The story of “precious sound objects” from stone

In the culture of rock in Phu Yen, there are two precious objects created by human beings, including the set of stone bugles with the highest sound system in Vietnam and the unique set of stone musical instruments in the world.

The two sets of stone bugles in Phu Yen, which are dated back to about 2,500 years, are awaiting for being recognized national precious objects, and have been proposed by UNSECO to set files to be recognized the world cultural heritage. Currently, these precious objects are being preserved at Phu Yen Museum. However, it is not known to many as far as the journey of being separated and united of these precious musical instruments is concerned.

The two sets of Tuy An precious stone musical instruments and Tuy An stone bugles

THE “UNIQUE” STONE BUGLES

The set of stone bugles include 8 stone tones, the set of stone bugles which is divided into “male” and “female“, are not found in full set but distributed in many places of Tuy An district, Phu Yen. The stone bugles were discovered from 1990 to 1992 in An Nghiep commune, the merit was by farmer Huynh Ngoc Hong from the commune’s agriculture cooperative. The other one discovered in 1993 and 1994 by farmer Do Phan in An Tho commune, then preserved in Thien Son pagoda, An Hiep commune.

Within two years, Mr. Huynh Ngoc Hong searched and knocked in thousands of stones when he was looking for gold in Song Hinh. This intention emerged from the chance when he heard the sounds from the stone, so much like music, it was in 1990. Previously, Mr. Hong had been actively seeking for lots of ancient stone objects, so this is nothing strange to him.

As for the stone musical instruments, firstly described as “two stone artifacts make sounds when blown“, shaped as two frogs, one large (female) and one small (male). So far, these stone musical instruments are still unique since nowhere else in the world are such stone musical instruments able to create music once blown.

The male and female ones used to be preserved at one pagoda, before being separated due to one large, the stone instruments were too large to be moved. 30 years later, i.e in the year 1994, the two stone instruments were reunited thanks to the efforts of seeking of both the people and government of Phu Yen. The reuniting of the two stone instruments can be seen from the holy aspect, partly thanks to the sounds made from the stone, bearing the spiritual meaning.

THE UNDENIABLE SPIRITUAL HERITAGE

These are the two ancient and rough musical instruments, which did not use to be in the musical life. There have been lots of articles on the possibilities for stone musical instruments to be contemporary companions with the current music thanks to the abilities to combine and mix with modern musical instruments, through sound study and research. Professor Tran Quang Hai (son of Professor Tran Van Khe), a prestigious expert on national music, did get rid of this judgment.

Although not yet being able to mix with modern music, the two sets of stone musical instruments still bear the undeniably spiritual values of the nation. The 8 sounds were selected by ancestors; also, made from thousands of stone bars knowing how to “sound”, create one set of musical instruments to serve life. Inside the stone musical instruments, the carvings were so much intricate that it remains a mystery for researchers, and this proves the high skills of creating stone.

“Tuy An stone bugles and stone musical instruments are the two ancient musical instruments considered the precious objects of Phu Yen musical museum. Phu Yen stone bugles and stone musical instruments deserve to be honored and considered the intangible cultural heritages of humankind”- idea of Professor Tran Quang Hai.

Source: Sports & Culture magazineTranslated by HAI LOAN

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