From The Martial Arts Encyclopedia

Taekwondo is a modern Korean martial art that is notable for its fast high and spinning kicks. This martial art is a combination of Japanese, Chinese and ancient Korean fighting methods. Today, it has become a global sport that has gained an international reputation, and stands among the official games in the Olympics, and is the national sport of Korea.

The word Taekwondo can be separated in 3 hanja characters to extract its meaning: tae ("hand" or "foot"), kwon ("strike" or "smash"), and do ("the way" or "the path"). Thus, Taekwondo means "the way to stike with a fist/foot", or as the World Taekwondo Federation puts it: "Taekwondo is the proper way to use the foot and the fist in promoting peace."

Because of its global popularity, Taekwondo has undergone divergent evolution. As with many other martial arts, taekwondo is a combination of combat technique, self-defense, sport, exercise, entertainment, and philosophy.

Contents 1 History 2 The ITF and WTF 2.1 World Taekwondo Federation 2.2 International Taekwondo Federation 3 Techniques 3.1 Poomsae 3.2 The guiding philosophies of Poomsae 3.3 Tul 4 Ranks and Promotion 4.1 Belt color explanation 5 See also

History

The earliest records of martial arts practice in Korea date back to about 50 B.C. These earliest forms of Korean martial arts are known as Taek Kyon. Evidence that martial arts were being practiced at that time can be found in tombs where wall-paintings show two men in a fighting stance. Others reject this evidence and say that these men could be simply dancing.

The oldest Korean ancestor of Taekwondo is an amalgamation of unarmed combat styles developed by three rival kingdoms in the earliest recorded days of Korean history. Young men were trained in unarmed combat techniques to develop strength, speed, and survival skills. The most popular of these techniques was Soo Bakh Do. Taek Kyon was the most popular of the segments of Subak.

During the period in which these predecessor arts evolved, there were three Korean kingdoms:

1. Koguryo (37 B.C. - 668 A.D.)
2. Paekje (18 B.C. - 600 A.D.)
3. Silla (57 B.C. - 935 A.D.)

As the Koguryo (sometimes spelled Goguryeo) kingdom grew in power, the neighboring Silla Dynasty became comparatively weaker, and an effort was undertaken among the Silla to develop a corps of special warriors. The Silla had a regular army but its military training techniques were less advanced than those of the Goguryeo, and its soldiers were generally of a lesser caliber. The Silla selected young men, some as young as twelve, and trained them in the liberal arts. Those who demonstrated strong natural aptitude were selected as trainees in the new special warrior corps, called the Hwa Rang Do. It was believed that young men with a talent for the liberal arts might have the grace to become competent warriors. These warriors were instructed in academic as well as martial arts, learning philosophy, history, a code of ethics, and equestrian sports. Their military training included an extensive weapons program involving swordsmanship and archery, both on horseback and on foot, as well as lessons in military tactics and unarmed combat using Soo Bakh Do.

Silla unified the kingdoms after winning the war against Paekje in 660 A.D. and Koguryo in 668 A.D. The Hwa Rang Do played an important role at this unification. The best translation for "Hwa Rang" would probably be "flowering youth" (Hwa = "flower", Rang = "young man"). The Hwa Rang Do had an honor code and practiced various forms of martial arts, including Taek Kyon and Soo Bakh Do. The old honor code of the Hwa Rang is the philosophical background of modern Taekwondo.

A time of peace followed Silla's unification of the three kingdoms, and the Hwa Rang Do turned from a military organization into a group specializing in poetry and music.

In 936 A.D., Wang Kon founded the Koryo dynasty ("Koryo" is an abbreviation of Koguryo). The name Korea is derived from Koryo. During the Koryo Dynasty, the sport of Soo Bakh Do, which was then used as a military training method, became popular. During the Joseon Dynasty (also known as the Yi Dynasty. 1392 A.D. - 1910 A.D.) this emphasis on military training disappeared. King Taejo, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, replaced Buddhism with Confucianism as the state religion. According to Confucianism, members of the upper class should study the great poets, read poems, and play music. Martial arts was something for the common, or even inferior, man.

