Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
"Old master still marshals her strength at 101"
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Mike
Sep 28, 2004, 1:40:22 PM9/28/04
to
from http://www.internationalreports.net/asiapacific/vietnam/2004/index.html
Old master still marshals her strength at 101
Courtesy: Huy Kham
by Hoang Nam
Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese
martial arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition. "I'll remain in
this life until I have passed on the secrets of Long Mon Tran (Dragon
Battle). If I die, nobody will possess the greatest treasure of
traditional Vietnamese martial arts," Gia says. The great master has
spent her whole life as a student and teacher of these arts, and her
fear is that the splendid tradition is in danger of dwindling out.
Incredibly, she continued teaching until her 100th birthday. It was
only three years ago that her health finally gave way. The Dragon
Battle is held to be the masterpiece of the art. It is a fight against
an overwhelming number of enemies, and symbolizes unity. Gia's final –
and greatest – wish is to see that dragon one last time. Preparations
are well advanced. Her apprentices have mastered all the weapons and
techniques, but she has not yet found her flag-bearer. "To control the
dragon, the flag-bearer must be an unquestioned master of the art,"
she insists. And her age and health are finally limiting her. "I'm
weak now, but feel I must participate in the greatest battle," she
says.
In her father's footsteps
Gia is the daughter of Master Pham Tang Dai, famed and feared in the
cities of Saigon and Cholon in the early 1900s. He learned his craft
in the central province of Binh Dinh, a center of traditional martial
arts and the homeland of King Quang Trung, one of Vietnam's fabled
rulers. He and his disciples once criss-crossed Vietnam, giving
martial arts performances and holding competitions. Gia began to learn
the arts herself at age nine, but her father never wanted to teach
her. "I turned to other venerable martial artists instead. My father
found out eventually, but he saw I was determined, and began to train
me himself." At 14, she made her debut in the arena, and quickly
proved her prowess. But although she had many successes, she could not
win every battle. She says failure helped remind her that in martial
arts, no matter how good you are, there is always someone stronger
than you.
Two years later, Gia went to Binh Dinh to improve her skills at a
famous martial arts school. After just two years of training, Gia
mastered all 18 traditional martial art weapons. "But I really grew
when my father taught me Long Mon Tran," she says. Gia remembers her
father setting up Long Mon Tran encounters. Around a hundred warriors
would gather with their swords, long spears and axes. "He would tell
everyone to fight to win, no matter how many combatants participated
in an attack. When no one dared to fight, no one dared to win," she
says. One hundred martial artists assemble in the shape of a dragon.
Each part of the dragon was built by artists wielding the same weapon.
The four feet were represented by artists with swords, the ears by axe
men and the tongue of the dragon was a flag bearer who controlled the
dragon's actions. Besides the traditional Vietnamese arts, Gia spent
over a decade learning Chinese martial arts and boxing. "I studied and
adopted the best of foreign martial arts for use in our national
martial art," she says. Back in Saigon in 1939, she started teaching
her skills to the next generation. But when the French war broke out
in 1946, she was called on to fight battles of a different kind. She
joined an anti-French special forces unit and became a scout. From
1947 to 1954, the master escaped from jail 12 times. During the
American War, Gia taught martial arts in Thu Duc, on the outskirts of
Ho Chi Minh City. During the general offensive of 1968, although in
her 70s, Pham Co Gia participated in the attack on Tan Son Nhat
Airport. Having devoted her life to war and martial arts, Gia never
had her own family – no children to whom she could pass the secret of
Long Mon Tran. "Mastery of martial arts is always taught within the
family, not by outsiders," she explains. Gia and Tran Tien, 90, are
the oldest living masters. If their knowledge can't be handed down, it
will be a great loss for the country. "The martial art of our people
is precious," the oldest master says. "We need to preserve and
strengthen the genius of our ancestors." But the genius of Gia is not
entirely without heirs. An adopted grandchild lives with her in her
small house in Ho Chi Minh City – and is now also a martial arts
master.
