On some fixed evenings during the week, many disciples in brown uniforms gather in the yard of Bang A Pagoda in Hoang Liet Ward, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi to perform martial arts. For five years, the martial arts school called Nam Thien Phat Mon Quyen (martial arts of Buddhist followers in Vietnam) has opened several martial arts classes free of charge for many disciplines.
According to Martial Arts Master Tran Nam Trung, the name of the martial arts school expresses the traditional spirit of Vietnamese people. All exercises are based on the traditional martial arts with the combination of Shaolin Kung Fu, very suitable to Vietnamese stature and physical strength.
He also added that the disciples of the martial arts school not only practice movements for self-defense and improve their health but also nourish their dignity and brainpower following the Buddhist spirit.
 For five years, The Nam Thien Phat Mon Quyen martial arts club has drawn hundreds of disciples at all age categories.  After warm-up movements, disciples are divided into groups of different levels to practice martial arts postures in the yard of the pagoda.  Besides providing the disciples with exercises to practice techniques of form, kicks and body, martial arts masters of the school also teach them the Buddhist beliefs.  Many parents send their children to the pagoda to practice the martial arts to improve health and nourish dignity and brainpower following the Buddhist spirit.  Martial arts master Tran Nam Trung said that the number of disciples practicing at the martial arts school often sharply increases in summer.  Martial arts master Tran Nam Trung instructs a little student on the first martial art postures.  Many disciples have improved their health and spirit thanks to practicing the martial arts.  Martial arts master Tran Nam Trung instructs a disciple on a posture.  Taking a rest afer practising hard.  Besides providing the disciples with exercises to practice techniques of form, kicks and body, martial arts masters of the school also teach them the Buddhist beliefs.  Disciples helps each other practising lessons.  Helping a new comer tie the belt.  Practicing movements with sticks.  After a course, the material arts school holds examinations to classify disciples.  Instructing a new comer on martial arts postures.  An exchange between the martial arts schools of Nam Thien Phat Mon Quyen and Van Vo Dao.  The martial arts master and disciples of the Nam Thien Phat Mon Quyen pose for a photo with the material arts school of Van vo dao at Bang A Pagoda. |
Besides providing the disciples with exercises to practice techniques of form, kicks and body, martial arts masters of the school also teach them the Buddhist beliefs, thereby making them inclined to be good and useful for society. It is the guideline and motto to develop the martial arts school for the long term. Therefore, many parents send their children to the pagoda to practice the martial arts.
With the instruction of martial arts master Tran Nam Trung, all disciples, from 5 to 65 years old, become responsible and more disciplined.
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Story: Thuc Hien - Photos: Trong Chinh & Khanh Long
