Growing up in the cradle of Then singing excellence.
Thùy Linh was born and raised in Văn Lãng district, Lạng Sơn province - where Then songs and Tính lute music have become an indispensable part of the lives of the Tày and Nùng people.
From a young age, Linh was captivated by Then songs, the high-pitched, clear "ting ting tang" sound of the Tinh lute echoing through the mountains and forests. The music and singing seemed to carry the soul of the Tay people, offering it to the earth and sky, merging with nature. Immersed in the essence of the Then folk performance art of her people, her love for Then at Thuy Linh's shrine grew and became a passion for the young woman.
“When I was little, I memorized the melodies of the then folk songs even before I knew how to play the instrument. A little older, my mother bought me an instrument and enrolled me in lessons. At that time, I simply found the melodies beautiful, but the more I learned, the more I understood the cultural value of my ethnic heritage,” Thùy Linh shared.
At the age of 11, she studied Then singing at the Ethnic Boarding School and was fortunate to be directly taught by Meritorious Artist Hoang Thuy. Throughout four years, thanks to Ms. Hoang Thuy's dedicated guidance, Thuy Linh not only honed her Then singing techniques but also absorbed the cultural and spiritual values that this art form brings.
Linh shared that her family and teachers reminded her: "Then singing and Tinh playing originate from the working life of the ancient Tay people. According to folk beliefs, Then means Heaven, and Heaven means 'sky,' considered a song passed down from the gods. Therefore, in the life of the ancient Tay people, it was used in important events... The Tay people believe that Then melodies help send prayers to the heavens."
Thuy Linh also revealed that the lyrics of Then songs are words carefully selected and refined by the people; they are both lyrical poems, rich in melody, and words of advice and encouragement; they also contain experiences about interpersonal relationships... therefore, when listening to the Tinh instrument and the Then songs, people see a reflection of their own lives within them.
Bringing Then singing art closer to young people.
Recognizing that Then singing was gradually losing interest among young Tay people and had not spread widely to friends across the country, Thuy Linh was determined to bring this art form closer to the community.
Even with a busy schedule in university, Thùy Linh maintained her passion by participating in cultural events and using social media to spread the art of Then singing.
In 2022, Thùy Linh began sharing performance videos on TikTok with the hope of bringing Then singing closer to the public. Initially, the content mainly attracted the attention of an older audience, but in 2024, she decided to build a TikTok channel called "Nàng Then Thùy Linh" and create more engaging content, such as combining traditional Then singing melodies with eye-catching visual effects.
As a result, her TikTok channel quickly attracted tens of thousands of interactions from people of all ages, with even young people as young as 13 expressing their love for this art form.
Not only focusing on stage performances, Thùy Linh also hopes to expand the community of Then singing enthusiasts, aiming to teach this art form to help more people access it.
Recently, the trend of young people seeking out national cultural values, things considered the "soul" of Vietnam, has greatly excited Thuy Linh. For Linh, this is a great motivation to spread the Then singing and Tinh playing of the Tay people even more strongly to young people.
Linh often wears traditional clothing when appearing on camera. Besides sharing about Then singing, she also reveals some distinctive cultural aspects of the Tay people.
Thùy Linh shared: “Traditional culture is the soul and identity of a nation. If we know how to preserve and promote it, that value will endure forever.”
With her youthful energy and creativity, Thùy Linh is gradually realizing her dream of bringing the art of Then singing closer to the younger generation, contributing to the preservation of this precious cultural heritage of the nation.
Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/nu-sinh-hoc-vien-bao-chi-va-tuyen-truyen-dam-me-gin-giu-va-lan-toa-nghe-thuat-hat-then-post407538.html
