Korean history

The history of the people living on the Korean peninsula is commonly divided in several periods, most of them named after the ruling dynasty on the peninsula. The Korean prehistory is divided in the Jeulmun and Mumun periods. These periods are named after the kind of pottery that date back to these earliest times. During the Mumun period the Gojoseon kingdom grew in power.
After the fall of Gojoseon in the first century before Christ, several states appeared with three of them growing stronger. This period is known as the Three Kingdom era, with the three kingdoms being Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla.
Eventually Silla conquered the other two kingdoms and ruled Korean peninsula from 668 to 918. Unified Silla had to give way to the Goryeo dynasty in 918 and the kings of Goryeo remained in power until the founding of the Joseon dynasty in 1392 by King Taejo. The Joseon dynasty has been the longest reigning dynasty in world’s history and lasted until 1897. In 1897 the last king of Joseon declared himself emperor and thus the Korean empire came to be. It didn’t last long because in 1910 Korea came under Japanese rule. The Japanese occupation lasted until the end of Second World War in 1945. After the war Korea was split up by the allied forces in both North- and South-Korea. Sadly, a war broke out between both Koreas in 1950. The division of both Koreas lasts until this day, with the border between both countries being the most heavily guarded border in the world.

History of Korean martial arts

Martial arts have existed in Korea since the earliest ages. Until modern times martial arts always had a link with the army. Although unarmed methods did exist they were not viewed as being crucial. It is only been since recent times that unarmed fighting methods are viewed as martial arts; armed fighting methods dominated until about one hundred years ago. Unarmed fighting methods were used to train soldiers or to entertain crowds during festivals where villages competed in wrestling matches.

Pre-state times
Nothing is known about the fighting methods from Korea’s earliest times. Polished stone swords and arrow tips dating back to the Mumun period have been found. These were presumably not only used for hunting, but for warfare as well. Later bronze tools and weapons were found and around 300 BCE the iron culture was imported from China.

Subak
It appears that during the Goguryeo dynasty (37 BCE – 668) Subak (empty-hand-fighting), swordsmanship, spear-fighting and horse riding were practiced. Paintings showing martial arts were found in 1935 on the walls of royal tombs, built for Goguryeo kings, sometime between 3 and 427. The nature of the techniques practiced is however something that cannot be determined from these paintings. References to Subak can be found in government records from the Goguryeo dynasty through the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910).

It should be noted that the term Subak was common in the East Asian area; China, Korea, and Japan. Ssireum (Korean wrestling), Sumo, Shuaijiao etc. were all referred to with this term 'Subak'. Although there is another term 'Gakjeo' for grappling techniques, but the names were not consequently used for the distinct techniques so many records are interpreted trading the terms for strike and grappling techniques. Hence, it would be more correct to state that Subak and Gakjeo were very common techniques that prevailed in different areas and different times in East Asian countries.


Hwarang
Goguryeo was one of the three kingdoms on the Korean peninsula next to Silla (57 BCE–668 CE) and Baekje (18BCE – 660). In 668 Silla conquered of the whole Korean peninsula with the help of the Chinese Tang dynasty. The history of these three kingdoms was written down in two books called Samguk Yusa and Samguk Sagi. These books however were written during the Goryeo dynasty (918 – 1392) more than two hundred years after the collapse of Unified Silla (668 – 918). It is believed that the warriors from the Silla dynasty learned Subak from the neighboring Goguryeo armies when they asked for their help against invading Japanese pirates. Practicing Subak became part of the training for Silla’s hwarang warriors and this contributed to the spread of Subak on the Korean peninsula. But again we do not know exactly which techniques the hwarang warriors practiced and it is safe to assume that the overall emphasis would be on armed fighting methods and not so much on unarmed fighting. Many swords from this period can still be admired in Korean museums. The hwarang did not only study warfare but Buddhism and Taoism as well. Often Buddhist monks instructed the hwarang warriors. Their greatest contribution to the development of Korean martial arts is probably adding a spiritual dimension to the training practices, something that Korean martial arts lacked before. It was the Buddhist monk Won Gwang who formulated the Sae Sok O Gye in the 7th century. This code for the hwarang warrior consisted of five rules:
1. Loyalty to one's king.
2. Piety towards one's parents.
3. Trust among friends.
4. Never retreat in battle.
5. Be selective in the taking of life.
These five rules are still very popular in many Korean martial arts schools today.

