From a mechanic returning to the village to stick with water puppetry

Artisan Nguyen Thanh Lai was born and raised in Dong Ngu village, Ngu Thai commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province (now Dong Ngu hamlet, Song Lieu ward, Bac Ninh province) - a place associated with the art of water puppetry. His childhood was filled with the sound of festival drums, Quan Ho melodies and the image of wooden puppets by the village pond. Although he spent many years working as a mechanic, his love for water puppetry has never faded. He shared: “There are times when I wonder if I am letting my youth pass by in vain? With the desire to contribute to my homeland, I temporarily put aside my engineering job, decided to return to my hometown, and began the journey to preserve the traditional art of Kinh Bac - Dong Ngu Water Puppetry”.

Returning to Dong Ngu water puppetry troupe in 2000, he not only attached himself to the performances but also cherished a bigger dream: Building a space for comprehensive cultural preservation. After many years of saving and mobilizing, in 2009, he started building the Luy Lau Folk Culture Conservation Area with an area of ​​over 6,000m². This is a diverse cultural space, from a water puppet stage, Quan Ho brothel, traditional craft village space to areas for experiencing puppet making, Dong Ho painting making, ancient cuisine ...

Ten years is a proud journey. In 2018, artisan Nguyen Thanh Lai was honored to receive a certificate of merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for his outstanding contributions in implementing and organizing the Cultural Day of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups during the period 2008 - 2018. In addition, there are a series of other proud awards from wards, communes and localities.

The first phase of the conservation area was inaugurated in 2019, when the Covid-19 pandemic suddenly broke out, causing all activities to stagnate. Recalling the difficulties at that time, he shared: “Artisans had no opportunity to perform, no income, and low morale. But we encouraged each other, considering this a necessary pause to look back on everything. During that time, we renovated the stage, remade damaged puppets, composed a few new plays, and prepared for the days when we could welcome audiences back.”

Bringing Kinh Bac identity into every play

What is special about Dong Ngu water puppetry is the combination of water puppetry and Quan Ho folk songs - a unique feature that cannot be found anywhere else. According to Mr. Lai, in many other puppet troupes in the country, the music is often accompanied by Cheo, while in Dong Ngu, the audience can enjoy both puppetry and Quan Ho melodies, creating a performance space imbued with the essence of the North.

The art of water puppetry combined with Quan Ho melodies is a unique feature of Dong Ngu village in particular and Bac Ninh in general.

“Quan Ho plays and songs are all associated with Dong Ho paintings and folk culture that are easily accessible to viewers, especially children. I always believe that for audiences to love water puppetry, the plays must be close, funny, and still convey a cultural message,” he said.

In the traditional performance space of the village, the water pavilion stage is located right in the middle of the pond. The male and female actors do not stand on the wings, but sit right on both sides of the water, singing and responding directly while the puppet plays take place before the eyes of the audience. Melodies such as “Ngoi yeu song dao”, “Nguoi oi nguoi o dung ve”, “Cay truc xinh”... resound passionately, blending with the movements of the puppets, creating a performance space that is both lively and imbued with the lyrical character of Kinh Bac.

Not only stopping at preserving traditional plays, artisan Nguyen Thanh Lai and his colleagues always strive to create many new performances, to increase the attractiveness and suit the tastes of contemporary audiences. According to him, to attract young people to the art of water puppetry, the artists need to proactively shorten the distance, renew the form of expression without fading the inherent identity.

New plays are added to attract audiences of all ages to Dong Ngu water puppetry.

Sowing the seeds of heritage for today and tomorrow

Besides puppetry, the reserve also organizes many unique cultural activities such as learning to make Dong Ho folk paintings, enjoying Quan Ho, participating in folk games... These things make Luy Lau not only a place to preserve culture but also a place to "live with heritage".

“I hope the reserve will become a regular destination for students and international tourists, where young people can learn, experience and understand their ancestors' culture through real experiences,” he confided.

Every day, artisan Nguyen Thanh Lai still regularly performs and teaches, bringing the breath of Kinh Bac closer to the public. For him, Dong Ngu water puppetry is not only a traditional art form, but also a part of the flesh and blood, a silent but strong flow of Kinh Bac culture. In each puppet he carves, each play he writes, is the image of a peaceful village, the story left by his ancestors, the echo of past festivals. Water puppetry is not simply for performance but to tell the memories of the village, to preserve the soul of Bac Ninh land.

Students of the Academy of Journalism and Communication enjoyed the experience of transforming into "lien chi" in Quan ho folk songs.

Not stopping at home, he is also actively connecting with international art units to bring Dong Ngu water puppetry to friends around the world through exchange performances, seminars and exhibitions. The conservation area has now received a certificate of merit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Bac Ninh province for its heritage conservation work. But for Mr. Nguyen Thanh Lai, the most precious reward is still the sparkling eyes of the children behind the puppet screen, the thunderous applause every time the show ends. "There is nothing more joyful than seeing that tradition is not forgotten. As long as there are viewers and learners, folk art is still alive," he affirmed.

Amidst the bustling flow of the times, the artisan still silently maintains his “paddle”, building a cultural space where ancient stories are told with all the heart, faith and unyielding will in the face of hardship. To the community, he is a devoted artisan. To the younger generation, he is a teacher, a source of inspiration. And to Kinh Bac culture, he deserves to be considered the keeper of the core, the durable bridge connecting the past with the present and the future.

Article and photos: NGOC ANH

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/nguyen-thanh-lai-hanh-trinh-bao-ton-va-phat-trien-mua-roi-nuoc-dong-ngu-836246