Inscribed in 2011 (6.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Taekkyeon is a traditional Korean martial art that makes use of fluid, rhythmic dance-like movements to strike or trip up an opponent. The fluid and curvy movements, wriggling and writhing slowly, would evoke laughter. Some may even wonder whether it is a dance or a martial art. But the inherent energy of the performer can explode with enormous flexibility and strength. Apparently static and dignified but fundamentally dynamic and even fatal, taekkyeon is an indigenous Korean martial art with a history stretching back thousands of years. Taekkyeon is a rare martial art in that it teaches consideration for the opponent to the very moment one gains control. It teaches more skills for defense than offense. A skilled taekkyeon practitioner can rapidly dominate the opponent with a smooth wavy motion, but a true master knows how to make the opponent withdraw without incurring damage. These are unthinkable concepts in a combat sport. But taekkyeon makes all these possible. Taekkyeon is a marvelous sport teaching how to consider the opponent more than oneself, and the group instead of individuals. The motions are gentle and circular rather than straight and rigid, but they have the power to entice the performer slowly but intensively. The graceful movements of a well-trained taekkyeon performer resemble those of a crane, but the elastic offensive skills can be as speedy and powerful as those of a hawk. Taekkyeon has a few distinctive characteristics. First, it is an outwardly gentle but inwardly tough martial art featuring circular motions. Second, it is a natural and spontaneous martial art stressing elegance and dignity. Third, it is a practical and comprehensive martial art harmonizing offense and defense through various locking and kicking techniques. In spite of its gentle impression, taekkyeon is an effective martial art highlighting a broad variety of offensive and defensive skills employing all available fighting methods. The origin of all traditional Korean martial arts, taekkyeon represents confluence and totality, the two outstanding characteristics of Korean culture. Taekkyeon is believed to have been practiced since before the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C. - A.D. 676). In Joseon (1392-1910), it was practiced among a broader public, including people at the grassroots. The basic spirit of taekkyeon is ‘truth’. The martial art inherits the thought of Joseon scholars who considered upholding integrity and obeying the rules of nature was the utmost virtue. Currently, the Korean Taekkyeon Association is playing a significant role in the transmission and promotion of this traditional martial art. 85 education centres spreading across the country are the main venue for taekkyeon practitioners. Ordinary Koreans have an easy access to the practice of taekkyeon thanks to those education centres.

South Korea 2011

The heritage originates from Bình Định - a place famous for traditional martial arts and famous historical figure King Quang Trung in the resistance war against foreign invaders. Binh Dinh traditional martial arts has many sects covering all provinces and cities across the country. This heritage has also been introduced abroad. Its practice became popular as a sport in many countries. Vo Bình Định has a high performance and combat ability, expressed in the forms of movement with bare hands, sticks, swords and spears, great knives, axes and shields. The combination of hand and stone techniques makes it a delicate, unique art form. The typical forms of Bình Định martial arts include Ngoc Tran Phap, Bach Dieu Thao Phap, Quyen Tu Hai, Thao Truc Chi, etc. Although it used to be a tool to fight foreign invaders, the people who do traditional martial arts in Bình Định always uphold the spirit of sport and its benefits to the lives of Vietnamese people.

