The history of Taekwon-Do
The modern day
art of Taekwon-Do has had a long & turbulent
history. The art that we practice today maybe a comparatively new innovation
compared to some other styles of martial arts, as it’s inception to the world
was only in 1955, but the substance of this Korean fighting art was based on
many years of refined fighting techniques, honed on the battlefields of the
Korean peninsular.
Not only have
the physical skills of fighting been passed down through the generations of
martial arts masters, but so has a philosophical code, a way of life –the Do.
Man has always
struggled to overcome his rivals since the dawn of time, whether to protect his
family, his home or to seize power & land from others. This quest for
domination sowed the seeds for the development of the fighting arts. Our
ancestors, through trial & error, formulated scientific principles in an
effort to subdue their enemies. This ultimately led to the development of these
primitive fighting skills into refined martial arts complete with philosophical
values.
The purpose of
this article is to give the reader an insight into the heritage of the modern
art of Taekwon-Do, from both a physical & a
philosophical point of view. From the early roots of Korean foot-fighting through
to the development of modern Taekwon-Do in the 1940’s
by General Choi Hong Hi.
Beginnings of martial arts in Korea
The exact beginnings of a separate Korean cultural identity is lost in
the mists of remote antiquity. There is archaeological evidence of an ancient
people occupying the Korean peninsular which dated over 30,000 years ago.
The literary
records that are available document the traditional beginnings of
The first myth
dates the foundation of a specific cultural identity to 2333 B.C. with the
establishment of the Ko-Chosen (Ancient Korean)
state.
The history of
the Korean martial arts can be documented to around 50 BC. During this time
Silla,
was the first of the tribal people, to mature into a kingdom, it was founded in
57 BC by the Chin Han people & was originally the least developed state.
The kingdom eventually grew to prosper and become the most powerful kingdom in
the Korean peninsular, and the Silla dynasty reigned
over the unified peninsular for nearly 300 years
(668 to 918 AD).
Koguryo was founded in 37 BC by the Pyon-Han
tribes & was initially the largest and most powerful of the three kingdoms.
The third
kingdom, Paekche, was founded by the Man-Han tribes,
around 18 BC.
The 3 Kingdoms
period was a very turbulent period in the Korean history with territorial
battles with each other & political control being sought by neighbouring countries, especially by the Chinese &
Manchurian Emperors. The Koguryo nation developed
into a very warlike & aggressive people due to the country’s borderline
being consistently being invaded.
During the
reign of Great Queen Sondok
(632 to 647 A.D.) the foundations were laid for the ultimate unification of the
3 Kingdoms. The wise Queen realised the importance of
the Hwarang, the highly trained & skilled
warriors of the Silla Dynasty, & she developed
the Hwarang into a formidable fighting force.
At the peak of
its glory, membership was not restricted to those of noble lineage, but
commoners could strive to enter its ranks by the merit of their mental &
physical abilities, as well as dedication to the Hwarang
code.
The 3 Kingdoms
battled against one another for domination & it wasn’t until Silla defeated Paekche in 660
A.D. & in finally conquering Koguryo in 668 A.D.
that the peninsular was unified.
In 676 A.D.
the Sillans had driven out the Chinese, who had
supported the
This period
was known as The Unified
Silla Dynasty period (668 to 918 A.D.). This was a time of great advancement
in cultural development, peace & prosperity. During this period martial arts enjoyed great prestige & was a regular feature of
state festivals & athletic competitions as well as remaining a part of the
education of the young & the training of the military.
This period of
great advancements was made only possible by the dedicated spirit of the Hwarangdo. They were responsible for the introduction of
foreign culture without the loss of the Korean peoples
spirit.
Early in the
10th century there was a great change in the political climate & there was
a transfer of power from the Silla Dynasty to the Koryo Dynasty (918 to 1392 A.D.), the Koryo Dynasty was founded by Wang Kon
who reigned under the reign title of King Taejo.
During this
period Koryo suffered regular invasions from foreign
powers, this was due to the strategic position that the Korean peninsular holds
in the
After nearly
100 years of Mongol rule, their power started to wane & Japanese pirates
started to raid the Korean coastlines & the Koryo
Dynasty started to crumble. From the dying embers of the dynasty rose a great
leader called Yi Song Gye,
who managed to suppress the Japanese raiding parties, defeat the Manchus raiding the northern borders & consolidate the
country. In 1392 he founded the Yi Dynasty
(1392 to 1910 A.D.).
