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| Mr. Nguyen Van Huu, commonly known by his stage name Xuan Huu or Xuan Huu Tinh lute. |
From father's student to legacy bearer
Nguyen Van Huu, commonly known by his stage name Xuan Huu, was born in 1991 in a Tay family with a rich tradition of folk culture in Minh Khai village, Quang Minh commune, Bac Quang district, Ha Giang province (now Bac Quang commune, Tuyen Quang province). In 2005, when he was a 14-year-old boy, Huu began learning Then singing and Tinh lute from his father, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang. The simple lessons by the fire, amidst the sound of the forest wind and the affectionate eyes of his father, instilled in Xuan Huu a strong love for Then singing and Tinh lute.
From that foundation, he continued to learn from artisan Nguyen Thi Yeu, a prestigious elder in Khiem village, in the same commune. In 2010, he attended a Tinh lute and Then singing class organized by the People's Committee of Bac Quang district (old), taught by artisan Tham Ngoc Kien. Later, Mr. Huu was also guided by artisan Chu Van Thach in advanced training, especially vocal training according to the Tay - Nung folk song method taught by People's Artist Nong Xuan Ai.
In 15 years of keeping the fire burning, Mr. Huu has taught more than 19 Then singing and Tinh lute classes in localities inside and outside the province. Many of his students have grown up, become successors and continue the legacy. Names like Vi Thi Hoai Lim, Nguyen Mai Nuong, Nong Thi Le... are proof of a young generation who have loved Then since they were elementary school students.
Nguyen Mai Nuong, Khiem village, Bac Quang commune shared: “Before, I only knew about Then singing through festivals in the village. I liked listening to it but did not fully understand its meaning. Thanks to Mr. Huu opening a class when I was in grade 5 during summer vacation. In the class, he guided me enthusiastically, and I understood that Then is not just lyrics, but the way the Tay people preserve memories and convey their wishes. Now, every time I sing or play the Tinh instrument, I feel like I am telling the story of my own people.”
Not stopping at teaching culture, Xuan Huu also experimented with a model combining Then singing and Tinh playing with community tourism activities. In some localities such as Du Gia, Xuan Giang, Ha Giang 1 ward..., he organized experiential lessons for tourists, combined with performance instruction, sharing about the history, beliefs, and cultural values of Then in the life of the Tay people.
Ms. Vuong Thi Thuy, a tourist from Hanoi who participated in the experience in Du Gia commune, said: “I was really impressed when I first held the Tinh instrument and learned to sing Then with the locals. Mr. Huu was a very patient guide. This is a very different experience compared to regular tours.”
This is considered a new direction, helping to combine cultural preservation with community economic development, thereby creating livelihoods for people and increasing the connection between culture and tourism in the locality.
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| Mr. Xuan Huu in a video performing Then singing and Tinh playing on social networks. |
Bring Then to digital airwaves
What makes Nguyen Van Huu different in the community of artisans is his sensitivity to the times. Not limiting himself to traditional theater, he brings Then to digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.
The YouTube channel “Xuan Huu Dan Tinh” currently has 46.6 thousand followers, his TikTok channel has 12.1 thousand followers, each video posted attracts hundreds of thousands of views, an impressive number for an individual working in folk arts. The content of Mr. Huu’s videos is not just a video product, but a cultural product, with mountain scenery, Then sounds, Tinh lute, and the bright smiles of grandmothers, mothers, and children when participating in community classes.
Sharing with us, Mr. Huu said: “Social media does not replace tradition, but is a tool to help heritage reach more people. I keep the original of Then, but choose to tell it in a modern way.”
During his artistic career, Mr. Xuan Huu has been represented in many major programs such as the 2018 National Then Singing Festival, the program "Through the Heritage Regions" in Cao Bang, and won many awards at provincial and national festivals: Gold Medal for solo performance of Tinh lute (2022), A prize for the ancient Then performance "Suoi Thuong" and C prize for the adapted Then ensemble at the national festival (2024). He was also recognized by the People's Committees at all levels for his achievements in preserving and spreading cultural heritage through digital media activities.
In an era where traditional values are easily overwhelmed by modern trends, Xuan Huu has chosen a more difficult journey, becoming the link between the past and the present.
Classes in the highlands, rustic videos on YouTube, TikTok singing lessons for tourists, performances without a big stage, all are the notes that Xuan Huu is weaving in the midst of a busy life.
“Every time I play a Then song, I seem to see the stilt house, the kitchen fire, the faces of my grandmother, my mother, the old village... I don't want those things to remain only in my memory,” he said in a low voice, his eyes looking far away.
In that clear echo, there is also the spring of love for culture, the spring of a young person who is silently bringing national culture through digital paths with all his heart.
Article and photos: Mai Dung
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/202507/giu-tieng-then-thoi-tiktok-02504e4/
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