Until now, the martial arts lovers in villages of An Thai and An Vinh could still describe the “Do Gian” festival in the old days. The festival was a chance for martial arts practitioners to show off their talent, aiming to honor their villages and martial arts schools.
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At the Phan Tho’s club, martial arts practitioners often tell stories about the Do Gian festival which is only in memory of martial arts masters now. Photo TTO
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The festival by the river
When sacred rituals were performed in An Thai village on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month every year, a festival was also organized then, attracting many martial arts practitioners coming from An Vinh, Thuan Truyen and martial arts clubs in provinces of Quang Ngai and Phu Yen.
A big wooden frame was raised by the Con River and in front of the Ba pagoda. At the top of the frame saw a flag and a roasted pig. After the act of worship, the representatives of martial arts club from An Nhon, Tay Son, and Tuy Phuoc gathered around the frame.
From the bottom of the frame, martial arts practitioners started their competition by climbing up each step of the frame and fighting against the others. Those who touched the flag and took the roasted pig first would be the winners. The frame was pushed to fall down after that.
The participants must be highly skilled martial arts practitioners who could fight well and know how to cooperate with their partners. In the festival, they showed off all talents to win the game.
After taking the flag and the roasted pig, the winners had to compete against the others, who were trying to get the trophies from their hands, and successfully bring them to their village. The prize-winning village would be very famous this year, attracting dozens of people to come to learn martial arts.
Whenever the festival was held, villages of An Vinh and An Thai were very bustling. The competitions took place everywhere. Some could last the whole day. The village winning the flag and roasted pig was very happy. The pig was then shared to all villagers and the flag was an honor for the martial arts instructor who teaches the winners of the game.
The festival in memory of masters
“They held a ritual and then made a high wooden frame on which there was a pig,” grand master Phan Tho recalled. “As soon as the frame fell down, the participants rushed to take the pig. Some groups fought against the others while another group was responsible for taking the pig.”
At that time, Tho was still young man learning martial arts hardly from many martial arts masters. He also witnessed the legend of a famous women martial arts practitioner called Tam Can. She was one of the participants who fought against those who wanted to take back the flag and pig her villagers were bringing to their village.
“She often stood in the middle of the river which was still dry at that time and fought against anyone who dared to pass her,” Tho said. “Sometimes, she alone fought with 10 people at the same time.” Not many knew her real name but all knew she was called Tam Can.
At that time, Tho and other masters, who are very old now, were still young. They just started to practice martial arts. The An Thai village’s martial arts practitioners were the very tough opponents, winning many competitions during such festivals.
Master Truong Van Vinh, head of Phi Long Vinh martial arts club, said, “The fights were really tough at that time. Martial arts practitioners performed all their techniques. Under the French domination, the festival was held with the aim at honoring the martial arts forces. A high post was built and a living pig and a living cow were put at the top of the post. The participants then had to compete with each other to take them.
In 2006, the Do Gian festival was resumed, aiming to honoring the traditional martial arts atmosphere of the old days.
“Perhaps, such a game shouldn’t be held anymore as it is dangerous for martial arts practitioners,” master Phan Tho said. “In the 2006’s game, its competitions weren’t interesting for perilous techniques were banned.”
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