2020 - Юбилейный Год Таэквон До! Уважаемые Гранд Мастера,, Мастера, Инструкторы, Тренеры и Представители Стран! Уважаемые члены федерации ! Как вы знаете, ГенералЧой представил свой Таэквон-До, 11 апреля 1955 года, 65 лет назад. Мы хотели использовать эту возможность и отпраздновать этот особый Юбилей на родине Таэквон-До, Корее. Соответствующие приготовления, с интересными мероприятиями были запланированы для проведения в Сеуле. К сожалению, вспышка Коронавируса, которая в настоящее время держит в напряжении весь Мир, помешала нам осуществить эту программу. Мы глубоко сожалеем об этом, но мы понимаем,что несём ответственность за то, чтобы члены нашей федерации не подвергались опасности и оставались здоровыми. У нас все еще есть возможность почтить генерала Чоя и вспомнить, какую значительную роль сыграло TKD в его жизни и продолжает играть, в нашей жизни и в судьбах сотни тысяч студентов. Он создал Боевое Искусство, которое не имеет себе равных, и несмотря на все противостояния, ему удалось распространить его по всему Миру. По этой причине мы хотели бы посвятить новую редакцию журнала TKD Таэквон-До и его основателю Генералу Choi Hong-Hi. Желаю вам и вашим семьям наилучшего здоровья и приятного чтения журнала. С моими наилучшими пожеланиями
Гранд Мастер Пауль Вайлер Президент ITF.
2020 - The Taekwon-Do Anniversary Year Dear Grandmasters, Masters, Trainers and Country Representatives! Dear Members! As you know, General Choi presented his Taekwon-Do to the public on April 11, 1955, 65 years ago. We wanted to take this as an opportunity to celebrate this special anniversary in the motherland = Korea. Appropriate preparations with interesting activities had been made for Seoul. Unfortunately, the outbreak of the Corona virus, which is currently keeping the whole world in suspense, has prevented us from implementing this plan. We deeply regret this, but we now have a responsibility to ensure that our members are not endangered and remain healthy. We still have the opportunity to honor General Choi and his life's work and to remember what role his TKD has played and still plays in our lives and hundreds of thousands of students. He has created a martial art that is second to none and, despite all opposition, he has managed to spread it worldwide. For this reason, we would like to dedicate the new edition of TKD magazine to Taekwon-Do and the founder General Choi. I wish you and your families the best possible health and enjoy reading the magazine. With my best regards
GM Paul Weiler
The personality of a Visionary His personality was undoubtedly overwhelming and intimidating. Anyone who has met him has used those words at least once when trying to describe General Choi Hong Hi. Arguably, the unanimity he inspired was his greatest strength as a leader. Understanding the dimension of the figure of the Father of Taekwon-Do is in itself an extremely intense task, and even more so for those who did not know him in person. But as Alex Gillis says in his book "A killing Art. The untold history of Taekwon-Do": "For 50 years the General has reigned as a dynastic leader and has quoted the poet Po-Eun's call to loyalty: "Never he would serve a second lord, even if he was crucified 100 times". Paradoxically, those who shared with him more private areas mentioned him not only as a tough person but also as someone generous, witty and accessible. His traditional, perhaps brutal, method of teaching involved going beyond physical limits. There was no
other way for him. "Pain is the best teacher, but nobody wants to go to his class", he usually said. If we were to make a selection of the most frequently said phrases from the General we would surely include “Don't do this, do this” while showing a poorly executed technique and then well. His origins. Choi's father owned a distillery and that perhaps introduced him to the General in a more libertine world. And it was from his father that he had inherited his passion for poker, the Hwatu - a popular Korean card game and the cigars he shared with his friends over long nights. And perhaps those events were a fundamental part of what later became his strict discipline. His father had decided to send him to study in Japan and make him the first in the family to complete high school. A great honor even when forced to use a Japanese name.
Along with the study began the practice of Karate that on more than one occasion would keep him safe from the widespread mistreatment that the Japanese lavished on the Koreans. He went hungry ... sleepless ... harassment ... sick; He was imprisoned, he was persecuted, and he even wept with shame when he saw that his own fellow jailers wished him death. The outrage of teaching Karate to Korean soldiers was the first trigger to create art that represented their culture. Alex Gillis author of "A Deadly Art" tells: "In 1946 he created his first technique" low block "which was a variation of a Karate block. His technique protected the front of the stomach with the forearm, while, in the forward position, the Karate version had the forearm extended to knee height. To anyone who didn't know about martial arts the two blocks looked identical and protected the same area. Choi had simply moved his arm a couple of inches to the center, thus stopping in front of his abdomen rather than to his side. However, for Choi, this was a start. He began to think of a new martial art, one that would be better than Karate and that would strengthen him, his soldiers, and his country because, in his
world, there was a fighter lurking around every corner and superpowers grouping together, at each border ”. The General asked that they read his books, especially the Moral Guide Book, where he proposed to live fairly and honestly. Taekwon-Do is not just about throwing punches and kicks. It's about doing the right thing” which he has tried to do all his life, even if it would have seemed otherwise.
