History
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Approximately 2,000 years
ago the indigenous people of the Korean peninsula began to develop a form
of combat to defend their country from tyranny and oppression. Not only a
means of protection, this training was used as a tool to promote loyalty,
respect, and harmonious living. Through the centuries, rigorous workouts
combined with a philosophy of strength and kindness that today has become
the source of inspiration and self-improvement for millions of people in
over 120 nations. Now, Tae Kwon Do is featured in the Olympics, yet
continues to flourish with everyday men, women, boys, and girls. Everyone
is enjoying the world’s most popular martial art.
The number of people studying this 2000-year-old discipline has
dramatically increased within the last decade. Parents across the United
States regard the values taught by the martial arts as an integral part of
their child’s overall education. Tae Kwon Do is viewed not merely as a
form of physical fitness, but as a means to instill respect, patience,
honesty, and self-confidence. The feeling of mental and physical well
being is what motivates men and women of all ages to reach the goals they
have set for themselves in Tae Kwon Do. Mental alertness, increased
energy, and the ability to defend oneself lead the practitioner to greater
self-esteem and contentment.
Historical Notes:
Early
Korea was comprised of three Kingdoms Silla founded on the Kyongju plain
in 57 BC; Koguryo founded in the Yalu River in 37 BC; and Baekje founded
in the southwestern area of the peninsula in 18 BC.
Koguryo
- The first 19 monarches of Koguryo ruled the kingdom from Tungko until
the capital was moved to Pyongyang in 427 AD.Archaeological relics of the
Muyong-Chong tomb contains a mural depicting two youths engaged in
TaeKwonDo sparring. The date of the tomb was estimated at between 3AD and
427AD. The mural suggests that TaeKwonDo was practiced by warriors,
noblemen as well as commoner, and was known as Taek Kyon
Baekje
- In the southwestern part of the Korean peninsula, which includes the Han
River traded with China and Japan by sea.
Folk tales tell of games and festivals involving Subak-hui an
ancient version of TaeKwonDo. Subak was a later version of Taek Kyon.
Silla
- A kingdom in the southeastern part of the peninsula was the least
civilized, with coastline constantly under attack by Japanese pirates.
Upon request, Koguryo sent soldiers to help and Taek Kyron was
introduced to the warrior class of Silla.
Silla conquered the kingdoms of Baekje (668) and Koguryo (670)
using a warrior system called Hwarang do.
The Hwarang consisted of youths of noble families devoted to
cultivating body and mind that followed rigid commandments of loyalty to
country, obedience to parents, faithful to friends, bravery in battle, and
prudence in taking life. Carvings
and other relics of the time show the Hwarang engaged in TaeKwonDo The Kum
Kang block is named after the stone carvings (Kum kang Yoksa) in the
similar position.. This
period lasted between 668 and 935 AD.
Koryo
- Silla gave way to Koryo founded in Wangkon in 918AD.
TaeKwonDo was known under the name Subak and occupied a strong
social position. Kings and generals practiced and promoted the skilled in
Subak
Joseon
Dynasty - The Joseon Dynasty replaced Koryo in 1392.
In 1790 General Yi Dok-mu wrote a book on martial arts at the kings
instruction (King Chongjo). TaeKwonDo was used by unarmed volunteers to fight the
Japanese in the Hideyoshi Invasion in 1592.
Other
Chinese
Kungfu - Kungfu is believed to have been initiated as a physical exercise
when the Buddhist Saint Dharma taught the monks of Hsiaolin temple in
Tungpung county in the Honan province. Saint Dharma came to China in 520 AD and spent nine years at
Hsiaolin temple. Every
culture has had fighting arts. Dharma
organized the existing skills of the Chinese into a system.
Japanese
Karate - There are two explanations for the introduction of Karate into
Japan. The first is that a Chinese named Chen Yuan-pin in the Ming Dynasty
imparted Kungfu to the Japanese. The
second is that Okinawa traders imported Subak from trading with Chosum in
the (Joseon Dynasty) and in turn imported it to Japan in a somewhat restricted
form.
Modern
TaeKwonDo: TaeKwonDo
was officially banned in Korea by the Japanese occupiers from 1909 to
1945. The first school
established was Chung Do Kwan in Yong Chun, Seoul in 1945.
The Moo Duk Kwan and the Yun Moo Kwan schools were established soon
after. The major schools were
Chung Do Kwan, Moo Duk Kwan, Yun Moo Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan, Chi Do Kwan, Ji
Do Kwan, Song Moo Kwan, and Oh Do Kwan.
Kwans were unified on 11 April 1955 into Tae Soo Do later changed
to TaeKwonDo. The Korean
TaeKwonDo Association was formed on 14 Sep 1961.
In the period between 1955 and 1971 the Korean TaeKwonDo
Association had spent much time and effort in reviewing the arts of the
various Kwans and choosing those techniques and forms that were decedent
from original Korean techniques. The
influences from Japanese Karate and Chinese Kungfu were removed.
In 1971 a demonstration of TaeKwonDo was presented to President
Chung Hee Park. As a commemoration of the event President park wrote a scroll
which said that TaeKwonDo was a national sport.
This was the official reemergence of the martial art. On 28 May 1973 the World TaeKwonDo Federation was formed. The World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) is the only organization officially recognized by the Korean government.
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