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Võ Bình Định (short for võ thuật Bình Định, martial arts of Bình Định Province) is a regional form of martial arts in Vietnam. All martial arts practiced in Tỉnh (State or Province) Binh Dinh is called Võ Bình Định. There are 11 huyện (Counties or Districts) in the Binh Dinh Region that practices martial arts with villages and cities within each counties that contain style ranging anywhere from 100 to 600 years old. Counties in the Bình Định Province include Phù Mỹ, Huyện Phù Cát, huyện Tây Sơn, huyện An Lão,huyện Hoài Nhơn, Hoài Ân, Huyện Vĩnh Thạnh , huyện Vân Canh, Quy Nhơn, Tuy Phước, and An Nhơn. Three famous villages include Thuận Truyền, and An Vinh both which are located in the Tây Sơn district along with An Thái which is in the An Nhơn district. Thuận Truyền Village and An Vinh Village style of Võ Bình Định is often considered as Võ Tây Sơn or also called Võ cổ truyền meaning Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts and in the eastern district An Nhơn is An Thái style which is considered Võ Tàu or Chinese Martial Arts. There is an old saying in the Binh Dinh Region which goes "Roi Thuận Truyền, Quyền An Vinh" which means the Thuận Truyền Quyền village is famous for Staff Techniques and An Vinh Village is famous for empty hand forms. An Thái village is also famous empty hand forms along with its various Chinese Martial Arts that is influenced into Vietnamese martial arts. Another saying in the Binh Dinh Province is "Trai An Thái, gái An Vinh" meaning that males practice An Thái style and females practice An Vinh style. The reason for this saying is because the An Thái style utilizes more power in the empty hand forms making it more suitable when performed by a male. Vietnamese people are typically smaller in stature and the An Vinh style assumes that the opponent is not Vietnamese making them possibly taller and stronger. With a height and strength advantage An Vinh Style utilizes speed to overwhelm their opponents which can be seen in their empty hand forms and is more suited towards female fighters. There are systems that are not located in the Tây Sơn district however they are consider Võ Tây Sơn as it contains components of the Tây Sơn style for example Võ Đường Chùa Long Phước in the Tuy Phước district teaches many forms that are seen in the Tây Sơn district such as Ngọc trản quyền, Song Phượng kiếm, Lão Hổ Thượng Sơn and Hùng kê quyền for example.
An Vinh Village
The founder of the An Vinh Village Style of võ Bình Định is Nguyễn Ngạc. According to the villagers of An Vinh, Nguyễn Ngạc is a descendant of Bùi Thị Xuân a talented martial artist and famous general during the Tây Sơn rebellion.
An Thai Village
The founder of the An Thai Village Style of võ Bình Định is Diệp Trường Phát. Born in 1896 in An Thai village Binh Dinh province with his ethnic origins being Chinese as his parents are from Ming Xiang, China. At the age of thirteen Diệp Trường Phát was sent to China to study martial arts which he later brought back to the An Thai Village after many years of intensive training.
Weapons
In the Bình Định Style of Martial Arts there are 18 weapons which is also referred to as "Thập bát ban binh khí" these weapons include the following:
- Côn (Roi) or long staff
- Kiếm or straight sword
- Dao which can be broken up to three different types which are the đơn đao or broad sword, song đao or dual miniature broad sword, and đại đao or miniature broad sword on a staff which is not to be confused with a Chinese Kwan Dao.
- Thương or Pointed Spear
- Giáo or Wide Tip Spear
- Kích or Crescent blade staff
- Giản (Thiết lĩnh) or Scepter
- Phủ, Song phủ & Búa or Single Axe, Dual Axes & Hammer which are considered one category
- Song chùy or Dual Melon Hammer
- Bừa cào or rake
- Lăng khiên or Shield with Broad Sword
- Cung tên or Bow and Arrow
- Xích or Chain Whip
- Xà mâu or Serpant Cane
- Đinh ba or Pitch Fork/ Tiger Fork
- Mỏ Gảy or fishermans Spear/ two point spear
- Song xỉ, Song tô ,and Song Dao known as Dual Blades classification
- Song câu or Dual hook sword
Uniforms
Uniforms for Võ Bình Định varies from each school with most schools practicing in an all black garment. Students of the Tây Sơn Style wear garments made of silk that are in red and yellow to reflect the Vietnamese flag. Belt systems vary between all schools.
Schools
Famous schools in the Bình Định region include the following: Võ đường Phan Thọ, Võ đường Phi Long Vịnh, Võ Đường Chùa Long Phước, Bình Thái Đạo Võ đường Lý Xuân Hỷ Võ đường Lê Xuân Cảnh and Võ đường Hồ Gia.