Choi Hong Hi
How he transformed his life into Art General Choi Hong-Hi was born in 1918 in Hwa Dae Ri, Ham Kyung Buk Do, a Province in the northeastern part of Korea near Cheongjin. It is important to note that when General Choi was born, Korea was a unified Nation. However, Korea was suffering under a brutal occupation by Imperial Japan. Koreans often refer to this time as the “Dark Period”. When he was born Korea utilized the Lunar calendar. Using the Lunar calendar his birthday was November 9, 1918. However, on the Western calendar it was December 22. However General Choi preferred to celebrate his birthday on November 9 on the Western calendar, thus combining the two cultures he would come to live within. General Choi had been exposed to
stories and some basic Taek Kyon techniques to bolster his health and confidence when he studied Calligraphy as a frail teenager. Ironically his Father sent him to study Calligraphy and the Chinese classics as he was expelled from his local Japanese controlled school for participating in protests as a youngster. This demonstrated early on his stubbornness, strong independence streak, affinity for justice and anti-Japanese sentiment, the latter influenced by his Father’s feelings that they shared. Years later as he grew older, he went to Japan to further his academic education. While there he would go onto earn an II Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. As World War II was winding down, the Japanese who were now clearly losing, resorted to forcefully conscripting Korean males into military service. Once drafted into service through no volition of his own, a young Choi Hong-Hi became involved in a plot to overthrow the Imperial Japanese Colonial Government. Eventually the plotters planned to join what some called the Northeast Anti-Japanese
United Army and the efforts of Korean guerrilla warrior Kim Il-Sung, who rose to be a commander of their underground resistance and independence movement. He was high on the Japanese most wanted list. The success of this movement and Korean resistance army was aided by the availability to move back and forth across the borders of China and the Soviet Union that were located in this northeast region of Korea. Traitors who were Korean collaborators reported the plans and General Choi and others were jailed. While he was imprisoned, he trained in his Karate and at times even instructed the prison guards, as verified by a fellow inmate who was involved in the plot and also held in confinement as a jail mate. The end of WWII spared General Choi and he was released from captivity in Pyongyang. He went to Seoul and became instrumental in helping to set up the south Korean government, advocating for democratic national control and
against communism. As a young 2nd Lieutenant he started to teach his soldiers Karate under the Tang Soo Do label. As this Junior Officer moved up the ranks, he continued to spread this through not only his personal teaching efforts, but he also later recruited Korean Martial Artists to become instructors to teach the growing number of soldiers under his command. Even when he traveled tothe United States for military training as early as 1949, he took the opportunity to display his martial art (most likely first Korean to do so). A prime example of this initiative to teach the martial arts to his soldiers was when as a General he was tasked to form a new Division on JeJu Island. The 29th Infantry would become known as the “Fist Division”. It was here that he had Lieutenant Nam Tae-Hi and Sergeant Han Cha-Kyo, members of the Chung Do Kwan transferred under his command and assigned to teach the Martial Arts to the soldiers of this new Infantry Division. The use of General
Choi’s fist on the Division Flag and emblem was symbolic of the Martial fighting spirit the young General wanted to instill in his Troops. A monument was erected on JeJu Island to commemorate the historic “Fist Division” inauguration. This monument contains the Calligraphy of Gen. Choi, labeling and teaching about that Martial Spirit. As a result of this history JeJu Island has come to be known as the “Womb of Taekwon-Do”. When this famous Division completed their training, they moved to mainland Korea. General Choi arranged for a martial art demonstration for the south Korean President Dr. Seung-Man Rhee, PhD. The performance was in honor of both the President’s birthday and the 1-year anniversary celebration of the “Fist” Division’s formation. Their exhibition was so successful that the President stated that this should be taught to all the Troops! Dr. Rhee had also called what they showed Taek Kyon, an indigenous Korean martial folk game that predated the Japanese occupation. General Choi however knew that is was more correctly called
Tang Soo Do. This event provided motivation to find a new name for what would become a Korean Martial Art of self-defense. Later in the fall and winter of that year (1954) General Choi, utilizing both his advanced education and Calligraphy skills that involved extensive knowledge of Chinese characters and language, searched for and later conceived of the new term Tae Kwon Do. This label more accurately reflected the shifting emphasis on the use of the legs for kicking. It of course had a word for fist, but like the “Fist Division,” a hand formed into a fist signified strength. So Kwon was joined with Tae to describe the physical parts of their Martial Art. General Choi gave directions to his instructors to have the soldiers shout TAE KWON when saluting, to help cement usage of the new name. This tradition is still carried on by millions of students following the ITF even today every time they bow.
