TAEKWON-DO

The Origins of our Martial Art

The origin of Korean Martial Arts 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 on pagodas of temples of the Silla period, and documents written in the Paekche dynasty showed fighting stances, skills, and formalized movements similar to today's Martial Art 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 Korean Martial Arts first appeared in the Koguryo kingdom, it is the Silla's Hwarang warriors that are credited with the growth and spread of Martial Arts 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 (The original Korean Martial Art) 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,

The modern Martial art we call Taekwon-do 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 Martial Art and Sport. In 1955, the name Taekwon-do was chosen to represent this unified style of Korean martial arts.The person credited as the father of Taekwon-do was General Choi Hong Hi.in 1959 He was elected as President of the Korean Taekwon-do Association and in 1966 he founded the first world wide Taekwon-do Organization The International Taekwon-do Federation.He held that position untill the day he died. June 15th 2002