From General Choi, Hong Hi....

                     

Although the origins of the martial arts are shrouded in mystery, we consider it an undeniable fact that from time in memorial there have been physical actions involving the use of the hands and feet for purpose of self-protection. If we were to define these physical actions as "Taekwon-Do", any country might claim credit for inventing Taekwon-Do. There is, however, scant resemblance between Taekwon-Do, as it is practiced today, and the crude forms of unarmed combat developed in the past. Modern Taekwon-Do differs greatly from other martial arts. In fact, no other martial art is so advanced with regard to the sophistication and effectiveness of its technique or the over-all physical fitness it imparts to its practitioners. Since the theories, terminology, techniques, systems, methods, rules, practice suit, and spiritual foundation were scientifically developed, systematized, and named by the author, it is an error to think of any physical actions employing the hand and feet for self-defense as Taekwon- Do. Only those who practice the techniques based on the author's theories, principles and philosophy are considered to be students of genuine Taekwon-Do. When and where did Taekwon-Do begin? A combination of circumstances made it possible for me to originate and develop Taekwon-Do. In addition to my prior knowledge of Taek Kyon, I had an opportunity to learn Karate in Japan during the unhappy thirty-six years when my native land was occupied by the Japanese. Soon after Korea was liberated in 1945, I was placed in a privileged position as a founding member of the newly formed South Korean Armed Forces. The former provided me with a definite sense of creation, and the latter gave me the power to disseminate Taekwon-Do throughout the entire armed forces, despite furious opposition.

The emergence of Taekwon-Do as an international martial art in a relatively short period of time was due to a variety of factors. The evils of contemporary society (moral corruption, materialism, selfishness, etc.) had created a spiritual vacuum. Taekwon-Do was able to compensate for the prevailing sense of emptiness, distrust, decadence and lack of confidence. In addition, these were violent times, when people felt the need for a means of protecting themselves, and the superiority of Taekwon-Do technique came to be widely recognized. My social stature, the advantage of being Taekwon-Do's founder and my God-given health also contributed to the rapid growth of Taekwon-Do all over the world. My involvement with the martial arts did much to supplement the health that God gave me. I had been born frail and weak and was encouraged to learn Taek Kyon at the age of fifteen by my teacher of calligraphy. In 1938, a few days before I was due to leave Korea to study in Japan I was involved in an unexpected incident that would have made it difficult to return home without risk of reprisals. I resolved to become a black belt holder in Karate while I was in Japan. The skills I required were, I felt, sufficient protection against those who might seek to do me harm. Not only was I able to return to Korea, but I subsequently initiated the national liberation movement known as the Pyongyang Student Soldier's Incident. Like so many patriots in the long course of human history, my actions aroused the wrath of those in positions of power. I was imprisoned for a time in a Japanese army jail. In January of 1946, I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the fledgling Republic of Korea army and posted to the 4th infantry regiment in Kwangju, Cholla Namdo Province as a company commander. I began to teach Karate to my soldiers as a means of physical and mental training. It was then that I realized that we needed to develop our own national martial art, superior in both spirit and technique to Japanese Karate. I strongly believed that teaching it throughout the country would enable me to fulfill the pledge I had made to three of my comrades, who had shared my imprisonment by the Japanese." The reason that our people suffer in this way at the hands of the Japanese," I had said, "is that our ancestors failed to rule wisely". "They exploited the people and, in the end, lost the country to foreign domination. If we ever regain our freedom and independence, let us not become the rulers of the people. Instead, let us dedicate ourselves to advising those who rule." It was with this ambition in mind that I began to develop new techniques, systematically, from March of that same year. By the end of 1954 I had nearly completed the foundation of a new martial art for Korea, and on April 11, 1955, it was given the name "Taekwon-Do".

On the spiritual level, Taekwon-Do is derived from the traditional, ethical and moral principles of the orient and, of course, from my personal philosophy. Even though I am only five feet tall, I pride myself on having lived-in strict accordance with my moral convictions. I have tried to fight on the side of justice without fear of any kind. I believe that this was possible for me only because of the formidable power and indomitable spirit instilled by Taekwon-Do. The physical techniques of Taekwon-Do are based on the principles of modern science, in particular, Newtonian physics which teaches us how to generate maximum power. Military tactics of attack and defense have also been incorporated. I wish to make it clear that although Karate and Taek Kyon were used as references in the course of my study, the fundamental theories and principles of Taekwon-Do are totally different from those of any other martial art in the world. In March of 1959, I led the military Taekwon-Do demonstration team on a tour abroad. We visited South Vietnam and Taiwan. It was the first such visit in the history of Korea. On this occasion, I renewed my resolution to leave my personal legacy to the world, in the form of Taekwon-Do, and I formulated the following basic ideals for the Taekwon-Do practitioners: 1. by developing an upright mind and a strong body, we will acquire the self-confidence to stand on the side of justice at all times;2. we shall unite with all men in a common brotherhood, without regard to religion, race, national or ideological boundaries;3. we shall dedicate ourselves to building a peaceful human society in which justice, morality, trust and humanism prevail; I also resolved to dedicate myself to the world-wide propagation of Taekwon-Do, in the sincere hope that it would provide the means by which the unification of the divided halves of my fatherland would become possible.

