Taekkyeon
This Korean martial art has risen from
the ancient military histories to be the inspiration for several major martial
arts styles known today such Taekwondo and its subcategories. Taekkyeon lives
today in its native form as well, with students focusing on graceful and
dynamic footwork along with the ideals of many other Korean martial arts,
including Taekwondo and a grandmaster of Taekkyon (Shin Han-Seung) was even
granted national treasure status by the Korean government, solidifying the art
as one that is celebrated in many countries worldwide.
The
Mysterious History
Not much is known about the origins of
Taekkyeon since it has been documented and passed through the generations for
centuries upon centuries. Its ancient roots are often associated with the
Korean martial art of Subak but not much is known about this style either. The
earliest written documentation of Taekkyeon is from the reign of King Jeongjo
from 1776 through 1800. Before the occupation of Japan in the early 1900s,
Taekkyon was mentioned as a popular martial art seen at sporting events,
particularly the Dano-festival. A tournament was staged that was called Gyeollyeon
in the capital city of the Joseon Dynasty.
Like many Korean martial arts, the
practices of Taekkyeon were nearly lost completely during the Neo-Confucianism
movement by the Japanese while they occupied Korea. Until 1945, the art had to
be secretly practiced and preserved for fear of the consequences should it be
found out that practitioners were still active. The last master of the Joseon
Dynasty, Song Duk-Ki, kept Taekkyeon alive during this period and paved the way
for its revival in the late 1940s. For the next few decades, Taekkyon was
slowly revived and organized and in 1983 it was classified as Important Intangible
Cultural Asset No. 76 by the Korean government.
Although the exact origins and history
of Taekkyeon are still a mystery today, what is known has been preciously
preserved, cultivated, and organized to be a largely practiced martial art that
has made appearances in several countries besides Korea. In 2011, the art was
recognized by UNESCO and became the first martial art to be put on its
Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The
Natural Flow of Technique
When one watches Taekkyeon in action, it
truly manifests as a form of art. The geometric and fluid motions are like a
perfect dance performed with kicks and other blows. The art focuses on kicks to
the entire body, upper, middle, and lower of the opponent but also incorporates
jumps and other sweeping movements that all correspond to the hand movements in
play. Everything must be in balance and all movements are meant to be natural
to the human body.
Several different moves are learned
throughout instruction that are designed to keep the practitioner constantly in
motion during combat. Each movement has its own term and purpose, like steps in
a dance.
- Gumsil or ogeum
jil: This refers to the way that the knees are constantly bending in
between moves, giving the practitioner ways to transition to the next step
or move away from his or her opponent while keeping the body graceful and
aligned.
- Pumbalkki:
The name given to the footwork that is used and is named for the
triangular shape of the Chinese characters that make up the name of this
art. While the word does sometimes combine with others within the art for
new meaning, it is strictly referring to the shape of the footwork during
combat.
These are the names of two of the main
terms of movement within the Taekkyeon system. There are names for each of the
different kicks and for several other movements that range from low to high in
terms of contact to the body. The types of kicks that are taught may vary from
master to master and from school to school as the personalized curriculums for
teaching basic techniques tend to be unique to the master teaching them.
Other kinds of kicks include sweeping
motions, using several different parts of the foot, striking as the leg moves
outward from the middle, inward jumps, side steps, and many other tricks. These
steps are used to keep the body in continuous motion as the next blow is being
delivered and to do so in a way that is not rapid or unnatural to the body.
Grappling and hand movements are coordinated with the kicks so that they fit
well in the “dance” of combat.
In competitive combat, the movement of
Taekkyeon looks calculated and almost choreographed. The students circle each
other as they search for the next good blow and block ones that come at them
using the techniques that they have learned. Since the art of Taekkyeon is so
fluid and dynamic, the untrained spectator will see a spectacle that looks
unreal to them. Korea’s ancient history comes alive in the body of these
practitioners, preserving the stories with a martial art that truly looks like
art.
Differences
from Taekwondo
Although this martial art gave a major
influence to Taekwondo and the curriculums are similar, the major difference is
in the execution of technique. Taekwondo concentrates on kicks and punches as
well as several other aspects, while Taekkyeon focuses on the kicks and the
movements between them. Taekwondo does not ask the practitioner to stay in
constant motion and Taekkyeon uses specific transition moves to go from one
kick to the next. Even in the modern practice of Taekkyeon, the ancient art
forms of moving the body in perfect balance are recognized today.
Taekwondo incorporates techniques that
are borrowed from other cultures. While Taekkyeon does include some aspects of
Chinese martial arts that were incorporated during the Japanese occupation of
Korea, the technique is fairly dedicated to ensuring that the ancient art form
is preserved as well as it can be documented. Its exact origins may be a
mystery but the philosophies of balance and motion live on even in present day Taekkyeon.
Despite these differences in aesthetic
and fundamental disciplines, Taekkyeon and Taekwondo are still often confused.
It is important to recognize that they are not the same martial art and that
Taekkyeon is based on ancient techniques that have been passed down through
generations from a time when they weren’t even documented until modern day
Taekkyeon.
Organizations
and Teaching
Several organizations exist to teach and
organize Taekkyeon. Its early principles are included in many curriculums today
but each individual organization that represents Taekkyeon has a slightly
different view of how they should teach their students. The techniques that the
students learn are left completely to the discretion of the master that runs
the school.
The organizations that are in place to
represent Taekkyon each differ a bit in schools of thought and each has a
grandmaster with a unique way of doing things. There is no single governing
body among the organization but there is still structure within the basic
curriculums and combat arenas.
Advancement is not the same as with
other forms of martial arts. There is no belted system to indicate rank but
there are instructors, masters, and grandmasters. Practitioners must study and
practice the techniques for several years, perhaps decades, in order to become
proficient in the art of Taekkyeon. The kicks and movements between them
require a presence of mind as well as body and complete balance between the
two.
Due to the dance-like nature of
Taekkyeon, the practitioner must learn to move the body gracefully and
naturally. This seems like it should come easy to everyone, but it actually
takes a severe amount of muscle control and study in such disciplines in order
to be able to execute each technique properly. In addition to landing the right
blows, practitioners must also be able to “dance” around the arena in constant
motion. This may not only be strenuous
but also difficult to coordinate until your body gets used to the motions that
it goes through to move correctly.
Traditional
Dress
A student wears a Korean dobok and the
traditional billowy pants worn by many other martial arts practitioners. The
jacket is usually one that is worn crossed over the body and secured with a
sash. Insignia and rank depend on the school that the student attends and there
is no specific rule that says which must or must not be worn in combat. Due to
the nature of this martial art and its emphasis on kicks, most practitioners
opt for light weight training shoes that don’t hurt the opponent but protect
the feet during combat and practice.
Modern
Application
Taekkyeon was original a military martial art that was taught to
soldiers in order to prepare them for hand to hand (or in this case foot to
body) contact. The style may be taught in some military designations but the
main application of Taekkyeon in modern times is self-defense. Other
applications include the use of the martial art in improving balance and form
in daily life as well as for sport. The aesthetically pleasing execution of the
techniques makes this martial art interesting to watch as well as participate
in, no matter the application.
Learn more about martial arts and samurai swords at Swords Of The East