History
By Loren Weaver
September 28, 2001
Dedicated to my parents for their help with this report and Master Brad Carter for teaching me this sport and the love of it.
Tae Kwon Do in Action1
Table of Contents
What is Tae Kwon Do?
Where did Tae Kwon Do originate?
- Some of the original name of Tae Kwon Do
- History of Tae Kwon Do
- How the Belts Originated
What attitude does Tae Kwon Do have?
- The 10 Commandments of Tae Kwon Do
- Korean Attitude Displayed in Tae Kwon Do
Conclusion
- The Five Tenets of Tae Kwon Do
Notes
Bibliography
What is Tae Kwon Do?
"Tae Kwon Do may be the most maligned of arts. Tae Kwon Do does not change. It does give power, a power of self-defense far more frightening than the mere shattering of boards. But it never once suggests an offensive use of this power. It does bring physical well being, for there is no discipline of man which trims, shapes or conditions the body as well. It does bring a fluidity to motion, a grace to movement, and physical harmony. And it does more. It brings self-strength, self-knowledge, self-confidence, and self-control.”2
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art and is the world's most widely practiced martial art. Tae Kwon Do is practiced for the power, grace and beauty of its techniques. Tae Kwon Do is a complete system of unarmed combat for self-defense. Tae Kwon Do is known for its kicking techniques. Some of which are simple and some are spectacular. By learning techniques of kicking, punching, and blocking, one trains in Tae Kwon Do. Students also practice basic sparring combinations. Tae Kwon Do is practiced as a sport by awarding points to correctly executed techniques during free sparring or by judging the quality of performance.
Where did Tae Kwon Do Originate?
Tae Kwon Do originates in the small country in Asia of Korea probably around 50 B.C. However, the sports ancestors could go back as far as 3200 B.C.
In Korean, Tae means to jump, kick, or smash with the foot. Kwon means to punch or strike with the hand or fist. Do means the are of. In English this translates as the way of fist and foot fighting.
Some of the original names of Tae Kwon Do
- Soo Bak Do
- Tang Soo Do
- Kong Soo Do
- Tae Kyon
- Tae Kwon Do
History of Tae Kwon Do
The evolution of Tae Kwon Do from its origin as a martial art and sport in a relatively small Asian country to its present day worldwide popularity is involved and complex. In its earliest form, it was probably practiced as a means of protection from the attacks of wild animals. Since these attacks could originate from any direction, a series of self-defense movements was developed that allowed one to instantly and instinctively defend himself from any possible attack. Specific patterns were formed for instinctive self-defense. These patterns became a system of blocks, kicks and punches that was the ancestor of today's modern Tae Kwon Do.
Soo Bak Do, as Tae Kwon Do was then called, was practiced as sport with detailed rules as well as being a martial arts form. The royal family supported the study of Soo Bak Do and those skilled in the art were often favorably considered for promotion in the military or civil service. At this time, pictures show a man in a drill suit with a belt around the waist, much like the modern belted doboks (or practice uniforms) used by modern students of Tae Kwon Do.
During the occupation of Japan, Tae Kwon Do was not openly practiced because it was against the Japanese laws. The Masters still taught their students the sport but only in secret. It was handed down by teaching instead of an organized sport. There became many different styles of the martial art.
After liberation of Korea in 1945 (after World War II), Tae Kwon Do began to grow again. Many different schools started and each taught their own style. This was a gradual process because the country was changing from Japanese occupation to the Russian influence with their Communistic way.
Between the end of World War II (1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953), the masters met to improve their techniques and to share their secrets so that they could make a better martial art. There was much discussion among the master instructors about how best to unite the various dojangs (martial arts schools) and recover traditional Tae Kyon.
The training started with the military to improve their kicking, forms, and sparing techniques so that they would be better armed against invaders. They held tournaments to improve their fighting in a real life situation. By the end of 1950, the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association was formed. Its main purpose was to protect the quality of the sport. This is where it became Tae Kwon Do as we know it.
