắc Xình dance stands out as a unique artistic masterpiece, a "Cao Lan variation" tied to the Harvest Prayer ritual, expressing aspirations for prosperity and community continuity.
Summary table of the main movements in the Tắc Xình dance of the Cao Lan people.
| Movement | Simulated content |
|---|---|
| Tham duong dance | Learning about and selecting farmland |
| Lap lang dance | Choosing land to build a village and establish a new living space |
| Phat nuong, don ray dance | Clearing brush and weeds to prepare land for cultivation |
| Subsequent movements | Sowing seeds, tending, harvesting, bringing home to pound into rice |
| Chim Gâu dance | The chim gau bird returns to signal that the harvest season has arrived, closing the production cycle |
What are the origins of the Tắc Xình dance?
The Sán Chay are one of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, with a population of about 201,398 (2019 census), mainly in northern provinces like Tuyên Quang, Thái Nguyên, Bắc Giang, and Quảng Ninh. The community has two main subgroups: the Cao Lan (Tay-Thai language) and the Sán Chỉ (Chinese, Cantonese dialect).
The Tắc Xình dance is a cultural product of the Cao Lan subgroup, an agricultural people. Dependent on nature, they created folk dances to convey beliefs and hopes to deities, praying for protection and good harvests. Tắc Xình was born from this agricultural reality, vividly reflecting and stylizing swidden farming activities.
What does the Tắc Xình dance mean in cultural life?
How does the Tắc Xình dance pray for a bountiful harvest?
Tắc Xình is not merely entertainment but a sacred ritual in the Harvest Prayer Festival. It is an occasion for the community to express gratitude to heaven, earth, and spirits for past bounty, while praying for favorable weather and prosperous crops. The dance acts as a "supplication" through movement and sound, connecting people with the spiritual world.
A Living Picture of Labor
The most distinctive feature of Tắc Xình is its highly stylized representation of the Cao Lan farming cycle. The dance comprises 9 main movements, forming a complete narrative of a farming season:
- Pathfinding Dance: The start, depicting the search for suitable land.
- Village Founding Dance: Reenacting the selection of land to build a village.
- Clearing Dance: Mimicking the work of clearing fields for planting.
- Subsequent Movements: Describing the process from sowing seeds, tending crops, to harvesting and pounding rice.
- Chim Gâu Dance: The final piece, depicting birds signaling the season's end, closing the cycle.
The graceful, rhythmic movements of dancers vividly recreate the diligent labor of Cao Lan farmers.
What are the musical features of the Tắc Xình dance?
Unique Instruments and Rhythm
Music is vital to the Tắc Xình dance. Traditional accompanying instruments include drums, horns, thanh la, cymbals, bells, and gongs. A distinctive feature is the use of odd rhythms (nhịp lẻ), creating a unique, compelling quality that sets Cao Lan folk dance apart.
How does improvisation work in the Tắc Xình dance?
Cao Lan folk dance, including Tắc Xình, is open and relies heavily on the improvisational skills of performers. This creates richness and diversity, keeping the dance fresh and impressive. The combination of movement skills and dance formations creates a harmonious artistic whole.
What human values keep the Tắc Xình dance alive today?
Community Bonding and Tradition
Tắc Xình carries profound humanistic values, strengthening community bonds. Widespread participation fosters sharing and empathy among people of shared origins. The festival becomes a space for cultural transmission, teaching gratitude and respect for ancestors and pioneers.
How is the Tắc Xình dance preserved in the modern era?
Beyond its value as intangible cultural heritage, Tắc Xình holds aesthetic and spiritual significance. It reflects reality through artistic imagery and helps people connect with nature. Today, the dance has reached wider audiences. At the 3rd Ninh Binh Festival in 2024, artists from the Việt Bắc Folk Music and Dance Theatre performed Tắc Xình, creating an impressive highlight that promoted this unique Sán Chay cultural identity to domestic and international visitors. Preserving this dance is key to maintaining the cultural identity and spiritual life of the Sán Chay people.