Science and martial art:
The Imagination of a Revolutionary All martial arts originating in far east Asia share one common feature. Especially from our modern point of view in the 21st century, martial arts such as Taekwon-Do, Karate, Judo, Aikido, Kung-fu, Muay Thai and many more are built on tradition. The tradition to perform kicks, punches, blocks, and stances, as well as pattern and different forms of fighting and training methods. It is the tradition, that motivates our masters and instructors to teach us every technique exactly in the same way as they were taught themselves. In other words, each martial art is performed in the same way as it was "always" performed. Now imagine a time where martial arts were born. How much bravery, vision and confidence does it require to introduce a completely new concept to not only increase the impact and strength of one technique but of all techniques at once? And here comes the crucial role of the Founder of Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong-Hi. In the 1950s, General Choi is in his 30s and a two-star general in the newly formed South Korean Army. Until then he has
already lived more than one life. He has survived the Japanese oppression with tortures and imprisonment, the cruelties of World War II and the Korean War, a first violent manifestation of a conflict later known as the Cold War. It is said, General Choi always wanted to create a martial art that is even more powerful than Japanese Karate. His bravery, vision, and confidence but also patriotism and education led already in the late 1950s to a unique and very modern concept in martial arts: Gen. Choi's Theory of Power. For developing the Theory of Power itself, General Choi imposed a scientific approach. He analyzed the situation of early Taekwon-Do. He defined a target state where Taekwon-Do is superior to any other martial art in strength and impact. And he systematically thought about how to reach this target state. As a result, Gen. Choi found his desired target state by introducing the Theory of Power to the world of martial arts. Although the Theory of Power is called a theory, it is not a theory in a scientific
understanding but rather a concept. And a very effective concept to improve the strength and impact of every technique. Already in the first edition of “Taekwon-Do – The art of self-defense” by General Choi, the Theory of Power is the second chapter right after an introduction to the name of Taekwon-Do and illustrates the importance of reaction force, concentration of force, equilibrium and breath control.
time. The second core concept is to optimize the impact itself to transfer as much energy as possible to the opponent. Most importantly, all other guidelines usually related to the Theory of Power, as e.g., the 9 training secrets or principles, can be derived from those two core concepts. To illustrate how the core concepts could be applied to derive important aspects of the Theory of Power, three examples are given.
A physicist would reduce the Theory of Power to a core of only two concepts. The first core concept is to optimize the (kinetic) energy of a technique which can be achieved by optimizing either the impact velocity or the involved mass or both at the same
• Relaxed muscles: By relaxing all muscles at the start of a technique, the muscles necessary to accelerate the technique are enabled to work with a minimum of resistance of other muscles. Thus, the impact velocity at the end of a technique is maximized which serves the first core concept of maximizing the energy of a technique. • Stability: This concept is strongly related to Gen. Choi’s original concept of equilibrium. For all martial art fighters, it is of upmost importance to stay stable with an effective stance to continue fighting. But also, the stability of e.g. a fist strike is crucial. If any of the involved joints would collapse upon the impact of the fist strike, the strike itself would be impossible or at least immensely weakened. And there are many joints
involved, e.g., hand, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle joints. The concept of stability serves both core concepts. On the one hand optimizes a strong core stability and perfect joint positions the mass involved in a technique and, thus, increases the energy of a technique. On the other hand, stability of the stance, the body core and perfect joint positions also optimize the energy transferred to the opponent serving the second core concept. • Concentration of force: As Gen. Choi already writes in his first book, focusing the entire effort of a technique on a minimal impact area, maximizes the pressure of the technique. Consequently, the impact of the technique itself to the opponent is maximized. While these examples are meant to illustrate how various aspects of the Theory of Power can be derived from two core concepts, there are many more aspects that serve the Theory of Power. And only if all aspects are equally well
implemented in each and every technique, the true strength of the Theory of Power reveals itself in techniques that are beautiful, dynamic, and strong. From a scientific or even a physicist’s point of view, the Theory of Power is not more than a few ideas of fundamental physics as it is already taught in middle school. A modern physicist would call it the very basics of classical mechanics. However, aligning a martial art, from the very first middle block to the most complicated flying reverse hooking kick, entirely along some basic physical principles was completely new in the world of martial arts in the middle of the 20th century and is still an aspect that keeps ITF Taekwon-Do modern in the 21st century. One of the many legacies of General Choi for humanity.
Values and principles: The Inspiration of a Visionary
It is General Choi‘s firm belief that through Taekwon-Do, anyone can garner enough strength to become a guardian of justice, to challenge social disunity and, to cultivate the human spirit to the highest level attainable. It is in this spirit; he is dedicating the art of Taekwon-Do to the people of the world.
of these great men, so the students of Taekwon-Do must reflect the true intentions of those whose name each Tul bears. Therefore, under no circumstances should Taekwon-Do be used for selfish, aggressive or violent purposes, either by an individual or group. Nor will Taekwon-Do be used for any commercial or political purpose whatsoever.
