Muay Boran
Encyclopedia
Muay boran is an umbrella term for the unarmed martial arts of Thailand
prior to the introduction of modern equipment and rules in the 1930s.
It is thus the direct ancestor of modern Muay Thai
.
The word muay which means "boxing" comes from the Sanskrit
term mavya meaning to bind together. Boran or boraan means "ancient" in Thai
.
Muay boran is not a single style but acts as an umbrella term for all traditional Thai styles of Indochinese kickboxing.
Whereas Muay Thai
is often called the "science of eight limbs", muay boran is said to make use of nawa awut which means "nine weapons", adding headbutts as ninth offensive in addition to the "eight limbs" of hands, legs, elbows and knees used in Muay Thai.
's archives and records were destroyed by the Burmese
, the early history of muay boran is difficult to establish. Its origin is said to trace back to the Ao Lai, the first Sino-Thai tribes who arrived in Southeast Asia. The Ao Lai are said to have practiced a fighting system now called muay chaiyuth but although some attempts have been made to recreate it, nothing conclusive is known about this extinct style.
By the time of the kingdom of Sukhothai
, muay chaiyuth had evolved into another system called muay pahuyuth, which today is the oldest unarmed Thai martial art in existence.
The Thais
themselves had always referred to their empty-handed combat styles as dhoi muay (a cognate of the Malay
word tomoi
) or just muay, a generic term for boxing or pugilism.
The teaching of muay was kept up largely by Buddhist monks who in former times also served as the community's educators.
As well as continuing to function as a practical fighting technique for use in actual warfare, muay was also a combat sport in which the opponents fought in front of spectators who went to watch for entertainment. These contests were a popular form of entertainment among all social strata, and became an integral part of local festivals.
Although originally bare-knuckle, Southeast Asia
n boxers at some point began binding their fists and forearms in hemp rope. This type of match was called muay kaad cheuk (คาดเชือก). Many believe that, if both agreed beforehand, boxers would glue glass shards or broken shells on their hemp gloves to ensure a bloody event, but this is debatable. It is generally concurred that if this practice ever existed, it was definitely not common. Some have suggested that fighters would only apply glass to their gloves during war but not in regular matches.
Muay gradually became a possible means of personal advancement as the nobility increasingly esteemed skillful practitioners of the art and invited selected fighters to come to live in the royal palace to teach the soldiers, princes or the king's personal guards. This "royal muay" was called muay luang (มวยหลวง). Some time during the Ayutthaya period
, a platoon of royal guards was established, whose duty was to protect king and the country.
They were known as Krom Nak Muay (Muay Fighters' Regiment). The royal patronage of muay continued during the reign of Khun Luang Sorasak, better known as Phra Chao Seua meaning Tiger King. Records state that he was so dedicated to muay that he would disguise himself in order to compete at temple fairs.
. Muay progressed greatly during the reign of Rama V as a direct result of the king's personal interest in the art. The country was at peace and muay functioned as a means of physical exercise, self-defense, recreation and personal advancement. At least four regional styles of the art were already in existence at the time. These were Muay Thasao from the north, Muay Khorat from the east or northeast, Muay Lopburi from the central area and Muay Chaiya from the south. There is a phrase which demonstrates the different characteristics of each style: "punch Korat, wit Lopburi, posture Chaiya, faster Thasao" (หมัดหนักโคราช ฉลาดลพบุรี ท่าดีไชยา เร็วกว่าท่าเสา).
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the modern boxing ring was introduced and codified rules were put into place. These included the rules that the fighters should wear western gloves and cotton coverlets over their feet and ankles. Many of the old techniques were either banned or became impractical for the new type of matches. Around this time the term Muay Thai
became commonly used for the new style while the older form was referred to as muay boran or ancient boxing.
Traditionally, Muay Thai
masters would teach the techniques of muay boran to advanced students but this is not often done today. Professional boxers consider it a waste of training time for them to learn techniques that they won't be able to use in competitions and tournaments. Even in Thailand
it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a school willing to teach it; they prefer to focus on "modern" Muay Thai, as this is more easily exploitable as a form of income. A number of styles and techniques have been lost, and Muay Korat is only staged for performances today. Muay boran was not well known in the West until it was featured in the 2003 Thai film Ong Bak starring Tony Jaa
. Some schools nowadays take advantage of the art's popularity by selling Muay Thai under the name of muay boran.
invaded the Siamese capital of Ayutthaya
in 1763, they took a group of Thai
residents as prisoners. Among them were a large number of boxers, who were taken by the Burmese to the city of Ungwa.
