The image of Thay Pagoda in “The quintessence of Tonkin” 

“The quintessence of Tonkin” is performed on the 4,300m² stage of lake surface with good location of backing on Sai Son Mountain in Thay Pagoda (Sai Son Commune, Quoc Oai District, Ha Noi) about 30km to the south-west of Ha Noi's centre.

The art show draws inspiration from the history of ancient pagoda of Thay - a famous spiritual tourist site in Ha Noi and also the story of Venerable Monk Tu Dao Hanh – the abbot of the pagoda.

Folk art forms such as ca tru singing, quan ho singing, water puppetry and Northern folk songs are combined skillfully to offer audiences special feelings. In addition, the stories about Northern people’s life such as carrying rice, fishing, village activities, folk games, festivals, etc and many images of old Ha Noi are reappeared vividly and closely on the stage of “The quintessence of Tonkin”.

Especially, most of actors and actresses in the art show are local farmers in Sai Son Commune, Quoc Oai District, contributing to bringing audiences the most honest and soulful view.

Throughout 60-minute show, audiences can’t take their eyes off the stage with the lively scenes of mountain, lake, boats, etc supported by modern sound, illumination and technology system.

“The quintessence of Tonkin” is a comprehensive synthesis of Poetry – Music – Painting, gathering the cultural quintessence of the Northern Delta. Therefore, it is not only an art show but also a cultural experience and a meaningful spiritual food. For foreign audiences, through the stories of poetry, music and painting told by Vietnamese farmers, they can understand a part of Vietnamese history and culture.

Audiences participate in traditional folk game

Coming to the stage of “The quintessence of Tonkin”, audiences also have the opportunity to experience a rural market with many Vietnamese snacks such as: gio cake, te cake, boiled sweet potatoes, boiled corn, etc and participate in traditional folk games.

Thu Giang