An Investigation into Local Attitudes Towards the Effectiveness and Relevance of Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts

Roe, Augustus John 2020. An Investigation into Local Attitudes Towards the Effectiveness and Relevance of Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts. Martial Arts Studies (10) , pp. 89-97. 10.18573/mas.112

Preview

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (979kB) | Preview

Abstract

Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts (TVMA) are practices that have not been widely studied in relation to their functions. As a result, the effectiveness and relevance of these systems in a rapidly developing nation are widely debated. This study identified local attitudes towards TVMA forms, in a bid to better understand the practices, their backgrounds, their relevance in a contemporary climate and implications for their future. Attitudes were assessed through the use of a seven-point semantic differential scale questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to one hundred participants in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi, all of whom had some understanding or experience of martial arts. Results were compared in relation to demographic data such as gender, age differences and martial arts backgrounds. Statistical significance was then analyzed through two-tailed T-tests. Results demonstrated conclusively that TVMA are seen as important historical, cultural, and social practices; however, the effectiveness of such systems as practical fighting arts as well as their relevance economically, is a highly divisive topic among the local population. Outcomes of the research suggest that further refinement and development of these systems are required to ensure they are not superseded by combat sports.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Journalism, Media and Culture
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D890 Eastern Hemisphere D History General and Old World > DS Asia G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Additional Information:	Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial- No Derivatives 4.0 International License
Publisher:	Cardiff University Press
ISSN:	2057-5696
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 November 2020
Date of Acceptance:	30 October 2020
Last Modified:	05 May 2023 06:58
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/136520

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item