The philosophy of Taekwon-Do is based on the ethical, moral, and spiritual standards by which men can live together in harmony, and its art patterns are inspired by the ideals and exploits of great men from Korean history. Korea’s famous military and civil leaders who in nearly five thousand years of Korean history have never invaded their neighbor yet who fought bravely and made great self-sacrifices to defend their homeland against invading enemies. General Choi also include the names of patriots who willingly gave up their lives to regain Korea’s freedom and independence from the Japanese occupation. Each Tul (pattern) of Taekwon-Do expresses the thoughts and the actions
General Choi has set forth the following philosophy and guidelines which will be the cornerstone of Taekwon-Do and by which all serious students of this art are encouraged to live. 1. Be willing to go where the going may be tough and do the things that are worth doing even though they are difficult. 2. Be gentle to the weak and tough to the strong. 3. Be content with what you have in money and position but never in skills. 4. Always finish what you begin, be it large or small. 5. Be a willing teacher to anyone regardless of religion, race or ideology. 6. Never yield to repression or threat in
the pursuit of a noble cause. 7. Teach attitude and skill with action rather than words. 8. Always be yourself even though your circumstances may change. 9. Be the eternal teacher who teaches with the body when young, with words when old, and by moral precept even after death. Since Taekwon-Do is an art of self-defense which aims at a noble moral rearmament, high degree of intellectual achievement, graceful techniques, and beauty of physical form, it can be considered as a part of one’s daily life, just as are breathing and thinking. As the founder of Taekwon-Do, General Choi would like to define its philosophy, principles, and purposes so that these might be applied to bring about the flowering of morality, beauty, and power in harmony with the immortal spirit. 1. Through scientific practice of Taekwon-Do one can significantly improve his health and nourish his intellect. One can be in a position to aid others in the cause of justice, thereby promoting social ethics and morals, thus helping to bring about a happier and more peaceful society. 2. In order to come to terms with life, in spite of its detestable aspects, and with the idea of death, one ought to continue studying the art of Taekwon-Do to learn techniques of power and grace, and to enlarge his spiritual realm. Thus, the motivation to study shall be an inheritance of limitless value to succeeding generations. 3. Human beings come into the
world with simple needs and desires. They need not become avaricious but ought to remain always humble and merciful. Never compromise their principles, nor be swayed by selfish motives, to ensure freedom and independence of Taekwon-Do so that it will be passed on in its purist form. 4. Since all students of the art are subject to the same rules of conduct and judged according to the same criteria regardless of their stations in life, their origins, and their religious convictions, they demonstrate to the world the essential equality and brotherhood of man. 5. Modern society is characterized by selfish preoccupation with material excess and unnecessary dependence upon machines. Moral society is characterized by self-discipline, sacrifice, mutual help and devotion. Dedication to the art can promote change toward moral society. 6. Those who devote themselves to their fellows and live according to the dictates of their consciences are always helpful toward their juniors and show respect toward their instructors and their seniors. A beginning constitutes a significant part of the whole endeavor. Therefore, students of Taekwon-Do should not fail to take action whenever to do so might benefit the society. If he behaves thus, he himself will benefit most.
General Choi and the pioneers Creating Taekwon-Do is not just an act of patriotic will. General Choi quickly realized that giving his country a martial art of his own would require much more than his ingenuity and knowledge. Korea had their KWANs and in each one, the word of their teacher reigned. To unify them, there may be a lack of authority, clarity, leadership, mastery of techniques, and seduction. Then, at the end of the Second World War, Koreans practiced in some of the 9 main gymnasiums (Kwan) where the main instructors are located, who are later the pioneers of Taekwon-Do. In 1952 he met Nam Tae-Hi, an expert in Tang Su Do recognized for his melee fights in full combat.
We had a lot in common with General Choi: they had both practiced Shotokan, shot at the Communists, and survived more than one battle. Perhaps in that common universe, the first alliance towards the future Taekwon-Do was born. Many names swirled among the witnesses to long dinners at a kisaeng house, General Choi's favorite restaurant, surrounded by sake, intrigue, and speculation. Some were powerful men in politics and others were martial arts masters who were renamed once and for all to Korean martial art. And in that battle, Choi and Nam presumed to lead the way, facing whoever was needed and seducing with authority those who wanted to listen to them. South Korean President Syngman Rhee advocated the traditional name of T´aekkyön, but Taekwon-Do was Choi's choice and nothing that would change his mind. The Korean Taekwon-Do Association met in 1959 with not only
General Choi and Lt. Nam Tae-Hi as protagonists, but also Huang Kee (from Moo Duk Kwan) Yoo Tae-Yong (Ji Do Kwan), R Byun- Jik (from Song Moo Kwan) Uhm Woon-Kyu from Chung Do Kwan) among several others. With each of them, the General had to negotiate with skill and firmness to achieve the unification of a name that took more time than the General. Early protagonists such as Won-Kuk Lee, Jong-Soo Park (Nam student), Kim Suk-kyu, Han Cha-Gyo (Nam right-hand man), Chan-Keun Choi (CKChoi), and Jhoon-Goo Rhee were some of the first names that began to write the history born from the heart of General Choi. Then, with the expansion of Taekwon-Do, the creation of the ITF, and an indescribable will, other pioneers came such as Park Jung Tae, Rhee Ki-Ha, Choi Chang-Keun. And then the pioneers of the west and expansion: Charles Sereff, Van Binh Nguyen, Thomas Mac Callum and the unforgettable TRÂN TRIÊU QUÂN. We know that in many stories the names of all of them still resonate, of the audacity of the General, of his calloused fists vibrating the meeting tables and of the voices that even then, we're encouraged to discuss him. Today, beyond anecdotes, fables and conspiracies, we are left with the legacy of art that has transcended time beyond names. And what he was doing. Original Tae Kwon Do Pioneers The original Tae Kwon Do Pioneers from the 1950s and 1960s. The following is a list of the notable original Tae Kwon Do [ITF] Pioneering Masters and Instructors worldwide.
