Taekkyon: The base of all hand to hand combat in Korea

I wrote this for the August issue of the Korea Sun (www.thekoreasun.com) .

The Life, Death and Ressurection of Korea's Oldest Martial Art.

The music begins to play. A circle is formed surrounding the two in the middle as they sway side to side. Their movements are smooth, fluid, and rhythmic… Although this may sound like a romantic dance between two lovers, I’m actually describing one of Korea’s oldest martial arts: taekkyon.

This traditional art form, though far from romantic, has been said to hold the origins of all the bare-hand martial arts currently practiced in Korea. The creation of this art has not been accredited to a sole individual; its origins stem from the basic evolution of hand to hand combat. Although there is no definite date as to when it came into practice, a painting found in a grave from the Goguryo dynasty suggests that taekkyon has been around since the 5th or 6th century AD.

Originally, taekkyon was practiced by the nobility for self defence and personal well being. In the Silla dynasty (7th to 10th centuries) an elite society of youths known as the Hwarang, were also trained in this deadly art form. The popularity of taekkyon peaked between the 9th and 12th century with both the ruling class and the common people practicing the art. From the king to the farmers, taekkyon was a well-liked pastime. However in the 13th century, with the gradual movement of society towards literature, and the military opting for the sword over bare-hand combat, taekkyon became more favoured as a folk custom.

Up until the Japanese occupation (1910 – 1945), taekkyon was still considered an important piece of Korean heritage. However, during the occupation the practice of taekkyon was banned and forced underground. Only a handful of masters continued to train secretly under the cover of night. By the time Korea won its independence, this ancient martial art was nearly extinct. The Korea Taekkyon Association attributes the sole survival of taekkyon to one person: grandmaster Song Duk Ki. With his diligent effort he was able to train a select few who would in turn, insure the survival of this ancient art form in the years to come.

Presently, taekkyon is still not very popular. But this sport has been gaining ground in recent years. In 1983 it was designated “Important Intangible Cultural Asset No. 76”. Also, in 2001 taekkyon was officially approved as specialty athletics by the Korea Sports Council. One of the main reasons it has a hard time gaining popularity is that, while it is the predecessor of taekwondo, it lives in the shadow of its younger brother. There are few who know the difference between these two sports.

Similar to taekwondo, taekkyon uses kicks as its primary method of attack. There is very little defence used in taekkyon; attacks are often answered with another attack. In a match, two fighters will square off close to each other and continually change their stance in a rhythmic movement. The main objective is not to injure the opponent but bring them down unharmed. The whole battle looks like an ancient dance until the kicks start flying. Youtube “taekkyon” (also spelled “taekyun” and “taekkyeon”) and you’ll see what I mean.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of training facilities and knowledgeable instructors, this ancient sport will most likely continue to be a dying martial art. Yet in my eyes, this is its major draw; how cool is it to be among the few people with knowledge of this 1500 year old fighting style? Though the passing of time is its biggest adversary, I have a feeling that this historical dance will not soon be forgotten. Its unique blend of power and grace will be survived, if only through a handful of students.