During the Japanese colonial period, the practice of Taek Kyon was discouraged and eventually banned. Teaching and practice of the art nearly vanished, and was saved from extinction only by underground teaching and folk custom. Koreans were exposed to many Japanese martial arts, such as Karate, during the occupation. As the Japanese colonization established a firm foothold in Korea, the few Koreans who were able to attend Japanese universities were exposed to Okinawan and Japanese martial arts. Koreans in Manchuria and China also learned traditional Chinese martial arts. By 1945, when the Korean peninsula was liberated from Japanese colonization, martial arts schools arose under various names, including Kong soo do (a Koreanization of "kung fu") and tang soo do (tang in reference to the Chinese Tang dynasty). The original promotion patterns and belt ranking system in these arts were entirely derived from Karate.

Modern Taekwondo is a combination of adjacent styles of martial arts, mainly the Japanese Karate and Northern styles of Chinese martial arts. From 1910 up until the end of World War II, Japan occupied Korea, and numerous Korean soldiers went to Japan to undergo training. It was from this training that the modern forms of Taekwondo evolved. These forms are characterized by quick linear movements, which are characteristic of various Japanese fighting systems.

After World War II, when Korea became independent, several kwans (Korean martial arts schools) arose. These kwans were:

• Chung Do Kwan
• Moo Duk Kwan
• Yun Moo Kwan
• Chang Moo Kwan
• Oh Do Kwan
• Ji Do Kwan
• Chi Do Kwan
• Song Moo Kwan

The Kwans united in 1955 as Tae Soo Do. In the beginning of 1957, the name Taekwondo was adopted by several Korean martial arts masters, for its similarity to the name Taek Kyon.

General Choi Hong-hi required the army to train Taekwondo, so the very first Taekwondo students were Korean soldiers. The police and air force had to learn Taekwondo as well. At that time, Taekwondo was merely a Korean version of Shotokan Karate. In 1961 the Korean Taekwondo Union arose from the Soo Bakh Do Association and the Tae Soo Do Association. In 1962 the Korean Amateur Sports Association acknowledged the Korean Taekwondo Union, and in 1965 the name was changed to Korean Taekwondo Association (K.T.A.). General Choi was president of the K.T.A. at that time and was asked to start the I.T.F. as the international branch of the K.T.A. The South Korean government was overthrown in 1961, so General Choi Hong-hi left for America and established I.T.F. (International Takewondo Federation) Taekwondo as a separate entity two years later.

In 1972, the Korea Taekwondo Association Central Dojang was opened. A few months later, the name was changed to the Kukkiwon, which means "National Technique Center." In the following year, the World Taekwondo Federation was formed. The International Olympic Committee recognized the WTF and taekwondo sparring in 1980, and the sport was accepted as a demonstration event at the 1988 Seoul and the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games. It became an official medal event as of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Taekwondo is one of two Asian martial arts (judo being the other) in the Olympic Games. The Kukkiwon remains the World Taekwondo Federation headquarters to this day.

The public WTF and private ITF, the two largest taekwondo organizations, operate and train in hundreds of nations and teach the martial art to millions of people each year.

The ITF and WTF

The major technical difference among these two organizations revolves around the poomsae (a set of prescribed formal sequences of movements that demonstrate mastery of posture, positioning, and technique), sparring rules for competition, and philosophy.

World Taekwondo Federation

The World Taekwondo Federation is the largest taekwondo oragnization in existence today and is based in South Korea. It was established in May 28, 1973, and eventually it became a recognized member of the International Olympic Committee. This organization administers the Olympic taekwondo competitions, and its own sets of rules are used in this sport. The WTF is sometimes confused with the Kukkiwon; however, it must be noted that the Kukkiwon is the physical structure that houses the offices of the World Taekwondo Headquarters, which is a different organization.

The WTF recognizes national Taekwondo governing bodies recognized by the National Olympic Committee, one in each pariticpating country, as its members. It is also responsible for the awarding of dan grade belts (black belts) among its members.

