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Many martial arts training halls all over Binh Dinh have been experiencing a bustling environment of enthusiastic martial arts practice in recent days as preparation for welcoming guests from afar, who come to Binh Dinh to join the 3rd International Festival of Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts.
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The veteran martial arts master Phan Tho and his practitioners are ready to welcome the distinguished guests.
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The veteran master Phan Tho’s martial arts training hall in Binh Nghi commune, Tay Son district has just opened a 60-square-metre martial arts practicing room in his house’s front yard. He said, “In the 2008’s event, I felt very sorry for the cramped place when many martial arts troupes visited my hall. Given such the spacious room, the martial arts performances and exchanges are going to take place in better condition this year. From now on, my followers have place for their training even in the rainy season.”
Furthermore, the master has already bought more uniforms and weapons as preparation for the incoming performances. He said, “I told my wife that the event was a great festival of the Vietnam traditional martial arts practitioners, regardless of their nationalities, their skin colours or races. Welcoming the martial arts troupes would be a big honour of the hall. Plan to sell a 70-kg pig should be cancelled and replaced by another plan of slaughtering the animal to treat the troupes. No sooner had I mentioned the alternative plan than she immediately agreed with me.”
The preparation at the martial arts hall of Master Ho Sung is no less prompt but careful. However, the master is sad and worried about the pathway leading to hall. It is so narrow and tortuous that cause inconveniences to the traveling.
“Two of my sons, Ho Be and Ho Sy, are accompanying their students in the 2010 Binh Dinh traditional martial arts tournament. They and the others will fill up pot-holes and clear bushes along the pathway so that the traveling will be easier. With the support of the local government and our available resources, we try to get the thorough preparation and send a warm welcome to the troupe,” said Master Ho Sung.
No sooner had we made our way to the house of Master Truong Van Tinh at Phuoc Thuan commune, Tuy Phuoc district in a scorching early afternoon than he left for a meeting at Tuy Phuoc town about the preparation to welcome the troupes. His wife, Kim Tung, told us, “My husband has been very worried about how to welcome the troupes best for the whole month. Every day, he instructs his followers to review the martial arts performances in the morning and in the evening.”
Arriving home after a dozen-km ride on his bicycle, Master Vinh didn’t take any rest and immediately urged his students to exercise a warm-up before the practice. Watching Master Vinh performing strong and clear-cut stances as demonstration to his students, we couldn’t believe that he was at the age of 76.
“My house is so small that we will let the troupes to kowtow before altar of the martial arts predecessors. The martial arts performances will take place at a more spacious place – the open land at the yard of Ngoc Van Pagoda on the opposite of my house. About 100 martial arts masters, instructors and practitioners of Phi Long Vinh school are expected to perform typical staff techniques, weapon forms, 3-person fighting and 4-person fighting”, said Master Vinh.
The martial arts club of Long Phuoc Pagoda, one of famous addresses for martial arts training in Tuy Phuoc district, is going to welcome the troupes. When we came to the pagoda at 6 pm, we saw crowds of practitioners exercising martial arts at the yard behind main hall of the pagoda under instruction of Nguyen Thi Kim Hue, who was in the 8th month of pregnancy.
The female instructor said, “I try to instruct the practitioners for the 2010 Binh Dinh traditional martial arts tournament. I will then choose the best performances to exchange with the troupes in the incoming festival. Detailed plan will be arranged by monk Hanh Hoa. Masters, instructors and practitioners of Long Phuoc Pagoda’s club over generations are expected to gather and perform typical traditional martial arts techniques and forms.”
With its long history of the traditional martial arts, 2 martial halls in An Nhon district were selected to participate in the event, including the martial arts hall of Master Le Xuan Canh at Nhon Hung commune and the martial arts hall of Master Ly Xuan Hy at Dap Da town.
Master Le Xuan Canh said, “We have been practicing for days. Besides the exhibition performances with weapons, which are our strong point, we also rehearse full-contact competitive forms. My students have just finished their training of (Tayson battle) drumbeating with a set of 12 drums. The resounding drum beats will be heard at the welcome ceremony, creating a solemn and magnanimous environment…”
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