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Tae Kwon Do is a two thousand year old martial art form that
originated in Korea. It is based on the premise that every person
has the instinct to defend himself or herself against a sudden
attack. As a result of this basic instinct, the origins of Tae
Kwon Do date back to the earliest days of humanity on earth.
Evidence of Tae Kwon Do's past can be found in oral history and
artifacts from Korea's three early kingdoms. These three kingdoms
were called Kokooryo, Baekjae and Silla.
The Kokooryo Kingdom was founded by Kojoomong in 37 BC. Kojoomong
became known as King Dong Myeong Sung. This kingdom lasted until
the year 668 AD. An important Tae Kwon Do tradition of
Senior\Junior relationship was first established between the years
53 and 165 AD. The phrase, "Respect Senior or older, love Junior
or younger," was deeply rooted in the minds of the people of the Kokooryo Kingdom and became a part of the Korean cultural
tradition, especially in Tae Kwon Do training.
Other evidences of Tae Kwon Do as an ancient martial art have been
found in mural paintings on royal tombs. These tombs date back to
the Kokooryo Kingdom. In the mural of Mooyang Chong, two men are
in sparring positions. A man poses in a Tae Kwon Do basic form in Samssil Chong's mural painting. In Don Soo Myo's mural painting,
another sparring pose was found. Historians date these murals
between the years 3 AD. and 427 AD. These paintings place Tae Kwon
Do two hundred years ahead of the Chinese martial art form
practiced in the Shaol in temples.
This mural painting from the 4th
century Koguryo period, located at the Anak Tomb, depicts two
warriors engaged in Soo Bak-Gi fighting.
Photo: Tae Kwon-Do times, March 1995 Page 54
The Silla Kingdom was
founded by Park Hyuk Kusae in 37 BC. and lasted until 935 AD. Although the Silla Kingdom was the smallest of the three and a
primitive society, this kingdom influenced the beginnings of Tae
Kwon Do. A selected youth military organization called the "Hwa
Rang Do" practiced a systemized and innovative martial art form
called Tae Kwon Do along with their regular institutional
curriculum. Later, the Hwarang was chiefly responsible for the
victories that led to the unification of the peninsula during the
Silla Dynasty. The meaning of "Hwarang" is "Flower Knight," and
this group was organized by King Jin Heung in 567 AD. The
instructor of the "Hwarang" youth was the monk Won Kwang Bupsa. He
was also the author of the now famous Sesokokye, the following
five commandments.
- BE LOYAL TO YOUR COUNTRY.
- HONOR YOUR PARENTS.
- BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR FRIENDS.
- NEVER RETREAT IN BATTLE.
- USE GOOD JUDGMENT BEFORE
KILLING LIVING THINGS.
These commandments
became a basic way of life for the Hwarang, giving values and
principles for living to those involved in Tac Kwon Do training.
The third king of the Silla Dynasty, Yoorie, sponsored Soobakhee
contests. Those contests were predecessors to modern day Tae Kwon
Do. At that time the contests were seen as ritual festivals whose
purpose was to provide an opportunity for prayer for the welfare
of the nation. As a result of these religious festivals, the
statue of Keumkang Budda, located in the old capital of Silla, is
another strong evidence that Tae Kwon Do was practiced in the
Silla Kingdom.
Baekjae, a tribe which fled from Kokooryo, settled in the Han
River Basin. The leader, Onjo, unified all the existing tribes and
formed the ancient kingdom of Baekjae in 18 BC. As in the other
kingdoms, Tae Kwon Do played a big part in national defense. The Soo Sa system of Baekjae (closely compared with the Hwarang do
organization of the Silla Dynasty) participated in the defense of
the Baekjae Kingdom. During this time, another predecessor of Tae
Kwon Do, SooByeokTa, a famous folk event, occurred among the
villages of the Baekjae Kingdom. The winner of the contests
sometimes became the leader of the village or a military general.
Koryo was founded by Wang Keon in 918 AD. In the book Record of Koryo, Tac Kwon Do was first called Soobakhee. It was very popular
among the Koryo people. The kings of Koryo liked to watch
Soobakhee contests and awarded prizes to the winners.
Kookjakam, the national university of Koryo, and the highest
educational institution at that time for Confucious followers,
propagated and systemized Soobakhee to its highest level. During
the Koryo Dynasty, trade with all parts of the world was starting
to flourish. This exposure to the rest of the world enabled
cultural as well as product exchanges. SooBakhee was one of these
exchanges. Foreigners were attracted to this martial art form, and
historians tell us that from this time on, the Korean martial art
form began to spread to the outside world. The Koryo Dynasty was
also renamed Korea by those who came to trade.
The last dynasty of the era was the Lee Dynasty. It lasted
from 1392 to 1910 AD. SungKaeLee founded the country of Chosen and
later became the first king. His new name as king was Tae Jo. It
was during the Lee Dynasty that SooBakhee became the people's
martial art. The book, Mooyae Doba Tongjee, (the first martial
arts text book) explains the scientific approach to establish this
art in Korea after its creation and development. This book
provides detailed hand drawings of each Soobakhee technique as
well as a clear description of the principles of the art. The book
was published by Deok Moo Lee and Jac Ka Park during the reign of
King Jeong Jong in 1790.
 Sokkuram
Grotto in Kyongju, Korea.
The Grotto, on a mountainside above the Pulguksa Temple, is a
genuine clas of the buddist arts.
Photo: Tae Kwon-Do Times, March 1995,
Page 55
Historians have established that Tae
Kwon Do is the oldest form of martial art in the world, and that
it began in Korea. Throughout the history of Korea, Tae Kwon Do
has been called by several different names: Soobak, Soobakhee,
Soobyuk, Takkyeon, Beekaksool, Soobyukta and Kwonbub. Tae Kwon Do
has continued to grow and evolve as it was handed down from
generation to generation. During the end of the Lee Dynasty and
during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Tae Kwon Do appeared to
fade away, but the Tae Kwon Do spirit in Korea never died. Tae
Kwon Do started to revitalize itself with the restoration of
Korea's independence after 36 years of Japanese occupation. Since
that time, Tae Kwon Do has spread to almost every corner of the
world. It has enriched lives, provided physical and spiritual
discipline, and perpetuated a sense of tradition and values that
are necessary for a strong society. |
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