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FIRE HAWK
08-24-2001, 07:42 AM
Vietnamese Martial Arts

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Acknowledgements:
This list was improved by the kind assistance of the following individuals:
Le Tan
Brian Sherman
Marco Taglietti
Anatoly Tokara
Reto Turnell
(Any remaining shortcomings and idiosyncracies are solely my responsibility !)

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This is from Kai Eric Witts website the Vo Pages

Contemporary styles

Style Head Founder Roots
Bach My Phai (Baimeiquan) (several lineages) Zhang Liquan (1880 - 1964)?
(attributed to Baimei) Nga My Phai(?)
Bach Ho Quyen (Baihuquan) (several lineages) ? (Shaolinquan?)
Chau Gia Duong Lang Nam Phai
(« Nam Phai Duong Lang) (several lineages) Zhoufamily (Hakka) Zhoujia Tanglangnanpai
(« Nanpai Tanglangquan, Wuzuquan?)
Con Luan ? ? ?
Dai Bang Phai Le Van Than ? ?
Dau Vo Dai ? ? ?
Dong Viet Dao Dong Vu Dong Vu (1943-) Thich Tran Thu
(buddhist lineage, which??)
Hac Ho Quyen (Heihuquan) (several lineages) ? (Shaolinquan?)
Han Bai (several lineages) ? ?
---> "European branch" Farid Belkessa Tasteyre Tran Phuoc () (Han Bai: Thach Nam lineage
via Wu By Oai ?)
Hau Quyen Trung Dung Dao Tran Van Ut(?) unknown buddhist lineage (which??)
He Phai (Kejia) (many lineages) "none" (collective term for the
Hakka families' arts) Thieu Lam Nam Phai, Nga My Phai,
Nam Phai Duong Lang, Long Qing
Hiep Khi Vo Dao Nghiem Toan? Tran Huu Ha ?
Hoa Long Vo Dao Le Vinh Long Le Vinh Long Vo Trung Hoa & ?
Hong Gia (Hongjiaquan) (several lineages) Lu Acai and Tie Qiaosan?
(attributed to Hong Xiguan) Shaolin Nanpai?
---> Dinh Tri Dung ? (Hongjiaquan)
Huynh Long Phai Huynh Duc Tho Huynh Duc Tho? Vo Binh Dinh
Kim Ke ? Nguyen Lu (1754-?) Vo Tay Son, Thieu Lam Nam Phai
Kim Long ? ? ...
Kim Long see entry under Vo Binh Dinh
> La Han Quyen (several lineages) ? originated in Fujian: Shaolin Nanpai?
La Son Phai ? ? Vo Quang Binh?
> Long Ho Hoi - Vo Viet-Nam Nguyen Manh Son
(aka Hong Sac Kim) Nguyen Manh Hung? "Sino-Indochinese style"
Long Qing Phai (Longxingpai) (several lineages) Dayu? Shaolin Nanpai, Nanpaiquan?
Mei Hoa Quyen (Meihuaquan) (several lineages) (Feng Keshan?) Emeipai / Emeiquan
Minh Long Louis Marion? Tran Minh Long (1925-1977) ?
Nam Hai Vo Dao Nghiem An Thach Nghiem An Thach (1937-) Vo Lam Son, ?
Nam Hong Son ? ? ?
Nam Phai Duong Lang
(Nanpai Tanglangquan) » Chau Gia Duong Lang Nam Phai (Zhoujia Tanglangnanpai)
» ... Duong Lang Nam Phai (Zhulin Shi Tanglangquan)
Nga My Phai (Emeipai/Emeiquan) (many lineages) "none" (collective term) Emeishaninhabitants
Nga My Son Phat Gia Quyen see entry under Vo That Son
Nom Tong ? ? ?
Qwan Ki Do
(Vietn.: Quan Khi Dao) Pham Xuan Tong Pham Xuan Tong (1947-) Thieu Lam Nam Phai, Nga My Phai,
Chau Gia Duong Lang Nam Phai,
Quan Ky, La Son Phai, Vo Binh Dinh
Sa Long Cuong Le Van Van (1954-) Truong Thanh Dang (1895-1985) Vo Binh Dinh
Tay Son Nhan see entry under Vo Tay Son
Thieu Lam (many lineages) "none" (collective term) ?
---> Nguyen Van Nguyen ??? (Thieu Lam, which lineage?)
Thieu Lam Nam Phai
(Shaolin Nanpai) (many lineages) "none" (collective term) ?
Trung Son Vo Dao ? Mai Van Phat (1917-1997) buddhist lineage (which??)
Truong Vo Thuat Truong The Ngoc ? ?
Vat Lieu Doi ? ? ?
Viet Vo Dao quite recent, collective term for Vietnamese Martial Arts
(more traditional terms are: Vo Thuat, Vo Ta or Vo Co Truyen)
Viet Vu Dao Nguyen Van Luong Pham Van Tan Vo Dat Do?
Vinh Xuan Quyen
(Yongchunquan) (several lineages) ??? (No, don't ask for my guess... )
---> Huynh Ngoc An (1954-)
(aka Ho Phi Ho) Nguyen Te Kong (1877-1960)
(name in Cantonese Yuen Chai Wan) (Yongchunquan,
YCW studied with Leung Jan)
---> Nam Anh (19??-) Nguyen Dui Hai (aka Ho Hai Long; 1917-1988) and Nguyen Minh (1884-?) (Yongchunquan)
Vo An Vinh ? ? ?
Vo Bac Ninh (many lineages) "none"
(collective term for provincial arts) ?
Vo Binh Dinh (many lineages) "none"
(collective term for provincial arts) ?
---> Kim Long Tran Ngoc Dinh Tran Ngoc Dinh Sino-Vietnamese lineage (which??),
Vo Binh Dinh
Vo Cuu Long ? ? ?
Vo Da ? ? ?
Vo Dao Vietnam Cuong Chu Tan ? ?
Vo Hoang Nam ? ? ?
Vo Lam Dai Huynh? ? Thieu Lam Nam Phai, Hong Gia?
Vo Lam Son (several lineages) "none"
(collective term for regional arts) ?
---> Lam Son Vo Dao Jacques Tran Van Ba Quach Van Ke (1897-1976) (Ba Cat, Bay Mua, Han Bai)
Vo Nha Chua ? ? ?
Vo Nhat Nam ? ? ?
Vo Quang Binh (many lineages) "none"
(collective term for provincial arts) ?
Vo Quang Nam (many lineages) "none"
(collective term for provincial arts) ?
---> Ma Vinh Trinh ? (Vo Quang Nam)
Vo Song Be (several lineages) "none"
(collective term for provincial arts) ?
Vo Tan Kanh ? ? ?
Vo Tay Son (several lineages) "none"
(collective term for regional arts) ?
---> Diep Bao Sanh ? (Vo Tay Son)
---> Ho Buu (Ho Ngan & Diep Bao Sanh?) (Vo Tay Son)
---> Phan Toan Chau ? (Vo Tay Son)
---> Tai Vinh Minh ? (Vo Tay Son)
---> Tay Son Nhan Nguyen Van Deu
(aka Hong Nhan) Le Van Khoi (Vo Tay Son)
Vo Thanh Long Nguyen Dan Phu (1912-) Nguyen Dan Phu? ?
Vo That Son (several lineages) "none"
(collective term for regional arts) ?
---> That Son Than Vo Dao Phuoc Gia Phan? ? Vo That Son,
Sino-Vietnamese style(s)?
---> Nga My Son Phat Gia Quyen ? ? Vo That Son? (name may indicate Emeiquan origin)
Vo Tong Hop ? ? ?
Vo Trung Hoa (several lineages) Nguyen Trung Hoa Vo Binh Dinh, Vo Quang Binh,
Vo Bac Ninh, Thieu Lam Nam Phai
---> Vo Dao Trung Hoa Jean Quy Jean Quy Vo Trung Hoa, ?
---> Vo Duong Cay Lau Bernard Vo Dinh Quang Bernard Vo Dinh Quang Vo Trung Hoa, some influence from Quan Khi Dao
Vo Viet Nam Nguyen Duc Moc Nguyen Duc Moc ?
Vo Viet-Nam see entry under Long Ho Hoi - Vo Viet-Nam
Vovinam Le Sang (1931- ) Nguyen Loc (1912-1960) Vo Bac Ninh & many other styles
Vu Dao ? ? ?

