Ca Tru: Hanoi's Ancient Musical Storytelling Tradition

What Is Ca Tru?

"Ca tru" (also called "hat a dao") is a traditional Vietnamese musical storytelling genre that originated in northern Vietnam, likely during the Later Le dynasty (1428–1789). The name means "tally card songs"—historically, men would buy bamboo cards at ca tru inns and present them to performers as payment. Today, it's recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The genre was originally entertainment for the royal court and wealthy elite. Over centuries, it expanded to inns, communal houses, and private residences throughout northern Vietnam. Artists often performed at significant events—births, contract signings, festivals—and operated outside traditional social hierarchies, allowing them to entertain even the most influential patrons.

The Near-Extinction and Revival

By the late 20th century, ca tru had nearly vanished. Following 1945, the genre was suppressed, associated with feudal romanticism, colonial decadence, and superstition. By 1976, only two professional artists remained: musician Nguyen Xuan Khoat and artisan Quach Thi Ho. Both played crucial roles in reviving the tradition.

Since 2009, when UNESCO granted it heritage status, significant revival efforts have taken root. Festivals, cultural events, and dedicated clubs now showcase ca tru. By 2011, 140 practitioners worked across 23 clubs. The Bich Cau Dao Quan Club in Hanoi, founded decades ago, maintains 90 members—30 to 40 gather Saturday evenings—with the oldest artist still performing at 88. Director Nguyen Van Mai, 48, trains younger singers and notes the ongoing challenge: attracting youth to learn this demanding art form.

Image by Kien1980v at vi.wikipedia. via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

How Ca Tru Is Performed

A traditional performance involves three key participants:

The female vocalist is the central figure. She sings while simultaneously playing the "phach"—small wooden sticks beaten against a bamboo bar, providing percussion rhythm.

The lute player accompanies her on the "dan day," a three-stringed, long-necked instrument used almost exclusively for ca tru.

The spectator-drummer is often a scholar or connoisseur who strikes the "trong chau" (praise drum), a percussion instrument that expresses approval or criticism of the performance. Each drum strike conveys sentiment—always in rhythm with the vocalist's phach.

Ca tru features 56 distinct melodic forms called "the cach." The vocal technique is strikingly unusual to untrained ears, but this unique style is fundamental to the genre's identity.

Image by Arild Vågen via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

Ca Tru in Modern Vietnam

The tradition has woven itself into contemporary Vietnamese culture. In 1997, singer My Linh publicly performed "Tren dinh Phu Van," a ca tru-inspired song with challenging vocal range, signaling the genre's place in modern music. Numerous contemporary songs draw on ca tru aesthetics, composed by artists including Pho Duc Phuong, Phu Quang, and others.

Films featuring ca tru include Me thao: thoi vang bong, Tro doi, Trang to them lan, and Thuong nho o ai. In February 2020, Google honored Ca Tru's Founder Commemoration Day with a Google Doodle, raising global awareness of this unique art form.

If you're in Hanoi, visiting a ca tru club on a Saturday evening offers an authentic encounter with a living tradition—one that scholars, artists, and dedicated practitioners are actively sustaining for future generations.