Traditional Korean Arts???

[Piastre]

I know very little about the history of the Korean arts, so perhaps one of the TKD afficionados could answer my query.

 

Recently I read that after an invasion in the early part of the last century, Japanese martial arts were introduced to Korea to create a striking art (Tang Soo Do/Karate) and a grappling art (Hapkido/Aikido), and that subsequently the Korean government moved to create a blend of the two, which ultimately became Taekwondo.

 

Another person told me that Taekwondo originated during fuedal times, and the high kicks that are associated with TKD today were designed to knock a man off horseback.

 

Can somebody please separate that fact from the mythology for me?!?!

 

[ This Message was edited by: Piastre on 2002-01-13 20:52 ]

[KickChick]

There are various sites on the web where you can obtain the history of TKD. (I don't want to post it all here since it is way too lengthy .... but I like this particular account) http://ryanshroyer.tripod.com/david_jewell.html

 

The high kicks and of course the "horse stance" originated from ancient horseback fighting and evolved in to many of the practiced hyungs (katas) of TKD.

 

I know there was a thread somewhere here in the TKD forum on history of TKD but I couldn't find it

 

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[ This Message was edited by: KickChick on 2002-01-14 12:25 ]

[Piastre]

Thanks for the link Kickchick

 

Very informative.

[iamrushman]

let me see if i can do that fancy link thing..............

 

http://www.ifroggy.com/karateforums/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=786&forum=7&14

 

cool it work..here's the tkd history thread....

 

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"saying nothing...sometimes says the most"--e. dickerson

 

[ This Message was edited by: iamrushman on 2002-01-14 18:26 ]

[KickChick]

ah! THERE IT IS!!!

 

 

[Deathcometh]

I thought it was introduced by Japan like you said. I don't know who told you the other sorry.

[mastertae]

well it is currently known that not all of taekwondo came from japan...infact they found photos in the korean sewers a few months before the japanese invasion...but since japan did mangae to take over korea....some japanese arts probably were incorporated thus you actually have a blend of old and new!...also if you look at ancient texts some describe japanese delegates learning Soo Bak Do...which is an ancient form of taekwondo...from the korean royal guards...so japanese and korean arts have been evolving together for centuries...though neither country is willing to admit this...there are korean blood lines in the japanese blood lines and vice versa...there were many taekyons schools that were put together after the war obviouly they had to make some changes so they had to incorporate the japanese arts as well....to both histories are correct!

[yosis]

Taekwondo originated during fuedal times during the koreans verison of the three kingdoms and Shilla kingdom overcame the other two kingdoms.

 

that was the first form of korean tae kwon do.

 

it didn't really change that much until the monguls invaded china and then korea.

 

I can't remember the general that changed tkd in the 50's but that was what you are learning today.

[DLopez]

I've noticed that the common prevailing notion is that all Korean martial arts are a direct descendant of Japanese martial arts.

 

From what I've been reading from various sources, that notion is a one-sided idea, originating from the Japanese side and hence, propagated by proponents of Japanese martial arts.

 

In fact, some sources I've read indicate that ancient Korean martial arts were more influenced by China (Koreans adopted techniques to combat Chinese invaders), and that the flow of martial arts influence may actually have gone from Korea to Japan, not the other way around.

 

Here is an online source that echoes this:

 

completemartialarts.com

 

Navigate to: "Home: Information: Styles: Korean Martial Arts",

 

Click on titles:

 

History of Korean Martial Arts by In Sun Seo

 

History of Korean Martial Arts by Jane Hallander

 

You have to be more specific when you ask "when did Taekwondo originate?" Are you talking about the style created after the end of WWII, or are you simply using a generic term for indigenous martial arts that existed in ancient times that are Korean in origin?

 

I don't know modern TKD, so I won't try to separate how much is Japanese and how much is Korean, but I think it's safe to say that there is enough difference in TKD and say, Karate, to conclude that TKD is not just a Karate rip-off - it contains some uniquely Korean methods.

 

Beware!! Separating fact from mythology in martial arts is a lot like discussing religion or politics, so be ready for some wack opinions to be proffered and hotly defended!

[tommarker]

i have come to the conclusion that one can completely master the art as it now stands without really giving a flying frig either way.

 

If I want perspective on Jindo, I'll look at Gankaku, then Chinte, and some Shaolin White Crane, and maybe I'll change it.

 

I'm sure in the past, all three have played a role on each other. Who cares if someone thought of it first? I'm sure the first wheel Grok carved out of a piece of stone was a real turd compared to a Goodyear radial.

 

And on the flip side, there are some things that were made 100 years ago that will outlive the shortsided cheaply produced crud of today.

 

If someone wants to think that their art was handed down to them directly from boddhidharma in an unbroken 3000 year old chain, how does that affect your training? If someone wants to remain ignorant, it is certainly their choice, as the truth - in all its varying shades and degrees -- is out there somewhere.