Korean martial arts
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Korean martial arts (Korean: Musul (무술 hanja: 武術) or Muye (무예 hanja:武藝)) are the various martial arts that originated in or were adapted and modified by Korea. The best known are Taekwondo and Hapkido, although there has been a revival of Korean sword arts as well as knife fighting and archery.
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[edit] Origins
[edit] Ancient origin
Ancient terminology is often used by modern founders of new schools. For example, Hwarangdo, an art passed down for many generations, claims its roots in the Hwarang (花郎 "flowering knights" which means "chosen knights") of Silla, although very little is known about the martial training of that time.
Taekyon, however, was fairly well known as an ancient Korean tradition that survived the Japanese occupation. Today, Taekkyon has made a huge come back in Korea under the leadership of Grandmaster Yong Bok Lee, with hundreds of schools and over 100,000 practitioners. Taekkyon has also began to spread outside of Korea to Germany, France, Kazakstan, Canada and a hand full of practitioners in the USA.
[edit] Martial arts
In the late 19th - Early 20th Century, Koreans were exposed to Japanese versions of Chinese martial arts such as Shotokan karate. A great deal of systemization of martial arts came from Japan to Korea during Japan's colonization of Korea through outlawing traditional Korean practices and only allowing the Japanese education system to be lawful. Even with the ban on Korean practices some Koreans were able to influence Japan's martial art style, most notably Choi Yeong-Eui, who practiced martial arts in Korea at an extremely young age then moved to Japan and began learning Shotokan karate from Gichin Funakoshi at age 15, then later as an adult he developed Kyokushin karate. Other Korean students in Japan also studied Japanese martial arts. A number were students of Funakoshi. Their mastery of karate led to its modification, developing a new martial art which incorporated Taekyon-style kicks called Taekwondo. Also at the same time, many Koreans studied martial arts in neighboring Manchuria and China. After the 1945 liberation, Korean martial artists made conscious efforts to re-establish Korean martial arts and distance themselves from the influence of Japanese occupation, including incorporating or preserving what remained of traditional Korean arts.
Choi Yong Sul came back from Japan after the war and started teaching a style, which he said he had learned form Sokaku Takeda. He called his style Yawara, but it was later renamed to Hapki Yusool and again renamed to hapkido. Students of Choi Yong Sul like Ji Han Jae helped to spread this art. Hapkido helped re-vitalize traditional Korean martial arts by providing the systemization and becoming incorporated into the other martial art styles. This process complemented modern Korean martial arts like Kuk Sool Won and Hwarangdo.
Many modern Korean martial arts have been influenced by both traditional and imported Korean martial arts, while some have also relied on manual like the Mu Ye Che Bo (무예제보), written in 1599 and the Mu Ye Do Bo Tong Ji (무예도보통지) written in 1791. The Mu Ye Che Bo was compiled when the Japanese invaded Korea during the Seven Year War. Later it was re-editted and named the Mu Ye Shin Bo (무예신보) and eventually revised again in 1791. These manual primary focus on battle field tactics and techniques. Only the Mu Ye Do Bo Tong Ji contains a chapter about unarmed fighting, called Kwon Bub (권법). There are also many Korean modern martial arts that are recompilations or reorganizations of techniques from traditional or imported arts. Many of the arts here visually appear to have more of a Chinese influence than other Korean martial arts (except for Taekyon). Others have been influenced by boxing or other Western influences as well.
Additionally, it is not clear who created these arts in the first place in their most ancient form - often, exponents of Korean martial arts argue that Korea in fact created these arts in ancient times, which then passed over to Japan, and then were later re-imported back to Korea. Historically, many cultural features, including Chinese calligraphy, Buddhism, pottery techniques, city design, and political systems, were transmitted from China to Korea, and in modified form, retransmitted to Japan, which further modified them. As with other adjacent cultures, constant borrowings and adaptations in various directions make claims of origin very difficult to prove using only fragmentary evidence.
The forms of martial arts which today can be viewed as being a traditional Korean martial art (as opposed to modern Korean martial arts) is taekkyon and a handful of other Martial arts such as Subyokchigi, Mudokkwan Subakdo and various weapon and archery martial arts as well as Buddhist Martial arts such as Seonmudo and wrestling such as Ssireum. Taekkyon is also the only Korean martial arts which received that status of 'intangible cultural asset' (no. 76) from the Korean government.
