Reception of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate for “Muong Ethnic Thuong Rang and Bo Meng Singing”

On the evening of May 12, Lac Son Commune held a ceremony to receive the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate for "Thuong Rang and Bo Meng Singing of the Muong People."

Leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism present the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate for “Muong Ethnic Thuong Rang and Bo Meng Singing” and offer congratulatory flowers at the ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; representatives from local authorities in the Hoa Binh area; performers from the Lac Hong Theater; and art troupes from eight communes across the Lac Son region.

Lac Son Commune represented the four Muong regions of the former Hoa Binh Province to host this honorary reception. This recognition honors the persistent efforts of residents across the former districts and cities of Hoa Binh Province, and the current communes of Phu Tho Province, in preserving and upholding their ethnic cultural identity.

Speaking at the ceremony, the leadership of Lac Son Commune emphasized: "Thuong Rang and Bo Meng singing are unique forms of folk performing arts that showcase the intellect and rich identity of the Muong people. Receiving this certificate is not only a great honor but also a profound responsibility to preserve and promote the values of this traditional cultural heritage."

Thuong Rang and Bo Meng are iconic folk art forms of the Muong people in the Hoa Binh and Phu Tho regions, deeply intertwined with the spiritual life and labor of the community. These folk songs feature a harmonious blend of music and lyrics, with each melody carrying a distinct tune to convey emotional and culturally rich verses.

This heritage possesses a profound community character. In Muong villages and hamlets, numerous artisans practice Thuong Rang and Bo Meng. Beyond being a form of cultural activity, it serves as a medium for social exchange, an expression of emotions, and a repository of life experiences of the working people.

Currently, the Hoa Binh region hosts over 786 intangible cultural heritages of five ethnic minority groups, including languages, scripts, folk performing arts, traditional festivals, handicrafts, and folk knowledge. Among them, Thuong Rang and Bo Meng are considered standout heritages, joining previously honored legacies such as Mo Muong Hoa Binh, the Muong Khai Ha Festival, Bamboo Calendar (Doi) Folk Knowledge, and the Art of Muong Gongs.

According to leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Thuong Rang and Bo Meng singing boasts a vast practicing space, spanning 10 districts and cities of former Hoa Binh Province—now encompassing 46 communes and wards in Phu Tho Province. To ensure the continued preservation and promotion of this heritage, local authorities are urged to step up awareness campaigns, develop conservation models for heritages at risk of disappearing, and integrate this folk art into extracurricular activities to provide the younger generation with opportunities to inherit and succeed this legacy.

The ceremony featured an artistic exchange program between the Lac Hong Theater and artisans from the Lac Son region. Performances of Thuong Rang and Bo Meng, harmonized with the resonant sounds of Muong gongs and traditional dances, reaffirmed the prestigious position of Muong culture within the treasury of national intangible cultural heritage.

Hong Duyen