Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee has held a meeting to discuss the plan for a ceremony to receive recognition as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity from UNESCO.
Accordingly, the ceremony will take place in Hoi An city on May 7th with the participation of artisans, Bai choi clubs in the province, representatives of UNESCO in Ha Noi, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Viet Nam UNESCO National Committee, the National Heritage Council, and representatives from localities such as Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa.
Bai Choi singing (a popular folk style of singing in the central and south central regions of Viet Nam) was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was announced on November 7th, 2017 during the 12th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Jeju, the Republic of Korea.
It is often seen at local spring festivals and resembles a game, using playing cards and village huts. The songs are about festivals, daily life and work, and are accompanied by musical instruments.
The singing became the tenth Vietnamese cultural practice to be awarded UNESCO’s intangible heritage status, together with the Mother Goddesses belief of three realms, Vi Dam singing, Don Ca Tai Tu music, the worship of Hung Kings, the Giong festival, love duet singing in Bac Ninh province, Hue's royal court music, Gong space culture in the Central Highlands, and folk tugging rituals and games.