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Title [Martial Arts Globe] Learning Korean History through ITF Taekwondo – Part. 2

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    26-09-2022
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Photo by Camila Sanabria on Unsplash.This photo is not directly related to the writing.


     Learning Korean History through ITF Taekwondo – Part. 2 

Kim Yong-Woo


Author Introduction: Currently engaging in disign industry and interested in various kinds of martial arts. He has experienced several kinds of martial arts including Taekwondo (both ITF and WT), kick boxing and Muay Thai. Based on his experience and research on martial arts, he is aiming to launch webtoon(web+cartoon) and other media contents related to martial arts.

In the previous part, this article explored the meaning of the first twelve Teuls (from Cheonji to Gyebaek). In this part, the second and remaining twelve Teuls will be introduced.


Thirteenth Teul – First Form of 2nd Dan “Euiam”

Euiam is a pseudonym for Son Byeong-hee who was one of the activists involved in the March First Independence Movement in 1919. This Teul consists of 45 movements which symbolize the age at which he changed the name of the Confucian religion “Donghak” to “Cheondogyo” (meaning ‘the Heavenly Way’ in Korean), a Korean pantheistic religion. The Teul is represented by “” which represents his devotion and determination for his country.

 

Fourteenth Teul – Second Form of 2nd Dan “Chungjang”

Chungjang is named for a pseudonym of the army leader Kim Deok-ryeong who fought against Japanese invaders during the Imjin War (1592-1598). It is represented by “ which is an incomplete form of the character “” which means master, talent and contribution. The incompleteness acknowledges General Kim’s falling victim to false allegations and being killed at an early age. The last movement which is a left-hand strike also symbolizes his tragic death.

 

Fifteenth Teul – Third Form of 2nd Dan “Godang/Juche”

The Fifteenth Teul has an interesting history that triggers debate, so this Teul is named differently by different schools – some schools refer to this Teul as either “Godang” or “Juche” while some practice both. Some argue that since ITF Taekwondo was spread in North Korea, some “Godang” movements were modified and their name was changed to “Juche” because “Godang” was a pseudonym of Cho Man-sik who was involved in anti-communist campaigns. This Teul – both “Godang” and “Juche” – is represented by the Chinese character “.”

This Teul was originally named for the pseudonym of Cho Man-sik who devoted his life to the independence movement and education. It appears that the 39 movements symbolize his age when he was actively engaged in volunteer activities as President of the YMCA in Pyongyang after the approval of his principal position at Osan High School was deferred by Japan.

“Juche” is named for the juche ideology of Kim Il-sung, so Korean Taekwondo practitioners tend towards reluctance in mentioning this name due to political sensitivities. It is understood that Juche representation by “” or ‘mountain’ is a reference to the first leader of North Korea’s argument that his family shares a “Mt. Baekdu Bloodline.”

 

Sixteenth Teul – First Form of 3rd Dan “Samil”

The sixteenth Teul is named after the March First Independence Movement that occurred on 1st March 1919. That is pronounced as “Sam Il Woon Dong” in Korean. The 33 movements symbolize the 33 national leaders who planned the independence movement. This Teul is represented by “.”

 

Seventeenth Teul – Second Form of 3rd Dan “Yusin”

The seventeenth Teul is named after renowned General Kim Yu-sin from the Silla Dynasty. The 68 movements symbolize the last two digits of 668 C.E., the year Silla achieved unification of the three kingdoms of the Korean peninsula after defeating Baekje and Goguryeo. Since General Kim’s contribution to unification was significant, this Teul is represented by “” meaning master, talent and contribution. Its ready stance resembles the action of sheathing a sword at one’s side. What is noteworthy is that when compared to the twelfth Teul, it is the opposite side of the body that is used. This signifies that it was regrettable that General Kim’s country cooperated with a foreign power, the Tang Dynasty, in their fight against Goguryeo and Baekje who shared the same ethnicity with Silla.

