The Zen monastery nurtures martial arts

The children practice attentively under the guidance of the martial arts master in the temple yard.

"Sow the seeds" of discipline and will

Every summer afternoon, in the middle of the clean brick yard, the crisp shouts of the children resound, opening the practice session of a special free traditional martial arts class. The class was initiated by Venerable Thich Thanh Hien, the person in charge of Khanh Long Pagoda, and organized in coordination with martial arts master Trinh Duc Sung. The class is a place to harmoniously combine physical training, moral cultivation and arousing the martial spirit of the young generation. In a solemn atmosphere, the children learn martial arts unlike any other sports center.

Venerable Thich Thanh Hien received us in a small guest house, amidst the sound of wind chimes ringing on the porch. His deep, gentle voice was enough to make the person opposite feel at ease right from the first sentences. Originally from Khanh Hoa province, Venerable Thich Thanh Hien has been attached to Thai Nguyen since 2010. After that, he spent four years studying Buddhism in Sri Lanka, one of the cradles of primitive Buddhism. At the end of 2019, he returned to Vietnam.

And then, as if by good fate, he was invited to this land to support the people and Buddhists. Through his gentle sharing, we saw a deep wish emerge: not only to propagate Buddhism, but also to create a space where Buddhist teachings are blended with the traditional cultural resources of the nation, including traditional Vietnamese martial arts.

The martial arts master carefully corrects each hand movement and foot step for the young student during the training session.

The martial arts master carefully corrects each hand movement and foot step for his student.

Khanh Long Tu Martial Arts School was born from that very aspiration, a silent but strong aspiration, nurturing the young generation with both morality and will to live. Not something lofty, but starting from the most simple things: a proper bow, a steady stance, a steady breath.

In the teacher's eyes, every movement, every instruction is a way to sow good seeds for the students' souls. Standing here, I wonder: is this still a martial arts class? Or rather, it is a place where students learn how to be human, where martial arts and Buddhism blend together, supporting young souls on the journey of enlightenment and enlightenment.

Khanh Long Tu martial arts school has 10 people, including martial arts master Trinh Duc Sung - the master, representing 5 teachers directly teaching. The class is organized according to the standards of traditional martial arts of Nam Thieu Lam. Children from 9 years old and up can participate. During the normal school year, children practice 2 sessions on weekends; in the summer, they practice 3 sessions per week.

A course lasts about 4 months, ending with a belt exam according to the school's standards, from yellow belt, red belt to black belt. Those with talent and passion are selected into the core group, becoming future teaching assistants and coaches.

In the summer, free martial arts classes are extended to all children in the area. Uniforms, documents, tools, teachers... are all fully supported by the temple. Currently, the second summer course is taking place with nearly 70 students from the hamlets: Ngo, Ca, Lang U, Lang Vau, Gian, Vuc Giang, Vang Ngoai, Gieng Mat... At times, the class has more than 100 students.

What makes the class special is not that it is free, but the way of training. Before learning martial arts, students must learn how to control their bodies, learn the classroom rules, the martial arts school rules, and the principles of the temple. When the mind is not calm, the body is difficult to be stable, that is the core principle. Therefore, each martial arts class here begins with calmness, not with noisy excitement.

The one who lights the fire of mind and body

Contributing to the professionalism and effectiveness of the martial arts class at Khanh Long Pagoda is martial arts master Trinh Duc Sung, who has devoted his entire life to the traditional martial arts of Nam Thieu Lam. Many people affectionately call him “the martial arts master of Tra”. Not only does he bring martial arts to the classes at Khanh Long Pagoda, he also imparts the spirit of martial arts, taking morality as the foundation and patience as the top priority.

In the middle of the temple yard, martial artist Trinh Duc Sung, in a black martial arts uniform embroidered with gold thread and a prominent red belt - the uniform that bears the mark of the Southern Shaolin sect, spoke in a steady but powerful voice: "Forward and left, steady feet, don't fall!" The children listened as if they were absorbing every word. Some were learning martial arts for the first time, their movements were still clumsy, but after just a few sessions, they were able to perform decisive punches.

After technical practice, the children were divided into groups for light sparring practice, creating an exciting and enthusiastic atmosphere.

Among the younger students, Nguyen Gia Linh, an 8th grader at Tan Hoa Secondary School, shared briefly but sincerely: I find learning easy to understand, fun and helps me concentrate better. I hope to study martial arts at the temple for a long time.

Pham Van Dam, a student from Vang Ngoai hamlet, nearly 5km from the pagoda, still regularly cycles to class every week. Although each student comes to class for a different reason, the common point is the obvious change after each lesson: more confident, more polite and more attached to the group.

Sitting and watching her child practice, Ms. Nguyen Thi An (Trò hamlet, Lương Phú commune) could not hide her joy. She confided: My child is 13 years old this year. The age that people often say is stubborn. But since going to learn martial arts at the pagoda, he has completely changed: more obedient, speaks more politely, and no longer goes against what adults say. In particular, he is less glued to the TV and phone.

Ms. Bui Thi Hoa, mother of two children aged 6 and 8, happily said: When they come home, they greet their grandparents, arrange their belongings neatly, and are no longer afraid to exercise like before. Seeing the changes in my children, I feel really reassured.

The learning space is not confined by four walls. Under the trees, on the brick floor of the temple yard, beside the bells and Buddha statues, each lesson is a moment of physical and spiritual exchange. Sometimes, the children stop to listen to the chanting; sometimes they sit cross-legged in meditation.

The architecture of Khanh Long Pagoda is built in a style that is in harmony with nature, bearing the mark of Buddhist art. Here, martial arts and Buddhism are inseparable. One side trains the body, the other trains the mind, both contribute to nurturing people. The summer martial arts class at Khanh Long Pagoda silently carries out that mission, without ostentation, without fuss, but only silently and quietly sowing good seeds.

Summer days in the countryside often pass between the scorching sun and the sound of cicadas. But in the yard of Khanh Long Pagoda, that Summer is lit up by the strong shouts, the eyes shining with determination and the drops of sweat soaked with love. When the small footsteps leave the pagoda yard each afternoon, the silence returns, but in each stone step, the echoes of those special days still resound. A Summer is silently sowing the good seeds of love, of discipline and of a resilient spirit that is growing every day.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202507/chon-thien-mon-uom-mam-vo-dao-fed26bc/