World class tae kwon do

More about the History of Tae Kwon Do, Part II

Posted by dragonfly on February 2nd, 2010 in Martial Arts and have 1 Comment »

Last week, we started discussing the history of Tae Kwon Do within the martial arts. We told you about the kingdom Silla and the noblemen of the HwaRang which arose after wars with other regions.

Following the wars that united the kingdom Silla, there was a time of peace. During this time, the HwaRang began switching their focus from being a military organization to one that focused on music and poetry. In 936 A.D., Wang Kon founded the Koryo Dynasty, which eventually turned into Korea.

During this time, Soo Bakh Do was a major sport used for training military people. The military training stopped when the Joseon Dynasty took power and Confucianism replaced Buddhism as the state’s official religion. Confucianism placed a greater emphasis on poems and music while stating that martial arts was for the common man.

As for Tae Kwon Do, this art has influences from a number of other martial arts. It has its basis in Japanese Karate because Korea was dominated by Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. During the war, many Korean soldiers received training in Japan. The Japanese tried to get rid of any traces of Korean culture during this time. As a result, there are many Japanese influences in Tae Kwon Do.

Next week we will conclude our discussion of the modern form of Tae Kwon Do.

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