Please note that this list is far from complete!

(In public, many styles are only known under the collective name of Viet Vo Dao).

http://vo.madb.de/index-en.htm


http://vo.madb.de/styles/index.htm

reneritchie
08-29-2001, 09:09 PM
Hi,

There seems to be quite a lot of variety in Vietnam Wing Chun Kuen these days. Yuen Chai-Wan (Nguyen Te-Cong) is generally credited with bringing the system to North Vietnam in the 1930s when he was hired by a local expatriot (Shunde and Nanhai if memory serves) to teach. These were his first students, ethnic Cantonese, and sound like they received instruction very similar to what his Foshan students (Yiu Choi being the most well known) received, and simiar to his brother, Yuen Kay-San (Nguyen Kai-Shon) system.

After this, he began teaching Vietnamese students in Hanoi and later Saigon. These teachings seem further afield from Foshan Wing Chun, including extra weapons (tiger fork, straight sword, kwan-do), "5 animal" forms, and 5-animal Qigong. The basic Wing Chun seems also limited to Siu Nim Tao which does not look much like his ethnic Cantonese students or Foshan students.

It's also said a student of Chan Wah-Shun name Lui Yiu-Chai (Luong Vu-Te) moved to Vietnam at roughly the same time and indeed some of the Wing Chun in Vietnam seems to match that lineage more closely.

One interesting puzzle remains Yuen Chai-Wan's lineage. His Foshan students and ethnic Cantonese students in Vietnam seem to record he learned from Fok Bo-Chuen (some of his Vietnamese students also record this, though it may be a recent adaption). Many Vietnamese students, however, maintain he learned from Fok's classmate, Leung Jan. What makes it interesting is Yuen Chai-Wan was the 4th son of the Yuen family and known as Dou Pei Chai (Pock Skin Chai). Some people in Gulao village (Leung Jan's home town) claim Leung Jan had 5 sons, the 4th being Leung Chai, known as Dou Pei Chai.

Hungmei
08-29-2001, 09:50 PM
Hello Fire Hawk:

I'm in the process of helping the Vietnam lineage holder for the WC system immigrate to America. As you're probably aware the WC line split geographically and this person is the "Patriarch" of Wing Chun for all of Vietnam.

If you are interested in assisting me in bringing him into country you can post on this forum.

He is currently in Russia, married to a Russian research physicist. The primary hurdle to overcome is having something set up for him so that he can enter country permanently.

His Wife is easily employable but his sole “job skill” is teaching WC.

I'm thinking along the lines of having either a Wing Chun school "sponsor" him or perhaps a collective effort by the local WC community.

I've been in contact with several of his former students who are in the Washington, DC area and they are willing to help in any way. They are, however, worried about potential repercussions with regard to family members who reside in Vietnam. Therefore, they're kind of in the shadows but should be helpful with the financial burden. John

reneritchie
08-30-2001, 05:30 AM
Hi John,

Is patriarch used in a similar manner to Jeung Moon Yan (Center Gate Person)? I've come across four different groups who use that terms for four different people (two in Vietnam, one in Russia, one in Canada). Are these differentiated by georgraphy? (ie. is there one for the ethnic Cantonese students, one for the Hanoi, one for the Saigon, and perhaps others for different lineages like Luong Vu-Te?)

One of the Vietnamese (ethnic Cantonese descent) seemed very similar to Foshan WCK. Another was very different (closer to Chan Wah-Shun lineage but with a lot of other stuff) and had a really beautiful wall mural with animals, weapons, and poetry on it. The Russian and Canadian group sounded roughly similar in content (lots of 5 animals material).

With the turbulance in Vietnam throughout the 20th century, its nice to know there are people working on preserving the Wing Chun that survived.

Rgds,

Rene Ritchie

Hungmei
08-30-2001, 11:24 AM
Hello Rene:

I found your post after my original post or I would have included you in the "invitation to help" post. Good to see you on this forum.

As for your questions let me just say this: I have a copy of what his Wife sent me regarding the lineage, as well as a video tape (VHS, NTSC format) of her husband performing WC. I could provide you with copies of both, provided you are willing to help me get these people out of Russia and over the North American continent :) Yeah I know, sounds kind of like bribery but I really need some help getting this thing done.

All my correspondence over the last couple of years has been run through the filter of translation from Vietnamese-Russian-English. Hell of a "rough read" if you know what I mean.

Since you're well established in the WC community if you are interested in helping me get this guy into country, and Canada is just as good as America, post on this list and I'll contact you off list. Just let me know if you have a Web Page up and I'll use the e-mail address noted there.

Robert was helping me on this thing, but the California based company that specialized in immigration assistance folded up so I never got anywhere. John

reneritchie
08-30-2001, 04:00 PM
Hi John,

I have a webpage up at http://www.wingchunkuen.com and can be reached via email at rene@wingchunkuen.com. Canada, to my knowledge, is happy to accept Russians (or anybody) but only with specific special knowledge (advanced mathmatics and/or computer programming skills). Otherwise it seems to work off a point system (speaking English so many points, speaking French, level of education, other skills, etc.)

If his wife is easier, you may want to consider bringing her in and then having her bring him in. I've seen that done in reverse (Russian programmers here bringing their wives over from a few weeks to a year later). It can be difficult, but seems less difficult than trying to get both in.

Anyway, please feel free to contact me via email.

Rgds,

Rene Ritchie

yik-wah-tik
08-30-2001, 04:32 PM
hello,

i am sifu jew hung loong from the american hung sing kwoon in san francisco, ca. our style is the hung sing choy lee fut style of the jeong yim aka jeong hung sing branch of clf, which was founded
in fut san.

within my lineage of clf, my di-sigung's teacher was named yuen hai. i have heard that master yuen hai originally came from vietnam. he beat someone up so badly that he had to escape and he fled to fut san china where he met up with hung sing choy lee fut founder jeong hung sing.

my question is that i know there are clf schools in vietnam, but i was wondering if there is anyone out there that may have knowledge of master yuen hai. he originally was a hung gar student and worked as a bodyguard/bouncer and was a very tough man.

is there anyone in vietnam that can help me try and trace his lineage back to vietnam?

anyone here from a choy lee fut school :rolleyes:

reneritchie
08-30-2001, 07:12 PM
Hi,

I've heard of Choy Lee Fut sifu Yuen Hai of Foshan before and always wondered if he was related in any way to Yuen Kay-San and Yuen Chai-Wan, two prominent Foshan Wing Chun practitioners.

Yuen Kay-San was born in 1889 and was the fifth son of the owner of the Zhanbei (Chang Bak) Street Fireworks store. He was known as Yuen Lo-Jia (Yuen the Fifth). Yuen Chai-Wan was his elder brother, the fourth son, and known as Dou Pei Chai (Pockskin Chai).

Yuen (Ruan) is not a common surname in Guangdong, but is quite common in Vietnam, so there have been rumors that the Yuen's came to Guangdong from there (or in some rumors, from Guangxi) though I believe they had an ancestral hall and had lived there for generations. Wealthy, they lived on an estate on Song Yuan (Mullbery Gardens) Main Street, neighbors of the Yip family.

Their father might have been named Yuen Chong-Ming (though I have heard Yuen Ming was the name of one of Yuen Kay-San's two sons instead.)

Is there any other information on Yuen Hai?

