The northern part of Vietnam is a land of ancient history, a cradle of culture and civilization of the Vietnamese people. This is also a place to preserve many traditional cultural values. Residents of the Northern Delta mainly live on wet rice cultivation, living in harmony with nature, have influenced by Buddhist thought, Confucianism.
The north of Vietnam is rich in history and culture that attracts visitors to the capital city for various interests. While some people are fond of the well-preserved historical landmarks, the others take it a must to see the local cultural performances. Hanoi is proud of the water puppetry art, and now the city wins praises for The Quintessence of Tonkin – the brilliant spectacle of culture.
Please click Indochina tours Vietnam to get more information.
The Quintessence of Tonkin is a brand new, impressive, one of its kind cultural spectacle that explores the deep-rooted culture of northern Vietnam. Audiences will experience six aspects of the cultural Quintessence of Tonkin: Poetry, Buddhism, Nostalgia, Music & Painting, Joy & Festivities. The show will bring you back to a pristine time, living in the old countryside of Vietnam, feeling the sacred atmosphere and the cultural crystallization of the land with thousands years of literature.
From October 2017, the grandest and most ambitious live entertainment project Vietnam with the name The Quintessence of Tonkin (Thua Ay Xu Doai – Tinh Hoa Bac Bo) is released to welcome visitors from across the globe. This performance will offer spectators a chance to explore Vietnamese history and culture from a contemporary perspective, with hundreds of performers, an interactive water stage, and state-of-the-art technology. Complimentary transportation is available from Hanoi for bookings made at least 2 days in advance.
Located 25km west of central Hanoi, The Quintessence of Tonkin occupies a space close to Chua Thay (Thay Pagoda), a special National Heritage and one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in Vietnam. Chua Thay can be easily visited in conjunction with a trip to see The Quintessence of Tonkin, which helps frame the spectacle.
Especially, the open air rice field completes with a replicated village and the Chua Thay Mountain as the backdrop is the setting for this spectacle, which is performed on a submerged stage under a thin layer of water. “Mountains and water are very important in Vietnamese spirituality and folklore, which is why the show takes place on a lake and the Chua Thay hill is visible”, says Hoang Nhat Nam, Director of the show. “The Quintessence of Tonkin” will be showcased in different fields of arts from poetry, music, painting, sculpture, architecture, leisure activities to cultural activities in religious belief and in the working life of the people.
The Show
The Show draws inspiration from the spiritual history of the nearby Thay Pagoda telling the story of the pagoda’s founding by venerable monk Tu Dao Hanh and explains the ancient union between religion and the monarchy. Years in the making and with hundreds of performers, an interactive stage, state-of-the-art technology, and a stunning setting, this live spectacle is an unmissable highlight of any trip to Hanoi.
The Story
This show is blended 6 different aspects of the cultural Quintessence of Tonkin: Poetry, Buddhism, Nostalgia, Music & Painting, Joy & Festivities. Besides, water puppetry – a typical form of Vietnamese art, which has existed for more than 1,000 years – as a part of the Quintessence of Tonkin will bring you vivid images of daily rural life in Vietnam. Not only opening up the cultural space of the northern delta with people’s daily life activities, the play also shows the audience the best of the water puppetry art with the story of the venerable monk Tu Dao Hanh and the history of the ancient Thang Long Royal Palace.
The Performers
There are two groups of performers in this show: local families of farmers, bringing their experience and showcasing their lives to the audiences, and a young team of talented Students from the Hanoi College of Dance, bringing youth and energy to the stage.
The Theater
The theater itself is an engineering masterpiece. The natural lake was transformed into a stage, including a state-of-the-art hydrothermal system that raises the 15-ton Thuy Dinh Pagoda (pavilion on water) from under the water in just under a minute. As the Thay Mountain composes the background of the scenery, we also had to develop a unique illumination system to light up the hills, 1.5km away, using 40 lamps of 1500 watts!
PLATINUM: The best seats in the house! A guaranteed central view under a covered, VIP area.
GOLD: Be sure to have an excellent central view of our Gold package.
SILVER: An incredible experience at a great value.
The Costumes
The costumes are made of traditional patterns and raw materials – silk and cotton. They are all made onsite, and in order to faithfully illustrate our history and culture, were produced under the supervision of a historian and multiple artisans.
This fantastic visual spectacle is more than just a show; it is an experience of agricultural Vietnam. Enjoy a taste of the show’s history and talent.
Capacity: more than 2,500 seats.
Time: 7:30PM – 8:30PM
Venue: Da Phuc Village (near Thay Pagoda), Sai Son Commune, Quoc Oai District, Hanoi
Price: 800,000 VND
Pick-up: 5:30 PM from the Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
Drop-off: at approximately 8:45 P.M.
Complementary shuttle bus for individual guests/ group under 10 persons will be provided with bookings of at least 2 days in advance.
Ticket holder should arrive at the amphitheater at least 30 minutes before the show on time to check in. Latecomers will be seated in a latecomers’ zone. The price difference between zone booked and latecomers’ zone will not be refunded. Seats in latecomers’ zone are subject to amphitheater availability. Smoking, food, and beverage consumption are not allowed in the amphitheater and during the show. The use of any audio/video recording devices, including cell phones, is strictly prohibited during the show.
