The quintessence of martial arts in Hue: 'Master of the Imperial Palace' teaches martial arts to the public

Van An martial arts school in Hue has a history of formation and transmission from the captain of the Imperial Guards Truong Ngoc Giai, a martial arts officer of the Nguyen Dynasty.

From the foot of An Cuu bridge ( Hue city), follow Hai Trieu street along the riverbank to alley 106, house number 7 is the martial arts school of Vo Kinh Van An sect, currently led by martial arts master Truong Quang Kim.

Martial arts students of Van An martial arts school perform three-fight sword fighting at the Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival in March 2025

PHOTO: ANH THU

"Master of the Imperial Palace" Nguyen Dynasty

This martial art originated from the "masters of the Imperial Palace" martial artists of the Nguyen Dynasty. According to Dr. Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung, Deputy Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, during the reign of King Tu Duc, Mr. Truong Ngoc Giai was a martial artist holding the position of captain of the Imperial Palace Guards.

Mr. Truong Ngoc Giai is the person who is always on duty to protect the king. "The person who specializes in protecting the king in the palace is usually a person with high martial arts skills, and is respectfully called "the master of the Imperial Palace" by the martial arts community," said Dr. Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung.

Van An martial arts school performs at the Vietnam Martial Arts Essence Festival in March 2025 in the ancient capital of Hue

Photo: Anh Thu

Mr. Truong Ngoc Giai then passed on martial arts to his descendants. According to history, in 1972, the Van An martial arts school was officially founded by martial arts master Truong Thang (the 4th generation from the ancestor Truong Ngoc Giai) and listed among the traditional martial arts schools of Vietnam. However, the origin of the martial arts school in the Truong family passed down by ancestors still records that this martial art was passed down from Le Thanh Hau Nguyen Huu Canh.

Master Truong Quang Kim is the son of the late master Truong Thang, the founder of the Van An martial arts school. Van An is the name of an old village in An Cuu Ward, Hue City. Because master Truong Thang's family built a martial arts school on Van An land, the name of the school was taken from this land.

In addition to teaching martial arts, martial arts master Truong Quang Kim also has a degree in oriental medicine and is currently treating patients at home. In the afternoon, many patients come to have their pulse checked. Mr. Truong Quang Kim is 71 years old this year but has a strong body and a powerful voice.

Receiving us at the martial arts school, martial arts master Truong Quang Kim showed us his family's genealogy and a photo of the tombstone of his ancestor, Truong Ngoc Giai, to prove the history of the sect's true transmission through many generations. In the Truong family genealogy in Van An village, in the generation of Truong Ngoc Giai, it was clearly written: "Tu Duc Dynasty Chief Captain". And on the tombstone of Truong Ngoc Giai, it was written "Vietnam Royal Dynasty's decree to receive Chief Captain, the tomb of the ancestor Truong Ngoc".

Developing martial arts abroad

Martial arts master Truong Quang Kim said that around 1972, when he saw martial arts such as karate and taekwondo being widely introduced to Vietnam, and was afraid that the country's martial arts would fade away, martial arts master Truong Thang established the Van An sect to teach traditional martial arts.

Martial arts master Truong Quang Kim, head of the Van An martial arts sect, descendant of the "Master of the Imperial Palace" and Captain of the guards during the reign of King Tu Duc, Truong Ngoc Giai

Photo: Bui Ngoc Long

Martial arts master Truong Quang Kim followed his father to learn martial arts since he was young and always remembered his father's advice "Vietnamese people must learn Vietnamese martial arts". Throughout his youth, with his passion for martial arts, he practiced diligently and achieved the true qigong. "For martial arts students, the important thing is to practice, not just talk", said martial arts master Truong Quang Kim.

To prove his profound internal energy, the martial arts master let me press my hand on his hip to feel the flow of his vital energy. While he was still talking normally, the flow of energy inside was rushing, the harder I pressed, the more it was pushed out.

Master Truong Quang Kim said he has many English and French students. Before that, these students had studied Eastern martial arts and when they came to see him, they all sought to challenge him. "Westerners do not naturally worship me as their teacher. Only when they have experienced and seen martial arts achievements with their own eyes, do they worship me as their teacher," said Master Kim.

Not only in Vietnam, in recent years, martial arts master Truong Quang Kim and his students have participated in many traditional martial arts exchange programs around the world . In 2007, he participated in a performance exchange in the US and was awarded a certificate of commendation by the World Martial Arts Development Association for his many contributions to the preservation and development of traditional Vietnamese martial arts. He was also awarded a Master's certificate by the California State Senate.

In Hue, in addition to teaching martial arts to his students, martial arts master Truong Quang Kim also organizes martial arts shows to serve tourists on Dai Nam Street (the road to Khai Dinh Tomb). This is the first and only professional martial arts performance program in Hue City to serve tourists. "Organizing performances is both a service and through that, it also promotes the quintessence of traditional Vietnamese martial arts. This is also a way to preserve and promote the quintessence of Vietnamese martial arts," said martial arts master Truong Quang Kim.

According to martial arts master Kim, many tourists after watching the performance became students of the martial arts school and developed the martial arts school abroad. Currently, the Van An martial arts school has 13 martial arts schools in France, 3 martial arts schools in the US, 1 in Germany, 1 in the Netherlands and 1 in Nicaragua. Recently, in the program of the Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival held at the end of March, within the framework of the Hue Festival 2025, Van An martial arts school was honored to be introduced as a martial arts school passed down from the Nguyen Dynasty and still preserved today. (continued)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tinh-hoa-vo-hoc-xu-hue-cao-thu-dai-noi-truyen-vo-ra-cong-chung-185250625223326335.htm