Sword techniques from this period are said to have survived after they were included in martial arts manuals that were written during the Joseon dynasty, where they are referred to as Bongukgeom, which means national sword. The Muyesinbo, written in 1759, tells the legend of a boy named Hwangchang from Silla who preformed a sword dance, Geommu. He had a remarkable talent and was invited by the king of Baekje to perform this dance at his court. The boy took this opportunity to kill the king of Baekje. Although subject to many changes the dance survived and is still performed in contemporary Korea.

Goryeo
In the age of the Goryeo dynasty the military played an important role in society. Not in the last place due to the many invasions it had to fight off in the North. During the reign of king Sukjong (1054 – 1105) a special army, Byeolmuban, was put together by Yun Gwan to fight off the Jurchen in the north. This army consisted of three divisions; the infantry called Sinbogun, cavalry called Sinmugun and an army of Buddhist monks called Hangmagun. This army consisted of approximately 17.000 men and defeated the Jurchen. The development of Subak also continued during the Goryeo dynasty (935-1392) more as a form of folk entertainment than for military training. Goryeo records that mention the martial arts include passages about Subak. Later the Goryeo government prohibited the practice of Subak by civilians because people used to bet at Subak games. Subak split into two separate martial arts, Taekgyeon and Yusul, probably in the last years of the Goryeo dynasty or the early years of the Joseon dynasty. It is believed that many of the existing techniques were lost at this time.

Joseon era
Books and official records from Joseon dynasty records often mention Taekgyeon as a folk game. Taekgyeon players are found on several paintings from that era. The most famous painting probably is the Dae Kwae Do painted in 1846 by YuSuk (1827-1873). It shows competitions in ssireum (Korean wrestling) and Taekgyeon.
During the Imjin War (1592-1598), Korean armies fought off a Japanese invasion. The Japanese had imported guns from Portugal and wanted to conquer the mainland. With Chinese assistance, the Koreans fought back the invaders, but at a heavy loss of men and cultural heritage. It was also during this war that the famous turtle ships (geobukseon) from General Yi Sun Sin were used. These ships were covered with an iron shield, much like the shell of turtle, which could withstand the gun attacks of the Japanese.

Despite many important developments the Joseon period is seen as one of decline for the Korean martial arts. The Joseon dynasty was build on the principles of neo-Confucianism, a doctrine that advocated academics rather than martial practice. On the plus side, Confucian scholars wrote several manuals for the Joseon military and it is in these books that we can first learn about Korean fighting methods.

Martial arts manuals
In 1593 the Koreans, with the help of Chinese armies under the command of Li Rusong, attempted to win back Pyongyang from the Japanese invader. Li Rusong was a Chinese general of Korean ancestry. During one of the battles the Koreans learned about a martial arts manual titled Jixiaoxinshu written by the Chinese military strategist Qi Jiguang.
King Seonjo (1567-1608) took a personal interest in the book, and he ordered people in his court to study it. This eventually led to the creation of the Muyejebo in 1598 by Han Gyo who had studied the use of several weapons with the Chinese army.

Prince Sado (1735-1762) took the initiative to revise the methods and added twelve additional fighting methods. These were published in the Muyesinbo in 1759 as the Bonjomuyesibpalban or 18 martial classes. Important additions are the chapters on Bongukgeom and on the admiral sword, called Jedokgeom, of General Li Rusong.

In 1790, these two books formed the basis, together with other Korean, Chinese and Japanese martial art manuals, of the richly illustrated Muyedobotongji.

