Visitors from distant regions, upon arriving in the Mekong Delta and being invited to dine at a local family’s home, often find the dining table filled with fish, meat, and specialty dishes that represent the South. A plate of sliced watermelon or a bunch of Siamese bananas, served as dessert, is also likely to be present. However, it may come as a surprise if someone chooses to eat only white rice with watermelon or bananas, skipping the other dishes. This isn’t because they’re fasting or following a vegetarian diet, but simply because, when asked, they reply, “I like eating this way.” This open, humble, and generous spirit of the Southern people has been shaped by over 300 years of pioneering and land reclamation.

After the acquisition of the Đồng Nai region in 1698, Lord Nguyễn established an administrative system and invited wealthy individuals from the Thuận and Quảng regions to assist in the reclamation of Southern lands. Migrants from China, Europe, Cambodia, and Malaysia also settled in the area, contributing to its growth. These immigrant groups often lived close together, each preserving their unique traditional clothing, tools, and customs.

In the early years of settlement, the inhabitants faced challenges like piracy, the blending of various ethnic groups, and the looming threat of war. However, a century later, Trịnh Hoài Đức observed that the people of the Phiên An region “lived harmoniously, with simple customs, relaxed administration, and the people of Gia Định were known for their loyalty, courage, and their emphasis on virtue over wealth—even the women and girls. In Gia Định, visitors were always welcomed with an invitation to chew betel nuts, drink tea, and enjoy a meal, with hospitality being the central focus. Regardless of whether the visitor was a stranger or a friend, wealthy or poor, the key aspect was that all who arrived would be greeted and treated with respect. As a result, travelers seldom carried their own provisions, and even fugitives or those on the run could always find refuge, as there were always people willing to offer them shelter.”[1]

In this historical context, the character of the Southern people has evolved to be easy-going, open, simple, and hospitable. This cultural foundation has given rise to a unique and diverse culture, particularly in the six provinces of Nam Kỳ, and it was in this environment that the traditional music genre of cải lương was born.

The two decades from 1955 to 1975 are widely regarded as the golden age of cải lương in the South, a period marked by the emergence of a new generation of artists, each with their own acting style and vocal quality. The media later referred to these individuals as the “golden generation” of cải lương. Alongside these artists, it’s important to acknowledge the significant contributions of a large group of playwrights, including notable figures such as Năm Châu, Viễn Châu, Tư Chơi, Tám Vân, Nhị Kiều, Thái Thụy Phong, Kiên Giang, Ngọc Văn, Vạn Lý, Duy Lân, Nguyễn Phương, Thiếu Linh, Ngọc Linh, Hương Sắc, Thu An, Quy Sắc, Hà Triều - Hoa Phượng, Loan Thảo, Yên Lang, and Thế Châu, among others. In addition to the playwrights for the cải lương stage, there were also those who wrote for radio cải lương troupes, such as Thành Công from the Thành Công troupe, Bảy Quới from the Cửu Long troupe, Lệ Liễu from the Hương Việt troupe, and writers like Tư Chơi and Kiên Giang, who contributed to the Hương Nam troupe led by artist Kim Nguyên. These traditional music troupes broadcasted two to three times a week on the radio, primarily featuring cải lương plays, although they occasionally included traditional music performances.

While this period is widely considered the “golden age” of cải lương, with numerous renowned artists and playwrights leaving a lasting impact on the genre, only a limited number of scripts were published. These are now dispersed among collectors or stored in a few libraries. Fortunately, however, we still have a considerable collection of tapes and recordings from this era, which serve as invaluable resources for those interested in documenting and preserving these performances.

