A scene depicting blocking a kick on a bas-relief
from the Angkor region.
Fighting has been a constant part of Southeast Asia since ancient times and eventually led to organized fighting forms. In the Angkor era, both armed and unarmed martial arts were practiced by the Khmers. Evidence shows that a style resembling pradal serey existed around the 10th century, which may be one of the reasons why the Khmer empire was such a dominant force in Southeast Asia. The kingdom of Angkor used an early form of pradal serey along with various weapons and war elephants to wage war against their main enemy, the Vietnam-based kingdom of Champa, and later, Siam.[1] Renactments of elephant battles are still recreated at the Surin Elephant Round-up.
Khmer warrior using a thrust kick on Rahu in a bas-relief from the Banteay Chhmar temple.
At this time, the kingdom of Angkor dominated and controlled most of what is now Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.[2] In addition and as a result of that, Khmer culture has influenced much of Thailand's and Laos' culture. [3] This leads the Khmer to believe that the roots of Pradal Serey and other Southeast Asian forms of kickboxing started with the early Mon-Khmer people. On top of oral stories from their ancestors, the basis of this argument is the bas-relief left behind by early Khmers in the ancient temples of the Bayon and other Angkor temples. Much of the writing on ancient Khmer art has either been destroyed or adopted by the invading Thai armies when the Siamese sacked and looted Angkor and took Khmer captives including members of the Khmer royal court back to Ayutthaya. [4] Some of the military leaders considered to be trained in Khmer fighting arts include the warrior turned Cambodian King, Jayavarman VII and the founder of a unified Laos, Fa Ngum.
During the colonial period, martial arts like pradal serey were considered by the European colonists to be brutal and uncivilised. The French turned the art into a sport by adding timed rounds, a boxing ring and western boxing gloves in an attempt to lessen injury. Originally matches were fought in dirt pits with limited rules while hands were wrapped in rope. Some matches had boxers wrap seashells around their knuckles to increase the damage that could be inflicted. In the 1960's, Cambodian boxing promoters held inter-martial art exhibitons.
Khmer warrior using a thrust kick on Rahu in a bas-relief from the Banteay Chhmar temple.
At this time, the kingdom of Angkor dominated and controlled most of what is now Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.[2] In addition and as a result of that, Khmer culture has influenced much of Thailand's and Laos' culture. [3] This leads the Khmer to believe that the roots of Pradal Serey and other Southeast Asian forms of kickboxing started with the early Mon-Khmer people. On top of oral stories from their ancestors, the basis of this argument is the bas-relief left behind by early Khmers in the ancient temples of the Bayon and other Angkor temples. Much of the writing on ancient Khmer art has either been destroyed or adopted by the invading Thai armies when the Siamese sacked and looted Angkor and took Khmer captives including members of the Khmer royal court back to Ayutthaya. [4] Some of the military leaders considered to be trained in Khmer fighting arts include the warrior turned Cambodian King, Jayavarman VII and the founder of a unified Laos, Fa Ngum.
During the colonial period, martial arts like pradal serey were considered by the European colonists to be brutal and uncivilised. The French turned the art into a sport by adding timed rounds, a boxing ring and western boxing gloves in an attempt to lessen injury. Originally matches were fought in dirt pits with limited rules while hands were wrapped in rope. Some matches had boxers wrap seashells around their knuckles to increase the damage that could be inflicted. In the 1960's, Cambodian boxing promoters held inter-martial art exhibitons.
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