Tae
Kwon Do is the name of the martial art and international
sport which has developed independently over about
20 centuries in Korea. The main feature of Tae Kwon
Do is that it is a free-fighting combat sport using
one's bare hands and feet to repel the opponent. The
entire body is a weapon for a Tae Kwon Do practitioner.
One is easily able to defend against an aggressor
by use of hands, elbows, knees or feet. The practice
of Tae Kwon Do gives an individual the mental attitude
of modesty and generosity are fundamentally based
on self-confidence, and are beneficial to the lives
of individuals, as well as to their families, neighbors
and nation.
Translated literally; TAE (
)
means "to kick or smash with feet." KWON
(
)
refers to "punching or destroying with the hand
or fist." DO (
)
is "the art", the way, and the method."
Brief
History of Tae Kwon Do
People
in primitive ages, no matter where they lived, had
to develop personal skills to fight in order to obtain
their food and to defend themselves against their
enemies, including wild animals. The long experience
of ancient people, in defending themselves, have led
to the development of more effective skills of their
own in the use of their hands and feet in fighting,
thus creating primitive form of the Tae Kyon (old
name of Tae Kwon Do).
The
origin of Tae Kwon Do in Korea can be traced back
to the Koguryo dynasty, founded in 37 B.C. Tae Kwon
Do was also practiced during the Silla dynasty. Silla
was a kingdom founded in the Southeastern part of
the land some 20 years before Koguryo in the North.
Silla was famous for it's Hwa-Rang-Do, made up of
youths of noble families, devoted to cultivating mind
and body in order to better serve Silla. Hwa-Rang-Do
not only used the Tae Kwon Do practice for their unarmed
combat study as an essential part of physical and
military training, but also recommended it as a recreational
activity. The Hwa-Rang-Do played an essential role
in unifying the three kingdoms, Silla, Koguryo, and
Bakjai. (Silla was the smallest kingdom of the three.)
Korean
culture and the native martial arts were strongly
influenced and enriched by this group of men, and
modern students of Tae Kwon Do owe them a debt of
gratitude for preserving and refining the various
forms of unarmed combat present during this era. Understanding
of Hwa-Rang-Do's philosophy is an essential part of
mastering Tae Kwon Do.
Many
studies and researches show that many fighting stances,
skills and formalized movements used in the three
kingdoms closely resemble the present stances and
forms of Tae Kwon Do. Therefore, it can be inferred
that people in the three kingdoms practiced an art
very much like the one we study today.
Today,
Tae Kwon Do has grown as a unique Korean self-defense
art for about 20 centuries. The history of Tae Kwon
Do proves that it is far more than a self-defense
form or such as a trust and courage, Tae Kwon Do develops
self confidence and respect. With all these things
in mind we can understand why Tae Kwon Do is, "a
way of life".
