"Taekwondo
is an empty-hand combat form that entails the use of the whole
body. Tae means "to Kick" or "Smash with the feet,"
Kwon implies "punching" or "destroying with the
hand or fist," and Do means "way" or "method."
Taekwondo thus, is the technique of unarmed combat for self defense
that involves the skillful application of techniques that include
punching, jumping kicks, blocks, dodges, parrying actions with
hands and feet. It is more than a mere physical fighting skill,
representing as it does a way of thinking and a pattern of life
requiring strict discipline. It is a system of training both the
mind and the body in which great emphasis is placed on the development
of the trainee's moral character."
Taekwondo is a martial art that in "todays" form of
self defense has evolved by combining many different styles of
martial arts that existed in Korea over the last 2,000 years and
some martial arts styles from countries that surround Korea. Taekwondo
incorporates the abrupt linear movements of Karate and the flowing,
circular patterns of Kung-fu with native kicking techniques. Over
fifty typically Chinese circular hand movements can be identified
in modern Taekwondo.(1) A few of the earlier martial arts styles
that contributed to Taekwondo are: T'ang-su, Taek Kyon, also known
as Subak, Tae Kwon, Kwonpup and Tae Kwonpup. There are also influences
from Judo, Karate, and Kung-fu.
"The earliest records of Taekwondo practice date back to
about 50 B.C. During this time, Korea was divided into three kingdoms:
Silla, which was founded on the Kyongju plain in 57 B.C.; Koguryo,
founded in the Yalu River Valley in 37 B.C.; and Paekche, founded
in the southwestern area of the Korean peninsula in 18 B.C.."(2)
Tae Kyon ( also called Subak) is considered the earliest known
form of Taekwondo. Paintings from this time period have been found
on the ceiling of the Muyong-chong, a royal tomb from the Koguryo
dynasty. The paintings show unarmed people using techniques that
are very similar to the ones used by Taekwondo today.
Although Taekwondo first appeared in the Koguryo kingdom, it is
the Silla's Hwarang warriors that are credited with the growth
and spread of Taekwondo throughout Korea. Silla was the smallest
of the three kingdoms and was always under attack by Japanese
Pirates. Silla got help from King Gwanggaeto and his soldiers
from the Koguryo kingdom to drive out the pirates. During this
time a few select Sillan warriors were given training in Taek
Kyon by the early masters from Koguryo. The Taek Kyon trained
warriors then became known as the Hwarang. The Hwarang set up
a military academy for the sons of royalty in Silla called Hwarang-do,
which means "The way of flowering manhood." The Hwarang
studied Taek Kyon, history, Confucian Philosophy, ethics, Buddhist
Morality, and military tactics. The guiding principles of the
Hwarang warriors were loyalty, filial duty, trustworthiness, valor,
and justice.(3) The makeup of the Hwarang-do education was based
on the Five Codes of Human Conduct written by a Buddhist scholar,
fundamental education, Taek Kyon and social skills. Taek Kyon
was spread throughout Korea because the Hwarang traveled all around
the peninsula to learn about the other regions and people.
Today, The original Five Codes of Human Conduct have been correlated
into the so-called Eleven Commandments of modern day Taekwondo,
which are:
Loyalty to your country
Respect your parents
Faithfulness to your spouse
Loyalty to your friends
Respect your brothers and sisters
Respect your elders
Respect your teachers
Never take life unjustly
Indomitable spirit
Loyalty to your school (2)
Finish what you begin
During the Silla dynasty (A.D. 668 to A.D. 935) Taek Kyon was
mostly used as a sport and recreational activity. Taek Kyon's
name was changed to Subak and the focus of the art was changed
during the Koryo dynasty (A.D. 935 to A.D. 1392). When King Uijong
was on the throne from 1147 through 1170, he changed Subak from
a system that promotes fitness to primarily a fighting art.
The first widely distributed book on Taekwondo was during the
Yi dynasty (1397 to 1907). This was the first time that Subak
was intended to be taught to the general public, in previous years
the knowledge was limited to the military. During the second half
of the Yi dynasty, political conflicts and the choice to use debate
instead of military action almost lead to the extinction of Subak.
The emphasis of the art was changed back to that of recreational
and physical fitness. The lack of interest caused Subak as an
art, to become fragmented and scarcely practiced throughout the
country.
In 1909 the Japanese invaded Korea and occupied the country for
36 years. To control Korea's patriotism, the Japanese banned the
practice of all military arts, Korean language and even burned
all books written in Korea. This ban was responsible for renewed
interest in Subak. Many Koreans organized themselves into underground
groups and practiced the martial arts in remote Buddhist temples.
Other people left Korea to study the martial arts in other countries
like China and Japan. In 1943 Judo, Karate and Kung-fu were officially
introduced to the Korean residents and the martial arts regained
popularity. In 1945 Korea was liberated. In the last few years
before liberation, there were many different variations of Subak/Taek
Kyon in Korea. This was due to all of the other martial arts influence
on it.
The first Taekwondo school (Kwan) was started in Yong Chun, Seoul,
Korea in 1945. Many different school were opened from 1945 through
1960. Each school claimed to teach the traditional Korean martial
art, but each school emphasized a different aspect of Taek Kyon/Subak.
This caused different names to emerge from each system, some of
them were: Soo Bahk Do, Kwon Bop, Kong Soo Do, Tae Soo Do and
Kang Soo Do.
