World class tae kwon do

A Brief History of Tae Kwon Do, Part I

Posted by dragonfly on January 25th, 2010 in Martial Arts and have 2 Comments »

The martial art of Tae Kwon Do has a long and storied history. In fact, the earliest known records that show refer to the martial arts dates all the way back to 50 B.C. in Korea. These pieces of evidence referring to martial arts and Tae Kwon Do were found on wall paintings inside tombs. These paintings depict two men in a fighting stance.

In order to understand the history of Tae Kwon Do and the martial arts, we must discuss the history of three kingdoms in the region throughout early history. The Silla Kingdom, which ruled from 37 B.C. to 668 A.D., unified the kingdoms of the time after being victorious in the wars against the Paekje and the Koguryo. The Hwa Rang Do was an elite group of noblemen that focused on training their minds and bodies for service to the Silla. These men had an honor code and they practiced a variety of the martial arts, including Soo Bakh Do and Taekyon. Their philosophical background is the basis for modern Tae Kwon Do.

That’s just the beginning of the history of this important martial art. Read more about the History of Tae Kwon Do from Part 2 of this series.

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