The house of Meritorious Artisan Trieu Thi Binh is located on the central road of Doan Ket residential area, Tay Yen Tu township (formerly Mau village, Tuan Mau commune, Son Dong district). Just arriving at the door, we heard a sweet, resonant singing voice. The township’s cultural officer said that was Binh's singing voice. Anyone who didn't know would think this was the voice of a girl in her twenties.

Trieu Thi Binh talks about Dao ethnic folk songs.

Seeing guests, Binh came out of her room with a bright smile. Perhaps because she loves music, she looks much younger than her 63. She shared that when mentioning the Dao Thanh Phan people, everyone remembers such unique cultural features as the cap sac (maturity) ritual, brocade embroidery and folk songs. 

Folk songs originate from daily life and activities, containing all levels of human emotions. Through simple, rustic lyrics, the Dao people wish for bountiful harvests and good weather, praise the beauty of villages and the love between men and women, and expresses heir belief in and desire for a better life.

The Dao people's art club in Tay Yen Tu township (Son Dong district) performs folk songs.

Dao ethnic folk songs usually have two types: ritual songs and songs in daily activities. During the cap sac ritual, weddings, and funerals, the Dao people sing ancient melodies with few words and many meanings, requiring singers to have a deep understanding of the ethnic culture. 

They use bells when performing to make the lyrics more exciting. In daily life, people sing uplifting and gentle songs such as call-and-respond songs, lullabies, and welcome and farewell songs. The lyrics of these melodies are simple and easy to understand and remember.

Vice Chairman of the Son Dong district People's Committee Tong Thi Huong Giang encourages Dao ethnic elders to preserve traditional culture.

In 2019, Binh was awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan in folk performing art by the President.

According to her, Dao folk singers must grasp basic techniques. Songs are taught from generation to generation mainly by word of mouth. Some grandparents also record them in Chinese for long-term preservation.

Preserving Dao ethnic folk songs is the driving force for tourism development in Son Dong district.

The Dao ethnic group accounts for about 31% of the population in Tay Yen Tu township, living mainly in Mau and Thanh Chung residential areas.

At the end of 2021, the provincial People's Committee approved a project to preserve the cultural values of the Nung and Dao ethnic groups to serve the construction of a cultural and tourism village model in Luc Ngan and Son Dong districts, contributing to the development of tourism in Bac Giang province. 

The project is implemented by the Bac Giang Information and Tourism Promotion Center, in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology and the Vingroup Innovation Fund from February 2022 to July 2024.

Dao ethnic people in Tay Yen Tu township (Son Dong district) sing love songs.

According to Tong Thi Huong Giang, Vice Chairwoman of the Son Dong district People's Committee, the local Party Committee and authorities identify traditional cultural values imbued with national identity, including folk songs of Dao ethnic people as a "resource" for tourism development.

In recent years, the district Party Committee and People's Committee have issued documents directing the promotion of community-based tourism development in parallel with preserving traditional cultural heritage.

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