International Taekwondo Federation

Earlier, General Choi established ITF Taekwondo (which practices a more traditional form of taekwondo) while WTF Taekwondo (which has a strong emphasis on sparring) became an olympic sport in 2000.

ITF started concentrating on the forms developed by General Choi, while the KTA (which later became the WTF) concentrated on the Palgwe foms (see Poomsae. Later the WTF abandoned the Palgwe forms in favor of Taeguk forms. Slowly, the WTF emphasis turned to sparring. This is also the reason why a lot of people call (WTF) Taekwondo a martial sport rather than a martial art.

The American Taekwondo Association (ATA) is a smaller organization, and has many similarities to the ITF. The ATA has a copyright on the forms of the organization, so these forms cannot be used in competitions by non-members. There are many organizations, but the three mentioned above have the most members.

ITF practices the so-called 'semi-contact' part of Taekwondo, while WTF practices the so-called 'full-contact' part. ITF focuses more on the traditional way of taekwondo. Since the break-up, there have been many attempts to reunite WTF and ITF, so far without success. There probably will never be a union within Taekwondo.

Techniques

Poomsae

Forms, or poomsae in the Korean language, are a series of defending and attacking movements performed against imaginary opponents in a set pattern. Through the practice of forms, students come to learn the applications of various techniques of Taekwondo. Forms serve a multi-dimensional role, aiding in development and refinement of coordination, balance, timing, breath control and rhythm, all of which are essential skills to the Taekwondo student.

W.T.F. uses Poomses for patterns. Poomses originate from the book 'I Ching', a Chinese oracle. The I Ching has 64 hexagrams, a combination of two sets of three lines, closed or broken. The sets of three lines are called trigrams. The closed lines represent Yang, the open lines Yin. In the Chinese language, the unity of Yin and Yang is called 'taich'i'. In the Korean language, the unity is called T'ae-guk.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Il Jang -- Heaven

(South, Father) The first Taeguk/Palgwe is the beginning of all Poomses. The associated trigram represents Yang (heaven, light); therefore, this Poomse should be performed with the greatness of Heaven.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Ee Jang -- Lake

(South East, Youngest daughter) In the depths of the lake are treasures and mysteries. The movements of this Taeguk/Palgwe should be performed knowing that man has limitations, but that we can overcome these limitations. This should lead to a feeling of joy, knowing that we can control our future.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Sam Jang -- Fire

(East, Second daughter) Fire contains a great deal of energy. Fire helped man to survive, but on the other hand has the potential for catastrophe. This form should be performed rhythmically, with some outbursts of energy.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Sa Jang -- Thunder

(North East, Eldest son) Thunder comes from the sky and is absorbed by the earth. Thunder is one of the most powerful natural forces, circling, gyrating. This Taeguk/Palgwe should be performed with this idea in mind.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Oh Jang -- Wind

(South West, Eldest daughter) Wind is a gentle force, but can sometimes be furious, destroying everything in its path. Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Oh Jang should be performed like the wind: gently, but knowing the potential for destruction within each movement.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Yook Jang -- Water

(West, Second son) Water can move a mountain. The movements of this Poomse should be performed like water: sometimes standing still like water in a lake, sometimes as turbid as a river.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Chil Jang -- Mountain

(North West, Youngest son) Mountains always look majestic, no matter their size. This Poomse should be performed with the feeling that all of its movements are thus majestic and deserved to be honored in their performance.

• Poomse Taeguk/Palgwe Pal Jang -- Earth

(North, Mother) The associated trigram of this Poomse is Yin: the end of the beginning, the evil part of all that is good. Even in this darkness, there is still some light.

The guiding philosophies of Poomsae

Both Palgwes and Taeguks are numbered from one to eight. At this time, there is no longer a difference between the patterns. The patterns below follow the Poomse Taeguks as well as the Poomse Palgwes.

• Poomse Koryo

Koryo (Korea) is the name of an old Korean Dynasty. The people from the Koryo period defeated the Mongolian aggressors. Their spirit is reflected in the movements of the Poomse Koryo. Each movement of this Poomse represents the strength and energy needed to beat the Mongols.