My study of Taekwon-Do proceeded in two parts, spiritual discipline and technical perfection. Because the human spirit belongs to the realm of metaphysics, what I mean by spiritual discipline is not easy to describe. One cannot touch, see or hear the spirit of man, It is wider and deeper than anything we can perceive. In this respect, Choi, himself, is only another student participating in a continuing and never-ending learning process. Choi has come to define the spiritual dimensions of Taekwon-Do as fusing oneself with the ideals of Taekwon-Do and attaining and understanding the full meaning of each of the Taekwon-Do patterns. If we consider ourselves as one with Taekwon-Do, we will respect it as we respect our own bodies and Taekwon-Do will never be used in a dishonorable way.The names of the patterns are derived from the most illustrious people to have been produced by nearly five thousand years of Korean history. A proper understanding of the patterns leads, inevitably to the realization that Taekwon-Do is a martial art to be used only for self-defense and only in the cause of justice. The history of Korea contains not a single sample of its military forces being employed for the invasion of its neighbors or for any other purpose except national defense.

In the technical area, Choi created a wide variety of techniques that can be used in almost any situation.

They are based on the following principles:

All movement should be designed to produce maximum power in accordance with scientific formulas and the principle of kinetic energy
The principles behind the techniques should be so clear that even those ignorant to Taekwon-Do will be able to distinguish correct from incorrect movement
The distance and angle of each movement should be exactly defined in order to achieve more efficient attack and defense
The purpose and method of each movement should be clear and simple, in order to facilitate the teaching and learning process
Rational teaching methods should be developed so that the benefits of Taekwon-Do can be enjoyed by everyone, young and old, men and women
Attack should be possible against any vital spot on the body and it should be possible to defend against all varieties of attack .
Correct breathing methods should be devised, enhancing the speed of each movement and reducing fatigue .
Each attacking tool should be clearly defined and soundly based on the structure of the human body.
Each movement should be easy to execute, enabling the student to enjoy Taekwon-Do as a sport and recreation.
Special consideration should be paid to promoting good health and preventing injuries
Each movement should be harmonious and rhythmical so that Taekwon-Do is aesthetically pleasing
Each movement in a pattern must express the personality and spiritual character of the person it is named after.

Adherence to these basic principles is what makes Taekwon-Do a martial art, an aesthetic art, a science and sport.

Choi Hong Hi
President ITF

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From Grandmaster Hwang Kwang Sung....

              

Taekwon-Do was brought into this world on April 11, 1955. Before this time, there was no Taekwon-Do, no Chonji or Dan-Gun tul; the original Taekwon-Do patterns.

In 1957, General Choi Hong Hi who also was elected as its first president established the Korean Taekwon-Do Association. It is impossible to explain the history of Taekwon-Do without mentioning General Choi Hong Hi, the president of the ITF.

General Choi was born in 1918, in a small, rural village in what is now North Korea called Ham Kyung Buk Do, Myung Chun Gun Hwa Dae Myun. When was young, his parents were concerned because his body was frail and weak, although he was independent and very responsible. The young boy, like the future General he would one day become, was strong on the inside in mind and spirit. When he was 12 years old, he was expelled from school for being an agitator to the Japanese authorities. Japan occupied the Korean peninsula at the time. His parents enrolled him in a private school where he studied calligraphy under the renowned Mr. Han IL Dong. Coincidentally, Han also happened to be a Master of Taekyon, the Korean art of foot fighting. Taekyon dates back to about 200-300 years ago because Taekyon can only be written with a Korean alphabet. The Korean alphabet was developed only several hundred years ago. But in the history of Korea, other martial arts, such as Soo Bak Gi, have been practiced since ancient times.

While General Choi was in Kyoto, Japan, he met a fellow Korean by the name of Mr. Kim Hyun Soo. Mr., Kim introduced karate to General Choi. This experience along with his knowledge of Taekyon influenced his development of the new Korean martial art of "Taekwon-Do".

Taekwon-Do movements and techniques are scientifically designed to create power. Compared with other martial arts, Taekwon-Do is well structured, using descriptive terminology for the anatomy and physics, with well-established rules of competition.

However, Taekwon-Do is similar to other martial arts in its original purpose. Large or small, young or old, male or female, anyone can benefit from and enjoy practicing Taekwon-Do and learn to create maximum power. All the techniques and theories of Taekwon-Do are contained in a 15-volume encyclopedia originally published in 1980. General Choi not only proposed the name "Taekwon-Do", but also developed the techniques, the terminology, and it's system for teaching and training. His comprehensive book on Taekwon-Do allowed him to reach millions of students throughout the world. General Choi personally taught Taekwon-Do himself throughout the world, gaining many faithful students.

