cồng

Thân thiện

Người dân tộc đánh cồng trong lễ hội.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of gong: A traditional percussion instrument, typically made of bronze, with a raised central boss (knob). It produces deep, resonant bass sounds and is an integral part of the cultural and spiritual life of various ethnic minorities in Vietnam's Central Highlands.
   • A signal instrument: Historically used to issue commands or signals within a community.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Âm thanh của cồng vang vọng khắp núi rừng. (The sound of the gong echoed throughout the mountains and forests.)
  • Cồng là một nhạc cụ thiêng liêng của các dân tộc Tây Nguyên. (The gong is a sacred musical instrument of the Central Highlands ethnic groups.)
  • Người nghệ nhân đánh cồng một cách điêu luyện. (The artisan played the gong skillfully.)

Advanced Usage

• "Cồng chiêng": This is a compound term referring to the ensemble of both bossed gongs (cồng) and flat gongs (chiêng). It represents the complete traditional gong culture.

  • Không gian văn hóa cồng chiêng Tây Nguyên được UNESCO công nhận. (The gong culture space of the Central Highlands was recognized by UNESCO.)

• "Tiếng cồng": The sound or voice of the gong, often symbolizing a call, a signal, or cultural heritage.

  • Tiếng cồng báo hiệu bắt đầu lễ hội. (The sound of the gong signaled the start of the festival.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chiêng (noun): A flat gong without a central boss, used in conjunction with the cồng to create melodies in the cồng chiêng ensemble.
• Cồng bộ (noun): A set or ensemble of cồng instruments.

Synonyms

• Gong (noun): The general English term for a large, flat or bossed metal disc that is struck to produce a sound.
• Tam-tam (noun): A term of French origin sometimes used for gongs.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Lệnh ông không bằng cồng bà": A proverb meaning "The master's orders are not as effective as the mistress's gong," implying that the wife's word or influence is more decisive than the husband's in a household. This highlights the cultural significance of the cồng as a symbol of authority and signal.
  • Trong câu chuyện đó, đúng là "lệnh ông không bằng cồng bà". (In that story, it's truly a case of "the wife's gong is mightier than the husband's order.")

Học thuật

noun

1. Gong
   • lệnh ông không bằng cồng bà
     the master's orders are drowned by the mistress' gong; the wife's say is more decisive than the husband's
2. Ten years ago, the central highlands resounded with the echoes of an array of gongs. The Pleiku township in Gia Lai province was hosting the first "Cồng Chiêng" festival (Festival of gongs). Twelve Cồng Chiêng bands with 438 artists belonging to various ethnic minorities such as the Ê Đê, Gia Rai, Ba Na, Xơ Đăng presented a series of virtuoso performances. Seventy years separated the oldest and the youngest player Three years later, in 1988, participants numbered 1,000 from 14 ethnic groups from as many provinces. The deep sounds and melodies left an indelible impression on the large audience. The sounds of the Cồng and the Chiêng (Cồng has a knob in the middle, Chiêng has none -- Cồng makes the deep bass sounds, melodies are coaxed out of the Chiêng) are the very soul of the highlands. They are played to commemorate good harvests, at religious festivals and on many other occasions like child-birth, weddings, and funerals. Indeed, it is believed by the highlanders that a divine entity resides in each Cồng and Chiêng. In many communities, a Cồng Chiêng band consists of three Cồngs, nine Chiêngs, a drum and cymbals played by about twenty artistes. The compositions played differ, of course, with each festival and occasion --, lively, melancholic or sombre. The Cồng Chiêng in Vietnam's central highlands is the subject of study for many anthropologists, musicians, and "orientalists". Figures of Cồng Chiêng teams can be found on bronze drums which date back to 3000 years ago. This suggests that these instruments made their appearance in the early days among ethnic tribes such as Thái, and Mường in northern Vietnam, and Koho, Kor, Ba Na, Stieng, Mnong, in the central highlands. With recent economic and cultural developments, many musical instruments have made their way to the central highlands, but the Cồng Chiêng will remain intricately woven into the fabric of a highlander's life for ever. -- ()