• Poomse Keumgang

The definition of Keumgang is "too hard to be broken". The movements of the Poomse Keumgang are as beautiful as the Keumgang-san (a Korean mountain) and as hard as a Keumgang-seok (diamond).

• Poomse TaeBaek

The legendary 'Dangoon' founded a nation in Taebaek, near Korea's biggest mountain Baekdoo. Baekdoo is a symbol for Korea. The definition of Taebaek is "lightness". Every movement in this Poomse must not only be exact and fast, but performed with determination and hardness.

• Poomse Pyongwon

The definition of Pyongwon is "stretch, vast plain": big, majestic.

• Poomse Sipjin

Sipjin stands for decimal. This Poomse represents the orderliness of the decimal system. It also means the endless development and growth in a systematic order: stability.

• Poomse Jitae

Jitae is derived from the meaning of the earth. All things evolve from and return to the earth; the earth is the beginning and the end of life.

• Poomse Cheonkwon

Cheonkwon means 'sky'. The sky is the ruler of the universe. It is mysterious, infinite and profound. The motions of Cheonkwon are full of piety and vitality.

• Poomse Hansoo

This poomse is derived from the fluidity of water which easily adapts within nature.

• Poomse Ilyo

The state of spiritual cultivation in Buddhism is called 'Ilyo', which means something like 'oneness'. In Ilyo, body and mind, spirit and substance, "I"and "you" are unified. The ultimate ideal of taekwondo can be found in this state. This form is a discipline in which we concentrate on every movement, leaving all materialistic thoughts, obsessions ,and extraneous influences behind.

Tul

I.T.F. has 24 patterns (or Tul) representing the 24 hours of the day, or the whole of a man's life. There are 10 patterns for the first black belt, at which point the member moves from being a 'beginner' to a 'novice'.

The primary difference between I.T.F. and W.T.F. (from looking to the two) is that I.T.F. uses a 'stepping' movement for all hand techniques.

This 'stepping motion' that the I.T.F. utilizes is referred to by I.T.F. practioners as "Sinewave", "Knee Spring" or "Up/Down Motion". It causes the body to move in a "sine wave", resulting in the whole body being involved at the moment of impact, blocking or attacking.

This techniques is not used for hand techniques only, but for kicking techniques as well.

• Chon-Ji Tul (19 movements)

Literally means heaven and earth. It is interpreted as the creation of the world or the beginning of human history; therefore, it is the initial pattern played by the beginner. This pattern consists of two similar parts, one to represent the Heaven and the other the Earth.

• Dan-Gun Tul (21 movements)

Dan Gun is named after the Holy Dan Gun, the legendary founder of Korea in the year 2333 B.C..

• Do-San Tul (24 movements)

Do-San is a pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-Ho (1876 - 1938). The 24 movements represent his entire life, which he devoted to furthering education in Korea and the Korean independence movement.

• Won-Hyo Tul (28 movements)

Won-Hyo was the noted monk who introduced Buddhism to the Silla Dynasty in the year 686 A.D.

• Yul-Gok Tul (38 movements)

Yul-Gok is a pseudonym of the great philosopher and scholar Yi I (1536 - 1584), nicknamed the "Confucius of Korea". The 38 movements of this pattern refer to his birthplace at 38 degrees of latitude, and the diagram of the pattern represents scholarship.

• Joon-Gun Tul (32 movements)

Joong-Gun is named after the patriot Ahn Joong-Gun who assassinated Hiro Bumi Ito, the first Japanese governor-general of Korea and the person primarily responsible for the Korea-Japan merger. There are 32 movements in this patter to represent Mr Ahn's age when he was executed at Lui-Shung in 1910.

• Toi-Gye Tul (37 movements)

Toi-Gye is the pen name of the noted scholar Yi Hwang (16th century), an authority on neo-Confucianism. The 37 movements of the pattern refer to his birthplace at 37 degrees of latitude; the diagram represents scholarship.

• Hwa-Rang Tul (29 movements)

Hwa Rang is named after the Hwa Rang youth group which originated in the Silla Dynasty in the early 7th century. The 29 movements refer to the 29th Infantry Division, where Taekwondo developed into maturity.