Old master still marshals her strength at 101
Courtesy: Huy Kham
by Hoang Nam
Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese
martial arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition. "I'll remain in
this life until I have passed on the secrets of Long Mon Tran (Dragon
Battle). If I die, nobody will possess the greatest treasure of
traditional Vietnamese martial arts," Gia says. The great master has
spent her whole life as a student and teacher of these arts, and her
fear is that the splendid tradition is in danger of dwindling out.
Incredibly, she continued teaching until her 100th birthday. It was
only three years ago that her health finally gave way. The Dragon
Battle is held to be the masterpiece of the art. It is a fight against
an overwhelming number of enemies, and symbolizes unity. Gia's final –
and greatest – wish is to see that dragon one last time. Preparations
are well advanced. Her apprentices have mastered all the weapons and
techniques, but she has not yet found her flag-bearer. "To control the
dragon, the flag-bearer must be an unquestioned master of the art,"
she insists. And her age and health are finally limiting her. "I'm
weak now, but feel I must participate in the greatest battle," she
says.
In her father's footsteps
Gia is the daughter of Master Pham Tang Dai, famed and feared in the
cities of Saigon and Cholon in the early 1900s. He learned his craft
in the central province of Binh Dinh, a center of traditional martial
arts and the homeland of King Quang Trung, one of Vietnam's fabled
rulers. He and his disciples once criss-crossed Vietnam, giving
martial arts performances and holding competitions. Gia began to learn
the arts herself at age nine, but her father never wanted to teach
her. "I turned to other venerable martial artists instead. My father
found out eventually, but he saw I was determined, and began to train
me himself." At 14, she made her debut in the arena, and quickly
proved her prowess. But although she had many successes, she could not
win every battle. She says failure helped remind her that in martial
arts, no matter how good you are, there is always someone stronger
than you.
Two years later, Gia went to Binh Dinh to improve her skills at a
famous martial arts school. After just two years of training, Gia
mastered all 18 traditional martial art weapons. "But I really grew
when my father taught me Long Mon Tran," she says. Gia remembers her
father setting up Long Mon Tran encounters. Around a hundred warriors
would gather with their swords, long spears and axes. "He would tell
everyone to fight to win, no matter how many combatants participated
in an attack. When no one dared to fight, no one dared to win," she
says. One hundred martial artists assemble in the shape of a dragon.
Each part of the dragon was built by artists wielding the same weapon.
The four feet were represented by artists with swords, the ears by axe
men and the tongue of the dragon was a flag bearer who controlled the
dragon's actions. Besides the traditional Vietnamese arts, Gia spent
over a decade learning Chinese martial arts and boxing. "I studied and
adopted the best of foreign martial arts for use in our national
martial art," she says. Back in Saigon in 1939, she started teaching
her skills to the next generation. But when the French war broke out
in 1946, she was called on to fight battles of a different kind. She
joined an anti-French special forces unit and became a scout. From
1947 to 1954, the master escaped from jail 12 times. During the
American War, Gia taught martial arts in Thu Duc, on the outskirts of
Ho Chi Minh City. During the general offensive of 1968, although in
her 70s, Pham Co Gia participated in the attack on Tan Son Nhat
Airport. Having devoted her life to war and martial arts, Gia never
had her own family – no children to whom she could pass the secret of
Long Mon Tran. "Mastery of martial arts is always taught within the
family, not by outsiders," she explains. Gia and Tran Tien, 90, are
the oldest living masters. If their knowledge can't be handed down, it
will be a great loss for the country. "The martial art of our people
is precious," the oldest master says. "We need to preserve and
strengthen the genius of our ancestors." But the genius of Gia is not
entirely without heirs. An adopted grandchild lives with her in her
small house in Ho Chi Minh City – and is now also a martial arts
master.
Fraser Johnston
Sep 28, 2004, 9:27:06 PM9/28/04
to
"Mike" <yared...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:cd3bf67d.04092...@posting.google.com...
> from
> http://www.internationalreports.net/asiapacific/vietnam/2004/index.html
> Old master still marshals her strength at 101
> Courtesy: Huy Kham
> by Hoang Nam
> Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
> the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese
> martial arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
> disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition. "I'll remain in
> this life until I have passed on the secrets of Long Mon Tran (Dragon
> Battle). If I die, nobody will possess the greatest treasure of
> traditional Vietnamese martial arts," Gia says. The great master has
> spent her whole life as a student and teacher of these arts, and her
> fear is that the splendid tradition is in danger of dwindling out.
