THE ART OF
NINE LIMBS

Before the first strike is thrown, you hear the music. The hsaing waing orchestra rises from its circular nest of twenty-one tuned drums, joined by the nasal wail of the hnein oboe and the crash of brass cymbals. Two fighters step into the ring. They wear no gloves, no shin guards, no headgear. Their hands are wrapped in thin strips of gauze and medical tape. They begin to dance.

This is the lethwei yay, the pre-fight dance. The dance is prayer, meditation, and threat — all at once. Then the orchestra reaches its crescendo, the referee steps back, and what follows is the most raw, uncompromising form of combat sport on Earth.

This is Lethwei— Myanmar's traditional bareknuckle boxing, the Art of Nine Limbs. Under traditional rules, there is only one way to win: knockout. If both fighters remain standing when the final round ends, the bout is declared a draw.