• Choong-Moo Tul (30 movements)

Choong-Moo was the name given to the great Admiral Yi Soon-Sin of the Yi Dynasty. He was reputed to have invented the first armored battleship (Kobukson) in 1592, which is said to be the precursor of the present-day submarine. This pattern ends with a left hand attack to symbolize his regrettable death. He was noted for his absolute loyalty to the King.

• Kwang-Gae Tul (39 movements)

Kwang-Gae is named after the famous Kwang-Gae-Toh-Wang, the 19th king of the Koguryo Dynasty, who regained all the lost territories of Korea including the greater part of Manchuria. The diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory. The 39 movements refer to the first two figures of 391 A.D., the year he came to the throne.

• Po-Eun Tul (36 movements)

Po-Eun is the pseudonym of loyal subject Chong-Mong-Chu (1400), who was a famous poet and whose poem, "I would not serve a second master though I might be crucified a hundred times", is known to every Korean. He was also a pioneer in the field of physics. The diagram represent his unswerving loyalty to his king and his country towards the end of the Koryo Dynasty.

• Ge-Baek Tul (44 Movements)

Ge-Baek is named after Ge-Baek, a great general in the Baek-Je Dynasty (660 A.D.). The diagram represents his severe and strict military discipline.

• Eui-Am Tul (45 Movements)

Eui-Am is the pseudonym of Son Byong Hi, leader of the Korean independence movement on March 1, 1919. This form's 45 movements refer to his age when he changed his name of Dong Hak (oriental Culture) to Chondo Kyo (Heavenly Way Religion) in 1905 A.D. The diagram represents his indomitable spirit, which he exhibited while in his dedication to the prosperity of Korea.

• Choong-Jang Tul (52 Movements)

Choong-Jang is the pseudonym given to General Kim Duk Ryang, who lived during the Yi Dynasty in the 14th century. This pattern ends with a left hand attack to symbolise the tragedy of his death in prison at the age of 27, before he was able to reach full maturity.

• Juche Tul (45 Movements)

Juche is the philosophical idea that man is the master of everything and decides everything — in other words, the idea that man is that master of the world and his own destiny. It is said that this idea was rooted in Baekdu Mountain, which symbolise the spirit of the Korean people, and accordingly this form's diagram represents Baekdu Mountain.

• Sam Il Tul (33 Movements)

Sam Il denotes the historical date of the independence movement of Korea which began throughout the country on March 1, 1919. The 33 movements in the pattern stand for the 33 patriots who planned the movement.

• Zoo-Sin Tul (68 Movements)

Yoo Sin is named after General Kin Yoo Sin, a commanding general during the Silla Dynasty. The 68 movements refer to the last two figures of 668 A.D., the year Korea was unified. The ready posture signifies a sword drawn to the right rather than the left side, symbolizing Yoo Sin's mistake of following his king's orders to fight with foreign forces against his own nation.

• Choi Yong Tul (46 Movements)

Choi Yong is named after General Choi Yong, Premier and Commander-in Chief of the armed forces during the 14th century Koryo Dynasty. Choi Yong was greatly respected for his loyalty, patriotism, and humility. He was executed by subordinate commanders headed by General Yi Sung Gae, who later became the first king of the Yi Dynasty.

• Yon Gae Tul (49 Movements)

Yon Gae is named after Yon Gae Somoon, a famous general during the Koguryo Dynasty. The 49 movements refer to the last two figures of 649 A.D., the year he forced the Chinese Tang Dynasty to leave Korea after killing nearly 300,000 of their troops at Ansi Sung.

• Ul-JI Tul (42 Movements)

Ul-JI is named after general Ul-Jl Moon Dok, who successfully defended Korea against a Tang's invasion force of nearly one million soldiers led by Yang Je in 612 A.D. Ul-Jl, employing hit and run guerilla tactics, was able to kill a large percentage of the invading force. The diagram represents his surname. The 42 movements represent the author's age when he designed the pattern.