Rgds,

Rene Ritchie

yik-wah-tik
08-30-2001, 09:26 PM
ritchie,

hey thanks for responding so quick. i don't know if yuen hai would be related to yuen of the wing chun school, but from what i know is that yuen hai
was a bodyguard bouncer from vietnam that protected gambling houses, and after beating someone up he was wanted by the police. he fled and escaped to china. he landed in fut san and came across the hung sing school and challenged jeong hung sing to fight. after 3 fights and being tossed out of the studio each time yuen hai then bowed to jeong hung sing and pleaded to become a disciple. it is said that he is either the 1st or 2nd of jeong yims original students.

the government tried to arrest the hung sing students and most escaped including yuen hai who fled to hong kong. he set up a school in kowloon and taught longshoreman and did quite well.

then chan sing-jeong yims student- visited yuen hai in hk then started a fight and beat up a couple of police. then one day 4 gung fu masters approached yuen hai and challenged him to fight. he was armed with a pair of butterfly knives and killed those 4 masters.

yuen hai had to close his school and he didn't know where to go so he asked his classmate lui chun-tam sam's sifu- where to go since he didn't have a clue. lui chun told him to go to canton and hide and also teach hs clf there.

it was there that prof. lau bun approached yuen hai and asked to become his disciple. Professor lau bun was yuen hai's last student.

another of yuen hai's students was a master name
fong yoke she!

comments,opinions, etc please!

sifu jew hung loon :cool:

yik-wah-tik
08-30-2001, 09:28 PM
ritchie,

you said that you have heard of yuen hai from fut san, can you tell me what you know?

hung loong :D

Surferdude
08-24-2003, 07:27 AM
Is there a Vietnamese ma??? I mean Japan,China and Korea have one but what about Vietnam???:confused:

Stranger
08-24-2003, 07:29 AM
Vo Vin Nam- I know nothing about it.

Abstract
08-24-2003, 07:35 AM
Viet Vo Dao..or something similar? i really don't know anything about it except for what i've heard, that it's a mix of different chinese/korean/japanese styles, depending on which teacher learned what...i could be way off base though...:confused:

Former castleva
08-24-2003, 09:37 AM
Yes...
I think they are both legitimate,I cannot remember which one is the mish-mash of various other styles (or they can even be one and the same)
There are also Vietnamese versions of tai chi,snake style (sorry,mediocre definition) and "Vietnamese kickboxing".
I do not think Vietnamese MA is any (or that much) smaller than,say Korean but only much less known to public (for an example,how many burman arts do you know?)

Stranger
08-24-2003, 12:08 PM
check out www.worldfightingarts.com


The head guy is tough and has legit experience in the ring and in combat. He teaches a few Vietnamese styles, I think.

Surferdude
08-24-2003, 08:32 PM
Vo Co-Truyen (Vietnamese traditional Karate/Kung-Fu existing for more than 1000 years)
Over 1000 years, I don't know why there aren't more schools in America?

elbow strikes from Vietnamese kickboxing (considered the best elbow techniques).

Wow I didn't know about this:eek: :cool:

chen zhen
08-25-2003, 05:29 AM
My best bet would be that Vietnamese MA sucks ass.
They would get slaughtered in full-contact tournaments in Thailand, Burma, etc.

ZIM
08-25-2003, 06:04 AM
Chen Zhen-
What is your teddy bear doing? It looks like he's going to go blind, man. :p

chen zhen
08-25-2003, 06:27 AM
The reason my caption is as it is. (http://www.ebaumsworld.com/forumfun/misc3.jpg)

Surferdude
08-25-2003, 10:22 AM
hahahaha

Stranger
08-25-2003, 02:43 PM
My best bet would be that Vietnamese MA sucks ass.

The man who teaches at the school that I linked didn't suck anybody's arse when he was competing or at war. I admit, he does teach Thai-boxing as well. I can't speak for Vietnamese arts as a whole.

apoweyn
08-26-2003, 08:06 AM
Originally posted by Stranger


The man who teaches at the school that I linked didn't suck anybody's arse when he was competing or at war. I admit, he does teach Thai-boxing as well. I can't speak for Vietnamese arts as a whole.

He kinda sucked that day he elbowed me in the nuts, quite frankly. My best friend used to attend that school. I went with him once. Once.

:)

From what little I've gathered from that school and a short-lived kung fu school here in Rockville, Vietnamese martial arts have heavy Thai and Chinese influences. The Spirit Mountain school that used to be here was Vietnamese kung fu. I can't remember the native name for it. And the World Martial Arts school in College Park made use of a lot of knees and elbows. But as Stranger mentioned, the school also claims to teach muay thai.


Stuart B.

conputer
09-15-2003, 08:01 AM
Yes Vietnam Does have martial arts of its own.
1000 years of invasion by China surely helped that :D
Nonetheless vietnamese got rid of chinese around 1500 (Le loi) and proved in a way their level.
Usually, one can divide Vietnamese MA in 2 great classes:
Thieu lam (shaolin) and Binh Dinh (center of viet nam).

Thieu lam is the term that stands for all styles greatly influenced by CMA, the most seen are hong gia (hung gar), vinh xuan (wing chun), bach my phai (pak mei), duong long (tang lang), thieu lam, tai cuc (taiji) and others great chinese MA styles(like chow gar and hakka styles).
Now most of these styles have a different flavor than actual CMA.
One reason is that they kept the "old style" flavor.The other one is the mix with vietnamese techniques and adaptation to vietnamese body type (supposedly smaller than chinese).

The other great family is binh dinh. Quite hard to see, the name derives from the regions those styles come from.
Most of the time they are considered genuine Vietnamese martial arts, you can even read Anti chinese styles.
They do use a lot of elbows and knees but it is very hard to synthetise the characteristics as most binh dinh styles are kept more or less secret (reserved to a village or a family) and some are very specialized (like one style only for the whip). The best entry door for binh dinh is the style sa long cuong that has been quite widespread. The style is well known for making tough fighters.

Now on the general characteristics of Vietnamese MA you should find:
quyen (taos)
song luyen (2 person forms)
bai vu khi ( weapons)
vo tu do (free fighting)
cam na (qinna)
vat (wrestling)
noi gong (nei gong) or ngai gong
And of course all hand-leg-elbow and knees techniques....

The most widespread vietnamese Style is Vovinam, a synthesis style (done in 1930 by nguyen loc).Usually the emphasis is placed on leg techniques but the style is quite complete.

Sidenote:i currently practice lam son vo dao,after having practiced hau quyen (monkey)

Black Jack
09-15-2003, 11:06 AM
For what its worth I have heard of two. Vovinam Viet Vo Dao and Qwan Ki Do.

Qwan Ki Do from what I gather is very karate based in style with a heavy underpinning of Taoist philosophy. I also remeber reading that Vovinam has a heavy wrestling slant.

Cheers,

conputer
09-15-2003, 01:55 PM
qwan ki do (qwan khi dao, it depends ) has indeed a deep karate flavor.Maybe the most karate-type of all vietnamese martial arts.
Now, i've heard from some friends close to Pham Xuan Tong (founder of qwan ki do) that he taught a biased version of what he had learnt, and it makes sense since their way of moving is too karate to be vietnamese (some of their postures indicates that also).Now maybe Pham Xuan Tong teaches the real stuff to his very close pupils (traditionnal way after all) but don't consider qwan ki do to be representative of Vietnamese arts.

About Vovinam, yes they do have a lot of "vat" (wrestling) , but like any traditionnal style, and it comes generally for the advanced.
One of the advantages of Vovinam is the structure of the curriculum, very organized, rationalized.
Nonetheless they're still very oriented towards high kicks(let's say too much for my likening :D )

EugeneS
01-08-2008, 04:00 PM
Vietnamese Wing Chun - Vinh Xuan Quyen Phai
Patriarch Huynh Ngoc An`s School:
http://www.vietwingchun.com
http://www.wingchun.name (Igor Astashev)

deeperthantao
01-09-2008, 11:48 AM
I know there was a bak hsing elder in vietnam that to my knowledge has passed away, does anyone know if he has any students there?

GeneChing
06-30-2008, 09:57 AM
Here's another.


Master of Kinh shares martial art with world (http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=03SUN290608)
(29-06-2008)
by Khieu Thanh Ha

If youve never heard of Kinh, Viet Nams premier martial art, dont despair: A Vietnamese master from Hue is on a mission to educate the world.

Thanks to master Truong Quang Kim, the martial art is gradually becoming known not only in its home town of Hue City, but also in France, the United States, Australia, and beyond. Nevertheless, he knows hell walk a long road before transforming his dreams to reality.

According to him, Kinh means citadel and was a unique martial arts used by soldiers in the imperial city during the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). It was created by commander Nguyen Huu Canh under King Gia Longs illustrious reign.