Korea: General Choi Hong Hi, General Woo Jong Lim, Baek Joong Ki, Ko Jae Chun, Kim Suk Kyu, Kim Bong Sik, Hyun Jong Myung, Lee Sang Koo, Lee Ung Sam, Chang Tae Ik, Kim Syung Bok, Koo Pan Hong, Cha Ji Chul, Kim Gil Sung, Kim Keun Joong, Chin Duk Young, Park Yang Kyu, Choo Kyo Il, Chung Byung Gil, Kwak Byung Oh, Im Soon Ho, Kim Yong Soo, Cho Sang Min, Choi Yeh Bong, Kang Dong Won, Han Min Kyo, and others. South-East Asia: Nam Tae Hi, Han Cha Kyo, Kim Jong Chan, Kim Bok Man, Woo Jae Lim, Lee Byung Moo, Lee Jong Hyup, Lee Jong Chul, Yoon Young Koo, Choi Kwang Jo, Yang Yoo Yup, Lee Joon Jae, Bong Suk Keun, Sung Kwang Yong, and others. Europe: Hong Sung In, Lee Suk Hee, Rhee Ki Ha, Kwon Jae Hwa, Lee Yoo Sun, Kim Kwang Il, Cho Soo Seh, Park Sun Jae, and others. South America: Kim Han Chang, Choi Nam Sung, Kwang Duk Chung, Chong Seo Lee. Canada: Choi Chang Keun, Park Jong Soo. U.S.A.: Kang Suh Jong, Rhee Jhoon Ku, Kim In Mook, Kong Young Il, Chung Suk Jong, Lee Heang Ung, and others.
TKD: Martial art against sport. One dilemma, many answers. The controversy is not minor. Almost from the same title arises the choice that causes us, from reflection to disbelief. Martial arts in general and Taekwon-Do, in particular, were born as defense mechanisms. The best was not the one who won, it was the one who remained alive. Somehow, that was already a competition. From the philosophical point of view, the aspiration has normally been the individual overcoming, beyond our own limits. The construction of the individual through values put martial arts far from sports. In sports, values become rules, and they are not always followed. Because the rules are flexible, but the values are unbreakable. Man, like no other species, seeks conquest "per se", mastery of the environment, feeding the EGO. How is competition possible in a martial art? General Choi wrote: “A Taekwon-Do
tournament is more than just a competition of skill and power. It is also an aesthetic display of martial art. There is certainly beauty in aggressive but controlled combat, in well-executed patterns or in the incredible spectacle of flying kicks and breaking techniques". But his goals went far beyond exhibitionism and skill. “Although the event itself and the competitive spirit of all participants is important, students can also enjoy the competition and take advantage of it to make new acquaintances within the Taekwon-Do brotherhood by exchanging training techniques and spreading the physical and mental attributes from art to viewers". Similarly, General Choi had an intrinsic objective assigned to the competitor and hoped that he would discover it as part of his learning. “Too often, competitors take competition too seriously and ruin it for themselves and others because of their lack of sportsmanship. Praise and trophies are sometimes superficial forms of recognition. It is the measure of respect that instructors and fellow students have who have much more value”, he said.
One of the self-imposed guidelines will start at the contact level. The TKD ITF certainly makes a relative difference in the balance between the values of art and the goal of the competition. The definition of a point as "Correct, Dynamic and Controlled" speaks of a spirit that goes beyond domination over the other, if not over oneself, achieving that each technique requires the own domain of an artist. Competition as part of martial art has a special component that seeks to strengthen character and temper the spirit. Through great competitors throughout the world, we have found several common concepts that value competition within martial art. - Strengthens character - Templar spirit - Help to find our own limits and overcome them - It helps to distinguish between adversary and enemy - Having to follow rules implies discipline, and that is a fundamental part of the art There are Martial Arts that are constituted as an official sport, either because they are Olympic or because they are within professionalism. Over time these Martial Arts will probably be defined as a sport because experience shows that the concept of art is lost with sportsmanship. In fact, General Choi said that: "Of course, free combat is a very important part of Taekwon-Do to generate courage, experience the feeling of victory, the ability to perform and the importance of participation, etc."
But he always clarified: “However, you should not just be the focus of training. A student will see that free combat is not real combat and is a very small part of Taekwon-Do due to the following limitations: 1 Ban on attacking vital points 2 A limited number of attack tools 3 attack areas of a limited number 4 limited spaces to fight 5 A limited number of attack methods 6 security teams 7 No full contact, etc. Consequently, in free combat, the competitor may have the opportunity to exchange trials of more than a dozen fundamental movements compared to the more than 3000 available. This is why I emphasize the correct training of the fundamental exercises in the place of free combat". We begin by talking that Taekwon-Do mainly involves fighting with oneself, and not with the rival. The challenges of the competitions, in any case, will contribute to surpassing our objectives by objectives. In order for the competition period to end, we can continue to improve ourselves, as General Choi aspired, through self-knowledge.