The Korean Armed Forces were also formed in 1945 and in 1946 Second
lieutenant Hong Hi Choi began teaching Taek Kyon at a Korean military
base called Kwang Ju. Americans were first introduced to Taek
Kyon when Choi instructed Korean Army troops and some American
soldiers stationed with the 2nd Infantry Regiment. Later in 1949
Hong Hi Choi attended Ground General School at Ft. Riely near
Topeka, Kansas in the United States. While in the U.S., Choi gave
public Taek Kyon demonstrations for the troops. This was the first
display of Taek Kyon in America.(4)
The greatest turning point for Korean martial arts started in
1952. During the height of the Korean War, President Syngman Rhee
watched a 30 minute performance by Korean martial arts masters.
He was especially impressed when Tae Hi Nam broke 13 roof tiles
with a single punch. After the demonstration Rhee talked with
Hong Hi Choi about the martial arts, he then ordered his military
chiefs of staff to require all Korean soldiers to receive training
in the martial arts. This caused a tremendous surge in Taek Kyon
schools and students. President Rhee also sent Tae Hi Nam to Ft.
Benning, Georgia for radio communications training. While there,
Tae Hi Nam gave many martial arts demonstrations and received
considerable media publicity.
During this same time period in Korea, special commando groups
of martial arts-trained soldiers were formed to fight against
the communist forces of North Korea. One of the most famous special
forces was known as the Black Tigers. The Korean war ended in
1953. In 1954, General Hong Hi Choi organized the 29th Infantry
on Che Ju Island, off the Korean Coast, as a spearhead and center
for Taek Kyon training in the military.
On April 11, 1955 at a conference of kwan masters, historians,
and Taek Kyon promoters, most of the kwan masters decided to merge
their various styles for mutual benefit of all schools. The name
"Tae Soo Do" was accepted by a majority of the kwan
masters. Two years later the name was changed again, this time
to "Taekwondo" The name was suggested by General Hong
Hi Choi (who is considered the father of Taekwondo). "Taekwondo"
was suggested by Choi because of its resemblance to Taek Kyon,
and so provides continuity and maintains tradition. Further, it
describes both hand and foot techniques.
Dissension among the various kwans that did not unify carried
on until September 14, 1961. Then by official decree of the new
military government, the kwans were ordered to unify into one
organization called the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA), with
General Hong Hi Choi elected as its first president. In 1962,
the KTA re-examined all the black belt ranks to determine national
standards and also in 1962, Taekwondo became one of the official
events in the annual National Athletic Meet in Korea. The KTA
sent instructors and demonstrations teams all over the world.
Jhoon Ree (who is considered the father of American Taekwondo)
attended San Marcos Southwest Texas State College, and later taught
a Taekwondo course at the college and formed a public Taekwondo
club.
A Taekwondo demonstration at the United Nations headquarters in
New York City in 1963, caused the formation of the U.S. Taekwondo
Association in 1967, which later was superseded in 1974 by the
U.S. Taekwondo Federation.
In Korea, the study of Taekwondo spread rapidly from the army
into high schools and colleges. In march of 1966 Choi founded
the International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF), which he also served
as president. Choi later resigned as the KTA president and moved
his ITF headquarters to Montreal, Canada, from where he concentrated
on organizing Taekwondo internationally. His emphasis is on self-defense
methodology, not particularly on the sport. By 1974, Choi reported
that some 600 qualified ITF instructors were distributed throughout
the world.
Young-wun Kim was elected the new KTA president. Feeling that
Korea was the mother country of Taekwondo and that the world headquarters
should be located there, he dissolved the ITF's connection with
the KTA and on May 28, 1973 created a new international governing
body called the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), which coincided
with the first World Taekwondo Championships that were held in
Seoul, Korea. At the first inaugural meeting, Un Yong Kim was
elected as president of the WTF and drafted a charter for the
federation. The WTF is the only official organization recognized
by the Korean government as an international regulating body for
Taekwondo.
The World Taekwondo Federation has since made a major effort to
standardize tournament rules and organize world class competitions.
After the 2nd World TKD Championship in Seoul, the WTF became
an affiliate of the General Assembly of International Sports Federation
(GAISF), which has ties to the International Olympic Committee
(IOC). The IOC recognized and admitted the WTF in July 1980. In
1982 the General Session of the IOC designated Taekwondo as an
official Demonstration Sport for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul,
Korea.
Since Modern-day Taekwondo's official birth on April 11, 1955,
its development as a sport has been rapid. Over 30 million people
practice Taekwondo in more than 156 countries.
ENDNOTES
(1) Donn F. Draeger and Robert W. Smith, Comprehensive Asian Fighting
Arts ( New York, New York: Kodansha International, 1980)
Korean Definitions
Martial Arts come from what countries? CHINA, JAPAN, KOREA, OKINAWA.
Martial Arts style you take: TAE KWON DO
Tae Kwon Do comes from what country? KOREA
Meaning of Tae Kwon Do: A WAY OF FEET AND HANDS
Percentage in Tae Kwon Do: 70% FEET AND 30% HANDS
MEANING OF BELTS
WHITE BELT: Purity, innocence and ignorance—not ignorance
as in stupidity, but ignorance as in lack of knowledge.
YELLOW BELT: The new horizon of the sun
ORANGE BELT: The boldness of the sun
GREEN BELT: The sprouting of new plant life.
BLUE BELT: Blue symbolizes the sky.
RED BELT: Red symbolizes blood.
BLACK BELT: Black symbolizes death.
KOREAN WORDS
One: HANA
Two: DUL
Three: SET
Four: NET Belt: DI
Five: TATSU
Six: YOSU
Seven: ILIGUB
Eight: YODUL
Nine: IHOP
Ten: YUL
Instructor: SABENOM NIM
School / Gym: DOJANG
Uniform: DOBOK
Ready: JOONBI
Attention: CHAYET
Bow: KUNYE
Horse Stance: JUNCHOOM SE
Turn Around: DIRACHA
Yell: KIHOP