During this
period there was a backlash towards martial arts which resulted in the arts
losing popularity & they fell into decline.
This was due
to the monasteries & semi-fuedal military estates
which flourished in the Koryo Dynasty, while acting
as centres for training in the martial arts, had been
given special status & had now become powerful forces
that was now viewed as weakening the authority of the government.
The emphasis
of cutting back on the military strength of the country was to prove to be a inadvisable policy. In 1592 a Japanese force under Hideyoshi decided to conquer
Even without
official sponsorship, the martial arts had been kept alive by the people. They
formed guerrilla bands known as “Righteous Armies”,
these bands of freedom fighters attacked & halted the Japanese invaders. They
eventually forced the Japanese to retreat to
After this war
the Yi Dynasty closed its borders to all foreigners in the hope of creating
some semblance of peace (earning the nickname “The Hermit Kingdom”). During the 18th century there was a gradual recovery
from the devastation of war. The Yi offered strong support for Confucian
values, which had a bias of civil authority over the military & this led to
the official discouragement of the martial arts & once again the martial
arts fell into decline.
In 1894
The period of
the Japanese occupation was known as the Chosun period (1910 to 1945), this was the ancient name of
The past lack
of support of the military was bitterly felt by the Korean people & once
again the tradition of the martial arts, which had been kept in the hearts
& minds of the people, were to play an important part in the resistance to
the occupying forces. From local areas arose resistance armies (or
“independence Armies”) from Buddhist monasteries & schools where they had
trained in the ancient martial techniques of
The Japanese
occupying forces were determined to eradicate the Korean cultural identity
& replace it with their own. The traditions of the Korean people were
forced underground & were practised in secret,
this included the martial arts. Reprisals for anyone found practising
these were severe.
The Japanese
influence of the martial arts were inherited by the Korean martial arts masters
as many of them chose to train in the Japanese martial arts, while still practising the forbidden Korean martial arts underground.
This can be seen in the similarity of the more modern Korean forms of the
fighting arts.
After World
War 2 (in 1945) modern
It was in this
period after WW2 that the Korean people demanded the re-emergence of a new
cultural identity. This came in the shape of Taekwon-Do,
a martial art that was based on traditional Korean values & the ancient
martial arts of
Evidence of martial arts practice in
ancient Korea
Paintings on
the ceilings of the Muyong-Chong royal tomb from the Koguryo Dynasty, have given evidence of the practice of
martial arts. These are dated from 3AD to 427AD and show men performing stylised fighting techniques.
Further
evidence of an indigenous Korean martial art is present on the tower wall of
(what later became) a Buddhist temple in Kyongju, the
capital city of the ancient Korean
At the entrance
of the Sokkul Am, a small Buddhist cavern temple, is a stone carving of a famous Korean warrior-monk
called Kumgang Yuksa in a
fighting posture. This carving was completed during the reign of King Hye Gong (765 to 780 A.D.).
One very
important influence on the modern art of Taekwon-Do
was the ancient fighting style of Taekkyon (Korean foot fighting).
Before the 6th
century Taekkyon was habitually practiced by ruling
classes and from the 9th to 12th century became very popular amongst the common
people. A Korean history book written in the 15th century, called the Koryusa, records that the practice was widely encouraged
and practiced from the King himself to farmers. This trend continued until the
early stage of the Chosun (Yi) Dynasty.
But as the
Korean society moved toward a system that encouraged only literary arts and one
that held the military arts in contempt, after the 13th century Taekkyon was more favoured as a
folk custom & lost popularity as a martial arts practice.
During the Yi
Dynasty, the ruling & aristocratic classes, known as the Yangban, officially discouraged the practice of martial
arts & archery was the only officially recorded martial art practised by the soldiers of Chosun.
Literary
records exist which record the deeds carried out by some of the many Hwarang heroes, one of these, the Sam Guk Sagi
dates from 1145 A.D. & contains deeds of warriors using empty hand
techniques on the battlefields. A further document, the Hwarang
Segi was lost during the Japanese occupation, but was
said to have contained the deeds of over 200 Hwarang
warriors.
Further
documentation of martial arts practice were recorded
in 1790 under the instruction from King Jungjo. This
was called the Muye
Dobo Tongji. This is an ancient
Korean martial arts manual, compiled to serve as a training manual for the
soldiers of the palace guard. This contained all the known material on the
practices of martial arts. This was itself based on a Chinese text given to the
King which was written by Chuk Kye-Kwang
of the Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644 A.D.), this text was called the Kihyo Shinsu.
