The Festival of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts

The opening session lasts 90 minutes, focusing on the history of establishment and development of Vietnamese traditional martial arts in general, Binh Dinh traditional martial arts in particular.

Martial arts athletes actively practised at the Provincial Central Square to prepare for martial arts performances at the opening session. Photo: LE CUONG

To light the traditional torch

The beginning of the program is “Rituals to honor ancestors” with its meaning of honoring previous generations who founded traditional martial arts sects, showing the tradition of respecting martial arts instructors, masters and the soul and virtue of martial arts athletes.

Musician Dao Minh Tam – General Director of the Opening Session shared, “In the rituals to honor ancestors, the torch on the stage will be lighted by the traditional light from Tay Son Temple (Quang Trung Museum). Representatives of national and international martial arts athletes, instructors and masters come to the stage together and bow their respect to ancestors under their specific martial arts characteristics.”

After the solemn ceremony, the first chapter entitled “Vietnamese traditional martial arts – the establishment and development” includes the song “the nation and lullabies” performed by the singer Hồng Nhung.

The combination between the dance show and performances of martial arts athletes from Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts Center reappears on the stage Vietnamese traditional martial arts from its early days, and then constantly be fostered to strongly develop and spread to many countries in the world.

To honor Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts

The emphasis of opening session takes place in chapter 2 entitled “The spirit of Tay Son”. Audiences have opportunities to enjoy performances of Binh Dinh traditional martial arts sects: “Chấn lôi âm tiên”, performed by martial arts athletes from Long Phuoc Pagoda (Tuy Phuoc) or “Lục thổ tấn”, performed by martial arts athletes of Binh Dinh Gia.

The unique values of Binh Dinh traditional martial arts are shown by performances of martial arts schools, which present the creation of different generations of martial arts instructors and masters in Binh Dinh Province. They have researched and created martial arts demonstrations from work tools and these tools have become advantageous weapons for self-defense and combat.

Chapter 2 includes martial arts performances, both national and international. These performances show the uniqueness and diversification, the development and spread of Vietnamese traditional martial arts. The program has become more attractive with the song ‘Hàn Mặc Tử”, performed by the singer Đàm Vĩnh Hưng. The song aimed at introducing the land of Quy Nhon – Binh Dinh, a martial arts land as well as the land with well-known poets, including Hàn Mặc Tử.

Chapter 3 “Gathering martial arts land” aimed at introducing the combination of the three unique intangible cultural heritages: Traditional martial arts, Bai Choi folk song and classical drama (hát bội). Audiences have enjoyed performances of martial arts, performed by national and international martial arts athletes.

The final chapter includes the song “Coming with us – Binh Dinh – Vietnam” (a new song composed by musician Đào Minh Tâm). The song is performed by well-known singer Mỹ Tâm in a combination with the performance of many national and international martial arts athletes.

General Director Đào Minh Tâm said: “In recent days, all actors, actresses and martial arts athletes from Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts Center, Binh Dinh Bai Choi Group, Dao Tan Classical Theatre, collaborators of the Provincial Cultural Center, etc. have actively practiced to ensure the preliminary review on the evening of July 31^st, 2016 and the general review on the evening of August 1^st, 2016

Thang Nguyen (source: baobinhdinh.com.vn)