Techniques of martial arts - holylandvietnamstudies.com

TRADITIONAL LITERATURE and MARTIAL ARTS of VIETNAM – Part 3

4642 Views Nguyen Manh Hung

HUNG NGUYEN MANH

… be continued:

After researching, we can see that method of martial arts practice in the old time was simple. Let us try to describe it as follow (according to published materials):

1. Weightlifting: Choosing a stone or a lead weight around 36 kilos. Martial artists practiced by lifting it up and down to help strengthen their muscles. The weight would be gradually increased.

2. Practicing high bar: Selecting a high branch or establishing a high bar (like horizontal bar). Practicing pulling up and down five to seven times everyday.

This practice was similar to the horizontal bar: Pulling two feet to the branch and rolling over to have flexible tendons and practicing climbing.

3. Practicing high jump: Selecting a low mound and practicing jumping. Wearing pants filled with sand and gradually removing the sand to practice. Until the sand was all poured out, the martial artists would feel light. A good martial artist could even jump onto the roof.

4. Punching and kicking: Using two hands to punch a bag of grains everyday. If practicing for a long time, one could punch through a banana tree. Kicemperor banana trees then brick walls and cliffs.

5. Practicing weapons: Common weapons at that time were staff, shield, and harlberd. Each weapon had its own style of practice, individually, in pairs, or dancing (technically). The instructor always held a gong in his hand to keep the beat for the learners (like when practicing piano).

Note: During the practice, the martial arts learners only ate rice soup or a few bananas. When practicing, learners often got painful tendons and the instructor would prepare bamboo leaves for pain.

As described above, since the 17th year of Minh Mang, the martial arts examination session was held in Thua Thien, then in Hanoi and Thanh Hoa. Thi Huong was held in years in accordance with the rule of Yin and Yang: Mouse, Horse, Cat, Chicken.

Thi Hoi was held in the years of Dragon, Dog, Buffalo, Goat.

The other remaining years were for the literature examinations. In terms of examination procedure, first of all, candidates must take three examinations sequentially:

I. First examination: Weightlifting

– The weights were molded of lead, around 66 kilos.
– Using two hands to carry the two weights for a distance of about 64 meters or longer, depending on how strong the candidate was.

If passed, the candidate would be ranked superior.
– In case the candidate could only use one hand to carry one weight, they must go more than 120 meters in order to be ranked superior.
– If carrying by both hands and going from 48 meters or one hand carrying one weight and going 64 meters, they would be considered pass.
– If not, they would be eliminated.

II. Second examination: Using staff and spear

1. Staffs were made of iron, weighing 18 kilos, divided into three parts. The candidates had to move their legs like dancing, thrusting and hitting the target.
– If they could go 240 meters, they would be ranked average.
– If they could go 160 meters, they would be considered pass. If they could not reach the distance, they would be eliminated.

2. Spears had a length of 3.5 meters. The candidates used one hand to hold the bottom of the spear; the other hand held the middle, standing 12 meters away from the puppet. After that, the candidate jumped to get up speed, aimed at the target, then run to hit the belly button of the puppet. If hitting by the tip of the spear, the candidate would be ranked superior; if hitting only, they were ranked average; if they missed the target, they would be eliminated.

III. Third examination: Using muskets

– The shooting candidates must stand 82 meters (20 truong and 5 thuoc) (5)(6) away from the target.
– The shooting candidates were allowed to shoot six times:
a) If hitting the target with two shots, one shot hit the circle around the target, three shots outside the target, the candidate was ranked superior.
b) If hitting the target one time, one shot hit the circle around the target, four shots outside the target, the candidate was ranked average.
c) If hitting the circle around the target two times, four shots outside the target, the candidate was considered pass.
d) If missing the target six times or only hitting one time, they would fail.

Conclusion after the three examinations:

1. If ranked superior and average, the candidate would be titled bachelor.
2. If ranked only pass then titled baccalaureate.

During the last examination (oral examination), candidates must go through three questions on Military classics.

Depending on the results, the candidates would be ranked with different levels.

A. Thi hoi (metropolitan examination)

Thi hoi [Thi hội] was similar to thi huong but with different weights: 66 kilograms for thi huong [thi hương] and 72 kilograms for thi hoi [thi hội].

