According to French Masters, there exist 32 different traditional Vietnamese martial arts schools in France. Particularly...
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According to French Masters, there exist 32 different traditional Vietnamese martial arts schools in France. Particularly, Minh Long school is considered as the most popular one in France.
Master Fréderic Marion, leader of the delegation of Minh Long martial arts school to Vietnam said that Minh Long martial arts school was founded in France by Master Tran Minh Long who was originated from Cao Bang province, arrived and settled down the martial arts school in France tens of years ago. Fréderic Marion’s farther was one of the first followers of Grand master Minh Long. He himself also followed Minh Long at the age of 6. After the death of Grand Master Minh Long, his father followed his step and developed it in France.
We are very surprised to know that traditional Vietnamese martial arts schools are very popular in France. There have been about 600 clubs of different traditional Vietnamese martial arts schools opened in France. Of which, Minh Long martial arts school has 45 clubs with 1,500 followers and is considered the most popular in this country. It is also expanded to other countries such as Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Angieria and, in the future, to Russia.
French followers of Minh Long martial arts school are of different kinds of people, from pupils, students, teachers, engineers to policeman... A Vietnamese follower of the delegation of Minh Long martial arts school to Vietnam, Tran Tien Dung, aged 24, said: “he had arrived in France at the age of six and followed Master Fréderic Marion at the age of 11. At present, Vietnamese community in France pays much attention to preserving Vietnamese cultural features. In addition to learning mother language, Vietnamese children are encouraged to learn about Vietnamese traditional culture and arts including martial arts.
French followers of Vietnamese traditional martial arts are eager to come to Vietnam, where these schools are originated one time in their life. Master Fréderic Marion is the pioneer. In 1993, he led the delegation of Minh Long martial arts school to Vietnam in order to have cultural exchange and share experiences. During his journey to Vietnam, he went everywhere to learn about Vietnamese cultural features and people and take them as valuable experiences for their career.
Since then, the delegation of Minh Long martial arts school goes to Vietnam every two years to train and exchange with domestic masters and followers of Vietnamese traditional martial arts.
During this journey to Vietnam, after the time of training in Nha Trang, the delegation has a plan to arrive in Ha Noi on July 27 to pay a visit to the Uncle Ho's mausoleum, and then come to some areas in the North to learn more about the culture and people of Vietnam.
As known, this delegation working with Khanh Hoa Department of Physical Culture and Athletics is going to hold a Vietnamese traditional martial arts festival to celebrate 10 years of having relations with Khanh Hoa Martial Arts Federation. We hope that with the great effort of French friends, Vietnamese traditional martial arts will have a good opportunity to develop and expand everywhere as a part of the Vietnamese cultural value.
H.Y
