Tae Kwon Do is a distinctly Korean martial art which, in its earliest instinctive form, was probably practiced as a means of protection from wild animals. Since animal attacks could originate from any direction at any time, a series of self-defense movements developed which enabled the practitioner to quickly defend himself. Those earliest patterns of blocks, kicks and punches gradually evolved into the modern art of Tae Kwon Do.
The formal beginnings of Tae Kwon Do occurred during the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC to 668 AD). The Three Kingdoms were the Koguryo, the Paekje and the Silla Kingdoms. In its style and techniques, the Taekyun discipline of this period was very similar to the classical model of today’s Tae Kwon Do. (Taekyun was also known as Subakhi.) In the Three Kingdoms period, martial arts served as training for warriors as well as for traditional games. During the Harvest Moon Festival, various Korean tribes assembled to hold contests among themselves, much like the early Olympics in Greece. Taekyun and Subakhi games were even staged as matches and demonstrations at the royal court.
During the Silla Kingdom, Hwarangdo was developed. “Hwarangdo” means “Flower of Youth Corps.” This was, at the time, a very unique system of training young men in which both academics and the martial arts were stressed. Many historians consider Hwarangdo to be the actual origin of the systematic martial arts training we now call Tae Kwon Do.
Buddhism was already the Korean national religion during the Three Kingdoms period. Subakhi became a part of the Buddhist discipline of mental and physical exercise. Because Buddhist monks were trained in the martial arts, they participated in the national defense of their Kingdom. In 1592, Japan invaded Korea. The Japanese warriors were armed with weapons obtained from the West. Using these weapons the Japanese were able to capture the Korean capital, Seoul, in less than three weeks. With the independence of the Kingdom threatened, the monks formed Buddhist National Salvation guerrilla groups. Using their early form of Tae Kwon Do as their only means of attack, the monks defeated the Japanese in battle after battle and finally drove them from Korea.
Military training was neglected in Korea during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. No organized instruction was available. As a result, martial arts forms could only be handed down from father to son, or teacher to disciple, and always with the greatest of secrecy. As the Yi Dynasty came to a close in 1909 with the Japanese occupation of Korea, the practice of military skills declined even further. In an attempt to destroy all Korean identity, the Japanese colonial government banned all Korean cultural activities, including team sports and the practice of martial arts. The Japanese correctly believed that the practice of Subakhi and Taekyun could stimulate a spirit of Korean national patriotism. Nevertheless, some martial arts instructors secretly continued to practice their skills. In this way the Korean martial arts were kept alive. Moreover, Japanese Karate and various Chinese forms of martial arts were introduced into Korea during this time, and teachers of Korean martial arts incorporated these foreign techniques into the forms they were secretly practicing.
After Korea’s liberation from Japan on August 15, 1945, Korean traditional culture began once again to flourish. Masters, who had maintained their practice of Tae Kwon Do in secret, now began to organize again for systematic training. In 1954 Tae Kwon Do became firmly established with its current name. “Tae” refers to kicking and to techniques of using the feet. “Kwon” refers to punching or techniques using the hands. “Do” refers to discipline or enlightenment. In 1963, Tae Kwon Do was adopted as one of the Korean national medal sports. It also became part of physical education classes throughout the nation.
During the Vietnam War, Korea sent forty thousand troops to South Vietnam. These troops were all trained in Tae Kwon Do. From publicity it received during the war, Tae Kwon Do began to spread internationally, and today ranks as the world’s most popular martial art.
The World Tae Kwon Do Federation, headquartered at Kukkiwon in Seoul, Korea, was officially established in 1980. Tae Kwon Do became a demonstration sport in the 24th Seoul Olympics in 1988. This exposure further heightened Tae Kwon Do’s popularity around the world. Furthermore, the International Olympic Committee meeting in Seoul gave approval for Tae Kwon do to become an official Olympic event. Tae Kwon Do will debut as an official Olympic sport at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. By 1988, there were 2,000 Tae Kwon Do masters instructing over 30 million students in 120 nations around the world.
Tae Kwon Do has a long and rich history. Its phenomenal success is due to its ability to develop balance, speed, agility, strength and rhythm in any student willing to learn. Tae Kwon Do offers both a physical and a mental challenge. Tae Kwon Do encourages self-discipline, self-control, and inner peace. It provides a setting to develop an emotional well being free from stress and fear. Tae Kwon Do develops self-confidence and respect for others. It is truly a unique approach to life; indeed, it is a way of life!