During the Korean War, the Russians tried to kill all the masters and especially the grand masters in Korea. They wanted to stop the training of Tae Kwon Do. Some of the masters killed were Grand Master Sang Sup Chon, founder of Ji Do Kwan and Master Pyong In Yoon, Founder of Chang Moo Kwan. Because of this there were no surviving masters in North Korea until 1972. Many of the masters in South Korea died in the fighting.
In the 1960’s some of the masters left Korea and taught Tae Kwon Do around the world. There became a need for governing body to make and enforce rules. In May of 1973, the World Tae Kwon Do Federation was formed. This is the current governing body of Tae Kwon Do that is used in the International Olympic Games. As of the year 2000, Tae Kwon Do is an Olympic medal sport.
How the Belts Originated
- White Belt: White indicates that a person has no knowledge of the sport of Tae Kwon Do. The white-belt is automatically gained by taking Tae Kwon Do classes.
- Yellow Belt: Yellow indicates that the person is getting to know the basic techniques. This is compared to a plant growing its roots.
- Green Belt: Green indicates that a student is growing as a Tae Kwon Do student. The color of the belt is compared to a plant growing its leaves.
- Blue Belt: Blue indicates that a student is reaching higher, like a plant that is growing towards the sky.
- Red Belt: Red indicates danger. The student is warned to practice the control of their movements. The color red also warns an opponent.
- Poom (also called Junior Black Belt): Tae Kwon Do requires that you have to be 16 years old to get a black belt. If younger, you get a Poom, which can be replaced by a black belt when passed the age of 16. The requirements are the same as for the black belt.
- Black Belt: Black is the opposite of white and means the maturity of the student in the art. It also is an indication of being impenetrable fear and darkness.
What attitude does Tae Kwon Do have?
The 10 Commandments of Tae Kwon Do
- Be loyal to your country.
- Be a good son or daughter to your parents.
- Be faithful to your spouse.
- Be on good terms with your brothers and sisters.
- Be loyal to your friends.
- Be respectful to your elders.
- Respect and trust your teachers.
- Use good judgment before killing any living thing.
- Never retreat in battle.
- Always finish what you start3
Korean Attitude Displayed in Tae Kwon Do
The Korean people wanted to represent the purity at that time and their peace-loving spirit. They did not mean for Tae Kwon Do to be an aggressive sport but a defensive one. They demonstrated this in their flag.
The circle is divided equally and in perfect balance. The red upper section represents the yang and the blue lower section stands for the yin. According to traditional Oriental Philosophy, the two symbolize the great cosmic forces, which oppose each other but achieve perfect harmony and balance. The Teague circle stands for the eternal principle that everything in the universe is created and develops through the interaction between yin and yang; thus it symbolizes creation and development. The four trigrams surrounding the circle denote the process of yin and yang going through a spiral of change and growth. The three unbroken lines at the upper left represent heaven, the three broken lines at the lower right represent earth. The two broken lines with an unbroken line in the middle at the upper right represent water, and the two unbroken lines with a broken line in the middle at the lower left represent fire. The white background of the flag symbolizes the purity of the Korean people and their peace-loving spirit. The flag as a whole is symbolic of the ideal of the Korean people to develop forever together with the universe.
The Korean Flag
Conclusion
Tae Kwon Do teaches its students five basic principles of everyday living.
The Five Tenets of Tae Kwon Do
- Etiquette
- Modesty
- Perseverance
- Self-Control
- Fighting Spirit
These principles are also found in the Bible and should be applied to every Christian’s life even outside of Tae Kwon Do.
Notes
1 Lee, Soon Man. Back Cover
2 Internet Source.
3 Lee, Soon Man. p. 18
Bibliography
Encyclopedia Britannica 2001. Standard CD Edition. Published by Britannica.com
The Internet (various sources)
Landau, Elaine. Korea. United States: Children’s Press, 1999
Lee, Soon Man, and Gaetane Ricke. Modern Tae Kwon Do. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1999
Randall, Pamela. Tae Kown Do. New York: The Rosen Pubilshing Group, 1999