Taekwondo (태권도) is a Korean form of traditional martial arts. It is a discipline that shows the ways of enhancing your spirit and life through the training of your body and mind. It is unarmed combat based on the earlier forms of taekyon, which is Korean self-defense. The tae in taekwondo means “leg” or “to step on,” and kwon means “fight,” and do means “discipline” or “way.” All these meanings are put together to demonstrate the important concept behind the word taekwondo.
Starting with the history of taekwondo, it has been developing for 5000 years, and it has been called many different names throughout history. In the ancient kingdom of Koguryo, it was known as the training of body and mind. In the Shilla period, it was the backbone of producing leaders of the country, as young men developed strength, speed, and survival skills through unarmed combat techniques. However, in the Joseon Dynasty, people followed Korean Confucianism, so martial arts were looked down upon by scholars. However, it was still taught in the military. It slowly started making its way back as time passed on, and people studied different martial arts and incorporated elements, and it became what is known today as taekwondo. In the 1950s, a group of Korean martial artists unified their forms under a single style of hand and feet fighting, and taekwondo was recognized as a form of self-defense. In the modern days, it is known to be a discipline that gives you the art of integrating your mind, body, and spirit while also allowing you to defend yourself.
When training in taekwondo, you first train in individual techniques of kicking, punching, and blocking. After learning the basics, you practice these individual techniques combined in traditional sets, known as Hyung. When you practice taekwondo, you have to make sure that your mind is at peace and your movements are synchronized with your movements. You then extend this harmony to your life and your society.
Taekwondo practitioners wear dobok (도복). With the dobok, you wear belts with it. The belts are separated into the junior and senior sections. The junior section ranks are indicated by 급, and they wear belts from white (the lowest) to red or brown (the highest). They typically range from 8-12 급 rankings. The senior section (black belts) of ranks is generally made up of nine ranks, and each rank is known as 단 (dan). The degree of the black belt is indicated with stripes, Roman numerals, or other methods. In order to advance from one rank to the next, the students complete promotion tests to demonstrate their proficiency in the different aspects of taekwondo. Some examples of what is tested in the proficiency tests are breaking boards, sparring, self-dense, physical fitness, and history.
There are five tenets of taekwondo, which are courtesy (예의), integrity(염치), perseverance (인내), self-control (극기), and indomitable spirit (백전줄굴). Along with these tenets, there is a taekwondo oath that Choi Hong Hi, an important figure in the history of taekwondo, created. The five components of the oath are (1) I shall observe the tenets of Taekwondo, (2) I shall respect the instructor and seniors, (3) I shall never misuse Taekwondo, (4) I shall be a champion of freedom and justice, and (5) I shall build a more peaceful world. With this philosophy, taekwondo helps you lead valuable lives while also giving you the ability to defend yourself for safety. I hope that taekwondo becomes even more well known than now throughout the world, and that people can get to know about the beauty behind the art of taekwondo.
To learn more about the history of taekwondo, click here https://www.rpi.edu/dept/union/taekwon/public_html/history.html
To learn more about taekwondo, https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/sports-fitness-recreation-and-leisure-magazines/taekwondo
Comments
Hi Amy, this is very interesting to learn about! I've seen some videos of Taekwondo dance on YouTube, but I never had a chance to really learn about its levels, oath, and tenets. I am also glad to learn about the history of Taekwondo and how it developed over different periods.
That is very interesting, Amy! When I go to Korea, I will definitely try to learn. I am also very interested in Taekwondo Dance, which is group presentations to show the public their discipline, ability, and synchrony in a funny way. They sometimes use K-Pop songs in those performances, and I watch them on YouTube for fun.