Today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Aulacese (Vietnamese), with subtitles in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish and Thai.

Âu Lạc (Vietnam) is a nation with a longstanding traditional culture. Aulacese musical heritage is bountiful; since ancient times, many soul-stirring musical instruments have been created with diverse sounds like those of the copper drum, gong, lithophone, bamboo xylophone, cymbals, and panpipe.

In 2003, Elegant Music, a style of Huế royal court music, was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage of the world. Âu Lạc’s music represents the unique features of each region, for example, Quan Họ folksongs in the north, Huế tunes in the central, and modern folk opera in the south.

In addition, there are many other forms of music, including hò, lý, ceremonial songs, Aulacese classical theatre, chèo traditional opera, hồ quảng opera, and so on. Indeed, the essence of music is imbued in the hearts of people in this beautiful country, and has been cultivated until this day. In today’s program, we’re pleased to introduce some of the folk songs and musical genres representative of southern Âu Lạc.

“The Elephant,” written by composer Nguyễn Xuân Khoát in 1939, is a jubilant children’s song which enriches the bright and harmonious beauty of the lives of common folks.

This song was sung by Supreme Master Ching Hai during an international outdoor gathering with our Association members in South Korea on May 14, 1998. We invite you to enjoy.

Watch the elephant, how he stands swaying, stretching among the spiders spinning webs. The elephant is mesmerized with joy; he invites another elephant from afar to join in and play.

During harvest time, the rhythmic sound of rice pounding under the bright moon is the source of inspiration for lively call and response singing filled with human affection.

“I wait for you my whole life I wait until the water spinach climbs onto land to bloom. The water spinach climbs onto land to bloom. Who told you to wait that now you boast about it?” We now invite you to enjoy “Call and Response Singing,” a southern Aulacese tune performed by our Association members from southern Âu Lạc.

O brothers!

O yes!

The moon tonight is unusually beautiful!

Wow, Sáu, you’re pretty romantic!

Why not? Oh, glistening moon! Lady Moon fills me with poetic inspiration.

How come you brothers have turned so poetic all of a sudden?

I don’t see any poetry. Lady Moon may get bored and hide away, then there won’t be any moon to enjoy!

Why would she be bored? Don’t you know? Life is so dull on the moon.

That’s for sure! Up there, where do we find joyous harvest days or rice-pounding under moonlit nights like down here, right?

How about we sing to entertain Lady Moon? What do you think, sisters?

What do you think, sisters?

What do you think?

We must rely on sisters Đào and Lụa for this!

Consider it our way of repaying Lady Moon’s favor for giving us a moonlit night to pound the rice.

That’s right! Sing, sister Đào, sister Lụa.

Please demonstrate your skill first, brothers.

All right... then listen here! I wait for you my whole life I wait until the water spinach climbs onto land to bloom.

Why wait so long, brother?

The water spinach climbs onto land to bloom. Who told you to wait that now you boast about it?

Sister Đào is really good! Keep going, please.

Go on, sister Đào!

Sure. Carambola and lemon, both are sour. Salt and ginger, one is salty, the other hot. When you go home, leave your shirt here for someone to cover herself with at night when the chilly west wind blows.

Good job! Answer her, brother Tám.

Let me! If you feel cold, cover yourself with a mosquito-net. Give back my shirt for me to go to school lest it’s getting late.

Going to school lest it’s getting late...

That’s right! If you feel cold, cover yourself with a mosquito-net.

Cover yourself with a blanket.

No need! Get back your shirt...

Get back your shirt!

Calm down... Here is more! You have rosy cheeks, that I can see. If you weren’t shy, I’d tell you that I adore you.

What now?

Can you think of anything?

Not yet!

We’ve already expressed our intention. Why are they so quiet, I wonder?

This is called “what stirs the hearts the eyes still dare not say.”

You’re stuck!

All right, let me. Wait, brothers!

Listen to our singing.

Marriage shouldn’t be in haste. If you love me, be cautious. Don’t let people spread rumors. It isn’t good for us...

I must bow in admiration!

Not done yet... Listen here! At the start of the sand-bank is a toothbrush tree, at its end a banyan tree. Look up at the white cloud and blue sky. People are all the same. Why not just marry me?

Just marry me!

Marry me!

They’re pleading!

No problem... Let me answer. The wind breezes over the long river. Listening to your words of lament, it’s heart-rending.