The early scripts of cải lương are particularly difficult to find. Although some recordings exist, they are rare and often of poor sound quality due to the limitations of recording technology at the time. Printed copies are also available, but they are primarily held by antique book collectors or stored in specialized libraries. To address this scarcity, Nguyễn Phúc An has compiled a collection of 173 scripts and songs in his book Tuồng Hát Cải Lương - Khảo & Luận (An Analytical Survey of Cải Lương Scripts). In this work, the author has carefully prepared a “Summary” for each of the 173 titles, which include both scripts and song collections from the cải lương genre published between 1922 and 1931. This “annotated bibliography” serves as an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to study the development of cải lương plays and songs from that period. It represents only the initial phase of a larger project aimed at collecting cải lương scripts published during this ten-year span. Many plays from this era—performed by both large and small cải lương troupes—were never published in print and are likely lost to history.

Before delving into the annotations of the 173 scripts, Nguyễn Phúc An explains the meanings of key terms related to the cải lương genre that have evolved over time and are understood differently by various audiences. These terms include hát chập/hát chặp, ca/hát, tuồng tích/tuồng truyện, tuồng Tàu/tuồng cổ/Hồ Quảng, and others. Notably, the chapter on “Nói Lối” (spoken voice) provides a detailed explanation of the style of Nói Lối in cải lương, as exemplified in the classic play Tiếng Trống Mê Linh by playwrights Việt Dung, Vĩnh Điền, and the Thanh Minh playwright group. This style, often mistaken later for poetry recitation, is thoroughly clarified in the text. Additionally, the author includes the full document Phong Trào Cải Lương (1917–1927) (The Cải Lương Movement: A Historical Analysis (1917-1927)), written by composer Lê Thương. Though referenced by some scholars, this document has never been widely disseminated and is now largely forgotten. It serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of cải lương.

Through the list of 173 scripts and musical pieces in this collection, we can see the early influence of “foreign migrant groups,” as noted by Trịnh Hoài Đức in his observations of the people of the six southern provinces. In addition to the foundational tài tử music featured in cải lương plays like Tứ Đại, Xuân Nữ, Tây Thi, Cổ Bản, and Văn Thiên Tường, the collection also includes Huế folk music pieces such as Hành Vân, Tứ Đại Cảnh, and selections from Thập Thủ Liên Huờn. Notably, the song Dạ Cổ Hoài Lang, newly composed at the time, later evolved into the iconic Vọng Cổ, which became a defining element of cải lương performances.

In relation to the “foreign migrant groups,” we also see the early influence of Chaozhou/Guangdong music with pieces like Khốc Hoàng Thiên, Khổng Minh Tọa Lầu, Ngũ Điểm, and Bài Tạ, alongside Western influences such as Marseillaise and Madelon. Playwright Nguyễn Trọng Quyền is recognized as the first to incorporate Hakka music into cải lương, marking a pioneering achievement that has earned him a place among the great early figures of the genre. Nguyễn Phúc An’s inclusion of his work in this book is a valuable contribution, helping future generations understand the origins of this theatrical form, which, despite emerging later, has become beloved throughout all three regions of Vietnam: South, Central, and North.

By examining these 173 cải lương scripts, we can trace the writing styles and patterns of a century ago, offering insight into how easily the genre became part of the cultural fabric. This integration happened either by maintaining or adapting the genre to suit the tastes of the audience, with the main goal of advancing the national theater arts, as reflected in the motto displayed during the grand opening of the Tân Thinh troupe in August 1921:

“Modernize the acting and singing to keep pace with progress,
Pass down the plays and stories in tune with civilization.”

In this compilation, Nguyễn Phúc An also highlights a significant challenge facing Southern stage arts. Despite cải lương being beloved by many and a wealth of plays created over the past century, the preserved texts are sadly incomplete. With the advancement of modern technology, it is hoped that the Vietnam National Library will take steps to digitize these scripts, especially those by contemporary playwrights, ensuring the preservation of this invaluable cultural heritage for future generations. This is a wish that truly resonates!

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[1] Trịnh Hoài Đức, Gia Định thành thông chí, Nxb. Giáo dục, 1998, pp. 142, 146, 179.