Korean martial arts
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Korean martial arts refer to any or all of the various martial arts that originated or were modified in Korea. The most famous Korean martial arts in the West are perhaps Taekwondo and Hapkido, although there has been a revival of the bladed arts of Korean swords and swordsmanship as well as an interest in Korean knives and knife-fighting as well as the revival of archery on foot and on horse-back. The complexity of the Korean martial arts world and its ever-increasing schools rising from obscurity make interesting study.
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Introduction
Korean martial arts have a long tradition, and in the 20th century great mistakes were made in martial arts historians suggesting that indigenous Korean martial forms were in fact imports from Japan, scholarship now has corrected this error. The article below is being revised to incorporate newer scholarship: both hapkido and tae-kwan do are in fact indigenous Korean art forms. It is now a matter of fact as well that Korean swords were the originals of all Japanese sword production in early times.
Teaching methods
Korean martial arts tend to be taught in a manner similar to the method in which Japanese martial arts are taught, 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. Many Korean martial arts also make use of colored belts to denote rank, tests and testing fees to increase in rank, and the use of Korean titles when denoting the teacher. These include:
- Sabumnim (사범님/師範님) (teacher)
- Kwanjangnim (관장님/館長님) (training hall owner/master)
- Dojunim (도주님/道主님) (keeper of the way)
Many schools also make use of Korean terminology and numbers during practice.
Styles of Korean martial arts
Traditional Korean martial arts
Only a few martial arts practiced today in Korea can accurately be said to be traditional Korean martial arts, unbroken, living traditions. Because of Neo-Confucianism, disinterest in martial arts, and Japanese colonization of Korea, many of Korea's traditional arts have disappeared in time, leaving behind only records, names, and sometimes bits and pieces of the arts themselves. A few arts have, however, managed to survive more-or-less complete, and are still being practiced today.
- Taekgyeon - a martial art featuring kicks, sweeps, and strikes
- Ssireum - Korean wrestling, similar in some ways to Japanese Sumo
- Gongsul - Korean archery, making use of a traditional composite horn bow
- Sonmudo/Bulmudo - Korean arts passed down by the Buddhist temples and mostly preserved until today
- Charyuk - a practice similar to Chinese hard qigong, but extremely rare (possibly extinct)
- Subyukchigi - a kung fu-like art that has a prayer-like stance, but extremely rare (possibly extinct)
Imported Korean martial arts
Many martial arts that are currently practiced today in Korea were originally imported during the Japanese invasions of Korea through Japanese-style schools and by Koreans who studied abroad in Japan. These arts were often modified in Korea, adding native techniques or forms, and have often become greatly different from the original Japanese arts. In addition, a very few martial arts were also imported from China during this period, by way of Koreans living in Manchuguo in Manchuria.
- Yudo - Imported Judo
- Kumdo (also called Gumdo) - Imported Kendo, with an additional form
- Kongsoodo/Tangsoodo - Imported Karatedo
- Taekwondo - Originally imported karate as well, but many kicks were added, and other techniques and forms were changed
- Moodukkwan Soobahkdo - Originally similar to imported karate also, but influenced by the Korean martial arts book Mooyedobotongji and Chinese influences
- Hapkido - Imported Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu, but many kicks, acrobatics, and traditional Korean techniques and weapons were added
- Kwonbup - Imported Chinese martial arts of unknown origin, probably no longer practiced on its own
Korean martial arts with more than one influence
Other Korean martial arts have been influenced by both traditional and imported Korean martial arts, while some have also relied on the Mooyedobotongji or other old manuals to recreate lost arts, much like in European martial arts. There are also many Korean martial arts that are recompilizations 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 Taekgyeon). Others have been influenced by boxing or other Western influences as well.
- Shippalgi - Chinese-like style with many weapons
- Kuk Sool Won - similar to Hapkido and Kung Fu, with a lot of weapons training
- Hwa Rang Do - similar to Hapkido
- Han Mu Do - similar to Hapkido
- Choson Sebup - a sword style
- Haedong Gumdo - similar to Kendo, but with different methodology and longer swords
- Gwongyukdo - Korean kickboxing
Lost traditional Korean martial arts
Other arts have not survived to the present age, but survive in name through documents.
- Yusul - a soft art that some maintain preceded jujutsu
- Soobak - an old word for martial arts also used in China
Newly formed Korean martial arts
Aside from the newer imported martial arts there are also martial arts that have been created from these, without any discernable outside influence (at least as far as martial arts are concerned). In a way, these can be considered a 'new' original Korean style, though their roots can be traced to foreign imports via their forefathers.
- Choi Kwang-Do - Though formally created within the United States, Choi Kwang Do considers itself a Korean art through its founder. It also uses Korean symbols, traditions, and terms.
See also
External links
- Hapkido Information (http://www.ultimatefightingarts.com)