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For over two thousand years, the inhabitants of the Korean peninsula
have practiced a form of unarmed martial art known today as Tae Kwon Do.
"Tae" is the Korean brush stroke character or pictograph meaning to jump
or kick with the intention of smashing another person with the foot.
"Kwon" is the character for a punching or striking fist. "Do" implies a
philosophy of personal growth, maturation or self-knowledge only
achieved through dedicated study, practice and reflection.
Tae Kwon Do today is the art and sport of unarmed combat for
self-defense, using kicks, jumps, punches and blocks to achieve the
rapid incapacitation or destruction of an opponent. This is a style of
martial arts dominated by high kicks and straight powerful movements.
More emphasis is placed on the use of the feet than any other form of
martial art. This could be because Koreans believe the hands are
valuable and should be used as creative instruments rather than demeaned
by striking an enemy. Also, the legs are longer and more powerful than
the arms and, with practice, reflexes can be developed to be as fast as
or faster than the arms, offering a great advantage over the opponent.
The History of Tae Kwon Do
The exact origin of the martial arts is obscure. Man has always had the
need to fight in order to preserve or secure economic necessities. As
time passed, fighting became more efficient with the use of weapons, and
this included using the body in a systematic way as a weapon. Tae Kwon
Do, a version of an ancient form of unarmed combat practiced for many
centuries in the Orient, came to be perfected in its present form in
Korea. This art was also adopted in other Far Eastern culture, most
notably Japan and China, and assumed their own national characteristics.
The story of Tae Kwon Do began two thousand years ago in the southern
part of the Korean peninsula. There existed a small kingdom constantly
under invasion and harassment by its two more powerful neighbors to the
north. To preserve their sovereignty, the young aristocrats of the
country formed a young officer warrior corps and called it the Hwa-Rang
Do. The warrior corps trained throughout the year in the wild, rugged
and mountainous terrain and along the seashores. Practicing mental and
physical discipline, they trained themselves mercilessly to prepare for
the heroic tasks required of them.
To guide and give purpose to their knighthood, they incorporated a
five-point code of conduct set forth by their country's greatest
Buddhist monk and scholar, Won Kang:
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Be loyal to your king. |
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Be obedient to your parents. |
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Be honorable to your friends. |
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Never retreat in battle. |
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Always make a sensible kill. |
The warriors became renowned for their courage and skill in battle,
gaining the respect of even their most bitter enemies. The strength they
derived from following their code enabled them to attain feats of valor
that became legendary. Through their feats, they inspired the people to
rise, unite and eventually conquer the two kingdoms to the north in the
7th century. From this victory, the Korean peninsula became united
under one ruler for the first time in its history.
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