The Origin of Taekwondo
The origin of Taekwondo traces back to the three kingdoms of Koguryo (37 BC-668 AD), Paekche (18 BC-600 AD), and Silla (57 BC-936 AD). Mural paintings on the royal tombs of the Koguryo dynasty, the stone sculptures of pagadas of temples of the Silla period, and documents written in the Paekche dynasty showed fighting stances, skills, and formalized movements similar to today's Taekwondo styles and forms.
All three kingdoms indulged in growing national strength with trained warriors. Therefore, the Korean history tells that there were military personalities among the well-known prominent national leaders of the three kingdoms, which proves the military tendency of ruling hierarchy.
Although Taekwondo first appeared in the Koguryo kingdom, it is the Silla's Hwarang warriors that are credited with the growth and spread of Taekwondo throughout Korea. Silla was the smallest of the three kingdoms and was always under attack by Japanese pirates. Silla got help from King Gwanggaeto and his soldiers from the Koguryo kingdom to drive out the pirates. During this time a few select Sillan warriors were given training in Taek Kyon by the early masters from Koguryo.
The Taek Kyon trained warriors became known as the Hwarang. The Hwarang set up a military academy for the sons of royalty in Silla called Hwarang-do, which means "the way of flowering manhood." The guiding principles of the Hwarang warriors were loyalty, filial duty, trustworthiness, valor, and justice. The makeup of the Hwarang-do education was based on the Five Codes of Human Conduct written by a Buddhist scholar, fundamental education, Taek Kyon and social skills. Taek Kyon was spread throughout Korea because the Hwarang traveled all around the peninsula to learn about the other regions and people.
The modern period of Taekwondo began with the liberation of Korea in 1945 after World War II. Korea wanted to eliminate Japanese influences (in martial arts) and began to unite the various martial arts schools and styles into a single style and national sport. In 1965, the name Taekwondo was chosen to represent this unified style of Korean martial arts.
Kukkiwon The present Kukkiwon was finished in 1972 and was used as the central gymnasium as well as the site of various Taekwondo competitions. A year later on May 28, 1973 the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) came into existence. The first World Taekwondo Championships were also held in 1973. In 1980 the World Taekwondo Federation was granted recognition by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC). Then the adoption of Taekwondo as an official event was followed by the World Games in 1981, the Pan-American games in 1986, and finally by the 2000 Olympics held in Australia.
The Origin of
Hapkido
"The Way of Coordination and Internal Power," is one of the three major
Korean martial arts. Founded in 1963 by Choi Young-Sul, it is a system of
self-defense. It can be described as a fusion of Aikido and Tae Kwon Do. It's
many grappling techniques make it an idea street fighting art. There is a lot
of kicking, punching and screaming involved in this art. Combined with the
deadly art of Aikido, it makes it a deadly fighting style. Hapkido uses the
color belt system like other Korean Martial Arts and Japanese Karate. Many
Hapkido schools can be found throughout the United States and the World.
There is also a World Hapkido Federation.
Many Korean purists consider Hapkido to not be real Korean Martial Art
because of it's Japanese influences.
The founder of Hapkido was Yong Shui Choi. He was born in Yong Dong, Choong
Chung Province, South Korea. It is a small city near Tae Gue, South Korea. He
was born in 1904.
In 1909, Korea came under Japanese occupation. It widely believed that the
Japanese enslaved Yong Shui Choi at the age of seven to become a servant in
Japan. It was common practice back then to relocate Young Korean girls and
boys into servitude in Japan. Many of the minority population in Japan can
trace their roots back to this period.
Choi began working for a Japanese karate master named Sokaku Takeda
(1860-1943), the 32nd Patriarch of Daito Ryu Aikijitsu. Takeda was 44 years
old at the time Choi was only 7 years old. Choi was given a Japanese name,
Yoshida, Asao.
Choi worked as an employee of Takeda, one can argue, as a slave. At this
period in history, the Japanese considered themselves to be the superior
Asian race. They downgraded the Korea and Chinese population as 3rd class,
almost slave status. During this period, the future founder of Hapkido was
but a slave. It is a myth among Western Hapkido students that Choi was
treated as a son or an adopted son. It is unanimously believed amongst the
early Hapkido Grandmasters that Choi was a slave, no more, no less of Takeda.
Takeda's own son, Tokimune Takeda, stated that he never new Choi. Choi
remained under the servitude of Takeda for 30 years. Takeda died on April 25,
1943, and Choi regained his freedom. Choi would soon return to his homeland
of Tae Gue, South Korea.
It is during Choi's servitude with Takeda that hey may have learned many of
the techniques that would later become incorporated into the future Hapkido.
There is however no historic record of Choi ever being a certified student or
teacher of Daito Ryu.
Choi's first student was Suh Bok Sup. He was a former brewery manager. Prior
to his studies with Choi, Suh Bok Sup was a 1st Dan Black Belt in Judo, under
the Korean Judo instructor Choi Yong Ho. In Feb 1948, the then 24 year old
Suh witnessed Choi, who was now in his forties, engage in a street brawl with
several men. This led to Suh hiring Choi, who was then working as a street
rice cake salesman after his return to Korea. Choi would teach Suh for
several years privately and would also work as a bodyguard for Suh's father,
Suh Dong Jin.
With the help and inspiration of Suh Bok Sup, Choi opened up his first
Hapkido school in February of 1951. Suh would become Choi's first black belt
student. Due to Suh's advanced understanding of Judo, many Judo techniques
would later become a part of Hapkido.
As time progressed and other Korean martial art pioneers, such as General
Hong Hi Choi (Taekwondo) and Hwang Kee (Tang Soo Do) were rediscovering and
expanding upon the offensive nature of Tae Kyon (Korean Martial Arts), their
discoveries influenced some of the advanced students of Choi, such as Ji, Han
Jae, who slowly began to incorporate the very aggressive punching and kicking
techniques into the overall understanding of Hapkido. Choi, himself, never
taught kicking in association with Hapkido, however.
Today, there is no one Hapkido. Each teacher began to branch out incorporate
their own flavor and styles. Some Hapkido teachers will have a lot of
grappling and lock techniques while other Hapkido instructors may emphasize
the strong punches and kicks associated with traditional Korean Martial Arts.
