Pao Dung singing of the Dao ethnic group - National intangible cultural heritage

The Dao people call singing activities "Pao dung". "Dung" in Dao language is a form of singing impromptu songs, singers set their own lyrics and orally or transcribe for generations. Pao Dung tunes reflect the working life, activities, customs, customs, rituals and thoughts, feelings and aspirations of the Dao people in life.
Pao dung singing has no accompaniment, which is improvised and naturally expressed by the individual feelings of the singers, so Pao Dung's tunes are rich in music and imbued with lyrical qualities.
Old dung pao is often used in worshiping ceremonies such as: Sacrifice ceremony, funeral ceremony, Ban Vuong worship, sick children worship, new rice ceremony ... have worshipers or people who know the Nom - Dao language shown. New content is sung by artisans at music festivals, cultural exchanges or festivals, organized by social organizations and government levels.

Pao dung dung is a type of singing which plays a leading role in the Dao folk treasure. There are many kinds of activities such as: love song, lullaby, chorus singing, coal singing ...

Introverted singing: Introverted singing is for boys and girls, unmarried acquaintances and get to know each other. The predestined singing is almost the main means for the Dao boys and girls to express their love, talk, learn and exchange their love. The predestined form of singing always has two singing groups (one male group and one female group), each group has at least one person or more. Singing love is not only a means to express the talents of a couple but also a place to send and express the dreams, the concept of the partner as well as the feelings of those who are learning each other. Therefore, the charming love song has a very rich content, full of emotional levels of love, both shyness, grace, charm, both enthusiasm, sincerity, fidelity mixed with jealousy,

Lullabies: These are soft, smooth lyrics to put children to sleep. In any Dao branch, singing lullaby is the easiest way to sing, deeply imbued with the soul of the countryside and deep in love. The characteristics of lullaby are not long songs, easy-to-understand words, easy to remember and often use free verse, 7-letter poetry, or folk songs available in folk, so lullabies are artistic. traditional music.

Sing nursery rhymes: A form of singing and playing for children. When playing, besides doing the exercises to practice the game, the Dao children are also excited to sing and illustrate those games. The common characteristics of the rhymes are easy-to-understand words, easy to memorize, short words, rhymes, rhythms, playful and witty properties suitable for children's physiology. The development environment of nursery rhymes is always associated with children's play activities and farming activities of farmers.

Singing coal: These are the hard-to-sing songs about the fate of some destitute, lonely and lonely people. Singing coal is also the plaintive singing of the orphans, no fathers, no mothers or those in a depressed mood. The form of singing coal mainly sings spontaneously, singles are individualized and sing and reflect on their own. So, the lyrics of the song are always sad, quiet, gentle melody, skin kill.

Singing and teaching is a song that teaches people to live in a good way, not to do bad deeds, to work hard, to study ... The language of the teaching songs is sharp but sincere and easy to understand. The gentle, earnest lyrics have the power to spread and settle in people's hearts. Each commandment exudes a passionate, passionate love, good will, full of love, contains, imbued with a very kind and simple Dao spirit.

Pao dung rituals - customs: Including songs used in the Dao rituals, such as: Singing at weddings, acute ceremony, vegetarian ceremonies, Ban Vuong offerings, full month offerings, worshiping the dead, worshiping upland, worshiping seeds ... The ritual songs of beliefs - customs are recorded into books and are usually kept by Dao monks during their practice.

Singing at weddings: According to traditional customs, Dao people consider wedding ceremonies a big thing in their lives. Therefore, the wedding is the most memorable day in the life of the bride and groom and also the happy day of relatives and villagers. The Dao people expressed their joy and excitement with heartfelt songs, rich in music instead of the popular dialogue between the two.

In the weddings of the Dao branches, the Pao dung singing genre is mainly about reciprocal love. This song is usually performed at the time when the groom and bride have completed the procedures to actually become husband and wife. At that time, men and women from each side sent their representatives to sing love affairs, each side of 5 - 9 people. Singers will improvise according to traditional tunes.

In the weddings of the Dao Quan Trang, Dao Thanh Y, Dao Quan Chet, Dao Ao Dai, Dao Co Mun, Dao O Gang, Dao Co Ngo Ngang, in addition to singing the love match, there is also a form of singing challenging the boys' family. When the bride's family comes to welcome the bride, the bride's family takes 4 steps from the gate to the bottom of the stairs and sing the quiz. The bridegroom's son had to sing in return and put money in a plate to be available under each string before he could enter the house.

In the Red Dao wedding, the singing is sung from the beginning of the wedding to the end. Singing at the wedding is divided into specific parts, whichever stage is suitable for that stage. For example, when the bride's family comes to the bride's house to welcome the bride, the two of them will sing and answer in response to a courtesy greeting. As the bride prepares to go to her husband's home, the women continue to sing the songs of farewell, instructing the daughter to get married. The bride's family brought the bride, the bride's family invited the girl to stay to drink wine. In the wine tray, the two of them sang in response to each other to express the affection between the two families, thereby showing the delicate and elegant manners of people in life.

Singing at the ceremony of Sacrifice: The content of the songs in the ceremony of the 9 Dao branches in Tuyen Quang basically have the same similarity, telling about the cause, origin, conception of the ceremony and the teachings that the beneficiary must perform. However, in each of the Dao branches, Pao dung singing in the ceremony has a difference in the form of expression, the tone, the occasion of singing, reflecting the cultural characteristics of each ethnic group.

Ban Vuong table singing: Ban Vuong singing consists of 36 songs (chorus) and 7 episodes of death telling about the process of Ban Vuong's departure, praising Ban Vuong's gratitude for giving birth to the Dao families. At the same time, the story of the deposition of the land and the flood, the arduous process of migration of the Dao people and the reminding of the descendants of the Dao families must respectfully worship their ancestors.

Singing in funerals: Including the ancestor worship, telling the family that someone in the family or clan has passed away. At the same time, praising the merits of the dead, sending off the dead to the afterlife. Singing in funerals contributes to share the grief of the family, making the pain lessened.

Singing in the new home ceremony: Including songs to congratulate the homeowner with a new home, wishing everyone in this house to be healthy, happy, bumper crops. At the same time, praising the supportive spirit and solidarity of the Dao community in building a new home for the homeowners.
Singing at the ceremony of worshiping sick children: Including songs to pray for the blessing of the family to help the child recover quickly, do not return to "reprimand" to cause disaster for the children.

Singing in the new rice ceremony: Including songs of thanksgiving to the ancestors, the gods blessed the villagers for a bumper crop. Inviting ancestors, the gods to attend a new meal and bless the offspring after the bumper harvest.

Labor Dungeon: Including songs praising production workers, reflecting the nomadic life of the people in the past during the diocese, shifting cultivation or experiences in weather and seasons. Dao generations accumulate and pass on to the next generation. The performance environment of the labor song is mainly expressed in the process of working on the fields and fields to ease the hardships and chaos of life. The main form of performance is sing sing, answer song while resting, exchanging production experience.

Pao dung singing has a long history, this is a fairly abundant folk art, expressing deep and profound love, smooth, bright and simple features of the Dao soul. Pao dung tunes have an encouraging and positive effect on the spiritual life, labor process and activities of the Dao community. Pao dung singing has an important meaning in the process of preserving the Dao folklore. Creating creative inspiration for artists to compose contemporary music, songs, and plays on stage, in media movements, cultural and social activities, making life The culture and spirit of the community is richer.