The Lion Dancing of the Tày and Nùng people in Lang Son takes place during the Lunar New Year and some special occasions such as the rice-growing festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, groundbreaking ceremony, moving into a new house... The Lion Dancing has many meanings, not only expressing the spirit of martial arts, but also to ward off evil spirits and pray for a prosperous and happy life. The Lion Dancing in Lang Son has many different names suitable for the language and tone of each region such as: Ky Lan, Phu, Loong Phu, Phu Meo... The common name that is still used quite commonly today is the lion-cat dance. This is a unique folk art form of the Tay and Nung people (two ethnic groups accounting for over 80% of Lang Son's population) in the districts of Cao Loc, Loc Binh, Van Lang, Van Quan... According to the concept of the Tay and Nung people, the lion-cat is a sacred animal with both the characteristics of being strong like the king of the jungle and gentle and tame like a cat. To make a cat lion prop or head, from an available mold, the craftsman needs to skillfully apply glue to 2-3 layers of paper, then press it tightly into the mold. The dough is made from cassava so it is very durable and more durable than other types of glue. The round lion head, about 50cm in radius, is made of clay and then baked. Then, it is painted and decorated colorfully with fabric with the main colors being blue, red, black, yellow, white to make it stand out and create flexibility when dancing. Cat Lion Dance is a synthetic art form containing many elements: music, fine arts, dance... in which dance is the main one, but it is not separate from music and performance. The lion welcoming and returning ceremony takes place before and after the teams go dancing. A Lion Dance team has about 12 to 14 people, dancing lions and performing martial arts, acrobatics, high jumps... Props include: colorfully decorated lions, masks; drums, gongs or cymbals, cymbals; weapons: sticks, rulers, clubs, tridents, machetes... When dancing, the person wearing the lion head must perform "pounce" moves, undulating to the beat. The martial arts dance movements are both fast and flexible, combined with the bustling sound of drums and gongs, making the audience extremely excited and enthusiastic. Depending on the space, location, purpose, and requirements of the lion dance, there are many suitable dances such as: dance to greet the gods, worship ancestors, pray for luck, dance at the festival to go down to the fields, somersault through the ring of fire... The rituals, performances, and props in the Lion Dance express the feelings, aspirations, and talents of the indigenous Tay and Nung people, bringing profound aesthetic and humanistic values towards community cohesion to build a good life. With those characteristics and values, the Lion Dancing of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Lang Son province was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage in 2017 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The festival is held on the 19th and 20th of the first lunar month, traditionally called the Ha Linh festival - or commonly known as the Ba But Pagoda Thanksgiving Festival, to commemorate Uy Minh Vuong Ly Nhat Quang - the governor of Nghe An, who had many contributions to building Nghe An homeland and expanding and protecting the borders of Dai Viet under the Ly dynasty. The Qua Son Temple Festival is organized by 7 villages (Thanh Xuan, Trac Thanh, Tap Phuc, Nhan Boi, Phuc Hau, Nhan Trung and Phuc Yen), belonging to 3 communes of Ngoc Son, Lam Son, Boi Son, who assign each other and are responsible for each part of the work to carry out the festival. The main locations are the opening ritual at Qua Son Temple (Tap Phuc village), the place to offer incense and thank Ba But at Ba But Pagoda (Trac Thanh village) and the Lam River section from Qua Son Temple upstream to Ba But Pagoda. The rituals include: "Khai quang, tẩy uế" ceremony, "Yết cáo" ceremony, "Chinh te" ceremony (is the ritual to worship Than Uy Minh Vuong Ly Nhat Quang, also known as "Xuất Thần" ritual, the statue of Ly Nhat Quang is carried out on a palanquin to be carried to Ba But pagoda for a thanksgiving ritual). The unique feature of the Qua Son temple festival is the procession in the early morning of the 20th with two army and navy wings. The army wing consists of the "main army" team and the "civilian army" team, carrying the palanquin from the temple to Ba But pagoda. The navy army holds a navy review ceremony. The two processions gather at Ba But pagoda, the Saint's palanquin is placed in the middle to offer incense, perform the ancient ritual /thanksgiving ritual. After the rituals, the two army and navy wings hold a review ceremony to carry him back to Qua Son temple in the order of the procession. At Qua Son temple, the people hold a ritual to enthrone him. In addition to the rituals, the Qua Son Temple Festival also has folk games such as: swinging, cockfighting, chess, traditional wrestling, pot smashing, tug of war..., sports activities that attract the participation of the people. The Qua Son Temple Festival aims to recreate the heroic history of the nation, express gratitude to ancestors, contribute to connecting the community and the martial spirit of the people of Nghe An. With its typical value, the Qua Son Temple Festival was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2018.

