Preserving the ca tru cage in the coastal areas of the North
Dong Mon village (Dong Mon residential group, Hoa Binh ward, Hai Phong city) is known as the cradle of cocoa in the Northern coastal area. This place not only has Phu Tu worshiping the ca tru craft group but also used to be a large ca tru parish in the area with famous herds and peach blossoms.
According to the festival festival and passed down historical documents, the Ca Tru craft group is the Confederation of Saintes Dinh Du thanh Xa Dai Vuong and Man Duong Hoa Hoa Tuong. The Holy Mother of the cross, Dinh Du, was a famous person, the son of a monk during the Later Le Dynasty, with talent in poetry and music. He met Mrs. Man Duong Hoa - who has a clear and delicate voice. The talent and singing voice of the two were admired by the King, who assigned them the responsibility of opening a singing school in Lo Khe, founding the first Ara Ca singing ward, laying the foundation for the Ca Tru art in the future. In recognition of that virtue, King Gia Long issued a decree, posthumously awarding the than chu "ding du Thanh sa Dai Vuong" and "man Duong Hoa Nang Tu", officially recognizing them as the Saints of the Ca Tru profession.
To commemorate the profound merits of the two Craftsmen, in Dong Mon village, generations of students and people have established the Ca Cong Temple Relic, the current Phu Tu Dong Mon Temple. After many historical events, there were times when the relic was seriously degraded. However, important artifacts are still preserved and conserved by the local people, and later the temple was rebuilt on the old land to maintain worship, demonstrate respect and continue the flow of beliefs.
In the periods from 40-45 of the last century, Ca Tru singing in Dong Mon became a way of making a living for many large families in the village. When they grew up, their grandparents passed on the profession to become "bridesmaids", "bridesmaids". Along with that, many clans and families have established parishes specializing in performing in the provinces of Hanoi, Thai Binh (now Hung Yen), Quang Ninh, Nam Dinh (now Ninh Binh)... At the peak of their career, Ca Tru singing was considered a way of making a living for hundreds of people.
In 1993, the local government established the Dong Mon Ca Tru Club with the contributions of Ca Tru singer To Thi Che (lecturer), Mr. To Van Nghi (artist) and many other Ca Tru enthusiasts. In the early days of its establishment, due to a shortage of people, the entire women's and men's teams of the communal house were mobilized to operate. It is a music genre that selects singers, selects listeners, and is a talented singer that listeners must also be very talented with. That is why maintaining it is not easy. After nearly 20 years of revival and development, thanks to the guidance of passionate artisans with ca tru, Dong Mon Ca Tru Club has gradually regained its position.
With 20 passionate core members, this is one of the few clubs in the whole city of Hai Phong that still maintains the passion and regular activities. In particular, identifying teaching as an important task, a vital part of the heritage, the locality has focused on breeding and developing the next generation.
Currently, Ca Tru classes for 30 students are being held regularly. This is a strategic investment for the future, a foundational step to ensure the eternal vitality of Ca Tru on the heritage land.
Linking heritage conservation with tourism development
Since building a 2-level local government model, the Hoa Binh Ward Board of Directors has paid great attention to the cultural values of the locality, emphasizing that "Ca Tru is a World Cultural Heritage that needs to be urgently protected". Dong Mon people in particular and Hoa Binh ward people in general actively preserve, promote and are constantly proud of the cultural beauty of their homeland.
The work of preserving and promoting the value of Ca Tru cultural heritage is identified as one of the key tasks of Hoa Binh ward. The vivid evidence is the Dong Mon Temple - screen that was renovated in 2019, becoming a worthy cultural and religious center. The Party Committee and the government always care about and create conditions for the Dong Mon Ca Tru Club to operate regularly.
From those results, the Resolution and Action Program of the Hoa Binh Ward Party Committee have also clearly identified strategic solutions for the 2026-2030 period. In particular, research, development and implementation of the Project "Restoring the form of Quan Ho singing in the space of Phu Tu - Ca Cong Temple" to recreate the most original values of Ca Tru art. In addition, research is based on practice to deploy tasks and solutions to honor and support artisans - the living treasures that are preserving the quintessence of this art form. The ward also aims to closely link heritage conservation with the development of cultural and spiritual tourism, creating sustainable resources for reinvestment in conservation work.
Recently, in November, Hoa Binh ward organized the Anniversary Ceremony of the Ca Tru Crafts in 2025 in a unique, lively, and folk Ca Tru space. Along with that is the art program " Ca Tru Space Night", restoring the space for singing and singing at Ca Tru night of parishes and clubs attending the ceremony such as Ca Tru Dong Mon Club, Ca Tru Hai Phong Parish, Dong Le Chan Ca Tru Club... At the ceremony, leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong City, leaders of the Hoa Binh Ward Party Committee presented flowers and certificates to individuals who actively contributed to the preservation of Ca Tru art in Dong Mon. Up to now, the death anniversary of the Ca Tru Craft Group has become a major cultural festival, imbued with the identity of the locality, maintained over the years.
The locality also organizes exchange programs and learning about Dong Mon Ca Tru art for students of schools in the city. At the exchange, teachers and students were introduced by artisans and artists about the history of formation and development of Ca Tru art, especially Dong Mon Ca Tru.
Students also directly experience traditional arts; learn about worship singing rituals in traditional festivals.
Ms. Tran Thi Mai Phuong - Head of the Department of Culture - Social Affairs of Hoa Binh Ward said that at the end of December, the locality plans to welcome more groups of students to visit Dong Mon Temple relic, learn about and experience Dong Mon Ca Tru art. This shows that ca tru is not only attractive to the elderly and those who love traditional culture and art, but also attracts many children and students to participate in learning. Through practical experiences, the locality hopes that the younger generation will clearly understand the spiritual meaning of Ca Tru art, foster awareness of preserving and promoting the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.