The Muyedobotongji does not concern itself with Korean methods only. Actually most of the methods and weapons described in the book are of foreign origin, with the great exception of course being the chapter on Bongukgeom.

The book mostly deals with armed martial arts like sword fighting, double-sword fighting, spear fighting, stick fighting and fighting on horseback.

There is one chapter that deals with a style of empty-hand fighting called gwonbeop (fist techniques). The techniques shown are not those of Korea’s own native empty-hand fighting methods but have Chinese roots.

According to the Muyedobotongji empty-handed fighting should be learned before armed fighting since it forms the basic of a martial education. It is also quite remarkable that it quotes "Art of the Internal School" by Huang Baijia stating that internal styles are better suited for fighting than external styles.


Modern Korean martial arts
From 1910 to 1945 Korea was under Japanese rule. This had a lasting impact on the Korean people and Korean culture, including the practice of martial arts. The Japanese government banned the practice of Korean martial arts and promoted the practice of Japanese martial arts like Judo and Kendo through the educational system which was modelled after the Japanese system.
The history of every modern Korean martial art starts during or after the occupation, and was heavily influenced by Japanese martial arts. These Japanese arts were either introduced to Korea during the occupation or brought to Korea by Koreans who had practied in Japan.

After the occupation, Korean masters claimed linkage to traditional Korean martial arts like Subak and denied any connection with Japanese martial arts, mostly because of the bitterness Koreans felt for the Japanese, especially in the first few decades after the occupation.

Although the influence of Japanese martial arts is undeniable and still present, many modern Korean martial arts have diverged from their Japanese counterparts. Ancient manuals like the Muyedobotongji became popular reading and study material for Korean martial artists and influenced the development of many modern Korean martial arts. For example, Koreans who had studied Japanese kendo during the colonization period studied the Muyedobotongji to rediscover their own cultural heritage and recreated the traditional Korean martial arts, although this usually was nothing more than renaming techniques after those found in the Muyedobotongji. In this process the Muyedobotongji more than once was used unjustly as a link to Korea’s ancient martial heritage.

This doesn’t mean that Korean martial arts from before the occupation completely disappeared. Masters of several styles survived the occupation or continued teaching their art even though the Japanese had put a ban on it. Taekgyeon had survived has a folk game and has grown in popularity in recent years. Also the techniques of the Muyedobotongji have survived the occupation and martial arts like sibpalki enjoy a renewed interest.

Some Koreans claim that historically Japanese martial arts came from Korea and thus all Japanese martial arts should be viewed as traditionally Korean. Just as the Japanese turned the martial techniques in older ages into something distinctively Japanese, so too did the Koreans take the Japanese arts and turn them into something that suited their needs. Although martial arts like Taekwondo and Tangsudo have their roots in Japanese karate, they have taken their own route of development and transformed into quite unique Korean martial arts. A popular way to look at it is by saying that although one culture might have provided the timber, it was the other culture that built the house. It is also important to note that speaking about martial arts in terms of them being Chinese, Japanese or Korean is something that is from recent times and has grown this way under the influence of nationalistic views.

The use of the suffix ‘do’, meaning way, to martial arts is of clear Japanese fashion. Traditionally Korean martial arts were called muye (martial art) or musul (martial technique).  

There is a Shotokan school right down the road from me and there forms look a lot like the Tea Kwon Do a family member does. So did the Koreans teach the Japanese thier martial arts or is the more common story about the Japanese occupation resulted in the Koreans learning Karate?

The original Karate Kata proceed from OKINAWA-TE, which in turn proceeds from the Southern Chinese arts found in and around FUJIAN, PRC.