Tang quây or Khen dancing is a unique form of performance reserved for Mông men in Bac Kan. The trumpet functions both as a musical instrument and as a dance prop. They dance Khen in fun events, festivals and markets. The Khen tree consists of many small bamboo pipes that can be put together to blow out and inhale air. It is also a dance prop with a structure suitable for crouching and turning, jumping, etc. The sound of the Khen can be heard at the same time. emitting polyphonic sounds, many parts, resonating far and wide; The rhythm is 4/4 or 2/4, suitable for the movements of Khen dancers. It is estimated that there are 33 Khen dance movements and combinations such as jumping, gliding, turning, shifting weight, jumping sideways, kicking, crawling, gliding, wavering, cock fighting, kicking. Flipping, etc. In which the main motifs are spinning in place and spinning mobile on a large rotation that gradually narrows in a spiral shape. To become a good Khen player, a Mông man must practice from the age of 12 to 13 to have a strong and flexible body, but most importantly, how to take deep, long breaths. The most difficult move is to hug Khen while rolling around, dancing the "cock fight" and "horse fight" dance while Khen's sound does not stop. Most Khen dancers perform on large flat surfaces to show off their techniques. It can be affirmed that Khen dance clearly demonstrates the martial spirit, strong personality, courage, agility, dexterity, and talent of Mông men. Khen dance during the festival has a fun tone. The Mông people in Bac Kan also dance Khen at funerals and death anniversaries with the main movement of blowing the Khen while bending around the coffin, bowing, then kneeling and blowing the Khen in front of the prayer tray, expressing grief. the grief of those who lived with the deceased. The Mông people believe that without the Khen sound, the souls of the dead will not be able to return to their ancestors.

Vồng Communal House Festival is a "two-term spring-autumn festival" (January 15 and September 9, 10, 11). The main day of the festival is the full moon day of the first lunar month, held at Đình Vồng relic complex, Song Vân commune, Tân Yên district, Bắc Giang province, to commemorate the merits of Saint Cao Sơn - Qúy Minh and 18 dukes of the Dương family, Mạc dynasty. On the 15th, the Saint's ordained procession is organized to the communal house. At the head of the procession is a person playing a minister. When the procession arrives at the communal house, a ceremony is held. The custom of offering a horse to carry the duke's color to the communal house to worship together is a special ritual. Vồng Communal Horse Sacrifice Ceremony: In the past, during the horse sacrifice ceremony, the knights rode 8 white horses at a leisurely and beautiful trot; Today, the organizing committee prepares 8 horses' heads (woven from bamboo, decorated with colored paper) for 8 young people to wear while running. The sowing ceremony to pray for good fortune is held in front of the communal houseyard. After the ceremony, the referee raised the ball high and commanded the boys with the East and West stripes to start the battle. After the offerings, there is an incense offering ceremony by the people in the village and visitors. The festival has many traditional games, attracting a large number of participants and ancient ones such as wrestling, martial arts dancing, horse racing, archery, crossbow shooting, fighting, cockfighting, kite flying, rice blowing competition, and word running, etc. These are all games that demonstrate the martial spirit and seasonal characteristics of agricultural residents.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea As a folk play performed in Andong around the full moon period of January 15 on the lunar calendar, it is said to have stemmed from the battles between Gyeon Hwon of Later Baekje and King Taejo (Wang Geon) of Goryeo. Villagers select good trees to be used for the play in nearby mountains toward the end of the preceding year, hold a sacrificial rite for mountain deities, fell them, and carry them to the village. Since the thickness and solidity of the trees are decisive factors of the battle, they work on the trees under tight security to prevent opponents from getting information on the trees. The village is divided into two sides according to their place of birth. On the event day, farmers’ music is played to arouse people’s interest. People stand on their side of the battle and try to discourage the other side by raising the wooden structure they made. The leaders of the two sides stand at the top of the raised structure set up against that of the opponent team. They balance their body by holding the string tied to the top of the structure and give commands to their team. The team that makes the opponent’s wooden structure fall to the ground wins the battle. The beauty of the play lies in the spirit of fair play. If any participant in the play is in danger, both sides immediately back off and get him out of danger before engaging in the battle again. As a mock battle among males, Andong Chajeon Nori displays the martial spirit kept by the people in Andong. It is also a rite of praying for a good year for crops. The winning side will reportedly enjoy better harvest in the year.