When World War II broke out, General Choi was drafted against his will into the Japanese army as a "student soldier". While stationed at Pyongyang, North Korea, he planned an insurrection as part of the Korean Independence Movement called the Pyongyang Students' Soldiers' Movement. He was turned into Japanese authorities and was interned at a Japanese prison camp. He was freed the day after Japan surrendered, August 15, 1945, ending World War II. That was how he saved his life and began a second life.

While in the solitude of his jail cell, he practiced martial arts training with his bare hands and feet on a cold concrete floor. He promised himself that if he were ever to live in freedom, he would dedicate his entire life to building Korea's martial arts program.

There is an Oriental expression that disaster will turn to happiness and happiness will turn to disaster. If General Choi had been a nine foot tall giant, Taekwon-Do would probably not exist. If Korea had not endured 36 years of occupation by the Japanese, General Choi might not have developed patience; the patience that enabled him to establish Korea's own martial art. It is difficult to imagine but Japan's attempt to destroy Korean culture inspired General to create a martial art for 20 million Koreans.

Taekwon-Do has twenty-four unique patterns developed by General Choi. Reason being is that when you consider eternity, the life time of one person, perhaps one hundred years; is only a day. Therefore the twenty-four patterns represent twenty-four hours of the day, or the lifetime of General Choi, his legacy to the human race.

The first of these patterns is named "Chon-ji" which means "heaven and earth". It is interpreted in the orient as the creation of the universe and the beginning of human history; therefore, it is the pattern practiced by the beginner. The next pattern is called "Dan-Gun". and as any Korean is well aware, Dan-Gun is the legendary founder of Korea. The next pattern is called "Do-San". Do-San is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-ho, (1876-1938), who devoted his entire life to the education of Korea and its independence movement. The next patterns are Won-Hyo", a noted monk, and 'Yol-Gok", a great philosopher. Joong-Gun, the next pattern, was named after the patriot Ahn-Joong Gun. The 32 movements in this pattern represent his age when he was executed in Liu Shung prison in 1910. Subsequent patterns are Tae-Gae, Hwa-Rang and Choong-Moo, the name given to Admiral Yi Soon-Sin. The final pattern is called "Tong-IL". Tong-IL denotes the reunification of Korea, which is General Choi's lifetime wish.

As I speak of the origin of Taekwon-Do, I must mention the period of Japanese occupation of Korea. It was a time of great hardship for the Korean people. It is not my intention to offend our neighboring country, but this period deeply influenced General Choi and the development of Taekwon-Do and I am compelled to discuss its impact.

From 1946 to 1954, General Choi studied and developed this new Korean martial art. On April 11, 1955, General Choi convened a meeting of prominent Koreans including leaders in Congress, politicians, military Generals, historians, artisans, and martial art experts, for the purpose of naming this art. General Choi proposed the name "Taekwon-Do" and it was unanimously accepted. These were the circumstances under which Taekwon-Do was born and became Korea's new martial art.

In 1959, General Choi established the Korean Taekwon-Do Association and was elected as its first President. He was a founding member of the Korean military and served as Commander of the Infantry Division, Commander of Army Training Center and Commander of Army Corps. Through these positions, General Choi incorporated Taekwon-Do into the daily training regimen of the entire Korean military.

In 1961, Taekwon-Do spread to colleges, government offices, and police academies. This started a real boom in the expansion of Taekwon-Do. Finally, in 1965, Taekwon-Do became the official Korean national martial art. The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) was founded on March 22, 1966. The original member countries were; USA, West Germany, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Korea. The ITF was the first international organization headquartered in Korea.

Unfortunately, Korea was governed by several military dictatorships for a period over 30 years. This marked the beginning of a period of trials for Taekwon-Do. Using the name of Taekwon-Do, many phony organizations appeared as political tools, cheapening Taekwon-Do into a commercial sport.

Every student of Taekwon-Do must endeavor to sacrifice for the unification of Taekwon-Do. Martial artists, not politicians, must decide the destiny of Taekwon-Do. The unification of Taekwon-Do is inevitable. Taekwon-Do is our life and we must pass a single united Taekwon- Do down to the next generation. All martial arts should insist that the influence of politicians should be removed from martial arts organizations. We must rebuild our martial arts organizations with martial artists only. We cannot ask anyone else to conduct our business or define our mission. We cannot pass this responsibility to others. We must ensure the next generation receives its rightful inheritance.

Thank You.
Grand Master Hwang, Kwang S.
President Unified International Taekwon-Do Federation
Chairman, Merger Committee - International Taekwon-Do Federation
Chairman, Promotional Committee - International Taekwon-Do Federation
Special Assistant to General Choi, Hong Hi