• Moon-Moo Tul (61 Movements)

Moon Moo honors the 30th king of the Silla Dynasty. His body was buried near Dae Wang Am (Great King's Rock). According to his will, the body was placed in the sea, "where my soul shall forever defend my land against the Japanese". It is said that the Sok Gul Am (Stone Cave) was built to guard his tomb. The Sok Gul Am is a fine example of the culture of the Silla Dynasty. The 61 movements in this pattern symbolize the last two figures of 6612 A.D. when Moon Moo came to the throne.

• So-San Tul (72 Movements)

So San is the pseudonym of the great monk Choi Hyong Ung (1520 - 1604) during the Lae Dynasty. The 72 movements refer to his age when he organised a corps of monk soldiers with the assistance of his pupil Sa Myung Dang. The monk soldiers helped repulse the Japanese pirates who overran most of the Korean peninsula in 1592.

• Se Jong Tul (24 Movements)

Se-Jong is named after the greatest Korean King, Se-Jong, who invented the Korean alphabets in 1443, and was also a noted meteorologist. The diagram represents the king, while the 24 movements refer to the 24 letters of the Korean alphabet.

• Tong Il Tul

Tong Il denotes the resolution of the unification of Korea which has been divided since 1945. The diagram symbolises the homogenous Korean race.

Ranks and Promotion

Like many martial arts, taekwondo has ten student ranks called gup and nine or ten black belt ranks (dan). New students begin at 10th gup (white belt) and advance down in number to 1st gup (red belt). Some schools have an additional intermediate rank called cho dan bo, meaning "black belt candidate" and sometimes abbreviated as dan bo. After some prescribed amount of time has passed, the student takes a dan test, after which the student becomes a 1st dan.

Dan ranks then increase to a maximum of either 9th dan (ITF) or 10th dan (Kukkiwon). Kukkiwon does not allow students under 16 to attain dan ranks. Instead, they earn poom" ranks, or "junior black belt". Underage students may earn up to 4th Poom, and all poom ranks convert automatically to dan ranks when the student comes of age and passes his or her next promotion.

Grading in taekwondo consists mainly of patterns, techniques and theory. The patterns are a display of punching and kicking techniques, and may also contain other techniques such as breathing and stances. Theory is displayed verbally and expresses information on Korean words, vital information (such as vital points and rules), and a general understanding and knowledge of taekwondo.

Belt color explanation

The colored belt system is an artifact of Japanese influence on Korea during the occupation, and thus ultimately from Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo. Some organizations' leaders, like General Choi, assigned meanings to the various colors of the ranks, representing the progression of a student from the snows of winter (white belt), through a cycle of the seasons representing the student's growth (yellow, green, blue, red), into the maturity of the black belt. The interpretation of the colors of the belt vary from school to school, and are sometimes omitted from instruction, as they did not have meaning when they were originally chosen. Neither the World Taekwondo Federation nor the Kukkiwon assign official meanings to the colors.

However, this explanation of belt colors was derived from the book of General Choi Hong Hi.

• White Belt (10th Gup)

The color white indicates that a person is "innocent", i.e., has no knowledge of Taekwondo. The white-belt is automatically gained by taking Taekwondo classes.

• Yellow Belt (8th Gup)

The color yellow indicates that the person is getting to know the basic techniques; this stage is compared to a plant growing its roots.

The student going for yellow belt is usually not skilled enough to show "Chayu daeryon" (non-contact sparring). Instead the student has to show "Sajoe" ("four-direction-movement", one specific technique shown to all directions).

• Green Belt (6th Gup)

The color green indicates that a student is growing as a Taekwondo student. The color of the belt is compared to a plant growing its leafs.

• Blue Belt (4th Gup)

The color blue indicates that a student is reaching higher, like a plant that is growing towards the sky.

• Red Belt (2nd Gup)

The color red indicates danger. The student is warned to practice control of his/her movements. The color red also warns an opponent.

• Black Belt (1st dan)

Black is the opposite of white and means the maturity of the student in the art. It also is an indication of being invulnerable to fear and darkness.

See also

• Competitions & Tournaments
• International Taekwondo Federation Competition Rules
• World Taekwondo Federation Competition Rules