In 1774, the Burmese king Hsinbyushin
(known in Thai as King Mangra), decided to organize a seven-day, seven-night religious festival in Rangoon
to honor the chedi
containing Buddha
's relics. The festivities included many forms of entertainment, such as sword-fighting matches, comedies and farces, and the costume plays called likay. At one point the king wanted to see how a Thai would fare against the Burmese lethwei
champion. Nai Khanom Tom was selected to fight the Burmese boxer, and the ring was set up in front of the throne. Nai Khanom Tom first performed a traditional wai khru
(pre-fight dance) to pay homage to Hsinbyushin as well as his teacher and all the spectators, which amazed and perplexed all the Burmese onlookers. When the fight began, he charged out, using punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, pummeling his opponent until he collapsed.
The referee however stated that the Burmese opponent was too distracted by the wai khru, and the knockout was invalid. The king then asked if Nai Khanom Tom would fight nine other Burmese champions to prove himself. He agreed and fought them all, one after the other with no rest periods in between. His last opponent was a great boxing teacher from Ya Kai city. Nai Khanom Tom mangled him with his kicks and no one else dared to challenge him any further. The king was so impressed that he remarked, "Every part of the Thai is blessed with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or ten opponents. But his Lord was incompetent and lost the country to the enemy. ."
King Hsinbyushin
granted Nai Khanom Tom freedom along with either riches or two beautiful Burmese wives. He chose the wives as he said that money was easier to find. He then departed with his wives for Siam. Other variations of this story had him also winning the release of his fellow Thai prisoners. His feat is celebrated every March 17 as Boxer's Day or National Muay Thai Day in his honor. Today, some have wrongly attributed the legend of Nai Khanom Tom to King Naresuan
, who was once taken by the Burmese. However, Nai Khanom Tom and King Naresuan were almost two centuries apart.
, much like the traditional Chinese and Indian martial arts
. This required fighters to have greater agility, flexibility and speed, as well as allowing them to jump off their opponent's knee to deliver a blow to the head. The precedence given to kicks is probably indigenous since Indian boxing
and most southern Chinese martial arts
keep even low kicks to a minimum.
Muay boran has been influenced by neighboring martial arts and vice-versa, as can be seen in the Kamae Kham Sao technique which was borrowed from Cambodia
.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
prior to the introduction of modern equipment and rules in the 1930s.
It is thus the direct ancestor of modern Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
.
The word muay which means "boxing" comes from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
term mavya meaning to bind together. Boran or boraan means "ancient" in Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
.
Muay boran is not a single style but acts as an umbrella term for all traditional Thai styles of Indochinese kickboxing.
Whereas Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
is often called the "science of eight limbs", muay boran is said to make use of nawa awut which means "nine weapons", adding headbutts as ninth offensive in addition to the "eight limbs" of hands, legs, elbows and knees used in Muay Thai.
Origins
Because AyutthayaAyutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
's archives and records were destroyed by the Burmese
Bamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
, the early history of muay boran is difficult to establish. Its origin is said to trace back to the Ao Lai, the first Sino-Thai tribes who arrived in Southeast Asia. The Ao Lai are said to have practiced a fighting system now called muay chaiyuth but although some attempts have been made to recreate it, nothing conclusive is known about this extinct style.
By the time of the kingdom of Sukhothai
Sukhothai kingdom
The Sukhothai Kingdom ) was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai, in north central Thailand. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438...
, muay chaiyuth had evolved into another system called muay pahuyuth, which today is the oldest unarmed Thai martial art in existence.
The Thais
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
themselves had always referred to their empty-handed combat styles as dhoi muay (a cognate of the Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
word tomoi
Tomoi
Tomoi is an unarmed martial art from Malaysia. It is closely related to other Indochinese boxing styles, such as as muay Thai in Thailand, pradal serey in Cambodia, muay Lao in Laos and lethwei in Myanmar....
) or just muay, a generic term for boxing or pugilism.
The teaching of muay was kept up largely by Buddhist monks who in former times also served as the community's educators.
As well as continuing to function as a practical fighting technique for use in actual warfare, muay was also a combat sport in which the opponents fought in front of spectators who went to watch for entertainment. These contests were a popular form of entertainment among all social strata, and became an integral part of local festivals.