Kinh is one of the last two remaining traditional martial arts of Viet Nam besides Binh Dinh, and upon the collapse of feudalism, was disseminated to the masses.

The martial art has been in Kims family for about 200 years and Kim, the fifth generation and sole inheritor of Kinh martial arts, received orthodox training from his father, master Truong Thang.

Spreading the art of Kinh

Kims plan to popularise the art was kicked off when he began to observe foreign martial arts. Realising they were not superior to Viet Nams, he began to circulate the world. Kim trained himself, while saving and borrowing money, then travelled half the globe to promote Viet Nams Kinh martial art.

In 2000, Kim was invited to attend an international traditional martial arts festival in Paris. The first thing he saw at the competition house in Paris were boards which read: Karate, Taekwondo, and Shaolin. Though lifeless, they nevertheless stirred strange feelings in master Kim.

"Vietnamese martial arts easily equal these, so why are they not as wide-spread?" he wondered.

"Chinese martial arts are taught in Paris and the same can be done with Kinh," Kim thought, the boards still on his mind.

The local government was willing to help Kim open a Kinh martial art class but he didnt have enough money. Determined to open a dojo in France at any cost, he sold every asset he owned and borrowed money from every source to open the first ever Vietnamese martial arts club outside Viet Nam, in Lyon several months later.

To the 54-year-old, who is the master of the Kinh martial arts centre in Hue, it was very important to show the world the essence of Vietnamese fighting arts.

His centre in Hue is famous not only among locals, but with foreigners; many have come, admired and trained with master Kim.

"Unlike most other traditional martial arts, Kinh does not employ consecutive, lethal striking techniques. It was developed mainly for self defence," said Arie Pieter van Dujin, a martial artist who has been studying under Kim for several years.

Dujin is one of about 20 foreigners training at Kims centre. They will be important in helping promote the art upon their returns to their home countries.

Most Kinh art centres around the world have been established in this manner, and Kim journeys to these centres twice a year, re-united with friends, training with the students, and updating them on skills and techniques as they advance.

The martial art is now practised in ten countries including the United States, Australia, and Italy, and according to Kim, Norway is the next destination. Everywhere a club is opened, Kinh martial art is warmly welcomed by locals, which Kim says, gives him the energy to realise his dream.

The Hues masters training regime is very hard which means students must be in good physical shape, have patience, and love it. Their training allows them respiratory and cardio-vascular work-outs, as they improve their fighting skills including proficiency of 18 different kinds of weapons.

More Kinh

Kim doesnt plan to stop. "Many countries in South America and Africa dont know about Vietnamese martial arts," he said, adding, "Its a good way to disseminate our culture to the world. Kinh is taught in Vietnamese and anyone who wants to learn it will come to understand Vietnamese language, customs, habits and history," he went on to say.

Kim is also focusing on spreading Kinh within Viet Nams borders. "The martial art is well known in central areas but many in the North and South dont have access to it," Kim said, adding, "I hope that in the near future I can open more centres so Vietnamese people across the country will understand, and be proud of their home-grown art-form."

"I have signed contracts with different travel agencies who will add my centres as a destination in their tours," said Kim, "so after visiting Hues other attractions, tourists come and admire our performances."

The shows always receives excellent feedback from visitors, and Kim and his disciples were invited to perform at the 2008 Hue Festival which recently ended mid-June.

A doctor and a father

Kim, a renowned martial arts instructor recognised by the International Martial Arts Association, is also known as a doctor of oriental medicine, and runs a private health centre for local patients.

Every disciple who studies Kinh is also asked to study oriental medicine, so as to be able to treat any injuries sustained in training or combat.

At Kims private practice, patients receive advice, check-ups, and prescriptions, all kept at a low cost as Kim runs it as a non-profit.

Kim is also seen as a father-figure by 20 street children to whom he gives free Kinh classes at the An Tay Orphanage in Hue.

"These underprivileged children have suffered such misery, the least I can do is give them hope in their lives," Kim said. VNS

Steeeve
07-21-2008, 01:11 PM
Here a link to a Tiger style kung fu from Vietnam in Ottawa ,Canada

http://www.shaolincentre.com/

Steeeve

GeneChing
07-29-2008, 09:23 AM
I want to know more about the Miss Martial Lands pageant.


Exploring the land of martial arts in festive time (http://english.vietnamnet.vn/travel/2008/07/796077/)
12:57' 29/07/2008 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge Local people in Binh Dinh Province are busier than ever this time as the festive air in this land of martial arts is getting hotter as the Tay Son-Binh Dinh Festival is only four days away.

The artistic fountain on 28,600 square meters on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street where culinary and craft village exhibitions will take place in Tay Son Binh Dinh Festival.
For the forthcoming festival, which runs until August 3, a series of artistic and architectural works such as Quang Trung Museum, Temple of Admiral Bui Thi Xuan, the Twin Tower park and an artistic fountain on 28,600 square meters on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street have been restored and constructed.

A 180-page handbook on Binh Dinh's tourism in three languages of English, Chinese and Vietnamese and a 30-page manual in English and Vietnamese featuring 15 tourism destinations in Binh Dinh Province have also been published and hit bookstores countrywide and the tourism spots, hotels and travel agents, Binh Dinh newspaper reports.

Main events will include Tay Son martial arts, King Quang Trung battle drum performance, Miss Martial Lands pageant, and a classical drama performance highlighting the distinctions of the province.

There will be an incense and flower offering ritual at Tay Son sanctuary on August 1, and a drama with over 700 artists playing the roles of King Quang Trung and troops in the Tay Son uprising to remind visitors of a glorious time in Vietnam's history.

Binh Dinh is a coastal province with a rich seafood reserves for delicious and nutritious dishes. Therefore, tourists wandering to the land during this festive time should also not forget tasting the specialties of this area such as Chim mia (sugarcane bird), Nem Cho Huyen (fermented pork of Huyen market), bun Song Than (Song Than rice vermicelli), and banh it la gai (sticky rice cake with coconut or green bean stuffing wrapped in pinnate leaf).

As Tay Son is a sugarcane-growing area, sugarcane birds in big flocks often gather there and the locals catch the birds to make the special dish. The birds are roasted and should be used with Bau Da rice alcohol, a special drink from Bau Da Village of Binh Dinh Province.

Nem Cho Huyen is also another must-try when coming to this land. The specialty comes from Vinh Thanh hamlet, Phuoc Loc Commune, Tuy Phuoc District, and making the specialty is a tradition passed from generations to generations.

In this area, the fermented pork wrapped in guava and banana leaves is the popular finger food of the locals and it stands out from other nem in other areas for its not - so - tender, not - so - sweet flavor.

Bun Song Than (rice vermicelli from the river of deity) is also another traditional specialty of this land. The rice vermicelli is made by locals of An Thai Village of An Nhon District in the province.

It is said that the kings of the Nguyen Dynasty found this specialty so delicious that they summoned the craftspeople making this specialty to the former capital city in Hue to make the dish. However, without the water of the Kon river, which is also called the river of deity, the dish lost its special taste.

Before leaving the province, tourists could buy some banh it la gai as a gift for their families and friends. This cake is made from sticky rice and sugar wrapped in pinnate leaves and stuffed with coconut or green bean. It is a rural and simple cake but it could not be left out in the special days of the locals such as Tet holiday, death anniversary or wedding.

GeneChing
07-30-2008, 09:58 AM
I'd love to check out Vietnam...


Binh Dinh - Tay Son Traditional Martial Arts Festival kicks off (http://english.vietnamnet.vn/lifestyle/2008/07/796236/)
10:10' 30/07/2008 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet Bridge - Around 400 martial artists from 32 groups are participating in the Binh Dinh national traditional martial arts festival that opened yesterday at Qui Nhon city's stadium.

The event includes performance and competition sections and will on until August 2.

It overlaps the 2nd International Festival for Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts scheduled in Qui Nhon from July 31 to August 3 as part of the Tay Son – Binh Dinh festival. The international event will see over 70 teams taking part, including 26 foreign teams.

The teams will also hold displays in districts like Tuy Phuoc, An Nhon, and Tay Son.

