Tae Kwon Do & Tradition
The
name "Tae Kwon Do" is only about eighty-nine years old, the origins of the art
reach far back into Korean history. During the sixth century A.D. the Korean
peninsula was divided into three kingdoms, Shilla, Paek Ja, and Koguryo. Shilla,
the smallest, was in constant peril of being overrun by her more powerful
neighbors for the advanced wealth, technical skills and art forms that she was
famous for. In response to this pressure, Shilla assembled an elite fighting
corps from the young members of the aristocracy which they called the "Hwarang
Do," or the "Flower of Youth".
In addition to the regular military training of the day, the Hwarang Do
subjected themselves to severe physical hardship and rigorous mental discipline
in order to condition the body and gain wisdom, working toward building great
strength and long lasting endurance. Legend has it that they went into the
mountains along the seashore, studying the fighting techniques of nature to use
to their own advantage.
New movements were added to their existing form of weaponless fighting known as
"Tae Kyon," popular among common people. In addition to these new foot and hand
techniques, the Hwarang Do also incorporated into their art certain Buddhist
exercises in intense concentration in order to achieve a harmonious integration
of mind and body. Modern Tae Kwon Do owes much to the valorous Hwarang Do.
Although no one can say exactly how the technical skills of today's practice
compare with the killing techniques used to such great effect on ancient
battlefields, some strong similarities exist. There is no doubt at all that the
ethical spirit of the art may be traced directly to the five pointed code of the
Hwarang Do, which emphasized loyalty to the nation, respect of the parents,
faithfulness among friends, courage in battle, and avoidance of unnecessary
violence and killing. To consider Tae Kwon Do as simply a "sport" or just
another means of getting in shape is to deny the proud heritage of almost two
thousand years. The combined thought and experience of centuries has produced
our modern art which continues to draw strength and stability from the past.
Tae Kwon Do was first introduced into the United States in the 1950s. Along the
path of unification initiated by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (W.T.F.),
instructors in the United States organized and made possible the admission of
Tae Kwon Do into the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in 1974.
Under the sanction of the National AAU Tae Kwon Do Union, using guidelines
established by the W.T.F., Tae Kwon Do developed rapidly as a competitive sport.
In response to the growth, the NAAUTU was renamed the United States Tae Kwon Do
Union, Inc. (USTU) in 1984 and offices were established at the United States
Olympic Complex in Colorado Springs. Today the USTU is the Tae Kwon Do
organization recognized by the US Olympic committee as the national governing
body. Tae Kwon Do grows stronger daily, not only through increased
participation, but through increased commitment within the Tae Kwon Do community
to conduct scientific research towards a modern understanding of Tae Kwon Do’s
dynamics. Although a martial art with roots, Tae Kwon Do continues to evolve and
benefit from the commitment of its modern practitioners.