Vovinam - WikiHQ

Vovinam (anglicized from , meaning "Vietnamese Martial Arts"), officially known as Việt Võ Đạo (越武道, meaning "Vietnamese Way of Martial Arts") is a Vietnamese martial art founded in 1938 by Nguyễn Lộc. It is based on traditional Vietnamese eclectic sources. Vovinam today is considered by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to be a "National Intangible Cultural Heritage" as of November, 2023.

Vovinam, based on the principle of "hard and soft", involves the use of strikes, elbows, kicks, knees, and wrestling moves, as well as weapons such as swords, knives, chisels, claws and fans that serve as training devices for reaching optimal control of body and mind. Students also learn defense techniques and forms. Amongst Vietnamese martial arts, Vovinam is the largest and most developed with more than 60 schools around the world, including Poland, Belgium, Canada, Cambodia, Denmark, Germany, the United States, Morocco, Norway, Russia, France, Romania, Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Italy, Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Spain, Algeria, Taiwan and Greece, among others. Vovinam's international governing body is the World Vovinam Federation (WVVF), and competitors compete in the international Vovinam professional circuit.

History

thumb|Nguyễn Dân Phú, a master of Vovinam

Vovinam was founded in 1938 by Nguyễn Lộc (1912–1960) in Hanoi, with the intent of providing practitioners with an efficient method of self-defense after a short period of study. Nguyễn believed martial arts would contribute to freeing Vietnam from colonial rule, which had been ruled by France since 1861, and from outside domination. Vovinam added elements of Chinese and Japanese systems to traditional Vietnamese martial arts, systems, which were thus partially created as a response to the French occupation, meant to promote a sense of national identity for the Vietnamese people. Hence, it is similar to taekwondo in that it is an eclectic system with combined elements of Japanese and Chinese martial arts within an indigenous framework.

After being invited to demonstrate Vovinam publicly in Hanoi with his disciples in 1940, Nguyễn was invited to teach the art at Hanoi's École Normale, and Vovinam gained in popularity. During the following years, political unrest increased throughout Vietnam; due to the system's nationalist political orientation, the art came under suppression. By 1954, Nguyễn had emigrated to South Vietnam, where he was able to continue to teach and establish Vovinam schools.

The first Vovinam school outside of Vietnam was established in Houston, Texas, by Vietnamese emigrants in 1976 after the Fall of Saigon. By 2000, Vovinam schools had been established in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. Vovinam now exists without the political overtones (including anti-communist ones) it originally carried. This shape symbolizes the harmony of hard and soft. Within this yellow shape, the red text "Vovinam" is written above the marine blue text "Việt Võ Đạo". Beneath the text appears an Âm-Dương symbol in red and marine blue. The Âm-Dương is surrounded by a thick, white circle, symbolizing the being of the Dao, with the mission to mediate between negative and positive ( = Negative, = Positive), to subdue the two, to enable life of all beings. A yellow map of Vietnam is superimposed on the symbol.

Theory

Hard and soft

The yin and yang theory (Vietnamese: "Âm-Dương" and "Nhu-Cương") states that everything in the universe and on earth is initiated through the interrelation of Âm (negative) and Dương (positive). As to this theory there are martial arts that prefer the hard over the soft and others that prefer the soft over the hard. Vovinam Việt Võ Đạo does not prefer any over the other. Hard and soft are used equally to adapt to every situation, to every problem.

The student aims to develop the ability to combine hard and soft in combat and in daily life. This aims to develop both their physical abilities and spirit.

Not only the principle of the harmony of hard and soft but also many other things resulting from the training contribute to internalizing the martial art philosophy, e.g. fighting spirit, courage, tenacity, fairness, modesty and tolerance. Above all the training in morality and the way of applying the techniques shape the students' character. Emphasis is placed on recognizing one's ego and overcoming it.

Vovinam emphasizes generosity, tolerance, and respect for others. Its philosophy teaches that practitioners should develop themselves while also contributing to peaceful and harmonious relationships within their communities.

With the salutation "Iron Hand over benevolent heart", the student is reminded of the main principle and the goal of Vovinam Việt Võ Đạo with every training. It is also about using the opponent's force and reaction, reaching maximum effect with comparatively little force.

10 principles of Vovinam Việt Võ Đạo

The term Việt Võ Đạo ("the way (Dao) of Viet Vo") was coined by the patriarch of the second generation of the Vovinam Viet Vo Dao, Lê Sáng, with the objective of adding a philosophical dimension to his martial art. This "Viet Vo Dao" consists of ten principles:

! Title

! Tự Vệ

! Nhập Môn / Lam Đai

! Hoàng Đai

! Hồng Đai

! Bạch Đai

! Rank

| Novice

| Practitioner

| Instructor

| Master

| Grandmaster

! Belt

| 65px

| 65px 65px 65px 65px

| 65px 65px 65px 65px

| 65px 65px 65px 65px 65px 65px 65px

| 65px

The student begins with a cyan belt—the same color as his/her suit.

left Blue stands for the factor of the sea, and the hope—the hope in being successful in learning Vovinam. With the following 3 exams, yellow stripes are added to the blue belt. The 3rd yellow stripe is followed by the yellow belt.

left Yellow stands for earth. In other martial arts this belt is black. Therefore, a Vovinam student who carries a yellow belt is allowed to carry a black belt. This makes a comparison to other martial arts easier, e.g. in public performances.   A person who wears a yellow belt with one or more red stripes is considered an instructor.

Following in a longer period of time, respectively 3 red stripes are added to the yellow belt. This corresponds to the 1st, 2nd, respectively 3rd degree blackbelt (Đẳng). The exam following the 3rd red stripe is the master's exam. Passing the exam successfully assigns the right to wear a red belt with a circulating yellow border (4th degree blackbelt).

left Red stands for the blood and the intensive flame. The student has internalized Vovinam (Việt Võ Đạo) even further. The 5th to 10th degree blackbelt are shown as a completed red belt with 1 to 6 white stripes.

left White stands for the infiniteness, the bones; is the symbol of the depth of the spirit. The white belt assigns the master the absolute mastery of Vovinam Việt Võ Đạo. On the white belt thin, lengthwise stripes in blue, black, yellow and red symbolize the whole of Vovinam (Việt Võ Đạo) again. This belt is reserved for the "Chưởng Môn".

Now, Vovinam has two different sets of belt ranking because of the different training program: The WVVF Vovinam (headquarter: Vietnam) uses the traditional program and (headquarter: France) uses the new training program.

Name plates

Self-defense against knife attack (phản đòn dao)
Traditional wrestling (Vật cổ truyền)
Leg attack take-downs (đòn chân tấn công)
Staff (côn)
Sword (kiếm)
Halberd (dao dài)
Sabre (đao)
Dagger (dao găm)
Machete (mã tấu)
Spear (thương)

World Championships

Vovinam has Voninam World Championships since 2002 as well as Vocotruyen World Championships.

Guardian Girls Vovinam

The World Vovinam Federation (WVVF) officially signed a global Memorandum of Understanding with Guardian Girls International (GGI) in Hanoi, Vietnam, on September 16, 2025. Through this partnership, WVVF joined GGI in launching Guardian Girls Vovinam (GGV), a global initiative dedicated to advancing gender equality and protecting women and girls from violence through the practice and values of Vovinam.

Notes and references

External links

World Vovinam Federation (WVVF)
European Vovinam Federation (EVVF)
US Vovinam Federation
Vovinam Martial Arts
Vovinam University International