Martial arts transport us to the realms of legends. Every single day, in sweat-soaked training halls across the globe, stories of heroic warriors from the past are told. Tales of men and women that could overpower wild beasts with their bare hands, walk through a barrage of swords or bullets unharmed or defeat scores of attackers while barely breaking a sweat. But from where does our fascination with these tales stem? Why are they so widely told? Why are there near-universal aspects that appear throughout? This book intends to answer these questions and more. Telling us the tales of ten of the greatest martial arts legends of all time, looking at the facts behind these stories and discussing the functions that they play within the study of martial arts.

The first English-language book to detail the combat systems and martial culture of a land shaped by centuries of conflict. The Martial Arts of Vietnam presents an engaging overview of the evolution of Vietnamese martial arts from 2,000 BCE until today. We will look at the mythical origins of the Vietnamese people and the impact that invasions from neighboring countries had on the martial culture of Vietnam. We will discover how kings and governments promoted and, in some cases, crushed martial traditions; alongside how Vietnams' unusual geography both protected and exposed martial styles and lineages. This work offers stunning photography, era timelines, and regional maps that allow for an engaging adventure through Vietnam's northern, central, and southern regions, all in search of events and catalysts that shaped its martial history through the ages. When we arrive at modern Vietnams' martial arts society, we meet with many teachers from the northern, central, and southern regions who, through courageous efforts, are attempting to codify and preserve their unique combat systems for the benefit of all martial artists. We explore the ethnic minority martial arts, Sino-Vietnamese and Chinese martial arts, as well as various imported and foreign systems and how they are positioned in relation to modern Vietnam's martial arts practices. The Martial Arts of Vietnam lifts the veil of secrecy long surrounding this socialist state to reveal its combat systems and their thousand years of evolution.