The main dates April 11th 1955 Taekwon-Do officially named March 22nd 1966 ITF founded by General Choi Hong Hi, the Father of Taekwon-Do 1969 First Asian Tournament, Hong Kong 1972 ITF headquarters moved to Toronto (Canada) 1974 First World Championships, Montreal (Canada) 1976 First European Championships, Rotterdam (Netherlands) 1979 First Pacific Championships, Wellington, (New Zealand) 1979 All Europe Taekwon-Do Federation created 1982 North American Federation created 1983 Central American Federation created 1985 ITF headquarters moved to Vienna (Austria) 2002 June 15th Passing of General Choi Hong Hi The Honourable Russell Maclellan became Acting President 2003 June 13th Election of Master Trân Triêu Quân as President of the ITF at the 14thCongress of ITF , Warsaw (Poland) 2010 Passing of Grand Master Trân Triêu Quân Grand Master Pablo Trajtenberg became acting President 2011 Election of Grand Master Pablo Trajtenberg as ITF President 2015 Re-Election of Grand Master Pablo Trajtenberg as ITF President 2019 Election of Grand Master Paul Weiler as ITF President
Three visions of a leader GM Paul Weiler, GM Héctor Marano and GM Javier Dacak had a close relationship with General Choi. As a kind of game, we asked the three of them the same questions seeking to unravel the complex figure of General Choi a little more. Here are your answers.
What did the General Choi think about the competitions? I have attended many seminars with General Choi and at least 90% of them were determined by his explanations of the basic techniques and the patterns. This is where I see his efforts to get his TKD originally and that is our duty, as I announced during
my election campaign prior to Inzell, to keep this legacy. He was always against sparring competition with safety equipment because for him it was not the reality on the street. On the street you do not wear protective equipment. For him TKD was a “Martial Art for self-Defence” – without protective equipment. Please compare also the TKD Encyclopedia. What is the anecdote you have with him that best describes his personality? This question is difficult to answer. He was a strict but humorous person and was always good for surprises. During a seminar break (I was the organizer), he surprised me with the question of wanting to buy a hat and I had considered which restaurant I wanted to take him to for lunch. We then bought a hat, instead of having lunch, which he later wore with pride and I had to go hungry until evening :-)
What do you think was his biggest inspiration to create the TKD? General Choi was always enthusiastic about the patriotism of his Korean compatriots (see also the explanations by the patterns). He also saw himself as a patriot for his country and his actions were sometimes also revolutionary (e.g. his participation in a school uprising that was directed against the Japanese occupiers). With the creation of the TKD, he wanted to create something that was superior to Japanese Karate and he finally proved it.
translate the English version of the encyclopedia into German and made some handwritten improvements (in my house). How would you describe the personality of the General? General Choi was a fighter, patriot, army general and the founder of a martial art that is second to none. I think that says it all. I was privileged to get to know him personally and to learn from him. It was the feeling of drinking straight from a source of knowledge. He had a special Aura.
What was the question that the general never answered? Or what he didn´t want to answer? None. How did the General tell his relationship with the pioneers? He has often mentioned GM Park Jong Soo, whom he called the best student he has ever had. I understood his explanations so that he always spoke of a student relationship. How was your relationship with the general? I can surely say that I had a very good relationship with General Choi. I have some examples of this: Although his schedule was very full, he took the time to host a seminar in my home town of Cologne. I think he did that because he saw that under my leadership the ITF in Germany was organized for the first time and has grown strong. In July 2001 he appointed me to the ITF Consultative Committee, along with GM Park Jong Soo, Masters Leong Wei Meng, Phap Lu, Georgios Stylianidis, Hwang Jin and Benny Rivera. He personally gave me permission to
What did General Choi think about the competitions? It was not a priority, for him, the TKD went through the dojang and the training of students as martial artists. What is the anecdote you have with him that best describes his personality? Once, after finishing the IIC in Argentina, we had to go to Uruguay for another IIC but he did not have a Visa to enter. While everyone in Argentina and Uruguay moved heaven and earth to get it (which we finally did thanks to the lawyer and black belt of TKD Santiago Ruete who helped us a lot), he told us: “Have everyone on the other side of the Rio de la Silver (without knowing its width) and I will give the IIC on this side,
but I will not leave without giving a class. ” Perseverance, self-determination and an indomitable spirit define it well. What do you think was his biggest inspiration to create the TKD? Create a Korean martial art that in addition to the fabulous technique tells the history of Korea without having any Japanese influence. What was the question that the general never answered? Or what did not want to answer? In the General's IICs, the senior instructors were not encouraged to ask because they already knew what the answer would be and they were afraid of looking bad in the face of minor graduations. But while there was no specific question, in the last days of his life we were beginning to think about the future of the ITF. At the end of 2001 he explained to us how he developed Taekwon-Do in other countries, and the method he used for us to replicate it. At that time, all that he taught us was an answer to questions that we never asked but that were always in our heads. How did the General tell his relationship with the pioneers? With the exception of GM Ree Ki Ha, all the pioneers abandoned it for different reasons, a phrase that I always repeated was, learn from me to distrust the Koreans. I must also say that all the pioneers, even today those who live, had and have much respect for what the General did.
