The Emergence of a Little Known Art Called Tae Kwon Do

Tae kwon do is an unarmed combat method with origins that date back at least 2,000 years. In 1955 it was modernized by Choi Hong Hi, and in the latter part of the 20th century, it received influences from other arts so that it now exists as both a sport and a self-defense martial art. This spectacular and dynamic art blends hand and foot techniques, and focuses on attacking opponents with kicks. In fact, it is one of the few martial arts that emphasizes kicking above the waist. Tae kwon do has become one of the most popular martial arts in the world-in 2008 there were an estimated 50 million practitioners. It joined the ranks of the events in the Olympic Games when it became a full-medal sport at Sydney in 2000.

Two ancient arts

Most of tae kwon do's teaching comes from two ancient arts: taekyon, a kicking art and sport noted for fast combinations of kicks from unusual angles and for rapid-fire takedowns; and subak, a fist-orientated art designed for the battlefield and for the training of early Korean warriors. Northern Chinese systems of boxing, which relied heavily on kicking as a battle tactic, also influenced tae kwon do-for example, the flying sidekick or jumping sidekick was originally used as a technique to fell warriors on horseback.

The First Book of Martial Arts

In 1392, shortly after the expulsion of the Mongols when the Yi dynasty established their rule over Korea, the country adopted a Confucian philosophy that stressed the importance of literature over warriorship. As a result, martial arts in Korea all but disappeared from the public eye. Masters and teachers withdrew from society but continued practicing their arts in remote mountain locations, including Buddhist monasteries. In 1790, the first martial arts book was made available to the public in Korea. Called Muye Dobo Tongji, it contains 24 martial disciplines known as "muyi 24 gi," which are often demonstrated inside Suwon Fortress near Seoul by soldiers in traditional dress. In the book there are 38 illustration of hand techniques that form the practice of tae kwon do.

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