An attempt to make the rival a dirty back by the thinner green belt wrestler. (Photo: VNA) Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – The central province of ThuaThien-Hue has held a wrestling bout as a recreation event during the new lunaryear.
Sports authorities in the province, which includes the formerimperial capital Hue city, worked with the outlying Thu Le village to organisethe bout, according to a tradition in the village.
According to the elderlies in the village, the bout istraditionally held on the sixth day of a new year, starting from the NguyenLords (1558-1777) era, for selecting healthy men for soldiers. The traditionlater was resumed by the lords’ descendant Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) untiltoday.
A sandy round bout is made in front of the communal house of thevillage, where young men from the village and nearby villages come forcompetitions under the Vietnamese traditional wrestling rules.
The rules require a wrestler to make his rival “lam lung trangbung,” which means sticking the rival’s back to the sand’s surface whilehis stomach faces the sky, to win a game. The rules do not allow any viciousattacks, pushing or attempts to choke or break the rival’s hands and legs.
The rules of the game remain the same today, but there is adifference, as it welcomes amateur wrestlers from localities throughout theprovince, and not the nearby villages only.
Wednesday’s bout started with a pair of old men performing thetechniques during a ritual ceremony. Later, several games were held for femalewrestlers.
Games for men were much more thanks to the number of wrestlers whocame and registered to compete right before each game.
Ho Dang Trong Khanh, a winner at games held for youth, said he wasattracted by the games and travelled 20km from Hue city to the village toparticipate in it.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Quang Khanh, a local wrestler said he took partin the game to maintain his village’s tradition.
As the organisers had no chance to categorise competitorsaccording to their weight days before the bout, several games were held betweena 65kg man and a 110kg rival. Some others were between 51kg and 85kg. This madethe bout really thrilling as the thinner competitors outclassed their heavierrivals through their courage and cleverness.-VNA
VNA
