The event marks the 50th anniversary of Hue’s liberation day (March 26th, 1975 - March 26th, 2025) and is part of the National Tourism Year Hue 2025. It is also one of the Spring Festival programs within Hue Festival 2025.
The opening ceremony was staged in an epic, theatrical style, featuring a grand drum performance, renowned artists and singers, and the integration of Vietnamese martial arts into a spectacular showcase. The event also included fire displays and pyrotechnic effects. In the beautiful spring weather of Hue, thousands of spectators gathered at Ngo Mon Square to witness a unique and captivating blend of martial arts and performing arts.
The program began with “Sacred Drum of the Nation” and the song “Red Blood, Yellow Skin” performed by artists from Hue Royal Traditional Arts Theater. A highlight of the event was the “Heroic spirit of the Nation” performance, which depicted the history of Vietnamese martial arts through breathtaking demonstrations from various disciplines, including Kinh Van An Martial Arts, Vovinam, Taekwondo, and Karatedo. A Hip-Hop dance special “Martial Arts with Hue music” was a fusion of traditional and modern elements…
Spanning over two days, March 21st -22nd, the “Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival – Hue 2025” is a cultural, sports, and tourism event that aims to honor and promote the rich heritage of Vietnamese martial arts. It also seeks to spread the deep values and humane spirit of martial arts to the world. The festival serves as a platform for martial arts schools and practitioners to meet, exchange knowledge, and discuss the preservation and promotion of traditional Vietnamese martial arts both domestically and globally.
According to Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center, this first “Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival – Hue 2025” is not only a gathering for martial arts groups to pay tribute to their ancestors and national heroes but also an opportunity for them to showcase their strengths through competitions, performances, and exhibitions. The event promises to take the audience on an emotional journey, immersing them in a legendary artistic space filled with the essence of martial arts and the cultural heritage of the ancient capital.
Earlier, on the morning of March 21st, the ceremonial segment of the festival took place with activities such as the Preliminary and Incense tribute Ceremony at The Mieu Temple, the Dragon Procession on the Perfume River, and the Offering Ceremony at the Martial Temple. The festival’s celebratory activities included the Vietnamese Martial Arts Exchange Program, the Martial Arts Conference, a tour of the Imperial Citadel, large-scale martial arts formations, and synchronized performances. The event welcomed renowned martial arts groups representing various Vietnamese disciplines, including Kinh Van An Martial Arts, Vovinam, and Binh Dinh Martial Arts.
“Through this festival, we hope to revive Hue’s historical martial arts sites, such as the Martial Temple and Xien Vo Tu, integrating them into regular martial arts activities. Our goal is to make Hue a premier destination for the martial arts community and the general public alike. We aim to establish the Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival as an annual, well-organized event that attracts martial arts groups from around the world. In the future, traditional Vietnamese martial arts events will also be hosted at this venue, creating a unique cultural institution dedicated to martial arts,” said Mr. Trung.
Highlights from the opening night of the Vietnamese Martial Arts Festival:
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| The grand opening ceremony was staged with epic theatrical elements |
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| Spectacular martial arts performances |
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| Archery demonstrations |
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| Live combat demonstrations on stage |
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| Modern arts were also included |