Taekwondo, the Traditional Art of Korea
Korea's traditional martial art taekwondo is a form of wholesome exercise that has taken its place as a sport in worldwide competition.
But taekwondo is more than just a sport. It is also a performing art infused with the Korean spirit. The beauty of art is of two kinds, stable and dynamic. Stability is expressed in the contemplation that forms the mental component of taekwondo training with its emphasis on stillness in repose. More than other sports or martial arts, the movement style of taekwondo places mental cultivation above the skill. It has less to do with offense and defense than with the unity of mind and body that arises from the movement itself. When the body moves in union with the mind, we experience stillness in motion and movement at rest. Within this movement lies a mind in repose.
Dynamism is the beauty that is manifested in movement. In that the movement of the body expresses the thoughts of the mind, it is founded on the same principle as dance. The taekwondo costume consists of a white jacket and pants tied with a belt. The belt is an important part of the uniform and comes in five colors indicating the levels of achievement: white, yellow, blue, red, and black. Worn with some variations, it forms a large tie-string for the pants.
The dynamic element in the technique of taekwondo lies in the basic movements of the hands and feet. The fist and limbs are used in the block, punch, thrust, and chop, and the feet in kicking, each with various standing postures.
Skill in taekwondo is measured with a grading system in which the learner progresses from an ungraded beginner to a grade holder and then a holder of a dan or level of accomplishment. The grades are counted in reverse from 10th grade (the lowest) to 1st grade (the highest), while the dan progress from level 1 to level 9. The terms dan and dan holder are applied only to competitors aged fifteen or older, while for younger students who have reached the requisite level, the term pum is used instead.
