Vietnamese Aspirational Values, Morality, and Virtues Evident in the Continuing Tradition of Chèo Folk Opera

Abstract: This article explores chèo opera through a novel team-based, collaborative fieldwork approach conducted in situ. We advance three main arguments: (1) chèo offers insight into complex intangible cultural histories, sometimes entwined with nation-building myth; (2) its satire reflects evolving Vietnamese moral values; and (3) expressive performance devices—such as hát nói (sing-speak), rhetorical gesture, and modal character representation—may bear traces of intercultural exchange with Western traditions via missionaries, merchants, and travelers. We argue that chèo is a syncretic cultural form through which performers and audiences reflect on Vietnam’s past, present, and future. This study offers new insight into its role as living heritage.