Although originally bare-knuckle, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n boxers at some point began binding their fists and forearms in hemp rope. This type of match was called muay kaad cheuk (คาดเชือก). Many believe that, if both agreed beforehand, boxers would glue glass shards or broken shells on their hemp gloves to ensure a bloody event, but this is debatable. It is generally concurred that if this practice ever existed, it was definitely not common. Some have suggested that fighters would only apply glass to their gloves during war but not in regular matches.
Muay gradually became a possible means of personal advancement as the nobility increasingly esteemed skillful practitioners of the art and invited selected fighters to come to live in the royal palace to teach the soldiers, princes or the king's personal guards. This "royal muay" was called muay luang (มวยหลวง). Some time during the Ayutthaya period
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
, a platoon of royal guards was established, whose duty was to protect king and the country.
They were known as Krom Nak Muay (Muay Fighters' Regiment). The royal patronage of muay continued during the reign of Khun Luang Sorasak, better known as Phra Chao Seua meaning Tiger King. Records state that he was so dedicated to muay that he would disguise himself in order to compete at temple fairs.
Divergence and decline
The ascension of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) to the throne in 1868 ushered in a golden age not only for muay but for all of ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Muay progressed greatly during the reign of Rama V as a direct result of the king's personal interest in the art. The country was at peace and muay functioned as a means of physical exercise, self-defense, recreation and personal advancement. At least four regional styles of the art were already in existence at the time. These were Muay Thasao from the north, Muay Khorat from the east or northeast, Muay Lopburi from the central area and Muay Chaiya from the south. There is a phrase which demonstrates the different characteristics of each style: "punch Korat, wit Lopburi, posture Chaiya, faster Thasao" (หมัดหนักโคราช ฉลาดลพบุรี ท่าดีไชยา เร็วกว่าท่าเสา).
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the modern boxing ring was introduced and codified rules were put into place. These included the rules that the fighters should wear western gloves and cotton coverlets over their feet and ankles. Many of the old techniques were either banned or became impractical for the new type of matches. Around this time the term Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
became commonly used for the new style while the older form was referred to as muay boran or ancient boxing.
Traditionally, Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
masters would teach the techniques of muay boran to advanced students but this is not often done today. Professional boxers consider it a waste of training time for them to learn techniques that they won't be able to use in competitions and tournaments. Even in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a school willing to teach it; they prefer to focus on "modern" Muay Thai, as this is more easily exploitable as a form of income. A number of styles and techniques have been lost, and Muay Korat is only staged for performances today. Muay boran was not well known in the West until it was featured in the 2003 Thai film Ong Bak starring Tony Jaa
Tony Jaa
Tatchakorn Yeerum , formerly Panom Yeerum , better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and monk...
. Some schools nowadays take advantage of the art's popularity by selling Muay Thai under the name of muay boran.
Legendary heroes
When the BurmeseBamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
invaded the Siamese capital of Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (city)
Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...
in 1763, they took a group of Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
residents as prisoners. Among them were a large number of boxers, who were taken by the Burmese to the city of Ungwa.
In 1774, the Burmese king Hsinbyushin
Hsinbyushin
Hsinbyushin was king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma from 1763 to 1776. The second son of the dynasty founder Alaungpaya is best known for his wars with China and Siam, and is considered the most militaristic king of the dynasty. His successful defense against four Chinese invasions preserved...
(known in Thai as King Mangra), decided to organize a seven-day, seven-night religious festival in Rangoon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
to honor the chedi
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
containing Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
's relics. The festivities included many forms of entertainment, such as sword-fighting matches, comedies and farces, and the costume plays called likay. At one point the king wanted to see how a Thai would fare against the Burmese lethwei
Lethwei
Lethwei is an unarmed Burmese martial art. It is similar to related styles of Indochinese kickboxing, namely Muay Thai from Thailand, pradal serey from Cambodia, Muay Lao from Laos and tomoi from Malaysia.- History :...
champion. Nai Khanom Tom was selected to fight the Burmese boxer, and the ring was set up in front of the throne. Nai Khanom Tom first performed a traditional wai khru
Wai khru ram muay
Wai Khru Ram Muay is a warm up activity in Thai culture that is performed by participants in Muay Thai competitions. Wai is an action of Thais to show respect to others by putting the hands together like in prayer. Khru means teacher. Ram means dance in the old Thai traditional style. Muay means...
(pre-fight dance) to pay homage to Hsinbyushin as well as his teacher and all the spectators, which amazed and perplexed all the Burmese onlookers. When the fight began, he charged out, using punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, pummeling his opponent until he collapsed.