The traditional Vĩnh Khê Village Wrestling Festival is held annually on the 7th day of the first lunar month to commemorate and pay tribute to two generals - the village's tutelary gods who had great merit in defeating the enemy to save the country and protect the people during the Tran Dynasty. The two tutelary gods are Vũ Giao and Vũ Trong, and also to honor Mr. Phạm Tử Nghi - a famous general from Vinh Niem (An Duong commune) - who passed through Vĩnh village when the festival was held, he asked to participate in the wrestling competition and won a high prize. After his death, the villagers set up a memorial tablet to worship him along with the two Vũ brothers. The Vĩnh Khê Village Wrestling Festival was formed during the Tran Dynasty, 14th century (with a history of nearly 700 years), converging the crystallization of the training of soldiers proficient in martial arts to save the country by the two tutelary gods of the village - who are also the lucky gods that the villagers have built temples to worship since that time. The annual wrestling festival is held for the first 3 days of spring on the birthdays of the two tutelary gods, of which the 7th day of the first lunar month is the main festival day. The Vĩnh Khê Village Wrestling Festival is associated with a wrestling competition, which usually lasts only one day but attracts many wrestlers from famous wrestling schools in Hai Phong and other provinces and cities to compete. After the traditional rituals according to the village's customs, two elders in the village, dressed in formal clothes, will perform the "giao diep" ceremony and symbolically wrestle in the communal house, then the wrestlers will compete on the stands set up in the communal house yard. The competition rules are set by the village, regardless of age, weight class and competition time. This is also a unique feature of the Vĩnh Khê Village Wrestling Festival. Normally, the wrestlers will compete in 3 rounds, each round has a time of 3 minutes to determine the winner. However, in case the 3 rounds end without determining the winner, the wrestlers will enter the extra round without counting the time. The wrestler is considered to have won absolutely when he defeats his opponent in a position where both shoulders and one buttock touch the mat at the same time for 3 seconds. The Vĩnh Khê Village Wrestling Festival demonstrates the martial spirit, respect, and remembrance of the people's origins. The festival has been deeply rooted in the subconscious of the people, maintained as a tradition, and passed down through many generations. With its unique cultural features, in 2017, the Vĩnh Khê Village Wrestling Festival was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Liễu Đôi Westling Festival is held on the 5th of January every year to commemorate the merits of the young man surnamed Đoàn who was good at martial arts and fought to save the country. After the ritual of welcoming the Saint to "Dóng" - that is, the place where the wrestling is held, the Thanh Động ritual depicts the sound of thousands of soldiers going to battle to kill the enemy to save the country; the flag-raising ritual; the ritual of handing over the sacred sword and tying red scarves to express the wish to honor talented and virtuous people who come to the wrestling festival. The festival is attended by people from Liễu Đôi village and villages with a tradition of wrestling and martial arts near and far, including both men and women. Although it is a performance, the profound meaning of the custom is to maintain the wrestling festival because being a Liễu Đôi person means knowing how to wrestle, being born knowing how to wrestle, and having to accept the task of wrestling and martial arts. Liễu Đôi wrestling festival demonstrates the martial spirit and solidarity of the Vietnamese people, upholds the tradition of fighting against foreign invaders of our ancestors and contributes to enriching the cultural identity of the Vietnamese nation.