Nguyen Hue: a military genius

Nguyen Hue, whose real name is Ho Thom, was born in 1753. His father is Ho Phi Phuc, his mother is Nguyen Thi Dong, and his brothers are Nguyen Nhac and Nguyen Lu.

His ancestor moved from Hung Nguyen District of today’s province of Nghe An to Quy Nhon District which is now Tay Son District, Binh Dinh Province in mid-17th century.

Scholar Hien, who was opposed to Truong Phuc Loan, moved to live in Quy Nhon and started teaching here. Seeing Ho Thom and his two brothers had talent and iron wills, he whole-heartedly taught them everything he knew.

When raising the army for the resistance war, three brothers took Nguyen as their last name for the land in the South belonged to the Nguyen Lords.

When being 18, Nguyen Hue and his brothers set up fortifications in the forest and recruited soldiers, proclaiming “Overthrowing Truong Phuc Loan, supporting Phuc Duong (Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat’s grandson deposed by Phuc Loan)”. His slogan “Take from the rich, give to the poor” won the people’s hearts.

In the autumn of 1773, Tay Son insurgent army occupied Quang Ngai. They also dominated from southern Binh Dinh to Binh Thuan. In 1778, Nguyen Nhac was on the throne, entitling Thai Duc and Nguyen Hue became a general with the title Long Nhuong.

In 1782, the navy led by Nguyen Hue defeated Nguyen Anh’s navy which was supported by Portugal’s warships.

The Emperor Quang Trung.

After Gia Dinh had fallen under the control of Tay Son army in late 1782, Nguyen Anh asked King of Siam for help. Also, he came into contact with the Bishop of Adran, Pigneau de Beahaine, and deputed him, along with Prince Canh, to travel to France to seek assistance from the French government.

The Siamese army invaded the western of south Vietnam in late July, 1784. When they went to Rach Gam Xoai Mut, Nguyen Hue led the army to defeat the invaders on Jan. 19, 1795. Nguyen Anh then had to manage to escape to Siam.

The victory marked the fall of the Nguyen conquest in the south. The Tay Son insurgent army controlled the whole southern provinces.

In April, 1786, Nguyen Hue planned to liberate Thuan Hoa and Thang Long. After Thuan Hoa, up to the Gianh River, had fallen into the hands of the Tay Son, Nguyen Hue led his army to march into Thang Long on July 21, 1786.

It took only 10 days for Hue to dominate Vi Hoang, Pho Hien, and Thang Long. A couple of days later, Hue and numerous officers arrived at the palace to congratulate the Le King, Le Hien Tong, who had been restored to real power.

In August 1, 1786, the Emperor gave him the title Duke of Uy. Hue then got married the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Ngoc Han.

After the Tay Son had come back to the south, Le Chieu Thong succeeded his father to the throne. Thong was however manipulated by the remnants of the Trinh family. He had to be dependent on Nguyen Huu Chinh to destroy the Trinh troops.

Chinh was then against the Tay Son, taking power for himself in the north. Nguyen Hue assigned Ngo Van So and Vu Van Nham to take the army to Thanh Long to kill Chinh; meanwhile, Le Chieu Thong fled to China.

However, Vu Van Nham also exceeded his authority after Nguyen Hue had moved back the south. Hue had to move north again to kill Nham and place Ngo Van So in charge in his place.

At that time, Le Chieu Thong appealed to the Chinese Qing Emperor for assistance and the Chinese army led by Sun Shi Yi crossed into Vietnam and occupied Thang Long in December 17, 1788.

In December 22, 1788, Nguyen Hue was enthroned on Ngu Binh Mountain, taking the title Quang Trung and prepared to fight against the Chinese invader.

He planned a spoiling attack and ordered his soldiers to celebrate Tet early, promising that they would be able to properly celebrate later in Thang Long.

“The Tay Son forces then timed their attack on Thang Long on midnight of the 5th day of the Tet (lunar New Year) celebration, catching the Chinese totally by surprise and the Chinese forces were easily destroyed as they fled in complete disarray”.

In the afternoon of the fifth day of the New Year, the Emperor Quang Trung's troops entered Thang Long.

Nguyen Hue never failed during 20 year of fighting. He is considered as a military genius and clear-sighted Emperor in Vietnamese history in the early 18th century.

Source: sgpp

Towards 3rd int’l festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts

“In early 2006, we had eight months to prepare for the international festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts taking place in Binh Dinh for the first time,” said Le Van Minh, head of the organisation board for the 1st and 2nd international festivals. “The 2nd one was held in 2008 when the Tay Son – Binh Dinh Festival was taking place at the same time.”

The art performance at the 2nd international festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts.

According to the Government-approved plan to celebrate 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Ha Noi, the central province of Binh Dinh was assigned to host the third international festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts this year.

The first martial arts festival attracted more than 30 squads coming from 22 countries and territories whilst there were 74 squads from 26 countries and territories attending the second one, which was held at the same time with the “Miss Martial Arts” pageant and the national traditional martial arts championship.

