COURTESY
Courtesy is the soul of the martial arts and must be observed at all times in training. It is not enough to follow rules for their sake alone; the warmth of concern is the main element of the martial arts image. The rules listed below will give you an outline, and they are important, but they must be followed from the heart.
I. The class begins and ends with a show of mutual respect between instructor and students. The instructor will lead this and the class will follow, wait for his commands. The bow is the primary way of showing respect. It can be done kneeling or standing. If standing, posture is straight, arms at sides and heels together. Bend head 45 degrees and body (from the waist) 15 degrees. If kneeling, sit on your heels with toes pointed and bend your body at the waist, not lifting weight off of your heels, with your head almost to the ground. Hold until your instructor releases.
II. Upon entering the studio (setting foot on the mat), bow standing to the flags. Be respectful at all times towards your instructor and high ranking students, and also toward your friends. Use proper language and terms of respect (“sir,” for instance), especially to the master instructor. Do not smoke or drink inside the studio and always maintain the proper attitude.
III. Maintain a high standard of cleanliness, both in mind and body. Always wear a clean uniform in good condition. It is disrespectful to yourself, your instructor, your school, and your class to do otherwise.
IV. The martial artist is respectful, generous, and tolerant towards others no matter where he/she is. In a social, professional, or family situation he/she must lead in maintaining harmony.
V. Respect your opponent. In class, promote harmony and understanding for the progress of both; give your attention him/her and communicate clearly when necessary to prevent accidents. Show deference to higher-ranking students, patience and assistance to lower ranking students.
Tenets of Taekwondo
Explanation of Tenets
1. Courtesy (Ye Ui) Taekwon-Do students should attempt to be polite to one another and to respect others. Students should address instructors as Sir and to bow to the instructors before and after classes. Turning up early or on time for classes is also an aspect of courtesy.
2. Integrity (Yom Chi) One who has integrity is able to define what is right or wrong and have the conscience, if wrong, to feel guilt. Taekwon-Do students should strive to be honest and to live by moral principles.
3. Perseverance (In Nae) Perseverance means having patience. One of the most important secrets of becoming a leader in Taekwon-Do is to overcome every difficulty by perseverance. Confucius said," One who is impatient in trivial matters can seldom achieve success in matters of great importance."
4. Self-Control (Guk Gi) Without self-control, a Taekwon-Do student is just like any fighter in the street. Loss of self-control is disastrous both in sparring and personal affairs. "The term of stronger is the person who wins over oneself rather than someone else", Lao Tzu.
5. Indomitable Spirit (Baekjul Boolgool)
A true student of Taekwon-Do will never give up, not even when faced with insurmountable odds. The most difficult goals can be achieved with indomitable spirit.
History of Taekwondo
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 him 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.
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 commandment.
• 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 Tae 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, Tae 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. 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.
Ji, Han Jae is considered by some to be the father and founder of modern Hapkido. Ji started his physical training under Master Choi, Yong Sool (Sul) as a teenager in 1953. Choi taught Bok Suh Yu Sool, the Korean version of Daito Ryu AikiJu-Jitsu. At this time, certain Korean kicks and punches were combined and the name expanded to indicate the broadened art form called Korean Hap Ki Yu Kwon Sool.
Ji, Han Jae opened his first Yu Kwon Sool Hap Ki school one year after he began training under Choi with an agreed affiliation with him. Ji left Choi in 1956 to form his own organization, shortening the long name to Hapkido. Ji immigrated to the United States in the 60's and continues to teach Hapkido today.
Hapkido and Aikido
Hapkido closely parallels (and is sometimes confused with) Aikido and is a complete system of self-defense using striking, kicking and grappling techniques. Hapkido and Aikido both have significant similarities to Daito Ryu AikiJu-Jitsu.
All Hapkido techniques are used for their practical self-defense purposes. Since the style is predominately defensive, a practitioner generally allows an attacker to make the first move, thereby committing him or herself. Originally a grappling and throwing art, it now includes a variety of strikes and kicks. Hapkido was introduced in the United States in the 1960s. The style became popular after the motion picture Billy Jack featured Hapkido in its fight scenes, realistically choreographed by Bong Soo Han, and it has grown in popularity since. In the 1970's and 80's Hapkido was taught as the style of choice to elite South Korean armed forces units.
