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History of Taekwondo Many historians have traced Taekwondo's origins as far back as the Koguryo Dynasty (37 B.C.-668 A.D.), during which 'Tae Kyon,' an ancient form of the martial art, flourished. During the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-936 A.D.), forms of Tae Kyon were practiced by the Hwarang ('flowering youth”), an elite troupe of aristocratic warriors, who practiced martial arts as a way of life and who were closely associated with the king and his court. Tae Kyon evolved into 'Subak' during the reign of the next Korean dynasty, called Koryo (936-1392). In the Koryo era, Subak became more popular with commoners as it developed from its elite military origin. Further popularization of Subak, coupled with the aristocracy's loss of interest in the martial art, strengthened its reputation as a sport for the people during the Yi dynasty (1392-1910). In first half of the 20th century, Subak was outlawed during Japanese colonialization of the Korean peninsula because the Japanese viewed it as a means of revolt. However, various anti-colonial resistance groups such as the Independence Army continued to practice the earlier form of Taekwondo. The next turn in Taekwondo's long history came after World War II. The end of Japanese colonial rule, the repatriation of Korean martial artists from Japan and its colonies, and the growing interest in Korean culture all contributed to a fertile environment in which elements of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean martial arts were fused to create new self-defense and combat systems. This milieu was further enriched by the fact that many Korean soldiers had been trained in Japanese martial arts during their service in the Japanese army, and were therefore familiar with several disciplines. As a result, new traditions were quickly established: Chung Do Kwan, Moo Duk Kwan, Tang Soo Do, and Song Moo Kwan. After an initial period of experimentation, Taekwondo emerged as the main vehicle for the new arts. First used as a term in 1955, by its principal founder, General Hong Hi Choi, Taekwondo is itself a syncretic fusion of several martial arts that emphasize hand and foot techniques. Perhaps due to this complex context, Taekwondo's founding organizations have been embroiled in controversy since its postwar consolidation. The first large association formed was called the Korea Taekwondo Association (1961), headed by General Choi, who also instituted the practice of the art in the military, training soldiers as well as members of the air force. As the head of the KTA, Choi was in the process of establishing the International Taekwondo Federation (eventually consolidated in 1966), when he was forced to leave the country for political reasons. In 1973, the first world Taekwondo competition was held in Seoul, South Korea, in the wake of Choi’s absence. At this event, the World Taekwondo Federation was created, with headquarters in Seoul. At present, after numerous attempts, Choi’s ITF (based in Canada) and the WTF, the two most widely recognized Taekwondo organizations, have no plans to unite. The adoption of Taekwondo by the national school curriculum (from elementary to post-secondary levels) as well as by the military’s training programs attests to its prominent status in the history of postwar South Korea. The creation of the World Taekwondo Federation and the International Taekwondo Federation has resulted in the dissemination of constitutional rules and regulations to affiliates in various countries. Consequently, the discipline's growth worldwide has resulted in its inclusion in several Olympic games, first as a demonstration sport in 1988 (24th Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea) and as an official Olympic sport in 2000 (27th Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia). |
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