The central province of Binh Dinh is well-known as the birthplace of many of the country’s martial arts. The festival is a good chance to promote the martial arts, Mr. Le Van Minh, deputy director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, said.

The first Tay Son – Binh Dinh festival, themed “Converging and Development”, will be held on August 1-3.

It will mark the 235th anniversary (1773-2008) of the Tay Son insurgent army’s occupation of the Quy Nhon citadel, which began the country’s unification process under the Tay Son dynasty.

The event will also feature a lantern night, poetry recital, and a Miss Martial Arts pageant.

P.S. I'm stealing this thread from the South to ORA

GeneChing
01-05-2009, 05:54 PM
A book from a beggar - that's so Kung Fu Hustle (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28036)...

Renaissance man from the north tells all (http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=03SUN040109)
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon: Trinh Dinh Lam started studying martial arts at 12 years old and today he is head of Bong Son Martial Arts in the northern province of Thanh Hoa. VNS Photos Van Dat

(04-01-2009)

Trinh Dinh Lam, a self-taught poet, musician and martial arts expert from the northern province of Thanh Hoa, tells Viet Hoa about Bong Son, a martial arts style that was gifted to his family by a beggar in 1465.

Born in 1946 in a family famous for its six generations of martial artists, Trinh Dinh Lam started studying martial arts at 12 years old. Today, he is head of Bong Son Martial Arts in the northern province of Thanh Hoa.

During the war, he had to quit high school, but he kept his family tradition alive, even teaching himself various other styles. He is also a poet and musician.

With his help, many of his students have attained prizes in martial art and music contests, both in the country and around the world.

Origin of Bong Son

According to Trinh Dinh Lam, Bong Son entered his family in 1465 when his forefather Minh Sang Vuong Trinh Kiem was presented three martial art books by a beggar in return for helping him one rainy night in August. Since that fateful day, his family has studied the art based on these books. They have also studied many other martial arts from various countries including China.

At the age of 12, Lam was taught his familys traditional martial art by his father.

"At that time, my father taught martial arts in many places. Trainees from many regions in the country came to my family to learn. Many of my fathers students won big prizes in contests. I wished I could have the chance to show my skill," Lam recalls.

Although the martial art came to his family long ago and is famous in the region, it had no name until 1984.

At that time, a long time after the martial art was forbidden in the country, his dojo had a chance to compete with the professional Minh Hai martial art club in Thanh Hoa Province.

"After we won the competition, the director of the provincial Department of Physical Training and Sports suggested we name our style. Without thinking, I named it Bong Son. It means moving mountain," Lam says.

Outstanding leader

At 20, Lam started to teach Bong Son in the club with his father.

It takes at least 13 years to become a skilful practitioner of Bong Son. Some trainees have been coming here since they were eight or 13 years old. Thousands of trainees have studied Bong Son.

Almost all famous martial art athletes in the province were trained in Lams dojo.

People often mention Lams contribution every time they talk about Thanh Hoas martial arts.

In the province, Lam is also famous for helping poor trainees with accommodation and food. This means that sometimes he earns a mere VND5,000 per day.

Between 1986 to 1994, Lam taught many martial artists in the province, many of whom have brought pride to Vietnamese sport.

The sisters, Trinh Thi Mui and Trinh Thi Nga, are symbolic examples. They first came to him aged 13. After studying traditional martial arts, they studied Pencak Silat and Taekwondo.

With hard training and the efforts of Lam, the two sisters have won many prizes including gold medals at the SEA Games.

Nguyen Van Hung and Nguyen Trong Cuong are other successful examples. They are now famous Taekwondo athletes. These two brothers are among many who started their careers at the Bong Son dojo and went on to win prizes.

In Thanh Hoa, Lam is not only a famous martial artist, he is also famous for teaching vocal music. Fifteen of his trainees have gone on to pass entrance exams into the Ha Noi National Music College. Moreover, this multi-talented teacher has composed 28 songs.

Witnessing his skill, it is hard to believe that he stopped his education in the first year of high school and is self-taught.

To live and run the club, Lam has worked many jobs such as blacksmith, carpenter and foreman of a construction team of 50 workers.

Lam has still lived a poor life, but he is full of rich love for his students. Now, his four children have their own families; he has numerous nephews and nieces, but he has never forgotten the love of Bong Son. VNS

GeneChing
02-26-2009, 10:52 AM
Anyone ever try Vovinam?

Asia welcomes Vovinam
17:28' 26/02/2009 (GMT+7)

Returning home from the congress to establish the AVF in Tehran (Iran) on February 23, Secretary of the World Vovinam Federation (WVF) Vo Danh Hai recalled: When we chose Iran to organise the congress and as the site of the AVF head office, many asked us why we didnt choose another country, or Vietnam.

We decided to choose Iran because this country has a long tradition of martial arts, and many famous artists who have won world and Olympic championships in taekwondo, karate and boxing.

Hai said Iranian artists practiced for just one year to win an Olympic taekwondo gold medal. Their success surprised South Korea, the cradle of taekwondo. In addition, Vietnam and Iran signed an agreement on cooperation in sports and Iran was very enthusiastic in developing Vovinam. Iran also agreed to take care of accommodations and meals for all delegations to the AVF congress.

Dr. Walid Kassas, former Chairman of the Asian Kick-boxing Federation, who is experienced in developing martial arts in Asia, carefully asked about the rules of Vovinam and the role of AVF at the upcoming Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam this October. He said he believed that he could call for ten countries to practice Vovinam within a year.

At the congress, foreign delegates raised a question: Will Vietnam win all gold medals for Vovinam at the Asian Indoor Games 2009?

The Vice Chairman cum Secretary General of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, Hoang Vinh Giang, answered: We will play fairly. It is stated in the regulations: Vietnam will participate in 3/6 one-on-one and 5/8 performance categories. Referees will come from Europe and Africa if Asian referees are not qualified.

Foreign delegates asked Vietnam to help them in terms of techniques. The Chairman of the Indian Vovinam Federation, Vishuu Sahai, asked Vietnam to send a Vovinam expert to India to open a training course for Indian coaches. India will compete with Iran to host the Asian Vovinam Championships in 2010. The Indian representative also stated the country would have 10,000 Vovinam students in the next one year.

Iran asked Vietnam to send two experts to Iran to teach Vovinam for six months.

Vovinam is gradually being welcomed in Asia. We are trying to send it far. Firstly, we will organise a second training course for Asian coaches and referees in mid April in HCM City. International Vovinam rules are being compiled, Hai said.

He said that he is trying to turn Vovinam into a faculty at the Sports and Physical Training University.

Outstanding vovinam training centres in HCM City:

- Vovinam centre at 31 Su Van Hanh, District 10: instructors Nguyen Van Chieu, Nguyen Van Sen, Nguyen Van Vang

- Vovinam Club of Le Hong Phong High School, 235 Nguyen Van Cu, District 5: instructor Nguyen Van Chieu

- Vovinam Club of the Teacher Training University, 280 An Duong Vuong, District 5: instructors Tran Van My, Vo Thanh Lam

- Nguyen Du Club, 116 Nguyen Du, District 1: Instructor Nguyen Van Hieu

- Army Club, 2 Pho Quang and 202 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh District: instructors Vo Danh Hai, Pham Thi Kim Dien, and Nguyen Thanh Sang

Firehawk4
06-28-2009, 12:28 PM
Vietnam Art Cuong Nhu ?

I m not sure what to make of this Martial Art .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDtuNNMIFZk&feature=related

cerebus
06-28-2009, 01:47 PM
Modern combined martial art based on its founder's experience in Shotokan Karate, Wing Chun Kung Fu and Tai Chi. One of the things I like about them is that I've never seen them espousing some made-up "ancient" lineage. They are what they are...

Lucas
07-02-2009, 12:51 PM
question.

is the gentleman in the video the developer of that kata? if so i am missing the connection to the vietnamese culture reference. if its wing chun, taiji and shotokan put together by a white guy...am i missing something here? or is he just a teacher/instructor under this style.

pardon my ignorance.

Tensei85
07-03-2009, 10:15 PM
Actually I studied Cuong Nhu for a few years.

