Bai choi singing of central Vietnam was officially recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in late 2017. The recognition acknowledges local efforts authorities and people’s efforts to preserve and promote the art form.
"I started Bai choi singing when I was very little. I feel overjoyed when I hum the melodies of Bai choi songs," said Le Thi Dao, a Bai choi singer from Binh Dinh province.
For hundreds of years, Bai choi singing has been an inseparable part of Binh Dinh people’s spiritual life.
"We have no instructor in a Bai choi singing performance, where up to 5 people take turns singing. If any singer misses the beat or forgets the lyrics, the audience corrects them. This means the public plays a very important role in Bai choi singing. The art form would disappear without local support," said Nguyen Kiem, a former head of Binh Dinh province’s Bai choi singing troupe.