“The festival is the gathering of different martial arts schools, honoring Vietnamese traditional martial arts in general and unique features of Binh Dinh martial arts in particular,” Vice Chairwoman of Binh Dinh Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh said at the opening ceremony. “The seminar taking place afterward is expected to form an effective strategy, aimed at preserving and developing Vietnamese traditional martial arts.”

Many martial arts masters and their disciples joining the festival in Binh Dinh said the first festival was compared with a pilgrimage to the cradle of martial arts and the second one was like a return to the hometown.

The functional bodies have been preparing for the third event which is set to take place this year, celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Ha Noi.

The international festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts was issued the certificate of copyright registration last year, which is the initial preparation for an imposing festival in the coming time.

When being organized for the first time, the festival attracted different schools of martial arts, such as Vovinam and Qwan Ki Do. Similarly, the second festival was also an opportunity for various schools of martial arts to be performed, let alone a seminar entitled “Enhancing Vietnamese martial arts”.

The third international festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts is believed to be one of many big events taking place this year.

(Source:vo-thuat.net)

The second international Tournament of Vietnamese traditional martial arts 2010

International Tournament of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Art

The Vo Co Truyen (Traditional Martial Arts of Vietnam)

Vo Co Truyen are from all schools of Traditional Martial Arts of Vietnam (Thanh long vo dao, Hau quyen dao, etc..) Whose names are familiar to the general public. But very few schools can claim the true spirit of Vo Co Truyen.

Of course, Vo Co Truyen is a fighting art but a philosophy and ethics almost chivalrous. Respect for opponents and courtesy are the watchwords. It forms its body but also his mind. The Vo Co Truyen as the tradition is difficult to apply to the current lifestyle and changing attitudes, however, respect and courtesy, among others, are still valid.

Vo Co Truyen School

Schools Vo Cô Truyen , as the Kung Fu schools, each have their style, their emblem, their ethics and their rules whose principal is not betraying "the Way" taught by their masters. Namely, does not capture the knowledge of a course for the accommodation according to its own concepts and make it his own, except with the consent of the Master or if he dies. Honor and loyalty are part of the spirit of Vo Co Truyen.

Each school represents a style (Tiger, Dragon, Phoenix, etc..) and to be free. To bring this martial art competition, Vo Co Truyen, more recent appellation, has among other things, codifies some basic movements and establishes selection criteria common to all styles.

BAO LONG VO Y School

School BAO LONG VO Y is an institution in Vietnam. BAO LONG "guard dragon" Y "Medicine tradionnelle" VO "Martial Arts"

Its founder, Master Nguyen Huu Khai, is not only a master of Vo Co Truyen, but also the owner and manager of a large company employing Traditional Pharmacopoeia one hundred employees. The spirit of the traditional martial art reigns and there is daily practice.

BAO LONG VO Y School

The Vo Co Truyen Suresnes, after the death of its founder Master Vu Ngoc Vinh, had the honor and privilege to receive instruction from Master Khai during a stay in France, then to be placed under trusteeship his school. Extensions with the coming of Vietnam, a teacher sent by Bao Long, and the training of students in Suresnes directly to the mother school of Vietnam. All these trips are limited but when the desire for the perpetuation of the pupils are in the spirit that they have been taught, things remain.

Master KHAI, even from afar, to ensure that its teaching and its principles are present around some students who, despite their daily lives, how they perpetuate the Võ Cô Truyen BAO LONG Y VO. While combat but also remind him, in the principles of respect, courtesy, honor and fidelity.

Video Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts Festival 2nd

Some images of International Tournament of VTMA -2009

Vo CoTruyen - Demonstration Vietnam Team

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Reportage Vo Co Truyen -- Style Minh Long

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1st traditional tuong festival to be held

The traditional tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) festival will be organised from July 25-30 in Binh Dinh central province with the participation of seven theatres with eight plays.

This is the first festival for traditional tuong art and particularly, it is held in the cradle of the art, Binh Dinh province.

According to Professor Hoang Chuong, member of the tuong festival’s steering board, though the festival is not periodical but it is well prepared.

The festival will focus on traditional plays which is considered a challenge for artists, particularly young ones. Recently, they have only staged plays with historical and contemporary themes while traditional plays are only preserved in files in museums.

Professor Hoang Chuong also held that classical tuong is special as it has been existed for hundreds of years. Most of them feature the struggle between the good and the evil and the good will end up winning over the evil.


“Acting in classical plays, artists must be very skillful in complicated dances and traditional martial art while singing and playing the flute. Traditional tuong art is seen as the most professional opera stage in Vietnam being able to be compared with Chinese opera theatre or Noh art of Japan,” said Hoang Chuong.

The traditional tuong festival this time is seen as an effort to preserve the art which is now rarely seen on stage as well as on television.

The tuong festival is one of the main activities of the Tay Son – Binh Dinh festival which will be held from August 1-8 with various activities such as incense offering ritual, lantern night, poem recital, Miss Martial Arts and Vietnam traditional martial arts festival.

(Source: companiontravel)

Tay Son - Binh Dinh Traditional Martial Arts Festival kicks off

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.

(Source: English.Vietnamnet)

Vietnam official site of Vietnamese traditionnal martial art

Vietnamese traditionnal martial art(videos, photos, articles, documents officiels, ....)
http://www.vocotruyen.vn