Koreans who trained in Funakoshi's SHOTOKAN and Toyama's SHUDOKAN brought the Kata back to Korea as well as a number of Japanese who taught these arts in Korea prior to the end of the Second WW. There are a number of Koreans who are very embarrassed that a.) a significant portion of the population supported the Japanese effort and b.) the Japanese lost the war taking the fortunes of some Korean families with them. This was not helped by the fact that a great number of political offices continued to be held by pro-Japanese collaborators well after the War simply as a bulwark against the Communists gaining a foothold in the country. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

Just curious how the Korens claim Tae Kwon Do is a native created art when they use Karate forms and learned Shotokan?

You're not going to like this answer but it has a lot to do with just people being people.

In the absence of personal growth, people function on a very simple economy associated with the accrual and dispersement of energy. In order to produce a given result one must either gather significant amounts of energy and/or disperse it in a given pattern. Both activities require a lot of effort and sacrifice and most folks are simply not up to the task. As a result it is easier to lie, cheat, steal, misrepresent, misappropriate and mislead than it is to simply rely on one's own efforts, toss the dice and accept the results.

There are tools that can be applied so as to uncover such behaviors (Ockham's Razor, for instance), but there is nothing that will prevent people from being what they are and acting on it as such. Not sure if this helps or not. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

Also, let us not forget face/pride.

It is an issue of national pride. TKD is the national sport of Korea and its main export. It is one of those things that identifies Korea as Korea. So, admitting that it is actually Japanese when there is still so much anger and hatred in Korea toward the Japanese would undermine the nationalist agenda and lead to a major loss of face. TKD came from Shotokan and still has the same core components as Shotokan. Most well trained martial artists and/or martial historians can see this, but pointing it out is like discussing the large pink elephant that is standing in the middle of the room. With time, it will probably be less of a hot issue and people both inside and outside of Korea will be more than willing to admit the truth.

Three Kingdoms Period - (37 BCE to 668 AD)

Kingdom of Paekshe: (18 BCE to 663 AD)

Paekshe was founded by ONJO, the 3rd son of JUMONG—founder of KOGURYO—near the present location of Seoul, South Korea in 18 BCE and would last through the reign of some 31 kings (“Wang”). By prevailing over other MAHAN tribes in the area and through a series of shifting conflicts and alliances with the other two Korean Kingdoms---SILLA and KOGURYO--- PAEKSHE came to control the western half of the Korean peninsula. Its control over the coast nearest to Chinese waters set the stage for its successes as a power oriented towards trade with both China and the Japanese islands. At its height, PAEKSHE could boast of established colonies both in northeastern China as well as the western half of Honshu in the Japanese islands. Such a position allowed PAEKSHE to benefit from developments in Chinese technology and culture as well as to act as a conduit for such developments to the Japanese islands. During this same time, China was experiencing a range of conflicts among small kingdoms, a dynamic which commonly encourages growth in military science and technologies. Arguably one of the greatest developments was the adoption of Buddhism as PAEKSHE’s state religion in 384, and later to be transmitted to Japan. However, other contributions included, but are not limited to
Chinese writing, mounted warfare, ceramics, advanced weapons metallurgy, and ceremonial burial. In 320 AD, King Bi-Ryu had ordered the formation of an institution for training the cadre around which the army of PAEKSHE could be formed and had mandated that archery would be practiced on the first and 15th of each month. Instruction at the institute also included
1.) Ko Jun (classical literature)
2.) Bool Su ( Buddhist Sutra)
3.) Jung Dai Beop (Defense Against Multiple Attacks)
4.) Soo Sool (Emptyhand Fighting)
5.) Kum Sool Beop (Swordsmanship)
6.) Mok Bong (Wooden Pole Fighting)
7.) Ki Sa (Horsemanship)

As in the case of KOGURYO, while the subjects studied at the institute of PAEKSHE are recorded, the actual nature of the material itself is not. In this way, again, it is known that PAEKSHE trained a form of Unarmed fighting, for instance, but what such practices entailed remains unknown.
In the 5th century, PAEKSHE retreated under the military threat of KOGURYO, and with the loss of the Seoul region to KOGURYO in 475, PAEKSHE lost its ready access to the sea and regular communication with China and Japan.
PAEKSHE fell to an alliance between SILLA and TANG China during the years 660 to 663.

