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May 08, 2018 / 10:36

Quang Nam receives UNESCO status for Bai Choi singing

Quang Nam held a ceremony to receive a certificate from UNESCO recognizing Bai Choi singing, a popular folklore style of singing in central Vietnam, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on May 7.

The ceremony featured a parade with the UNESCO certificate held up high and performances of Bai Choi singing, attracting thousands of visitors.
 
Quang Nam receives UNESCO status for Bai Choi singing.
Quang Nam receives UNESCO status for Bai Choi singing.
Earlier, Binh Dinh held a ceremony for the receiving of a certificate from UNESCO recognising “Bai Choi” singing on May 5. The event, directed by Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien, gathered nearly 400 artists from nine provinces which are home to Bai Choi heritage including 30 artists from the host Binh Dinh province.
The ceremony aims to honour and promote the special values of Bai Choi singing while reflecting national pride and raising the awareness of preserving and promoting cultural heritages of the nation and humanity.
An art programme featuring the history of the folk music genre of Bai Choi from its dawn to the current developments was offered for audiences during the ceremony.
The event was jointly organised by the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the provincial People's Committees of Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, and Da Nang.
Earlier, the recognition of Bai Choi singing was made during the 12th session of the UNESCO Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Jeju, South Korea, on December 7, 2017.
The folk singing genre is popular in the central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa, and Da Nang city.
Bai Choi is a type of folk art and folk games featured in the Central of Vietnam. Throughout history, it has been developed into a festival of Vietnam. Bai Choi is annual organized at the beginning of the year to welcome a new year. It is the chance for people to communicate through songs and to entertain with game.
The festival starts from the 1st day of year in lunar calendar. The opening of the festival is performing gratitude to Buddha, gods in heaven and the ancestors. This is most solemn part of the festival. After the formal ceremony, people gather together following the drum sound to join in the main part of the festival.