[edit] Teaching methods
Modern Korean martial arts systemization and presentation are very similar to modern Japanese martial arts, i.e. barefoot, with uniforms, classes executing techniques simultaneously following the teacher's commands, and sometimes, showing respect to portraits of the founder by bowing to the picture or national flags. Many modern Korean martial arts also make use of colored belts to denote rank, tests to increase in rank, and the use of Korean titles when denoting the teacher. These include:
- Sabomnim (사범님/師範님): teacher
- Kwanjangnim (관장님/館長님): training hall owner/Kwan leader
- Dojunim (도주님/道主님): keeper of the way
These Korean terms are based on Confucian rank systems (with the same Chinese characters).
Many schools also make use of Korean terminology and numbers during practice.
[edit] Terminology
Korean martial arts are usually practiced in a dojang (도장) which can also be referred to as cheyukkwan (체육관). The practitioners wear a dobok (도복) with a belt or ti (띠) wrapped around it. This belt usually shows which grade the practitioner has. A student usually starts of with a white belt and through a range of colored belts (which differ from style to style) finally gets his or her black belt. The grades before black belt are gups (급) while the grades from black belt on are dans (단). Some styles use stripes on the black belt to show which dan the practitioner has. It is common for a system to have 9 gups and 9 dans. While it might only take a few months to go from gup to gup, it can take years to go from one dan to the other. In some styles, like taekkyon, the hanbok is worn instead of a dobok. The v-neck that many taekwondo uniforms have, was supposedly fashioned after the hanbok.
[edit] Styles of Korean martial arts
| Martial art | Annotations |
|---|---|
| Chung Do Mu Sool Won (meaning 'True-Way Martial Arts') | This was the original form of the martial arts used by the Korean Royal Army, Royal Palace Guards, and Royal Bodyguards. Reference to this form can be found in the Mu Yae Tobo Tongji and the Korean National Archives. This form uses multiple styles of fighting, and unlike many other Korean styles Chung Do retains a fair amount of weapons training. Skills employed vary from joint locks, fist arts, kicking arts, and pressure point throws. Chung Do also incorporates the arts of Jiapsul (Accupressure) and Chimsul (Acupuncture, etc.). |
| Charyok (차력/借力) (literally meaning 'Stance Art') | This is an art that mainly focused on various forms and stances. |
| kwansunmu(관선무) | |
| Kukkgong(국궁/國弓) | Korean archery, making use of a traditional composite horn bow. |
| Koong Sul | |
| Koong Shi Do | |
| Koong Do Archery | |
| Choson Sebop (조선세법/朝鮮勢法) | This is a sword style originated in Chosun. It has many hand and a half techniques along with slicing with little movement. |
| Seonmudo (선무도/禪武道)/Bulmudo (불무도/佛武道) | These are Korean martial arts passed down by the Buddhist monks and mostly preserved until today |
| Ssireum (씨름) | This is Korean Competition wrestling. It is a folk martial art. The art requires the opponents to grasp each other in the sash belts that they wear. Whoever lets go first is the loser, or the person that falls first through a technique like a throw, trip, or a strike. This art is still used in Korean culture today. Mostly used as a contest in festivals and such. |
| Subyokchigi (수벽치기) (literally translated, it means 'Bare Block Striking') | It is a breaking art in Korea that trains the martial artists to break stone, Metal, and wood with their bare hands. Many martial artists from different art backgrounds take this art to further discipline themselves. |
| Mudokkwan Subakdo (무덕관수박도/武德館手搏道) | Subakdo is a peasant art that was used in many competitions by and for peasants. The art was mainly of kicking and soft fist styles; the kicks were different, they were very fluid, outward, direct and crescent while in the new Taekwondo styles, it consists of abrupt movement and snappy kicks. |
| Taekkyon (택견) | This is a traditional Martial art that Subak was divided into. It uses many sweeps with straight forward low kicks using the ball of the foot and the heel and flowing crescent like high kicks. There are many kicks that moved the leg outward from the middle and inward from the outside using the side of the heels and the side of the feet. The art also used tricks like inward trips, wall jumping, fake outs, tempo, and slide stepping. the art is also like a dance which the fighter constantly changes his or her stance from his or her left to his or her right by stepping forward and backwards while his or her arms are up and ready to guard. This art requires traditional Korean white robes which were worn commonly in the past of Korea. |
| Martial art | Annotations |
|---|---|
| Dahn Mudo | This Korean martial art that consists of Korean techniques and Dahn Yoga aspects in breathing and an overflow of energy. |