How was your relationship with the General? I only became his student in late 1979, but I had the opportunity to share a lot with him, as well as travel many times to his home in Canada, to learn How would you describe the General's personality? An example of the principles of Taekwon-Do.
What did General Choi think about the competitions? He never agreed with the sports face of Taekwon-Do. Although he did understand perfectly the value that tournaments had to spread the art. And ultimately that was his main priority. What is the anecdote you have with him that best describes his personality? One of the most striking anecdotes was when at the 1974 World Cup in Canada and where the TKD was presented to the world, the organizer Yong-Chan Kim put 7 tables of 1 inch each to show the power of the TKD. No one could break and the public began to antagonize him whistling and shouting and the General began to worry. So, they told me to go up to the main ring and I was able to break the 7 boards with Sonkal.
The Grand Masters who were as judges carried me up on the litter and immediately the General sent me to call and it was the first time that I sat in front of him. He asked me my name and what country I was from. And he said to me very simply: “You have just saved the honor of Taekwon-Do with your power. That is why I name it the golden hand of Taekwon-Do”. That was the General, capable of raising anyone's self-esteem when doing things well. What do you think was his greatest inspiration to create the TKD? The General created Taekwon-Do as a defensive art. And he always proclaimed non-aggression. Through art he sought the self-improvement of the individual. I think his main inspiration was to leave the world with an art that sought the perfection of Man. What was the question that the General never answered? Or what did not want to answer? I asked him why his son never
accompanied him and so many other Masters did. He never answered me. How did the General tell his relationship with the pioneers? He often mentioned GM Park Jong Soo, Yong-Chan Kim who started the competition, He Il Cho and Par Jung-Tae as the most prominent. But due to his character, his relationship with all of them was not easy, since his authority collided with the resistance of other pioneers who did not always respect Choi's role as creator of Taekwon-Do. How was your relationship with the General? From the first day we met in Canada in 1974 he was like a father to me and he always treated me like a son. How would you describe the General's personality? Overwhelming with an assurance that was contagious, as small as he was physically, that was how great he was in the spirit and in facing everything that opposed his objectives.
The Legacy
Past, Present and Future Past Many times, we read or heard about the Legacy that General Choi left to us, his disciples, his successors, his followers in Taekwon-Do. That simple word, which derives from the Latin "Legatum", refers us to the idea of material or symbolic elements that a person leaves as "inheritance" to those who succeed him. However, a legacy is also considered what is constituted through the example and ethical values of the person who transmits it. Of course, often people who receive an inheritance have it as they see fit. However, in the case of Taekwon-Do, there is not a single recipient, what is more, the recipient may not have even started the practice of Taekwon-Do yet. In The Reason for the 24 forms, the latter is made quite explicit. The creator of Taekwon-Do said:
"The life of a human being, approximately 100 years, can be considered equal to one day compared to eternity." "Consequently, we mortals are nothing more than mere travelers crossing the eternal years of neon in one day." ‘It is clear that nobody can live more than a certain time. However, most people become slaves to materialism as if they were going to live thousands of years. Still, others strive to leave future generations a spiritual legacy, achieving immortality. ' ‘Obviously, the spirit is perpetual, the material is not. Thus, the legacy that we leave for the well-being of humanity is, perhaps, the most important thing in our lives. ’ "Here I leave Taekwon-Do for humanity, as the footprint of the man at the end of the 20th century." ‘The 24 Tuls represent 24 hours, a day, or my whole life.”
Now, a light reading of this phrase means that anyone can claim the right to own the Taekwon-Do and use it as they wish, which would not be entirely correct, since, as a true martial art, there are a line philosophical, numerous ethical and moral guidelines, and guidelines to follow that indicate the true path for its correct use. General Choi dedicated the first pages of Volume 1 of his Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do to express those values that are the substratum of the Eastern moral culture in which he credited, and which he insisted on making known in the western world. It is no coincidence that it is at the beginning of his 15-volume work. It is what you need to know, learn, and put into practice before moving on to the physical techniques training described in all the other books. In his own words, when speaking of the Moral Culture or Jungshin sooyang, he said: “The diverse connotations and the various possible interpretations of the
moral culture are often very difficult to grasp for a western mind because it is an aspect of Eastern philosophy that infiltrates the lives of the Orientals. ' "To put it simply, it is the constant effort and process to become an exemplary person like Confucius." ‘To be such a person, one must first find himself and acquire a moral character that is respected by others. Thus, if that day comes, the mentally disciplined man can contribute to the construction of an ideal society, giving wise advice to the government and, even after death, through his eternal example. Precisely if we talk about his legacy, we have to refer to his indomitable spirit when it comes to "spreading the art of Taekwon-Do throughout the world", dream, purpose, objective and we could even say obsession that was reflected in his writings, interviews, and conversations throughout his life. The cornerstone To spread the art of Taekwon-Do around the world and become a true ambassador, he made it clear that such work must be based on what he established as the cornerstone of Taekwon-Do, Philosophy, and the following principles, which must be observed in your life by all serious students of this art: • Have the will to progress, even if it is difficult to move forward and do what is worthwhile, whatever the difficulties. • Be gentle with the weak and hard with the strong. • Be content with your financial position, but never believe that you have reached the limit of the development of your skill. • Always finish what has been started.