The distance for weightlifting in thi huong was about 64 meters and 80 meters for thi hoi [thi hội].

If passing all examinations, the candidate would be considered hang trung cach [hạng trúng cách].

B. Thi dinh (Imperial court examination)

If literal (knowing Chinese and Yi ching), the candidates could register themselves in the examinations.

If illiterate, they could not register in the Thi dinh [Thi đình] but had to answer the following questions on:
1. Military classics.
2. Military tactics of famous generals in the past and present.
3. Current history.

Through these examinations, the judges would depend on the results to consider their levels.
– If considered pass, the candidate would be ranked tien si vo (doctor of martial arts).

a) To be granted outfit, hat, flag, board.
b) To be allowed to vinh quy bai to (to return home to pay thanks to ancestors after achieving academic honours) (like tien si van [tiến sĩ văn])

– If they did not pass or only passed the thi hoi [thi hội] and could not attend the thi dinh [thi đình], they would be granted second-rank.

NOTE:
1: LÉON VANDERMEERSCH, Le nouveau monde sinisé, Paris: Seuil, 1985.

2: Chu Van An [Chu Văn An] (1292-1370), real name Chu An [Chu An], pen name Tieu An [Tiều Ẩn], letter name Linh Triet [Linh Triệt]. He was a teacher, physician, high-ranking mandarin of the Tran [Trần] Dynasty in the history of Vietnam. He was knighted Van Trinh Cong [Văn Trinh Công]. That is why later he became known as Chu Van An [Chu Văn An]. He was a straightforward person who passed the Thai hoc sinh (the title for those who passed the literature’s thi Hoi [thi Hội]) but refused to become a mandarin. Instead, he opened a school in the Huynh Cung [Huỳnh Cung] village, across the To Lich [Tô Lịch] River. An’s teaching played an important role in spreading Confucianism into Vietnam in this time. Under the reign of Tran Minh Tong [Trần Minh Tông] (1300–1357), he became a teacher at the imperial academy, where he was responsible for teaching the crown prince Vuong, the future emperor Tran Hien Tong [Trần Hiến Tông]. Later, under Du Tong’s reign, his request of beheading seven other mandarins, who he accused of corruption, was refused. He was tired and resigned. After that, he returned to Phuong Hoang [Phượng Hoàng] Mountain (Chi Linh, Hai Duong [Chí Linh, Hải Dương]). He used the pen name Tieu An [Tiều Ẩn] (a secluding woodcutter). For the rest of his life, he continued his teaching career and wrote books.

(3) TRAN QUOC TUAN [Trần Quốc Tuấn] was born in the thirteenth century (decade 20), the time of the Mongolian Empire with a dream of “ruling the world”, which made Vietnam a target to invade the whole Southeast Asia. Under the dominance of Tran Thu Do [Trần Thủ Độ], Tran Quoc Tuan [Trần Quốc Tuấn] destroyed the first Mongolian invasion. After Tran Thu Do [Trần Thủ Độ] died (1264), he became the leader of the Tran [Trần] Dynasty and defeated the Mongolian invasion for the second time. He won the third victory over the Mongols again (1287) with the famous Battle of Bach Dang [Bạch Đằng] River for territorial defense of Vietnam [Việt Nam](Dai Viet [Đại Việt] era) and the entire Southeast Asia. He is regarded as a saint.
(4) HENRI OGER – “Kỹ thuật của người An Nam” (Technique du peuple Annamite) – implemented in Hanoi [Hà Nội] (1908-1909). Assistant Professor, PhD. NGUYEN MANH HUNG [Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng] researched, introduced, and proclaimed at the Culture and Arts Association in Hanoi [Hà Nội], Vietnam [Việt Nam] (1984), California University in America (2004), and Paris School of Oriental Language in France (2006).

(5) Truong [Trượng] is an old length unit of Vietnam and China. It belongs to the ancient length unit in a decimal system based on a basic ruler. One truong is equal to 10 Vietnamese meters (about 4 French meters).

(6) Thuoc [Thước] is a measuring instrument used to measure objects, which is precise to millimeter. Thuoc Thuoc [Thước] is used for drawing, measuring length, height, angles, ….