Unique Vietnamese martial art born in Europe

On the occasion of the State visit of the King and Queen of Belgium to Vietnam, a special event called "Vietnam-Belgium Harmony for Health and Sports" was held at Ho Van, Hanoi on the evening of March 31, 2025.

Within the framework of the event "Vietnam-Belgium Harmony for Health and Sports" held at Ho Van, Hanoi on the evening of March 31, 2025, many audiences in the capital witnessed the performance of Thuy Phap martial arts for the first time.

The highlight of the event was a special performance of Thuy Phap, a traditional Vietnamese martial art founded by master Huynh Chieu Duong in Brussels, Belgium, focusing on soft, graceful movements inspired by the characteristics of water.

Thuy Phap, founded by martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong in Belgium in 2002, is based on the soft and supple properties of water. Stemming from his desire to improve his health, he studied traditional Vietnamese martial arts from a young age and systematized it into a curriculum. When he went to Belgium to work in 2000, he was encouraged to open a martial arts class, attracting many international students. Pictured is martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong.

In 2000, during a business trip to Belgium, martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong introduced this discipline to friends in the medical field, receiving high praise for its application in physical therapy and health care. In 2002, he officially founded the Thuy Phap discipline in Brussels, marking a unique cultural exchange between Vietnam and Belgium.

Sharing about the name Thuy Phap, martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong said: "Thuy is water. Nothing is as soft, gentle but fierce as water. Thuy Phap is a Vietnamese martial art that crystallizes all the characteristics and advantages of water."

Thuy Phap is performed through soft, supple movements, sometimes like water, sometimes invisible, sometimes like floating clouds, constantly moving. In particular, these exercises are especially suitable for the elderly, helping to increase alertness and improve health. The performance at the event will be a combination of the quintessence of Vietnamese and Belgian martial arts, performed by students of the two countries, demonstrating the harmony between strength and flexibility, martial spirit and deep cultural exchange.

With the criteria of training health, health preservation and self-defense, Thuy Phap focuses on pure martial arts like water flow, locking the opponent and following the opponent, just need to push the opponent back or get out of your safe circle, based on the spirit of not hurting the opponent but protecting your body in a legitimate, cautious and harmonious way.

This martial art not only brings health benefits but is also suitable for scientific therapy, thanks to the use of counterbalance of body fluids to regulate blood and clear meridians.

This martial art has received love from the Belgian people. Thuy Phap was introduced into the curriculum at many high schools in Belgium in the 2004-2005 school year, becoming the first Vietnamese martial art included in the sports curriculum in Europe.

Like Mr. Jean-Philippe Crevecoeur, he has been practicing Water Martial Arts for more than 20 years. His wife, Ms. Dang Thi Thu Quyen (born in 1987), has also been practicing this martial art since 2012. Both husband and wife participated in the Water Martial Arts demonstration today.

The names of the Thuy Phap exercises are reminiscent of rivers, expressing gentleness and flexibility.

In addition, Thuy Phap also preserves many weapons, which are typical tools of the Vietnamese people such as whips, knives, swords, fans... through extremely gentle and flexible training methods that are very typical of the school.

What is special is that martial artist Huynh Chieu Duong also named the exercises or footwork after historical anecdotes in Vietnam. For example, the Linh Quy Kiem exercise recalls the story of King Le Loi returning the sacred sword to the divine turtle after defeating foreign invaders.

On this occasion, the World Federation of Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts (WFVV) recognized the International Water Law Organization as an official member.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/doc-dao-mon-vo-viet-ra-doi-tai-chau-au-i763667/