THE HISTORY OF TAE KWON DO
Taekwondo is an empty - handed combat
form with its roots in ancient Korea. "Tae" means "Foot", "Kick" or
"Smash with the foot", "Kwon" is "Hand", "Punch" or
"Destroy with the hand or fist", and "Do" means "Way" or
"Method". Taekwondo is the technique of unarmed combat for self defense
that involves the skillful application of techniques that include punching, jumping kicks,
blocks, dodges, etc. It is much more than a mere physical
fighting skill. 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 which has evolved by combining many different
styles of martial arts that existed in
Korea over the last 2.000. years as well as in some other countries that surround
Korea (China, Japan, etc.).
The earliest records of Taekwondo date back to about
50 B.C. During that 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.
Tae Kyon is considered the earliest known form of Taekwondo.
Paintings that had been found on the ceilings of the Muyong - Chong, a
royal tomb of the Koguryo dynasty, showed unarmed people using techniques
that are very similar to the ones used in Taekwondo today.
Although Tae Kyon first appeared in the Koguryo kingdom, it is the
Silla's Hwarang - Do warriors that are credited with the growth and spread of Tae Kyon
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 Silla warriors were given
training in Tae Kyon by the masters from Koguryo. Tae Kyon trained warriors
later became known as the Hwarang. The Hwarang set up a military academy
in Silla called Hwarang - Do, which means "The way of the flower of manhood".
The Hwarang - Do taught Tae Kyon, history, Confucian philosophy, ethics, Buddhist Morality,
music, art, military tactics, etc. The guiding principles of the Hwarang warriors were loyalty,
trustworthiness, courage, and justice. The Hwarang - Do education was based on the Five Codes
of Human Conduct written by
a Buddhist scholar, fundamental education, Tae Kyon, and social skills. Tae Kyon was
spread throughout Korea because the Hwarang - Do members traveled all around the peninsula to learn
about the other regions and people.
During the Silla dynasty (668 A.D. to 935 A.D.) Tae Kyon was mostly
used as a sport and recreational activity. Tae Kyon's name was changed to Subak. The
focus of the art was changed again during the Koryo dynasty (935 A.D. to 1392 A.D.). 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 Tae Kyon 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 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 the liberation, there
were many different variations of Subak (Tae 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 schools were opened from 1945 through 1960. Each school
claimed to teach the traditional Korean martial art, but they all emphasized a
different aspect of Tae 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, Kang Soo Do, etc.
The Korean Armed Forces were formed in 1945, and in 1946, Second
lieutenant Choi, Hong Hi began teaching Tae Kyon at the Korean military base called Kwang Ju.
The greatest turning point for Korean martial arts started in 1952.
During the culmination of the Korean war, President Syngman Rhee watched a 30 minute
performance by the 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, and he ordered his military chiefs of staff to require all
Korean soldiers to receive training in the martial arts. This caused a tremendous increase in
the number of Tae Kyon schools and students.
During this 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 Tae Kyon training in the military.
On April the 11th, 1955, at a conference of kwan (school) masters, historians, and
Tae 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 the 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 modern Taekwondo. "Taekwondo" was suggested by Choi because of its
resemblance to Tae Kyon, providing continuity and maintaining tradition. Further, it
describes both hand and foot techniques.
Dissension among the various kwans that have not unified carried on
until September the 14th, 1961, when, by the 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 as its first president. In 1962, the KTA
re - examined all the black belt ranks to determine national standards.
Taekwondo became one of the official events in the annual National Athletic Meet in Korea.
The KTA sent instructors and demonstration teams all over the world.
In Korea, the study of Taekwondo spread rapidly from the army into
high schools and colleges. In March, 1966, General Choi founded the International Taekwondo
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 was 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 the 28th, 1973, created a new
international governing body called the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), which coincided
with the first World Taekwondo Championships 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. In the Olymipic Games in Sydney 2000, Taekwondo will become
an oficial Olympic sport.
Since modern Taekwondo's official birth on April the 11th, 1955, its
development as a sport has been rapid. Over 30 million people practice Taekwondo in more
than 156 countries in the World today.
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