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Q: Ready Stance is called ?
A: Junbi Sogi
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i like it...
- Jean Luongo
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| THE HISTORY OF TAEKWON-DO
After the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) the nation of Japan asserted it self as a power in Asia. Japan invaded Korea
in 1905, finally forcing the abdication of Emperor Sunjong and controlling foreign and domestic affairs. Japan formally
annexed Korea in 1910. Under the first Japanese governor-general, Terauchi Masatake, Korea suffered great oppression;
he was the first of many to attempt the forced acculturation of Koreans and the systematic destruction of the Korean
identity. Newspapers, political organizations and all other institutions were controlled by the Japanese government,
as an attempt to systematically destroy Korea's identity. This did not stop underground movements, which strove to
keep Korean culture alive by promoting the use of the language and tradition. This underground movement included the
practice of Korean Martial arts. Taek Kyon was secretly practiced by some dedicated stalwarts and passed on to a handful
of students. Proponents of the Art, such as Song Duk Ki, Han II Dong and a few others managed to keep the art alive.
It was Han II Dong who taught General Choi Hong Hi, who is often referred to as the "father of Taekwon-Do."
Japan finally lifted the ban on martial arts in Korea in order to gain military might for WWII. Koreans were free to
practice Taekwon-do as well as numerous other Japanese martial arts: Judo and Juken-jutsu (bayonet art), and later,
Kung fu and Karate in 1943.
Korea's liberation was inevitable after the United States dropped the first atom bomb on Hiroshima in August, 1945.
The Soviet Union then declared war against Japan and marched troops into North Korea and Manchuria. The United States
reacted in alarm to the threat of communism in the strategic Korean peninsula, with President Truman proposing a joint
occupation of Korea. The Soviets occupied the north while the United States controlled the South, and it was hoped by
both these powers that Korea would adopt that nation's political ideology. The Soviets desired a communist Korea while
the United States wanted to establish a democratic nation. Thus, Korea's liberation was short lived.
Between 1945 and 1946 numerous factions vied for power. A Korean Patriot named Syngman Rhee soon acquired political
power in South Korea eventually positioning himself as the dominant political leader in 1947. And it was during this
period of national turmoil emerged that numerous Kwans (styles) of Taekwon-Do emerged in Seoul.
The first Kwan was Chung Do Kwan in 1945, followed by Moo Duk Dwan, Tang Soo Do ("Way of Chinese Hand"), Yun Moo Kwan,
and, in 1946, Chang Moo Kwan, followed by Chi Do Kwan. The Korean Judo Association was formed in 1945 and, in 1946,
Tae Kyon instructors began teaching troops in Kwang Ju. On January 15, 1946, second lieutenant Choi Hong Hi was
released from a Japanese prison camp, having previously been forced to enlist in the Japanese army. Originally
stationed in Kyoto, Japan, Choi Hong Hi, now General Choi, studied Shotokan Karate earning his second Dan with a
Korean instructor, Mr. Kim.
In 1948 South Korea held its first general elections, which led to the establishment of the Republic of Korea (ROK),
recognized by the United Nations as the legitimate government of Korea. This led to elections in the north with Kim II
Sung declared president of the new Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPKR), recognized by the Soviet Union and
other communist countries. In the winter of 1948 Korea became permanently divided. Both countries continued to increase
their weapons in preparation for war, while both leaders claimed that military force would be necessary to unify Korea.
On June 25, 1950 the Korean War broke out.
After the liberation of Korea General Choi had started teaching arts to both Koreans and Americans stationed in Tae-Jon,
which led to the creation of Tae Kwon Do. Having seen the Japanese practice recreational kendo and karate, General Choi
wanted Koreans to have a martial art form of their own, as an expression of their own culture. In a sense Taekwon-Do
became a symbol of Korean national unity, allowing Koreans to reestablish a sense of pride and nationalism after suffering
years of humiliation under Japanese occupation.
Tae Kwon Do was taught to all members of the ROK armed forces, and like other forms of training, it was used to develop
combat spirit and as a physical exercise to keep the troops in a state of good physical conditioning. In order to
distinguish Taekwon-Do from Karate, General Choi added high and fancy kicking techniques. According to Peyton Quinn
these techniques were never intended as combat techniques. Looking at the political turmoil of the country at that time,
one must wonder how accurate that statement really is.
General Choi's goal was to spread Taekwon-Do to the rest of the world in order to prevent Korea from further suffering
and exploitation. He hoped that by promoting Taekwon-Do other nations would see Korea as stronger and more independent.
From 1946-1954, General Choi systematically developed new fighting techniques based on the traditional morals and ethics
of Asian philosophies. He emphasized the importance of physicality, the principles of modern science, specifically
Newtonian physics, which teaches us how to maximize power, as well as numerous military tactics.
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