The referee however stated that the Burmese opponent was too distracted by the wai khru, and the knockout was invalid. The king then asked if Nai Khanom Tom would fight nine other Burmese champions to prove himself. He agreed and fought them all, one after the other with no rest periods in between. His last opponent was a great boxing teacher from Ya Kai city. Nai Khanom Tom mangled him with his kicks and no one else dared to challenge him any further. The king was so impressed that he remarked, "Every part of the Thai is blessed with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or ten opponents. But his Lord was incompetent and lost the country to the enemy. ."
King Hsinbyushin
Hsinbyushin
Hsinbyushin was king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma from 1763 to 1776. The second son of the dynasty founder Alaungpaya is best known for his wars with China and Siam, and is considered the most militaristic king of the dynasty. His successful defense against four Chinese invasions preserved...
granted Nai Khanom Tom freedom along with either riches or two beautiful Burmese wives. He chose the wives as he said that money was easier to find. He then departed with his wives for Siam. Other variations of this story had him also winning the release of his fellow Thai prisoners. His feat is celebrated every March 17 as Boxer's Day or National Muay Thai Day in his honor. Today, some have wrongly attributed the legend of Nai Khanom Tom to King Naresuan
Naresuan
Somdet Phra Naresuan Maharat or Somdet Phra Sanphet II was the King of the Ayutthaya kingdom from 1590 until his death in 1605. Naresuan was one of Siam's most revered monarchs as he was known for his campaigns to free Siam from Burmese rule...
, who was once taken by the Burmese. However, Nai Khanom Tom and King Naresuan were almost two centuries apart.
Techniques
The basic muay boran fighting stance is much lower and wider than in Muay ThaiMuay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, much like the traditional Chinese and Indian martial arts
Indian martial arts
The Indian subcontinent is home to a variety of fighting styles. In Sanskrit they may be collectively referred to as ' or '. The former is a compound of the words and , meaning "knowledge of the sword" or "knowledge of weaponry"...
. This required fighters to have greater agility, flexibility and speed, as well as allowing them to jump off their opponent's knee to deliver a blow to the head. The precedence given to kicks is probably indigenous since Indian boxing
Mukti yuddha
Musti-yuddha is an unarmed martial art from Varanasi in north India.Similar to Southeast Asian kickboxing styles it makes use of punches, kicks, knees and elbow strikes although punches tend to dominate....
and most southern Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
keep even low kicks to a minimum.
Muay boran has been influenced by neighboring martial arts and vice-versa, as can be seen in the Kamae Kham Sao technique which was borrowed from Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
Rules
The old rules of muay boran simply consisted of a ban on hitting the groin, eye-gouging, hitting a fallen opponent, grappling or hair-pulling. Weight classes did not exist and there was no specially constructed ring. Instead, matches took place in any open space surrounded by a rough circle of spectators. Rounds were timed by making a small hole into a coconut and placing it in water. When the coconut sank, a drum would be beaten to signal the end of a round.See also
- Krabi KrabongKrabi KrabongKrabi krabong is a weapon-based martial art from Thailand. It is closely related to other Southeast Asian fighting styles such as Indonesian-Malay silat, Burmese banshay and the armed component of Cambodian bokator...
- Muay ThaiMuay ThaiMuay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
- Muay Lert Rit / Muay LerdritLerdritLerdrit is a Thai form of martial arts taught and used by the commandos of the Royal Thai Army. Muay Lert Rit is a style of fighting derived from traditional Thai battlefield fighting techniques . A selection was made among the very large portfolio of techniques already available in the different...
- BokatorBokatorBokator, or more formally, Labokkatao is a Cambodian martial art that includes close hand-to-hand combat, ground techniques and weapons. Possibly the oldest existing fighting system in Cambodia, oral tradition indicates that bokator or an early form thereof was the close quarter combat system used...
- Musti-yuddhaMukti yuddhaMusti-yuddha is an unarmed martial art from Varanasi in north India.Similar to Southeast Asian kickboxing styles it makes use of punches, kicks, knees and elbow strikes although punches tend to dominate....
External links
- http://www.newyorkmuayboran.com
- http://www.amnatpooksrisuk.com
- Muay-boran.com Muay Boran information site
- French website on Muay Boran, Krabi Krabong and Muay Thai tpg-nakmuay.com
- Ancient Thai Martial Arts
- Pahuyuth: The Art of Thai Fighting
- Muay Boran at USMTA
- International Muay Boran Academy
- Dutch Muay Boran Foundation
- Muay Thai Boran in New York
- IMBA in Belgium
- Muaychaiya Baanchangthai