The text
contains all manner of warfare including archery, fighting from horseback, the
long-spear, swordmanship, the flail, the staff &
the empty hand art of Kwon
bup (“fist method”). There are mentions of other unarmed combat forms
such as, Yo bup (“throwing
method”), Su bup (“hand method” -n.b:
this could be an alternative spelling of Su bak)
& Jok bup (“foot
method”).
It is also
recorded that the King of the Cho dynasty observed
contests involving Su bak
(fist fighting), archery & a contest of Kee mun, or palm striking -also called Kwon pak.
In the notes it is also recorded that Su bak is a
martial art contest of wrestling. It also denotes that Kee
mun is used to grab & release an attackers weapon.
The document
also records that certain techniques were derived from the Shaolin temple methods from both external, or
hard forms (“waega”) & from the soft schools (“naega”). This included running, jumping & locking
techniques.
It was noted
that because the system of martial arts were usually transmitted verbally, many
skills were lost & then intermittently revived by masters, so it was deemed
important that they were to be documented.
The section on
Kwon bup records a system of vital points & death
points which were divided into 3 types; those for killing, those for inducing a
coma & finally, paralysing techniques.
The importance & development of
the Hwarang
It is from one
of the unique institutions of the Silla Dynasty, the Hwarang, that the spirit of Taekwon-Do
is derived. Many of
In the middle
of the 6th century King Chinhung
(ascending the throne in 540 A.D.) wished to establish a system for selecting
the most promising leaders from the leading families, in order to conduct the
administration of the country. This resulted in the creation of the Wonhwa (“original flower”), the predecessors
of the Hwarang.
The Wonhwa were a group of 300 followers led by 2 beautiful
& strong spirited women. However the 2 leaders, Joon-jung
& Nam-mo, became jealous of one another & this led to the untimely end
of the institution. Their desire for domination resulted in the death of the
leaders & the disbandment of their followers.
The King did
not give up on his idea & the second attempt proved eminently more
successful. He singled out young men of upstanding character & of noble
bearing, who were trained according to a very strict regimen. The newly found
order of young men was named the Hwarang (“flowering
youth”). This “flower of youth” was so named to reflect the promise of the
nation, the hope of the future.
The Hwarang were taught dance, literature, arts & science
plus arts of warfare, charioteering, archery &
hand-to-hand combat. The hand-to-hand combat was based on Um-Yang (Yin-Yang)
principles of Buddhist philosophy & incorporated the blending of hard &
soft, linear & circular techniques.
The code of the Hwarang, the Se Sok O Gye,
were derived from the indigenous culture & religious beliefs of the Silla nation. They combined Confucian teachings, Taoist
doctrines & Buddhist beliefs to develop the “5 secular commandments” of the Hwarang from which the Tenets of modern day Taekwon-Do are
derived.
The priest
& scholar who most uniquely left his mark & influence of the Hwarang code was the Buddhist monk Wonkwang, who denoted the 5 commandments which
were received by the Hwarang in 602 A.D.
Se Sok O Gye –the code of the Hwarang
Sa koon yi choong –loyalty to the King & Country
The Hwarang were an elite warrior class charged with the
unquestionable duty of protecting their society. If necessary they would lay
down their lives to protect their homeland & many examples of their heroic
acts throughout Korean history are recorded in Korean texts. A great number of
Kings were famous Hwarang warriors & their
exploits were documented in the aforementioned texts, the Hwarang
Segi & the Sam Guk Sagi, the official documents of the Hwarang.
These
principles were not undertaken lightly, as the following example clearly
demonstrates;
In the year
603 A.D., a small band of Hwarang under the command
of General Muun, were ambushed & the general fell
from his horse. Two of his soldiers, Kwi-San & Chu-Hang, came to his aid & attacked the enemy. After
helping the general to escape on one of their horses they continued to battle
with the pursuers, killing a great number of the enemy before succumbing &
dying “bleeding from a thousand wounds”.
The ancient
code of the Hwarang can still be observed by modern
practitioners of Taekwon-Do. As martial artists, we
gain so much from the practice of our chosen art form, we also owe a debt of
loyalty to that one place that contributes so substantially to our physical,
mental & spiritual well being; the Dojang.