| Kumsul (검술/劍術) (literally meaning 'Sword Techniques') | Many scrolls were passed down, spoken through mouth, and taught to many young warriors. |
| Hankumdo | This is a Korean sword-art where the basic techniques are based on the letters of the Korean alphabet, hangul. |
| Gwon-gyokdo (권격도/拳擊道) | This is a Korean style of Kick Boxing. |
| Gyongdang | This is a martial art which uses weapons like the sword, long stick etc. Its origin is the Muyedobotongji, and its founder is Grandmaster Lim Dong Kyu |
| Haidong Gumdo (해동검도/海東劍道) (literally meaning 'Techniques of the Eastern Asian Sword') | This is a sword art that claims to have deep roots of Korean martial art history. Its original name was Hae-Dong Gum Sool. It is more concentrated on field techniques and combos rather than having only one opponent. |
| Hankido (한기도/韓氣道) | This is a martial art developed by grandmaster Myung Jae Nam based on both Hapkido and Aikido as well as a lot of own creation. |
| Hanmudo (한무도/韓武道) | This is an art created by Kimm He-Young; a martial arts historian and Martial Artist who made a deep study of Korean culture and arts. This art is also one of the arts that claims to have deep roots in Korean culture. The art consists of many different striking, grappling, and weapon techniques. Its signature feature is the mu han de, or infinity symbol, shaped movement incorporated into blocking, grappling and striking. Han Mu Do should not be confused with a martial art of Han Moo Do. |
| Han Moo Do | Han Moo Do (also Hanmoodo) is a Korean-style martial art founded in Finland by Young Suk. It is mainly practiced in the Nordic countries. Hanmoodo contains almost all sectors of traditional martial arts and its exponents may participate in full-contact competition. |
| Hapkido (합기도/合氣道) | This martial art has the same roots as Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu, but many kicks, acrobatics, and weapons added later. |
| Hoejon Musul (회전무술/回轉武術) | This is a form of Korean martial arts that was developed by Grandmaster Myung Jae Ok which uses circular motions in order to direct an opponent's power against him/her. |
| Hwarangdo (화랑도/花郞道) | Hwarangdo is also an art that claims to have deep origins of Korean martial arts. Grand Master Joo Bang Lee claims to have studied with an old hermit master in the mountains with his brother in the past. |
| Kumdo (검도/劍道) (literally meaning 'Sword Art') | This has the same Chinese characters as Kendo. |
| Kuk Sool Won (국술원/國術院) | This is an art that claims to have deep Korean origins. The art is based on three branches of traditional Korean martial arts: Family/Tribal martial arts, Buddhist Temple martial arts, Royal Court martial arts. |
| Kwonbup (권법/拳法) (Kwonbup literally means 'Fist Techniques') | There were many different scrolls that depicted these techniques. A lot of them were influenced by Buddhist martial arts. |
| Mudokkwan Subakdo (무덕관수박도/武德館手搏道) | Subakdo is a peasant art that was used in many competitions by and for peasants. The art was mainly of kicking and soft fist styles; the kicks were different, they were very fluid, outward, direct and crescent while in the new Taekwondo styles, it consists of abrupt movement and snappy kicks. |
| Muye 24 ki (무예이십사기/武藝 二十四 技) | This is a Korean martial art that tries to revive the techniques of the Muyedobotongji. |
| Shippalgi (십팔기/十八技) | This is a martial art that consists of weapons based on the Mu Ye Shin Bo. |
| Taekwondo (태권도/跆拳道) | This is a modern martial art that is based on Korean style kicks and punching techniques that are based on Karate forms. Much of its emphasis is on sparring, similar to that of Kyokushin Karate which is also made by a Korean Choi Yeong-Eui; this is now an Olympic sport. |
| Tangsudo (당수도/唐手道) (Tang Soo Do (tangsudo) literally means 'Tang Influenced Techniques') | It is similar to Shaolin fist. It has the same characters as Karate which is the Japanese version of this art. |
| Tugong musul (특공무술/特攻武術) (literally meaning 'Techniques of the Korean Special Forces') | |
| Kang Duk Won | A martial art that places more emphasis on punching then kicking |
| Yongmudo | A modern combination of Taekwondo, Hankido, Ssireum, and Judo developed at Yong-In University. |
| Youn Wha Ryu | This is an advanced system of fighting techniques from almost every available style of martial art |
| Gongkwon Yusul | This is a martial art style combining Taekwondo, Kyokushin, Yudo and Jujutsu. |
| Martial art | Annotations |
|---|---|
| Subak (수박/手搏) (Means '(Empty handed') | It is a term that was used for martial arts that didn't involve weapons. (Chinese translation 'Shoubo') |
| Yusul (유술/柔術) | Means grappling martial arts of the past. The Chinese characters are identical to Jujutsu and it is thought by some to have been the origin for Japanese Jujutsu. |
