Pentatonic music and chan dance: Cultural heritage of the Khmer community in Dong Nai

Dong Nai, a land of 51 ethnic groups, is also home to one of the most distinctive cultural treasures: the pentatonic music and chan dance of the Khmer community. These are not only art forms but also a thread that binds the community, a source of pride, and a living witness to an ancient culture.

Music from 5 materials

Practice space and musical instruments of the pentatonic ensemble at Soc Lon Pagoda (Loc Hung commune). Photo: Tu Huy

Pentatonic music is composed of five basic materials: wood, bronze, iron, skin, and air. Each material produces a unique timbre, and when blended, they create a musical space that is solemn, melodic, and richly resonant. Pentatonic music has become an inseparable spiritual essence in the cultural life of the Khmer community. In 2019, it was officially recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, a well-deserved affirmation of the enduring value and vibrant vitality of this traditional art form.

In 2010, Wat Phum Thom (Soc Lon Pagoda, Loc Hung commune, Dong Nai province) invited a music teacher from the former Soc Trang province to assemble the orchestra and teach the first students. After 15 years, the pagoda has built 3 pentatonic music teams with nearly 30 members. The members continue to practice, instruct the next generation, and perform at festivals. “The teacher taught little by little, each phrase, and then put them together into a piece. When I learned to play this instrument, I felt so happy and proud,” said Lam Thanh Nhan (Loc Hung commune), a member of the newest music group at Soc Lon Pagoda.

Pentatonic music creates a unique color at community festivals. Photo: Tu Huy

The sounds of pentatonic music not only resonate within Khmer community festivals, but also travel far, appearing in many major cultural exchange events.

At the 2024 cultural exchange camp for ethnic groups from the Central Highlands, Central, and Southeastern regions, held at Phat Quoc Van Thanh Pagoda (Binh Long ward, Dong Nai), nearly 3,000 participants from 20 ethnic groups gathered. A pentatonic music ensemble from Soc Lon Pagoda performed a series of standout pieces. The sound of pentatonic music echoed like a cultural introduction from the Khmer community to fellow ethnic groups.

Venerable Lam Chani, Cultural Committee of Soc Lon Pagoda, affirmed: “Our aim is to bring pentatonic music closer to the community, to promote this intangible beauty so that other ethnic groups understand and appreciate Khmer culture more.”

Chan dance - an epic dance, the power of belief

If pentatonic music is the sound of spirituality, chan dance is its visual counterpart, an epic storytelling dance. The Khmer call it Yak Roam, an ancient dance drama rooted in the Riem Ke epic, a work closely related to India’s Ramayana. In this dramatic form, the forces of good and evil are vividly portrayed through iconic characters: princes, princesses, the monkey god Hanuman, and the chan, symbolic of dark and malevolent forces.

What makes chan dance distinctive is the fusion of vibrant costumes, symbolic masks, and movements that are at once sharp, fluid, and powerful. During Khmer festivals, the chan dance is often performed to pray for peace, ward off evil, and affirm the community’s deep connection to Buddhist teachings.

Chan dance costumes. Photo: Tu Huy

At the Sima ceremony at Sirivansa Pagoda (Binh Phuoc ward), the chan dance troupe made the festival atmosphere more sacred. The music, the eyes behind the masks, and each graceful gesture created a mystical space that captivated every gaze.

Artisan Lam Phuong, who has long been associated with the dance, shared: “In the past, the Buddha traveled far and wide, accompanied by the monkey god as his protector. The Chan dance served to clear the way for the Buddha. But mastering the dance is no easy feat, as it requires persistent and regular practice. Only with time can one become truly skilled.”

Keeping the flame and spreading the heritage

Amid the currents of modern life, preserving traditional art forms is no easy task. Yet in Dong Nai, the Khmer community demonstrates remarkable resilience. They not only safeguard their cultural heritage, but also actively share it, introducing and exchanging it with others, making it an integral part of the rich mosaic of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.

Pentatonic music and chan dance are therefore more than just stage performances as they tell a story of national pride and the responsibility of the younger generation to carry forward a living heritage. Each note, each dance step stands as evidence of the enduring vitality of Khmer culture, deeply embedded in spiritual life, a source of community strength, nurturing love for the homeland, and fueling the ongoing journey of development.

Chan dance is the fusion of colorful costumes, symbolic masks and movements that are decisive, graceful and powerful. Photo: Tu Huy

A heritage kept with love and pride will never fade. In Dong Nai, the sounds of pentatonic music and the rhythms of chan dance still resonate and shine, affirming that traditional culture always has a firm place in people’s hearts despite the passage of time.

By: Lyna Phan

Translated by: Minh Hanh - Minho