 

Eighteenth Teul – Third Form of 3rd Dan “Choiyeong”

The eighteenth Teul is named after Goryeo General Choi Yeong who successfully protected his country from Japanese and Red Turban invaders. His exceptional integrity is reflected in his motto “Treat gold as if it were a mere rock.” Like the eleventh Teul (Poeun), this Teul is represented by “” that symbolizes General Choi’s absolute loyalty to his king and country in late Goryeo which were at the time faced with a number of crises.

 

Nineteenth Teul – First Form of 4th Dan “Yeongae”

The nineteenth Teul is named after the renowned Goguryeo General Yeon Gaesomun. The 49 movements symbolize the last two digits of 649 A.D., the year when he protected Goguryeo from the army led by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. Although there is some mixed assessments on General Yeon, the Teul is represented by “” which honors his service to his country.

 

Twentieth Teul – Second Form of 4th Dan “Eulji”

The twentieth Teul is named after Goguryeo General Eulji Mundeok who defended his country against a Sui invasion force of 1.13 million led by Emperor Yang. General Eulji is also famous for successfully commanding his forces in the Battle of Salsu. This Teul is represented by the Chinese character “” which is pronounced as “Eul” in Korean.

 

Twenty-first Teul – Third Form of 4th Dan “Munmu”

The twenty-first Teul is named after King Munmu, the 30th king of Silla who united the three kingdoms on the Korean peninsula. The 61 movements symbolize the last two digits of 661 C.E., the year when he came to the throne. King Munmu is considered to be one of wise kings who protected his country from the invasion of the Tang Dynasty and he ruled the country efficiently with reforms to the administrative system. This Teul is represented by “.”

The ITF Taekwondo founder Choi Hong-hi, who also served as a Korean army general, spread ITF Taekwondo in North Korea despite ideological differences between the two Koreas. He also had strong aspirations for Korean unification as this is reflected in his decision to name the last Teul “Tongil” – which translates to “unification” in English. His decision may also send an implicit message to Sabeoms that they should be inspired by King Munmu, the first king in Korean history to achieve the unification in Korea, and to never lose hope for Korean unification.

 

Twenty-second Teul – First Form of 5th Dan “Seosan”

The twenty-second Teul is named after monk Seosan who joined the defense force during the Imjin War. The 72 movements symbolize his age when he recruited a monk army to defend his country from the Japanese invasion. Monk Seosan is one of the national heroes who saved the country. This Teul is represented by “.”

 

Twenty-third Teul – Second Form of 5th Dan “Sejong”

The twenty-third Teul is named after the great king Sejong who made remarkable achievements including the creation of the Korean alphabet (Hangul) and is considered by many to be the wisest king in Korean history. This Teul is represented by “” meaning ‘king.’ The 24 movements symbolize the 24 original Korean letters that King Sejong created. Some may argue that Sejong could have easily been the last Teul considering King Sejong is the most well-known Korean king with the most remarkable legacy. However, it is believed that Sejong is placed before Tongil (‘unification’ in English) since unification remains a national priority for Korea.

 

Twenty-fourth Teul – 6th Dan “Tongil”

The twenty-fourth Teul is the last step to Sahyeon (7th and 8th Dan). Shortly after achieving independence in 1945, the nation endured the Korean War starting in 1950 and the Korean peninsula has now been divided since 1953. In this regard, this Teul reflects Korean aspirations for the reunification of Korea. Tongil is represented by “” meaning ‘unity.’ As this Teul signifies the Korean dream, it is placed as the last Teul.

 

Considering every Teul has a unique name, diagram, meaning and order, it is evident that the ITF Taekwondo founder Choi put a great amount of effort into representing the Korean identity with special meanings embedded in each Teul.

Korean cultural content such as K-pop and K-drama which are represented by BTS, Kingdom and Squid Game are today storming Asia and gaining popularity across the globe. The pioneer of this global trend is Taekwondo. ITF Taekwondo instructors understand the structure and meaning of Teul and spread their knowledge to their students. The same goes for the Sabeoms in other countries. There were some Taekwondo practitioners in foreign countries who simply practiced Teul and then grew their interest in Korean history by learning the names and meanings behind Teul. They went on to study Korean history more deeply. Some may believe that the educational effect is subtle, but as proven by time and time again, martial arts can play a significant role in raising historical understanding.

※ Views in this writing are the author's own.