> Incredibly, she continued teaching until her 100th birthday. It was
> only three years ago that her health finally gave way. The Dragon
> Battle is held to be the masterpiece of the art. It is a fight against
> and greatest - wish is to see that dragon one last time. Preparations
> Long Mon Tran. "Mastery of martial arts is always taught within the
> family, not by outsiders," she explains. Gia and Tran Tien, 90, are
> the oldest living masters. If their knowledge can't be handed down, it
> will be a great loss for the country. "The martial art of our people
> is precious," the oldest master says. "We need to preserve and
> strengthen the genius of our ancestors." But the genius of Gia is not
> entirely without heirs. An adopted grandchild lives with her in her
> master.
Helio Gracie by armbar. 1:12 rnd 1.
Fraser
GDS
Sep 29, 2004, 12:23:31 AM9/29/04
to
> from
> http://www.internationalreports.net/asiapacific/vietnam/2004/index.html
> Old master still marshals her strength at 101
> Courtesy: Huy Kham
> by Hoang Nam
> Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
> the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese
> martial arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
> disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition.
> http://www.internationalreports.net/asiapacific/vietnam/2004/index.html
> Old master still marshals her strength at 101
> Courtesy: Huy Kham
> by Hoang Nam
> Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
> the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese
> martial arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
> disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition.
But was was she wea....no....I don't want to know....
Don Wagner
Sep 29, 2004, 9:15:24 AM9/29/04
to
"GDS" <greendistan...@bigpond.com> wrote:
>But was was she wea....no....I don't want to know....
>But was was she wea....no....I don't want to know....
A man is crossing Niagra Falls on a tight rope.
At the same time another man is getting a blow job from a 95yr old
whore in Bangkok. ..yet they both have the same thought going
through their mind.
"Don't look down."
;-)
--Don--
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
Kirk Lawson
Sep 29, 2004, 12:43:43 PM9/29/04
to
yared...@yahoo.com (Mike) wrote in message news:<cd3bf67d.04092...@posting.google.com>...
> Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
> the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese
> martial arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
> disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition.
If she hasn't found anybody she consideres "worthy" by now she never will.
Peace favor your sword
Karim Rashad
Sep 29, 2004, 12:44:07 PM9/29/04
to
On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 09:43:43 -0700, Kirk Lawson wrote:
>> Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
>> the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese martial
>> arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
>> disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition.
>
> If she hasn't found anybody she consideres "worthy" by now she never
> will.
>> Pham Co Gia is 101 years old, but it's still not time to die. She is
>> the sole keeper of some of the greatest mysteries of Vietnamese martial
>> arts - and she has the will to keep on living, until she finds
>> disciples worthy of upholding her proud tradition.
>
> If she hasn't found anybody she consideres "worthy" by now she never
> will.
Let's play a joke on her and buy Libby a plane ticket to Ho Chi Minh City.
--
Karim Rashad <remove SPAMFREE: krashad at SPAMorbisFREEuk dot com>
mark goldberg
Sep 29, 2004, 2:23:28 PM9/29/04
to
Karim Rashad wrote:
>
>
> Let's play a joke on her and buy Libby a plane ticket to Ho Chi Minh City.
>
and book Steven Spielberg on the same flight :^)
Mark
GDS
Sep 29, 2004, 8:34:35 PM9/29/04
to
"Don Wagner" <dawa...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:415ab41a...@news-server.optonline.net...
> "GDS" <greendistan...@bigpond.com> wrote:
>>But was was she wea....no....I don't want to know....
>
> A man is crossing Niagra Falls on a tight rope.
> At the same time another man is getting a blow job from a 95yr old
> whore in Bangkok. ..yet they both have the same thought going
> through their mind.
>
> "Don't look down."
lol....<splork>
Now how many jokes can make you laugh and puke at the same time, eh?
GDS
0 new messages