When it comes to Southern amateur music, the song “Da co hoai lang” by the late musician Cao Van Lau is probably the most famous song. Overcoming many ups and downs of life, many historical events, the song still lives in the heart of life. During your trip to the Mekong Delta, if you have the opportunity to stop in Bac Lieu, don’t forget to take the time to visit the memorial site of musician Cao Van Lau to hear stories about the birth of the song.
Overview about the Cao Van Lau musician memorial area
The memorial site of Southern amateur music and musician Cao Van Lau is located in Ward 2, Bac Lieu City. In particular, the memorial site was formerly the tomb of the musician’s family, later renovated and built with additional works for the purpose of organizing important events, and at the same time serving as a place to welcome visitors from afar.
With a total area of over 12,000 m², the Cao Van Lau Musician Memorial Site is considered an interesting tourist destination in Bac Lieu, affirming the position of the Da Co Hoai Lang piece and honoring the talent of musician Cao Van Lau. The Cao Van Lau Musician Memorial Site was decided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to be included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012.
Musician Cao Van Lau (or Sau Lau), was born on December 22, 1892 in Cai Cui hamlet, Chi My village, Vam Co district, Long An province. Due to difficult circumstances, his family drifted to many places before stopping in Bac Lieu. With the guidance of the first steps of the ancient musician Le Tai Khi, his talent as a great musician was developed.
Things to do in Cao Van Lau musician memorial area
The memorial area of musician Cao Van Lau includes many works such as the tomb of musician Cao Van Lau and his relatives, the bust of musician Cao Van Lau, the area displaying images and artifacts of the founders of Southern Cai Luong, the area symbolizing the “moon string instrument” – two-stringed Vietnamese traditional musical instrument, the outdoor stage, etc.
When passing through the main gate, visitors will encounter a majestic bamboo tube monument located right in the middle of the memorial area, behind the fountain. This monument is the “moon string instrument” – the symbol of Southern Amateur Music – associated with the image of musician Cao Van Lau. The “moon string instrument” is stylized from bamboo joints, the concave part creates a mysterious, sacred feeling, evoking nostalgia and remembrance of the deceased. This is also the place where visitors burn incense in memory.
The monument is a moon string instrument – the symbol of Southern Vietnamese amateur music.
Leading up to the bamboo platform is a Thanh Hoa green stone stair railing carved with the shape of a dragon rising up the steps combined with cloud patterns to create a lively harmony because Bac Lieu is considered the cradle of amateur music, the strongest development in the South, this power is likened to a dragon.
The moon string instrument is stylized from bamboo joints.
Around the bamboo tube monument are carved on stone 20 songs considered the foundation of the art of “Don ca tai tu”. Behind the symbol of the instrument is the monument of musician Cao Van Lau with the song “Da co hoai lang” carved right behind.
Behind the moon string instrument symbol is a park with symbols of musical instruments in the art of Southern amateur music, such as flutes, zithers, monochords, concave-keyed guitars, etc. The difference of this musical instrument garden is that the instruments are completely carved from green stone, looking very solid and soulful.
On the left is the memorial exhibition house of the late musician Cao Van Lau; on the right are the service blocks; at the end of the project is the block of houses for performing the type of amateur music arranged on the lotus pond.
If you want to admire valuable documents about the art of amateur music or see images of typical artists and artisans in Bac Lieu, the exhibition area is a place that visitors must visit. Here, the stage costumes of many famous artists, the wax reconstructions of Don Ca Tai Tu or the ancient musical instruments of the artisans are all present.
Vivid wax statue of musician Cao Van Lau.
However, along with many of the above items, one of the places in the memorial area of the late musician that cannot be ignored is the tomb of the late musician’s family. The tomb is where the late musician’s father, mother and virtuous wife lie next to each other. Visiting the tomb, the light and sad music, the space seems to make people love and admire the talent and virtue of the late musician Cao Van Lau even more.
The memorial area of musician Cao Van Lau is always a destination that many tourists choose every time they have the opportunity to visit Bac Lieu. Not only to express their feelings for the talented musician, but also a way for those who love the art of Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo to learn more about the values of the art recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. With this memorial site, Bac Lieu is proud to be a land of “geomantic people” that has given birth to and nurtured generations of talented artisans and artists.
Source: collected by An
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