Cambodia to showcase Bokator martial art at Shaolin Wushu Festival in China

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) — Cambodia will showcase its UNESCO-listed Bokator martial art at the 13th China Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival, to be held from October 18 to 20 in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan Province, said a Ministry of Tourism’s press release on Thursday.
Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism Huot Hak will lead a Bokator martial art team to participate in the festival, which is expected to bring together athletes from China and other countries and regions, the press release said.
As the guest of honor of the festival, Huot Hak will deliver a speech at the opening ceremony of the 13th China Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival and the Henan and Cambodia Bokator Martial Art.
“This festival will showcase the joint performance of Cambodia Bokator and Shaolin Wushu martial arts at the prominent Shaolin Temple,” the press release said.
It will provide a great opportunity to promote Cambodia Bokator martial art, highlight the progress of Cambodia’s tourism development, and enhance cooperation with Henan Province, it added.
The upcoming participation is part of joint activities to celebrate the Cambodia-China people-to-people exchange year.
Inscribed on the UNESCO’s representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2022, traditional martial art Kun Lbokator, commonly known as Bokator, is a martial art dating back to the first century.
It is still actively performed as part of ritual offerings to local deities and in other festive events, along with elements such as dance, music and traditional medicine, according to the UNESCO. ■