Bringing Xoan Singing and Hung King Worship into school

Recently, the provincial Department of Education and Training has brought Xoan Singing into school curricula, helping to promote the worth of the nation’s Xoan Singing history, instilling love in the younger generation, and generating a force for proximity and strong pervasiveness.

Students from Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School perform Xoan singing.

Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School in Viet Tri City is one of the pioneers in establishing a reality-based school approach. To ensure that students have access to Xoan singing, the school has increased its propaganda efforts in a variety of ways, including teaching, hanging panels and banners both inside and outside the school, and creating Xoan singing groups in schools. Every week and month, in addition to singing in music sessions, the school welcomes artists from the original Xoan wards to educate children directly. Up to present, 100% of all classes have learnt and practiced Xoan singing, with kids in second grade and above knowing more than five old Xoan songs. This is noteworthy since hardly every school can replicate it so well. Teacher Tran Thi Anh Nguyet - Principal of the school said: “The choice of songs to teach is discussed by the school to make it easiest for children to absorb, which are songs with simple melodies and lyrics, easy-to-remember songs”.

Nguyen Linh Chi, a student in class 5A7 at Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, shared: "Since entering first grade, we have been taught Xoan singing by the teachers in the school; at first, it was short, easy to remember songs. The lengthier songs are more difficult to sing. The school also took us on field trips to historic villages, the cradle of Xoan singing, such as Lai Len Temple and Hung Lo Communal House. I can now sing numerous Xoan-themed songs, and I like Xoan singing".

Learning Xoan singing at Chu Hoa Primary School in Viet Tri.

In recent years, Phong Chau High School in Lam Thao district has developed the “School associated with protecting the worship belief of Hung King” concept, holding events on a monthly and quarterly basis with diverse themes. The school established the topic “We practice being tour guides” in the hopes that all pupils would learn about Hung King Temple and promote it to tourists, which has yielded practical benefits. The subject demands applicants to demonstrate their comprehension of the Hung King Temple and the Hung King Worshiping Belief. Extracurricular programs allow students to tour and study at the Hung King Temple Historical Relic Area. The youngsters were taught about the historical remnants of the Hung King era, the intangible cultural legacy of Hung King worship, and the temples' histories... Extracurricular activities educate students on the traditional values of the Hung King Worshiping Belief, empowering them to conserve and promote these traditions in their ancestral country.

A teacher at Gia Cam Primary School in Viet Tri city teaches kids how to sing Xoan.

To instill Xoan singing and Hung Vuong worship beliefs in schools, the instruction and Training sector continues to push propaganda, dissemination, and legal instruction on cultural heritage, including worship beliefs of Hung Vuong; Promote the high value of Hung King Worship in the media to attract tourists from within and outside the province; Increase knowledge of cultural and civilized conduct, as well as the need of conserving and protecting people’s and visitors' cultural heritage. Coordinate with all levels and sectors in directing, guiding, inspecting, urging, analyzing, and synthesizing specialist data on heritage, suggesting solutions to effectively plan and implement management activities, protection, and promotion of cultural heritage resources.

Hanh Thuy