• Be a teacher who is available to everyone regardless of the religion, race or ideology of their students. • Never give in to repression or threats when pursuing a noble cause. • Teach attitude and skill with acts, not words. • Always be yourself in any circumstance, even if they change. • Be the eternal teacher, who teaches with his body when he is young, with his words when he is old and with his moral precepts even after his death. In another section it says: "The supreme objective of Taekwon-Do is to eliminate the fight by discouraging the oppression of the strongest towards the weakest, with a force that must be based on humility, justice, wisdom, morality and faith, thus allowing us to build a better and more peaceful world”. Present Despite being born in a context of rigidity in education, marked by armed and social conflicts, cultural submission and exacerbated feelings of patriotism that permeated the development of martial art that would go back to bring pride to his people, General Choi Hong Hi left clear evidence of being open-minded to change. So much so, that the execution of the techniques has evolved throughout the decades after the creation of Taekwon-Do, the development of the sinusoid movement in the early 1980s or technical updates, especially as an example, is sufficient. in some motions, which were reflected in the last edition of the Encyclopedia of 1999. Photos, stories, history, execution of techniques and precepts of conduct
present throughout his work, establish a clear relationship of Taekwon-Do with men, with soldiers. However, in the cold January 1993, sitting in the comfortable living room of his home in Mississauga, Canada, he listened to the presentation of a program prepared specifically to teach Taekwon-Do to children. On that occasion, at one point in the conversation and even keeping a copy of a children's book that had been given to him as part of the project, he commented that when he had developed Taekwon-Do, he had not taken women or children into account. children, because they did not fight. And so he understood that there were instructors who had taken the legacy as something serious and that, if it was for "humanity", he had to contemplate the changes and that Taekwon-Do was no stranger to it. And he also understood that, in that daring act of receiving a children's program, in the consultation, in the search for his approval, the loyalty to which he firmly embraced was also implicit, because he continued to be and always will be, the Father of Taekwon-Do.
"If I had to die a hundred times, and die and die again with all my bones no more than dust, my soul already far from men, Still, my red blood spilled for you, you will see that my heart was loyal”. Po- Eun, poet, 1392. In this way, Taekwon-Do ITF became the first martial art to have a teaching-learning program for children. And far from ending there, after his physical disappearance that occurred on June 15, 2002, a new system emerged that aims to open the doors of this art to young children through activities that, consistent with the logical and natural psycho development Individual physicist, introduces children to pro-social behavior skills, accompanies them in their evolution and prepares them for subsequent traditional training, such as the Taekwon-Do ITF Child Development Program. For humanity, General Choi said. Then some thought that it was necessary to allow older people and all those people who for any reason, wanted to start practicing Taekwon-Do without previous experience in this type of discipline.
This is how the Harmony Program was born, which, as its mission expresses it, aims to train and provide appropriate tools for instructors, which allow them to teach and help improve the quality of life of older adults through the practice of Taekwon-Do. For humanity, General Choi said. And like the previous ones, also with the premise of helping to build a more peaceful world as a flag, a program emerged that represents the inclusion, with all the letters, to the practice and enjoyment of Taekwon-Do for all those people with special abilities; is the Adapted Taekwon-Do Program. Since the beginning of this article, we have read about the importance that morality and the norms of conduct have for the serious practitioner of this art, therefore, it is necessary to
sentiments and understanding constant evolution, is intact.
mention the development of the Program about the Do, to preserve and adapt the precepts and teachings about humility, justice, wisdom, morality, and faith in modern times, developing a new awareness of the essence of this aspect not only inside but outside the dojang. Also, the attitude towards women has been changing, perhaps not with the speed expected, but today it is unthinkable to participate in any of the events organized by the ITF, without the presence of women occupying more and more spaces in all the scopes. Nor should we forget the contributions made by those who succeeded the Father of Taekwon-Do as ITF presidents. Each one at a certain moment, with his personal imprint, trying to preserve and evolve. The updates made to the content and pedagogy of the different Courses, the changes in the regulations to compete in the different modalities in the World Championships, the same appearance of the World Cups and so many other innovations, demonstrate that the legacy of the General Choi Hong Hi, glued to his idea of morality and noble
of
Future At this point and taking into account so many teachings, ideas and examples from General Choi, accompanying the evolution of programs that seek to eliminate barriers so that all people can train, study and enjoy this art and, finally, following the essence of the philosophy of this art, it is possible to affirm that, in the future, humanity will embrace Taekwon-Do, in one way or another. And finally, in the author Alex Gillis 'book, A Mortal Art, The hidden history of Taekwon-Do we find the following paragraph: “I came across a maxim that Lao-Tzu wrote:' Even after death, those who are remembered will remain. ' While writing the Taekwon-Do manual in English, I realized that through Taekwon-Do, I wanted to inhabit the world that exists beyond the limits of time and space ” (Choi Hong Hi, 1965). I consider that the reader, to a lesser or greater extent, will agree that the concept of Taekwon-Do as a martial art, as a sport, as a tool for social development and as a lifestyle, makes General Choi's claim to “inhabit in the world that exists beyond the limits of time and space ”, she is assured.
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