Northern VietNam’s Quintessence unfolds

Ten years in the making, the show developed by the Tuan Chau Group has continually wowed its audiences for nearly two years.

As the name suggests, The Quintessence of Tonkin is an outdoor spectacle that showcases traditional elements of Vietnamese culture in a contemporary and innovative way, delivering visitors a unique and memorable exploration of the Red River Delta - the beating heart of northern Vietnam.

With a storyline focusing on the venerable monk Tu Dao Hanh, the show consists of six scenes: Poetry, Religion, Nostalgia, Music & Painting, Peace & Harmony, and Joy & Festival. The stage is 4,300 sq m and is permanently submerged under 10cm of water. The 250 performers include 150 local farmers telling the story of their lives to the audience. During its 60 minutes, the show reveals the world-recognized values of the worship of the Mother Goddess of Three Realms, “ca tru” (ceremonial singing), and Bac Ninh’s “quan ho” folk songs along with local people’s cultural lifestyle traditions embodied in Buddhism, music and painting, festivals, and water puppetry.

The first two years of opening has witnessed The Quintessence of Tonkin winning a number of international awards and setting national records. In June 2018, the show received a gold trophy at the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards in the category of Innovation in media, visual media and visual entertainment. The performance also impressed the world by being featured in the documentary Destination: Hanoi on the US television channel CNN. In August 2018, The Quintessence of Tonkin continues its winning streak by receiving a brace of Guinness Vietnam Records for “The show with the largest water stage of Vietnam” and “The show with the largest number of peasant actors of Vietnam.” Most recently, in July this year, the performance was honored as the “2019 Leading Cultural Spectacle Show” at the Best Hotels & Resorts Awards 2019 announced in Seoul, South Korea. These prestigious awards affirm the pioneering and trend setting role of The Quintessence of Tonkin, a second-to-none locally made and internationally recognized show.