The system was created by Ngo Dong and is made up of as mentioned before but it also containes Vovinam and Judo. The core set are made up of the Pinan forms, followed by Tambo, Bo, Tonfa & Sai for the colored belt ranks. And as far as I know they start incorporating Wing Chun via Sil Lim Tao as a Nidan requirement and the CK & BG are incorporated later in b.b. ranks. Also for the brown belt they start the Vovinam snake kata as they call it & incorporate more Judo etc...

Tensei85
07-03-2009, 10:20 PM
Link: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuong_Nhu

Lucas
07-03-2009, 10:32 PM
Vietnam seems to be a pretty good melting pot for martial arts. The MAist ive met from there seem to have a varied background.

GeneChing
03-08-2011, 12:03 PM
Here's a nice pictorial on Vovinam. I'm only posting two of the ten pix. Follow the link if you want to see the rest.


Gallery: Cool martial arts moves by Muslim schoolgirls (http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Gallery+Cool+martial+arts+moves+Muslim+schoolgirls/4402525/story.html)
Calgary Herald March 8, 2011 9:03 AM

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/4402526.bin?size=620x400s
Indian Muslim schoolgirls perform "Vovinam", the Vietnamese martial art at Saint Maaz High School in Hyderabad on March 8, 2011, on the occasion of the International Women's Day. Some 40 students encouraged by their parents and school officials are learning the art of self defence by using swords and sticks during school hours. This year is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day since its creation.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/4402536.bin?size=620x400s


Sure looks like wushu to me.

Syn7
03-09-2011, 09:42 PM
its nice to see muslim women portrayed in a more realistic manner... usually in the west when we talk about them its always about how horrible they are treated, which is largely bullsh!t... glad to see some news comming thru that sheds a more positive light on them...

Lucas
03-10-2011, 12:33 PM
it annoys the hell out of me the way 'most' people think about muslims.

Lucas
03-12-2011, 02:46 AM
does anyone know much about this style Vovinam?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H2KbP3sIgo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckSo7Np3XwI&feature=related

GeneChing
01-30-2012, 10:35 AM
Last update 29/01/2012 08:04:00 AM (GMT+7)
Martial arts maketh the man (http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/sports/18051/martial-arts-maketh-the-man.html)

Ngo Xuan Binh has devoted his life to bringing the Vietnamese martial art Nhat Nam to the world.

The fierce screams of martial artists break the quiet afternoon at a club on the outskirts of Moscow as a class of young Russian men decked out in traditional Vietnamese clothes practise under the guidance of a middle-aged man.

They are practising Nhat Nam, a martial art known for being 100 per cent Vietnamese.

In the early 1980s, martial artists in Ha Noi were surprised to see the appearance of a new school, called Nhat Nam.

Martial arts master Ngo Xuan Binh, 55, the school leader, explains that the name means the discipline is unique to Viet Nam.

During the 1980s, the movement developed strongly in Ha Noi, Nghe An and other northern provinces.

Binh's book Nhat Nam Can Ban (Basic Techniques of Nhat Nam) was awarded the "Most Valuable and Beautiful Sports Book" prize at an exhibition for publishing houses from socialist countries, held in Poland in June, 1989.

"In the ancient lands of Ai and Hoan, now known as the provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, existed a martial art used by the local people to fight wild beasts and enemies," says Binh.

"This martial art is based on nature. Ancient people studied the attributes of both flora and fauna, and their natural surroundings."

Binh says in spring 1789, when Emperor Quang Trung led his army to the North to fight the invading Chinese Qing troops passing through Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, they employed many local martial artists.

"Many of them fought bravely and sacrificed themselves for the Motherland. To commemorate the ancestors, our school chose the day of Emperor Quang Trung's Victory of Ngoc Hoi - Dong Da on the fifth day of the first month in the lunar calendar."

But the school also faced bad times. When the Tay Son dynasty of Quang Trung fell, King Gia Long decided to kill people who collaborated with Tay Son and many martial arts schools were closed and their masters killed.

The survivors had to operate secretly, but the Ngo Xuan family from Vinh City in Nghe An Province are some of the descendants of ancient martial artists. But through the passage of time, their heritage is gradually fading.

Born into a traditional martial arts family, Binh has practised martial arts since he was a little boy.

Having inherited basic techniques from his family, Binh also devoted his time to studying with martial arts masters in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

When he was a student at the Ha Noi Fine Arts College, Binh taught his classmates fighting skills and created a martial arts movement to improve their health. After graduating from the college, he nurtured his passion for researching and practising martial arts.

At the age of 24, Binh had already made extraordinary accomplisments in his martial arts career. He managed to unite different schools of Het (Screaming) martial arts in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, and named it Nhat Nam.

Nhat Nam School was officially established on October 23, 1983 in Ha Noi. At that time, Binh was an art teacher at the Ha Noi-based Central Music and Painting Teachers' Training College.

Based on the small frame of Vietnamese people, Binh has developed fighting techniques for their movement, such as avoiding blows, striking swiftly and exposing vulnerable spots on the body of the enemy that can incapacitate them with high effectiveness.

From 1983 to 1990, Nhat Nam developed quickly in Ha Noi and northern provinces, attracting many young people. Many of them have became famous for their exploits in the ring, and Binh's best students have continued his mission to spread the art throughout the country.

Teacher Dao Hoang Long from Nghia Lo in the northern province of Yen Bai has been training his pupils for the last 23 years. In that time, he has co-ordinated with the provincial Education and Training Department to put Nhat Nam on the school syllabus, and has attracted 4,000 learners.

With an eye on the future, Binh assigned his best students to manage the school in the early 1990s, and turned his attentions to developing this cultural heritage in Europe.

The year 1992 marked a milestone in his martial arts career. Binh left Viet Nam for Belarus (under the former Soviet Union) at the invitation of the Federation of Wushu and other Vietnamese martial arts schools. He organised hundreds of workshops on Nhat Nam Martial Arts School and trained many martial arts instructors and students from more than 40 cities in the former Soviet Union. This was followed by the establishment of martial arts clubs in Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and Ukraine.

"In Moscow and other cities in Russia, Nhat Nam has become a part of life for some local people," says student Sergei Yurevich. "The clubs attract a large number of people from different walks of life. They love to practise Nhat Nam drills as it not only helps them feel more brave and confident, but also improves their heath and outlook on life."

After nearly 20 years abroad, Binh, president of the Nhat Nam Martial Arts Federation, registered to officially operate in those countries, is now promoting the establishment of the International Nhat Nam Martial Arts Federation.

In these countries, people do not only know about Binh as a martial arts master, but also a culturist. He is a poet, a lecturer of Oriental philosophy at a university in Russia, an acupuncturist and a doctor of Oriental medicine who has treated thousands of Russian people, including high-ranking leaders.

In October 2008, in Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature and the First National University of Viet Nam) in Ha Noi, Binh organised a specialised workshop on Nhat Nam Martial Arts School to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The workshop attracted more than 1,000 members from four large martial arts clubs.

Professor Pham Duc Duong, head of Oriental Culture Research Institute, says: "I feel proud of Binh, who rose up as a cultural symbol, honoured by many people in Russia and Western countries.

"I hope Binh, a special messenger of international friendship, will continue to bring into play the values of Nhat Nam across the country and among the international community."

Today, Nhat Nam has more than 32,000 followers worldwide.

Binh plans to establish the Nhat Nam Martial Arts Federation in Viet Nam in the near future. But this man still has another more important worry.

"What concerns me is that many young people are physically lazy. Another concern is that many do not care about national history and traditional virtues. So when the Motherland faces danger, what will happen?

"I think we should have a comprehensive plan to care for the physical and mental health of young people, especially students, and teaching martial arts is a good solution," says Binh. Anyone know anymore about Nhat Nam?

Zenshiite
01-31-2012, 09:30 AM
it annoys the hell out of me the way 'most' people think about muslims.

Me too. Worse yet, it annoys the hell out of me that I know for a fact many people I know personally think this way despite knowing me as a Muslim and my wife and my children. I don't know if it's a kind of blinder because we are converts or because they knew me before my conversion, but they never ask questions and yet subscribe to right wing thinking.