Sa chin yi hyo –Respect & obedience to parents
& elders
In Korean
society, elder siblings are responsible for looking after their younger members
of their family. In return the younger siblings acknowledge this by showing
respect for their elders. This takes its root from the Confucian influence in
the Korean society.
The Hwarang had a commitment to the social order & showed
concern & compassion for the people, this was
coupled with the high regard for women in the society. This was a feature
almost lacking in the Japanese Samurai’s code of Bushido. The Hwarang had a feeling of
responsibility for the protection of communal interests & they held a
responsible role in society, which was far removed from the contractual
relationships to be found in Bushido.
Once again,
this principle can be applied in today’s Dojangs. The
role of the Sabumnim, or teacher, is to teach a way
to live, a way to behave & a way to approach the world, in addition to
teaching techniques, coaching, giving advice & generally supplying the
students with Taekwon-Do. It would therefore be
unimaginable not to show respect for the Sabumnim’s
role.
Kyo woo yi
shin –Trustworthiness amongst friends
The notion of
trustworthiness encompasses a number of related qualities; dependability,
fidelity, integrity. The one concept that best sums up all these qualities is honour.
Honour
was an important concept to the Hwarang. They lived
by their code, much the same as the Samurai who observed the code of Bushido
(as an interesting note, the Hwarang code preceded
Bushido by around 600 years). The Hwarang were held
in high regard by both the Kings & ruling classes of ancient
Modern martial
artists should also observe a code of honour. By
representing yourself truthfully & not being
afraid to reveal your own thoughts & feelings about matters, takes courage
& earns the trust of others. By doing this & showing respect to others,
you achieve honour & others can come to depend on
you. This, in turn, builds self-respect, an important quality that some seek
all their lives.
Im jeon moo
tae –Courage in battle
The many
exploits of the Hwarang warriors produced a great
number of legendary heroes. This can be credited to their fierceness &
courage on the battlefields, in the defence of their
homeland against their immediate neighbours &
invading foreign forces.
Many of the
most famous Hwarang generals & warriors are still
remembered for their courage & accomplishments. Some of these were immortalised by General Choi Hong
Hi, when he created the Taekwon-Do patterns &
named them after them in their honour. Some of the
most famous were; Kim Yoo Sin, Yi Sun Sin, Yong Gae Somoon, Ul
Ji Moon Dok & the great
Warrior-King, Moon Moo.
Living
courageously requires the ability to distinguish between the reckless & the
risky, & to decide on a course of action that achieves results. To overcome
obstacles requires the belief in one’s own capabilities & the ability to
determine where one’s strengths & weaknesses lie & then to face them
with the self-confidence that your training has
developed.
Sal saeng
yoo taek –Do not take life unjustly
The Hwarang lived with the constant shadow of death hanging
over them & they accepted that they might die in the course of carrying out
their duty, & this they faced with great courage. Because of this realisation that life could so easily be lost,
the Hwarang came to treat all life with great
reverence. This factor was greatly influenced by the Buddhist teachings that
the Hwarang observed & from this the Hwarang developed a balanced understanding of the need for
justice. The Se Sok O Gye
dictated that all life must be viewed as sacred & that the taking of
another’s life must be justified.
Obviously in
the modern day context, most of us are not in the business of taking others
lives, but the principles behind the meaning of Sal saeng
yoo taek remains the same.
The use of Taekwon-Do’s powerful techniques & the
self-defence skills that we have acquired, require
considerable judgement.
As we can
clearly see, the lives & deeds of the Hwarang
illustrate a level of courage, honour, wisdom,
culture, compassion & impeccable conduct that few men in history have
demonstrated. The dedication & self-sacrifice of the Hwarang
were clearly based on principles much stronger than ego & self-interest.
This code of
the Hwarang has influenced the moral values that permeates through the teachings of Taekwon-Do. The 5 Tenets of courtesy (Ye Ui), integrity (Yom Chi), self control (In Nae), perseverance (Guk Gi) & indomitable
spirit (Baekjul
Boolgool) all reflect the values taught to the Hwarang.
The
Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do, written by General Choi, quotes many of the values that a true practitioner of
the martial arts should possess such as humility, justice, respect, humanity,
righteousness, wisdom, trust, to have peace of mind & to be of strong
conviction & of strength of mind in your undertakings. These are all values
that have been passed down from generation to generation of martial artists.
It is these
codes that gives such an enduring quality to a military art that had it’s
beginnings in ancient times, yet still exists in a very practical way today in
the form of Taekwon-Do.