Three Kingdoms Period - (37 BCE to 668 AD)

Kingdom of Silla: (57 BCE to 668 AD)

Beginning in 57BC the Silla Kingdom is ruled variously be the PAK, SEOK and KIM families and likewise had a variety of titles for the kingship position including ISAGUEM, MARIPGAN, WANG and YEOWANG. A succession of 56 Kings would head this state, though, like Paekshe, some of the kings would take the title of "emperor". Probably the best known of the Korean military learning centers was that of the Silla Kingdom which produced the well-known HwaRang warriors whose reputation has come down to us today. Like their brethren in KOGURYO and PAEKSHE, the HWARANG and their followers, the RANG DO, were highly schooled in both martial and scholarly pursuits including,
1.) Kung sa (Archery)
2.) Too Ho (Throwing)
3.) Chil Kuk (Kicking)
4.) Kak Choo (Throwing)
5.) Soo Bahk (Punching and Kicking)
6.) Ki Sa (Horsemanship including mounted archery)
7.) Taik Kyon (Kicks)
8.) Soo Ryup (Hunting and Fishing)
9.) Cho Chum (Swinging)
10.) Kum sool Bup (Swordsmanship)

Despite earnest research by modern scholars the precise nature of the HWARANG continues to be debated. However, documented history identifies a clear relationship between Tang China and Silla which would have certainly included the exchange of military science and technology allowing Silla to develop a trained cadre.
In 668 AD, the Silla Kingdom, both through skill and the assistance of the Chinese Tang Dynasty will overcome its other two neighbors and unite the Korean peninsula. Subsequent attempts by Tang China, in turn, to overcome Silla fail. As a result the kingdom known as "Unified Silla" is established.

the 'Goguryeo–Sui*Wars' of 598-614(wikipedia is my reference, of course) has really made me wonder whether the goguryeo king's mentality was a bit bullyish, or if frequent raiding of other kingdoms was out of the king's control. i am thinking about comparing it to the japanese pirate raids of silla kingdom's shores..... thoughts?

Hard to say..... certainly the Chinese had come to view that kingdom as "belligerent" but sorting out the motives would be pretty problematic. In the area of geo-politics, wherever there is an area with limited geographic features there seems to be long histories of constant warfare. This probably a function of not having identifiable borders for each respective domain. I can kinda see this with that portion of KOGURYO which extended up into Manchuria, and by extension, down towards China. However, this does not explain why there would be antagonisms towards PAEKSHE and SILLA where a feature such as the Yalu River makes for a clear boundary.

Another bit to consider is that there seems to be indications that the folks who invested farther down the Korean peninsula were pushed off of the Asian steppe by more belligerent tribes. I suppose the evidence can support that argument, anyways. The sense I get is that the character of the KOGURYO kingdom retained the greatest amount of that "steppe mentality" in which raiding and other agressions against one's neighbors ----as well as defending against such actions----was an integral part of the pattern of survival. I speculate that modern revisionists could easily attribute the recent belligerence of North Korean politics to generations of "KOGURYO DNA", but I think thats a bit of a stretch. My own guess is that the Korean Resistance Movement did not get much help from the outside world, save for Russia's bits now and then. As a result I can't imagine that there is any love lost between North Korea and the rest of the planet.

BTW: My personal favorite of the Three Kingdoms is PAEKSHE rather than SILLA. Denied trading routes with China through the north end of the peninsula by KOGURYO, PAEKSHE took to the sea and opened trading routes with both China and what would later be YAMOTO Japan. I think SILLA gets the lion's share of the recognition since "history is written by the winners", yes? But when I look at the research it certainly seems as though PAEKSHE was more disposed towards new ideas and technologies. IMHO.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

as hanmun was introduced to silla by the tang kingdom, i wonder if in the civil/military exams the seven military classics had to be studied by officers.