I remember seeing this Vovinam link a while ago. Great thread!

mawali
06-26-2012, 06:19 PM
Not an expert on Vietnam martial arts:

While stationed at Algiers Naval Station (New Orleans, LA between 1978-82?) I met some Vietnamese who siad that there is a martial arts tradition but it was kind of lost until some Vietnamese who studied Chinese or Japanese traditions attempted to re-introduce that long lost treasure. There was always a strong Chinese presence in Vietnam and intermarriage tended to create a reconstruction of what was named NamViet Martial Arts, usually a product of the individuals who created this new reality.

Lee Chiang Po
07-01-2012, 08:17 PM
Crap, like most things that come out of Vietnam. In 1968, the summer of, myself and a Korean Captain and two of his command were fighting behind the mess hall. There was about a hundred guys back there and we were taking challenges for money. All my Korean buddies were TKW black belts and I was the only Wing Chun fighter in all of Vietnam that I knew of. A south Vietnamese Captain of the Black Panther Division was there and challenged me. He had been told that in order to gain respect he needed to whip the biggest, meanest and the ugliest man he could find. There I stood. 210 lbs of muscle, and uglier than a terminal case of hemeroids. I beat that fool so bad I don't think he ever recovered. Had slurred speach for the next 3 months. He was a 6th degree black belt in some sort of Vietmanese crap just like that. More show than action. He didn't even have a clue as to how to defend against me.

GeneChing
08-02-2012, 09:36 AM
Intriguing. I hope more surfaces on this on the web.

Intl martial arts festival opens in Binh Dinh (http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/lifestyle/int-l-martial-arts-festival-opens-in-binh-dinh-1.81876)
Updated : Thu, August 2, 2012,2:02 PM (GMT+0700)

The fourth International Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival officially kicked off in the central province of Binh Dinh on August 1.

The opening ceremony was attended by many party and state leaders, representatives from sectors and localities across the country and thousands of domestic and foreign tourists.

Participating in the event, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the provincial Peoples Committee, are 725 martial arts masters , instructors and athletes of 69 martial arts delegations from 27 countries and territories across the world.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said Vietnam s traditional martial arts always keep abreast with the country in the national defence and construction, contributing to developing the sporting tradition and the intangible culture of the nation.

He expressed his hope that this years event will contribute to preserving and promoting unique values of Vietnamese martial arts and that traditional martial arts training will be developed at schools in the province and the whole country in the future.

This years festival will see the establishment of the Vietnam International Martial Arts Federation, which is expected to help popularise the traditional martial arts of Vietnam all over the world.

During the event, martial arts competitions and performances will take place.

There will be also a workshop on enhancing Vietnamese martial arts and a photo exhibition of Vietnamese traditional martial arts along with arts performances and a folk singing festival.

Hebrew Hammer
08-13-2013, 06:20 PM
So I have this YMCA like facility next door to my place and they are offer training in either Tae Kwon Do or this Cuong Nhu a couple days a week. I looked around the net and I cannot even find any vids where to the students look half way proficient at anything. I know there is some terrible TKD out there but there are also some quality students....

The best demo I could find: http://www.cnatl.org/movie.html

Anyone have experience or know someone with this style or would care to share their experiences? In theory it looks like it might have a nice blend of skills but maybe it tries to do too much and delivers too little.

I'd rather train well in a one dimensional style rather than something that isn't does a lot of things poorly.

Frost
08-14-2013, 05:46 AM
There wing chun is some of the worset I have seen on the net (which is saying something) having spoken to a couple of students there understanding of the individual arts is terrible, id stay away from it if possible.

Hebrew Hammer
08-15-2013, 05:19 PM
Thanks Frost, I agree after observing an active class and looking at how small the style's following is here in the States...just would be hard to find or transfer to another school or teacher.

GeneChing
11-18-2014, 11:18 AM
I've not heard of Human to Hero. Anyone?



CNN TV crew to highlight martial art Vovinam (http://www.thanhniennews.com/sports/cnn-tv-crew-to-highlight-martial-art-vovinam-34013.html)
Thanh Nien News
HO CHI MINH CITY - Tuesday, November 18, 2014 12:28 Email Print

http://www.thanhniennews.com/Uploaded/thuyvi/2014_11_14/vovinam_HLEZ_thumb.jpg?width=840
Photo credit: The Thao & Van Hoa A demonstration of Vietnamese martial art Vovinam. Photo credit: The Thao & Van Hoa

A television crew from the Cable News Network visited Ho Chi Minh City this month to interview Vietnamese martial artists for the show Human to Hero.
The team made a video cataloging the typical techniques and movements of Vovinam, short for Vo Viet Nam (Martial Arts of Vietnam).
The crew also interviewed martial artist Nguyen Van Chieu, a representative of the Vietnam Vovinam Federation, on November 8 at Phu Tho Gymnasium.
CNN asked Vo Danh Hai, general secretary of the World Vovinam Federation and vice chairman of World Martial Arts Union, to make the film, The Thao & Van Hoa reported.
Their email to the World Vovinam Federation said they wanted to make a film featuring Vovinam in the country of its birth.
Ho Chi Minh City is known, globally, as the cradle of the art form.
Vovinam is a comprehensive fighting system based on the principle of hardness and softness.
The wide range of techniques include punching, kicking, wresting and the use of weapons such as sticks, knives, swords, and axes. Training with weapons serves as training for control of the body and mind.
Vovinam was founded by Nguyen Loc in 1938 and designed to develop an efficient self-defense strategy following a short period of study.
The grandmaster combined his knowledge of traditional Vietnamese martial arts and concentration elements to create an art that would help repel the French occupation and promote a sense of national identity.
Although emigrants opened a Vovinam studio to Houston, Texas in 1976, the art was kept secret at home until its official introduction in the 1990s.

http://www.thanhniennews.com/uploaded/thuyvi/2014_11_14/vovinam1_ejbd.jpg?width=840
Foreign practitioners perform Vietnamese martial art Vovinam. Photo credit: The Thao & Van Hoa

To date, the art has been promoted to more than 50 countries worldwide, practiced by millions and included in Southeast Asia and Asia sports tournaments.
The CNN episode is scheduled to air to international viewers next month as part of the Human to Hero show, which premiered in January 2012 and explores the discipline, dedication and determination involved, as well as the sources of inspiration for the worlds best athletes. The show draws nearly 260 million viewers worldwide.
Stars featured in the show include Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, American professional surfer Kelly Slater, retired French footballer Patrick Vieira and European and world Skyrunning champion Emelie Forsberg.
Hai said the CNN show is a good chance for Vietnam to promote Vietnamese martial art traditions that have been solidified through thousands of years and various national revolutions.

GeneChing
03-02-2016, 09:12 AM
First world traditional martial arts championships in Vietnam (http://www.ianslive.in/index.php?param=news/First_world_traditional_martial_arts_championships _in_Vietnam-502644/SPORTS/9)

http://ianslive.iansindiapvtltd.netdna-cdn.com/upload/2016/March/02/martial%20arts-l20160302172530_l.jpg
IANS

Ho Chi Minh City, March 2: The first world traditional martial arts championships will take place here from July 24 to 30, the World Federation of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts (WFVV) said on Wednesday.

The week-long event is expected to attract over 800 participants from over 30 countries and regions, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Algeria, reports Xinhua.

The WFVV was established in 2015, with the first term of its organising committee comprising of 56 members from 30 countries and regions where Vietnamese martial arts are popular.

Vietnamese martial arts are being taught and practiced in at least 45 countries around the world, attracting millions of practitioners.

Vietnam will propose UNESCO to recognise Vovinam, a world-famous Vietnamese martial art, as the world's intangible cultural heritage, Le Hai Binh, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Vovinam Federation, also spokesman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the International Vovinam Meeting 2016 here in January.

If anyone out there can write about the connection of Vovinam to Kung Fu, I'd love to run an article on that (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/about/guidelines.php).

Firehawk4
03-02-2016, 09:56 PM
it seems to come from these 2 guys according to the list at the begining of the thread they are Vovinam Le Sang (1931- ) Nguyen Loc (1912-1960) .

