Vietnam’s drum-making heritage takes centre stage in Hanoi

The “Nhất Trống – One Drumbeat, A Millennium of Culture” art programme opens at the rear garden of Thái Học Hall at the Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy on September 14, as part of the 2026 Thang Long – Hanoi Festival and also marking the 950th founding anniversary of the Imperial Academy, Vietnam’s first national institution of higher learning (1076 – 2026).

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Le Xuan Kieu, director of the Centre for Scientific and Cultural Activities at the Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy, says the programme seeks to help the public gain a deeper understanding of the historical values, traditional craftsmanship and spiritual practices embodied in every drumbeat.

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In Vietnamese cultural life, the drum is far more than a musical instrument. Its powerful beat has long accompanied religious rituals, festivals, village gatherings and schools, becoming a familiar part of community life across generations.

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Set against the symbolic backdrop of the Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy, a landmark of Vietnam’s tradition of learning and scholarship, Nhất Trống celebrates traditional knowledge, craftsmanship and the artisans and craft villages keeping the country’s drum-making heritage alive.

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The programme features three main interactive activities, offering visitors different ways to explore Vietnam’s drum-making traditions, cultural heritage and performance arts.

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Themed “Nhất Trống – One Drumbeat, A Millennium of Culture,” the exhibition tells the story of Vietnamese drums through artefacts, historical materials, photographs and traditional drum-making tools. Foreign visitors can also try the instruments for themselves, turning the exhibition into a lively cultural experience.

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Visitors can discover the distinctive drum-making traditions of renowned craft villages, including Doi Tam in Ninh Binh, Lam Yen in Quang Nam and Binh An in Long An, as well as the rich drum culture of Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

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Behind every finished drum lies a long chain of craftsmanship – from selecting and preparing raw materials to shaping the drum body and stretching the drumhead. The exhibition highlights the skills and knowledge passed down through generations of artisans.

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At the interactive drum-making sessions, visitors can watch artisans demonstrate intricate traditional techniques, including shaping drum shells, treating drum skins and stretching drumheads to achieve the desired sound.

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Direct interaction with the artisans offers visitors a closer look at the skill, patience and accumulated knowledge required to create an instrument whose voice has accompanied Vietnamese communities for generations. Foreign visitors join the experience, discovering the distinctive rhythm and energy of Vietnamese drum culture first-hand.

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The drum performances showcase a rich spectrum of Vietnamese sounds, ranging from festival and village drums to school drums and drums used in traditional ritual performances.

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Particularly striking is the combination of Central Highlands drums with the region’s gong culture, adding another layer of sound and colour to the programme and highlighting the diversity of Vietnam’s traditional performing arts.

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Artisans and collectors of ancient drums share stories about the instruments with visitors, revealing the cultural meanings and traditions carried by drums beyond their musical function.

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Bringing the programme to the Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy creates a meaningful dialogue between tangible heritage and intangible cultural values. Visitors are invited not only to see traditional drums and performances, but also to explore the stories, skills and beliefs behind them.