It is a historic fact that Taekwondo as an organized art is relatively modern the only documented history of it begins in the mid 1900’s". This quote is taken from the ATA’s (American Taekwondo Association) website and is accurate insofar as the term Taekwondo itself, translated from old Korean as the way of the foot and the fist, was officially accepted as unifier for different Korean martial art systems on April 11, 1955. A major landmark was achieved for Taekwondo in the Sydney 2000 Games, when it became a legitimized Olympic sport. Amidst this success, some commentators complained that martial art instructors were neglecting the traditional aspects in favor of competition. I recently spoke to Master John Darcy on this subject and he acknowledged that this trend is continuing. My intention in this article is to acquaint/ re-acquaint readers with this rich tradition by piecing together a narrative of how Taekwondo may have evolved before its official history began at the end of WW2. Perhaps I better start with Korea.
In 2333 BC the State of Korea was founded by the mythical Tangun, whose parents were said to be "descended from the Heavens". Flint spears and knives discovered and dated to this time are very real, however, and reveal something of the martial nature of the Korean people even then. Later archaeological discoveries of royal tombs from the Koguryo Dynasty, one of the three main power brokers in Korea up to the latter half of the 7 century (the other two were known as Silla and Paekji) give us more specific clues to the roots of Taekwondo. Urns in these ancient tombs seem to depict two men engaging in Taekyon (foot-fighting) and Subak (hand-fighting), indigenous forms of unarmed combat particular to Korea.
These disciplines came to prominence amongst the aristocratic fighting class of the Silla Kingdom, the Hwa Rang, which emerged between the 7 and 9 centuries when the Silla Dynasty had united all of Korea. When the Silla Dynasty was overthrown by the upstart Koryo Dynasty (the name Korea derives from this) in 938 AD, Subak and Taekyon traditions were kept alive through regulated tournaments amongst the upper classes. In time these disciplines were practiced by all sectors of Korean society. General Choi, commonly regarded as the founding father of Taekwondo, was adept in their use before he went to university in Japan. There he would learn karate, which combined with the native Korean martial arts, would evolve into the martial elements of Taekwondo
But Taekwondo encompasses the intellectual as well as the physical. According to Grandmaster Hee Il Cho (9 Dan), President of the Action International Martial Arts Association, the primary goals of Taekwondo are integrity, courtesy, modesty, self-control, perseverance and indomitable spirit.
In an informational piece on its history the International Taekwondo Association, founded by General Choi, notes that the "philosophical values and the goals of Taekwondo are firmly rooted in the traditional moral culture of the Orient". In the course of my research for this piece, I found this to be valid. The tenets described by Grandmaster Cho closely resemble the code of honour that the Hwa Rang Knights upheld over a thousand years ago, which highlighted things like loyalty to one’s Overlord and parents and never retreating in battle. It is reasonable to suggest that the Hwa Rang code in itself was strongly influenced by the religion of Confucianism, which spread rapidly all over China to other Asian nations, including Korea, after the death of Confucius in 478 BC. Without wanting to oversimplify such an important worldwide movement, Confucianism stressed the importance of always respecting parents and elders and living your life in such a way as to nurture "qualities of a saint, scholar and gentleman". Hwa Rang is translated from old Korean as flowering youth, and there is no doubt but that they represented an ideal version of manhood (sorry ladies) for ordinary Koreans of the time. In later years evidence also suggests that the Hwa Rang evolved into an organization more interested in literary than martial pursuits.
Taekwondo, then is not just about learning a series of kicks and punches of increasing complexity. As Master Lim observed even the most rudimentary Taekwondo patterns carry an import of their own- one which refers to some event or person from the rich tapestry of Korean history. The traditional Korean value-system, based on an almost collectivist Confucianism, nonetheless emphasizes most of the better qualities of what it is to be human and is of benefit to all martial artists.
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