Binh Dinh in central Vietnam is famous as the cradle of traditional Vietnamese martial arts. Between the 10th-16th century, this locality used to be Vijaya (victory), the grand capital of the Champa Kingdom. The Cham towers stand as testimony to a glorious past. |
Students practice with a spear and a sword, with the Duong Long towers casting shadows in bright sunshine. |
A master watches his students practice with sticks in the yeard of one of the Banh It towers. Banh It is located in Phuoc Hiep Commune, Tuy Phuoc District, on a hill between two branches of the Con River. |
The main Banh It Tower seen from the entrance of another tower to its east. Banh It consists of four towers, the main one about 20 m high and surrounded by three smaller ones. From a distance, the tower cluster looks like banh it - a triangular dessert cake made in Binh Dinh, given them the local name. |
A female martial artist uses a spear to counterattack an opponent leaping at her in between two Banh It towers. |
Since ancient times, Binh Dinh’s rugged landscape has exuded an air of mystery and allure that has attracted people from all over the country. |
Inside one of the Banh It towers, the teacher demonstrates a technique which is likened to the lifting of clouds and using the moonlight to counter an attack by a golden dragon flying down to the ground. |
Traditional martial arts is said to be part of a Binh Dinh resident’s DNA. Young and old, men and women imbibe its cultural values, and it has a place in everyone’s heart. |
The Cham vestiges are scattered across the central region, including eight clusters with a total of 14 unique and mysterious towers in Binh Dinh. These eight tower clusters - Banh It, Duong Long, Thap Doi, Canh Tien, Phu Loc, Thu Thien, Binh Lam and Hon Chuong – stand in different locations. |
A view of one of the Banh It towers under the night sky. |