Vietnamese Tuong Art, also known as Hat Tuong, is a unique traditional theatrical art form of Vietnam, especially popular in the Central region.
Hat Tuong, also known as Hat Boi (Vietnamese classical theater), is one of the rich traditional theatrical art forms in Vietnam. Tuong art was once considered a national art, like Chinese opera, a harmonious combination of literature, painting, music, drama and dance. With splendid costumes, melodious and graceful singing and dancing, Hat Tuong always leaves a deep impression on the audience.
Hat Tuong began to form in the 15th century under the Le Dynasty, but reached its peak during the Nguyen Dynasty (19th century), becoming a popular form of entertainment in the royal court and among the people. Although it has existed for hundreds of years, the art of Tuong still retains its appeal and is an important part of Vietnamese folk culture.
Today, Tuong is still performed in traditional festivals, stage performances, and has developed in form with the combination of modern elements. Vietnamese Tuong art is not only a form of entertainment but also an important part in preserving and transmitting traditional cultural values ​​of the nation.
A fundamental difference that is easily seen in Tuong art, distinguishing it from other traditional art forms of Vietnam, is the elaborate costumes in the ancient style and bold facial makeup with patterns typical of each role. There are many types of Tuong, such as Tuong Thay (exemplary), Tuong Ngu (performed for the king), Tuong Do (adapted, imagined, not in history books), Tuong Cung Dinh (performed in the royal palace), Tuong Pho (many acts performed many nights), Tuong Tan Thoi (adapted from novels), but they can be classified into two main types: Classical Tuong and Folk Tuong.
Outstanding characteristics of Tuong art:
1. Script and theme: Tuong singing is often based on historical stories, myths, or classical literary works. The main themes revolve around wars, love, loyalty, and heroic, legendary situations.
2. Characters: Characters in Tuong singing are often divided into classes, for example:
o Lao: Old characters, representing power and wisdom.
o Tuong: Warrior, heroic, strong characters.
o Beauty: Beautiful, gentle, and graceful female characters.
o Evil: Villainous characters, often with evil and cruel personalities.
3. Music and rhythm: Music in Tuong is an indispensable element, with typical songs, imbued with folklore. The instruments used are often traditional folk instruments. The music and melodies in Tuong are often combined with strong rhythms to express the tension or emotions of situations on stage.
4. Dance and acting: Tuong actors use skillful dance techniques, combined with hand and foot movements and facial expressions to express the emotions and moods of the characters. Each movement, look or gesture has its own meaning, accurately reflecting the character's personality and situation.
5. Costumes and props: Costumes in Tuong are very special, with elaborate layers of costumes and bright colors, especially for heroes, beauties or mythical characters. Each character has a unique style of costume that helps the audience easily identify. Costumes in Tuong art are very rich, including all kinds of dresses, armor, scarves, hats, belts and caps. Each character will have a separate costume; for example, the king will wear a dragon robe, the mandarin will wear a literary crown, and the queen will wear a nine-phoenix crown. Props in Tuong singing are also very diverse, including rattan whips, sticks, tokens and weapons. Each character and situation will use appropriate props; for example, when going to battle, the general will carry weapons such as knives, swords or blue dragon knives.
6. Makeup: In the art of Tuong, makeup plays an extremely important role, many characters also use masks with unique shapes to impress the audience. Whether using makeup or masks, the lines on the face are emphasized and highlighted. Most performing artists are able to do their own makeup. Red, silver face: Represents a hero, a righteous, loyal person. White, gray, light pink face: Often used to describe a treacherous minister, a flatterer. Black and white striped face: Symbolizes an honest person, often hot-tempered, often a military general. In addition, factors such as hairstyle, fur color, and beard style of the characters also reflect their personality.
Tuong art is a precious gem in the Vietnamese folk treasure, containing the cultural beauty and quintessence of the Vietnamese people. Not only does it bring colorful moments of entertainment, Tuong art also contains lessons about morality, ideals of life and national spirit. Tuong, with all the flexibility in each melody, dance and song, is an indispensable part of Vietnamese cultural heritage, deeply reflecting the culture of the country.