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Bai Choi



The game Ha Bai Choi is a diverse art of combining music, poetry, acting, painting, and literature. It is well known in Central Vietnam, especially in Quang Nam Province, where it has played an important role in Hoi An residents' spiritual lives for centuries.

Bai Choi is a card game similar to bingo that's played with songs and music performed by Hieu artists during the lunar new year of Tet. Originally, the rules of Bai Choi were quite strict. The speaker could not mention a chess piece’s name directly – players had to guess. For example, if the piece’s name is ngheo (poor), the speaker would describe how poor they are, but could not mention the word directly. However, the rules have since been relaxed so more people could be involved and win prizes.

Performers in Bai Choi games move from place to place, or they perform privately for families. The bearers and practitioners of the art of Bai Choi are Hieu artists, solo performers, card-makers, and traditional hut-makers.

Bai Choi has originally developed hundreds of years ago from land reclamation. At that time, people built huts on newly reclaimed forest land to guard wild animals and protect crops. They used instruments such as wooden fish and drums to frighten them off, which is why Bai Choi was birthed as a pastime and is still prevalent in the central region of Vietnam from Quang Binh to Binh Dinh.

The lyrics of most Bai Choi games reflect the compassionate nature of Vietnamese people. They convey human emotions and are highly educational. Among other things, the lyrics usually praise patriotism, parental and conjugal affection, good human nature, and criticize social evils and outdated customs and habits. Bai Choi song originated from players shouting out their cards. Gradually, it evolved into a musical chant. As Bai Choi became more creative and elaborate over the years, it became an independent folk song.

The art of Bai Choi has an important cultural role within village communities, and it is crucial to practice and preserve it. Performers and their families have set up nearly 90 Bai Choi teams, groups, and clubs to practice and transmit the art, which attracts wide community participation.

They teach song repertoires, singing skills, performance techniques, and card-making methods. Performers of the art typically acquire their skills within the family and mainly pass them down orally, but artists who specialize in Bai Choi also transmit knowledge and skills through clubs, schools, and associations.


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