If only I have the right to arrange important matters, then of love and marriage, I wouldn’t have... I wouldn’t have let you wait.

That’s right! It’s painful to wait too long!

Yeah... very sad!

So... what do you think, sisters?

Well, how about this? Let me go home and tell my parents. If they agree to it, I will offer you my hand in marriage.

She’s offered her hand!

She’s offered her hand.

Look! Lady Moon is smiling on us.

What a beautiful moon!

Yeah, very bright!

Hi, Lady Moon!

O sisters! (Yes.) The moon is high. Let’s get back to work.

O brothers, we should get back to work too. (Yeah!)

In Aulacese (Vietnamese) traditional folk music, lý is a singing genre that is mostly based on folk poetry in the form of six-eight couplets. The rhythm varies between fast and slow in a recital style, so lý singing genre has hundreds of different tunes. Through simple lyrics, lý songs often describe images and feelings as experienced in life. Enhanced by tender melodies, lý is very accessible and therefore quite popular.

The lush vine of fiber melons, blending amongst their bright yellow flowers, and the delicious fiber melon soup have long become very familiar to simple rural life.

“Every evening, I peel the fiber melons to make soup. Seeing you coming by, I add onion to the soup for more aroma.” A southern Aulacese folk tune, “The Fiber Melon Lý Song,” will be presented by singer Phương Dung. Please enjoy.

Every evening, I peel the fiber melons to make soup. Seeing you coming by, I add onion to the soup for more aroma.

O sweetheart, aromatic onion leaves help tie a love bond.

Every evening, I peel the fiber melons to make soup. Seeing you coming by, I add onion to the soup for more aroma.

O sweetheart, scented onion leaves help tie a love bond.

Lush vine of fiber melons climbs on the fence. How do I greet a stranger whom I first meet? O dear one, speak words of affection to form a loving bond.

Lush vine of fiber melons climbs on the fence. How do I greet a stranger whom I first meet? O dear one, speak words of affection to form a loving bond.

Every evening, I peel the fiber melons to make soup. Seeing you coming by, I add onion to the soup for more aroma.

O sweetheart, aromatic onion leaves help tie a love bond.

Lush vine of fiber melons climbs on the fence. How do I greet a stranger whom I first meet? O dear one, speak words of affection to form a loving bond. Form a loving bond...

Wherever one is, being away from home the traveler will always remember the beloved images of the homeland with tender memories of youth.

“Hundred years nourish a growing love Motherland is mother’s milk awaiting her child Rice fields, mulberry orchards, well-trodden paths. Evening’s deep blue smoke evokes nostalgia.” We now invite you to enjoy the song “Memories of the Homeland” by composer Thanh Sơn, with vocals by singer Đông Đào.

My homeland has two seasons, rain and shine One levee joins two humble villages Green bamboo groves tilt their heads in summer eve What a warm portrait of the motherland! Mingling sounds of a swinging hammock and lullaby Someone’s yearning makes the water wistful. A hundred years nourishes a growing love Motherland is mother’s milk awaiting her child Rice fields, mulberry orchards, ell-trodden trails Evening’s deep blue smoke evokes nostalgia Tender folk verses like a mother’s lullaby since the beginning time.

O endearing boats nestling by the green coconut trees I adore the image of those in bà ba blouses carrying rice loads as evening market closes By the humble thatched hut, a coucal bird calls out as the tide rises and ebbs. I love full moon nights with lighted paths and sounds of double pestles pounding rice. O beautiful is my moonlit village A song is in lieu of fond greetings from home. Now far away, I miss those days in the cradle Love for the homeland tugs at my heart forever.

O endearing boats nestling by the green coconut trees I adore the image of those in bà ba blouses carrying rice loads as evening market closes By the humble thatched hut, a coucal bird calls out as the tide rises and ebbs. I love full moon nights with lighted paths and sounds of double pestles pounding rice. O beautiful is my moonlit village A song is in lieu of fond greetings from home. Now far away, I miss those days in the cradle Love for the homeland tugs at my heart forever.

Singer Đông Đào, who performed the song “Memories of the Homeland,” and singer Phương Dung, who performed “The Fiber Melon Lý Song,” participated previously on Supreme Master Television. They have received gifts and well-wishes from Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Thank you for watching today’s program about traditional folk music from southern Âu Lạc.

Please tune in to Supreme Master Television for more Aulacese folk music in future broadcasts. Coming up is Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living, after Noteworthy News. So long for now.