Firehawk4
03-05-2016, 05:14 PM
There are some articles on Vovinam here is one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vovinam

GeneChing
07-27-2016, 09:04 AM
09:23 | 27/07/2016

First world championship of traditional Vietnamese martial arts to begin this week (http://www.vir.com.vn/first-world-championship-of-traditional-vietnamese-martial-arts-to-begin-this-week.html)
Martial artists from 30 countries will gather in Ho Chi Minh City this week to compete in the first world championship oftraditional Vietnamese martial arts.

http://www.vir.com.vn/stores/news_dataimages/hung/072016/27/09/BXqz2aDz.jpg.pagespeed.ce.umSecyoi9B.jpg

Vo Co Truyen, or traditional martial arts, is the collective name for a number of martial arts invented and practiced by the Vietnamese throughout the countrys history.

Influenced by the Vietnamese culture and mindset, Vo Co Truyen schools focus less on the martial arts, which are the physical moves and techniques employed to overwhelm ones opponent or defend oneself, than they do on the martial way, which is the training of the mind and an outlook on life.

The first world championship of Vo Co Truyen will be held in Ho Chi Minh City from Tuesday to Saturday, welcoming martial artists from 30 countries to practice traditional Vietnamese martial arts.

This is not the first time that traditional Vietnamese martial arts have been featured in an international event, as five festivals and five international competitions have been held since 2006.

This is, however, the first world championship to be organized after the establishment of the World Federation of Vietnam Vo Co Truyen (WFVV) last August, marking the martial arts success in attracting global practitioners.

Grandmaster Le Kim Hoa, vice chairman of WFVV, flew to France in May to teach and share the rules of Vo Co Truyen combat to delegations from over 20 European countries in preparation for the landmark event.

According to the championships organizers, the opening ceremony will feature Vietnamese culture and history through a mob display of Phat Quang Quyen, a Vietnamese fighting school incorporating the hands.

Olivier Barbey, a Swiss Vo Co Truyen master and founder of the Son Long Quyen Thuat school in France, said he was overjoyed to learn that Vo Co Truyen would have its first world championship.

Barbey first came to Vietnam in 1989 and has witnessed the growth of Vo Co Truyen in international popularity over the years. He said practitioners of the martial art could dream of being part of the Olympics with such remarkable advancement.

Hoang Vinh Giang, vice chairman of Vietnams National Olympic Committee and chairman of WFVV, said Team Vietnam at the first Vo Co Truyen world championship would place more emphasis on promoting the martial art to international friends than on taking home trophies.

The Vietnamese team is only allowed to compete in 22 to 23 events out of the total of 52, Giang said.

The championship will run at Phu Tho Stadium in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.

The event will be held every two years, with the goal of attracting 60 countries by the year 2020 and promoting the practice of Vo Co Truyen in 100 countries and territories by 2030.

'dream of being part of the Olympics' Good luck with that.

GeneChing
10-05-2018, 09:23 AM
This is the way to promote your culture's martial arts. This is what is done in China, Japan & Korea. Glad to see it in Vietnam too.


Last update 14:38 | 03/10/2018
Kids get fit with martial arts lessons in school (https://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/education/209468/kids-get-fit-with-martial-arts-lessons-in-school.html)
VietNamNet Bridge A high school in the northern province of Nam Dinh has launched a new idea to promote physical activity at schools.

https://img.cdn2.vietnamnet.vn/Images/english/2018/10/03/10/20181003100919-edu1-school.jpg
A junior high school in Hai Hau District, Nam Dinh Province introduces martial arts to students. Photo courtesy of the school

But this isnt a game of football or some basic PT.

During break times three days a week, all students will gather in the school playground to exercise the first lesson of Vovinam, a Vietnamese traditional martial arts.

According to Nguyen Thi Trang, a teacher who shared the video clip on the social media, most of students enjoy taking part and are upset when bad weather means they have to cancel.

And its not only helping the student keep fit. Teacher Trang says it is spiritually beneficial for them as well.

"It is necessary to organise such activities to get them motivated and taking part in collective exercise. It also brings fun and unforgettable memories for them, Trang told Vietnamnet online newspaper.

Physical training is a very important subject both by keeping them exercised and learning a new skill.

The writer thought this activity should be expanded so as students can develop an interest in exercise at a young age.

It would also be welcomed in major cities including Hanoi and HCM City were children are often physically inactive.

According to a 2016 survey, a third of the Vietnamese population does not exercise enough to meet the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommendation of 30 active minutes at least five days a week.

Source: VNS

GeneChing
10-16-2020, 08:39 AM
Enter to win The Martial Arts of Vietnam by Augustus John Roe (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/martial-arts-vietnam.php). Contest ends 10/29/2020.

http://www.kungfumagazine.com//admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/images/ezine/9448_The-Martial-Arts-of-Vietnam_Large.jpg

threads
Vietnamese-Martial-arts (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54318-Vietnamese-Martial-arts)
The Martial Arts of Vietnam by Augustus John Roe (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71898-The-Martial-Arts-of-Vietnam-by-Augustus-John-Roe)

GeneChing
11-02-2020, 09:32 PM
See our WINNERS: The Martial Arts of Vietnam by Augustus John Roe thread (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71909-WINNERS-The-Martial-Arts-of-Vietnam-by-Augustus-John-Roe)

Threads
Vietnamese-Martial-arts (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54318-Vietnamese-Martial-arts)
The Martial Arts of Vietnam by Augustus John Roe (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71898-The-Martial-Arts-of-Vietnam-by-Augustus-John-Roe)

GeneChing
12-03-2020, 11:12 AM
Some Diaspora. READ Augustus John Roe on THE MARTIAL ARTS OF VIETNAM (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1569) by Gene Ching

http://www.kungfumagazine.com//admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/images/ezine/8961_Martial-Arts-Vietname_Lead.jpg

Vietnamese-Martial-arts (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54318-Vietnamese-Martial-arts)
The Martial Arts of Vietnam by Augustus John Roe (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71898-The-Martial-Arts-of-Vietnam-by-Augustus-John-Roe)

GeneChing
03-24-2021, 07:47 AM
24.03.2021, 17:49
Vietnamese martial arts seek UNESCO title (https://vietreader.com/news/37662-vietnamese-martial-arts-seek-unesco-title.html)
daitranvan

https://cdn.vietreader.com/uploads/posts/2021-03/thumbs/news_vietnamese-martial-arts-seek-unesco-title-2.jpg

Binh Dinh martial arts seek UNESCO title as an intangible part of humanitys cultural heritage
As part of its efforts to achieve recognition, the province has requested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to send a dossier to the Government in order to consider and submit the proposal to UNESCO.

Binh Dinh represents one of the cradles of traditional Vietnamese martial arts, with this type of combat reaching its most glorious period during the era of the Tay Son dynasty.

During this period, tests were held and a training system was developed for both soldiers and generals. Indeed, they were thoroughly researched and applied to combat situations, with many martial arts schools opening in the province.

The martial arts developed as a fusion of different kinds of local sects, leading to the creation of a more powerful form.

Most notably, peasant leader Nguyen Hue, who later became King Quang Trung in 1788, led the Tay Son insurgents in the fight against the corrupt feudal government and foreign invaders.

Legend has it that the Tay Son army never lost a battle thanks to the martial arts they practiced helping them to become invincible.

Following the death of King Quang Trung, the throne subsequently passed to King Nguyen Anh who pursued a policy of demolishing all the vestiges of the predecessor, including the practice of martial arts.

This marked the darkest period for the combat form as it gradually began to fade from importance.

Despite this decline, it remained a vital part of daily life for some and was still secretly taught and practiced by local people, and handed down to the future generations.

In the modern era, Binh Dinh now holds a special festival in honour of the famous battle fought by King Quang Trung, known as Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da, an event which occurred when he led his army to fight the invading Chinese Yuan troops in 1789.

Victory for the Vietnamese forces came on the fifth day of the first lunar month.

To mark that day, Binh Dinh province holds an annual festival during which traditional martial arts and games are performed, attracting thousands of visitors.

In 2012 the Vietnamese Government recognised Binh Dinh traditional martial arts as part of national heritage.

Anyone know about Binh Dinh beyond this thread?