How Much for a Song? Local and National Representations of Quan Họ Folksong

Since 1945, quan họ folksong has undergone increased institutionalization and professionalization. This article traces the history of those changes in the context of the relationship between local and national representations of quan họ. It also examines how local discourses on quan họ are constructed in relation to cultural restoration and commercialization. I focus on Diềm Village, Bắc Ninh Province, seen by locals and provincial and national officials as particularly representative of quan họ. Diềm has a strong sense of its own history, translating into local pride and awareness of the larger significance of representing its own traditions.