Korean Martial Arts History according to Joo Band Lee - a newer story?

I know Master Eric Lee. He is interested in knowing who you are. If you respond to etkdk5@yahoo.com, I will make sure he gets the message. Thanks you, all the best!

 

Amazingly, he's right about the origin of other modern KMAs--chiefly Japanese, now heavily modified--but I assume he still sticks to the clam that HRD is thousands of years old, and not just modified Hapkido (which is from Japan) with some other stuff tossed in?

 

To whom is this addressed, please?

 

Well I hope not. I'm now starting on my 2nd history book which has a high focus on Silla Kingdom. They mention the Hwarang warriors and some of the deeds (as individuals, not as mystic super warriors). However, it should be noted that after the fall of the Shilla kingdom, the Hwarang were disbanded. While it is possible that they may have been added into the military Koryo Empire, what was once an elite force type unit ceased to exisit. It may even be possible that it ended before then. One of the items that lead to the downfall of Shilla, was Shilla itself. This all started during 888 with reign of Queen Chinsong and steadily fell until the 935 under King Kyoungsun. The ministries up to the royal family became corrupt both financially and morally. This sparked many of the military personell to break away and eventually attack them. The one causing the most harm was "Tiger General" Chin-won. Now I would have to go back to read and compare what was written on HRD history and synch it up to Korean history, to see for sure but, I just find it very improbable that what the HRD warriors trained in is what is being presented today.

Again, this not a shot at the art itself nor the skills of its founders and directors. I find the art to be extremely effective and beautiful and the founders to be very good technicians at what they do. My comments deal only in the history as it has been presented.

 

Some interesting fun facts about the Hwarang class. The items I'm about to post are from the book "Sources of Korean Tradition Vol. 1" by Peter H. Lee & Wm. Theodore De Bary. This particular book is a nice source of material because they gathered information from many different sources of Korean History. It tells you up front that it is a selective abridgement of the "Sourcebook of KOrean Civilization, Vol. I" published by Columbia University Press. Anyway, I was reading through this and came across the first tidbit which explains the origin of the Hwarang O'gae. (Please note that this is a very brief version of a longer tale and I recommend reading the book for the full information on who Master Wongwang was and his place in Korea history. Master Wongwang, who was well known throughout the Silla kingdom was approached by Kwisan & Ch'uhang from the Saryang district. They asked Master Wongwang to give them a maxim to which they could live their lives by. The master told them that there are 10 commandments in the bodhisattva ordination and since neither of them were monks he doubted they could practice all of them. With that said he gave them five commandments for laymen: Serve you sovereign with loyalty, attend to your parents with filial piety, treat your friends with sincerity, do not retreat from the battlefield, be discriminating about taking a life.

He was asked to explain the fifth to which he said "Not to kill during the months of spring and summer nor during the six meatless feast days is to choose the time. Not to kill domestic animals such as cows, horses, chickens, dogs, and tiny creatures whose meat is less than a mouth ful, is to choose the creatures. Though you may have the need, you should not kill often."

These became the basis five Hwarang O'gae practiced in the art today:
1. (Il) Sa Kun E Choong – Loyalty to One’s Country.
2. (E) Sa Chin E Hyo – Loyalty to One’s Parents and Teachers.
3. (Sam) Kyo Woo E Shin – Trust and Brotherhood Among Friends.
4. (Sa) Im Jun Moo Tae – Courage Never Retreat In The Face Of The Enemy.
5. (Oh) Sal Saeng You Taek – Justice Never to Take A Life Without A Cause

There is your bit of fun knowlege.

 

Been a while since I've recited the Hearing Meng Sae on line ... followed, of course, by the Do O'gae ... the nine virtues:

In - Humanity
Oui - Justice
Yeh - Courtesy
Gi - wisdom
Sin - trust
Sun - goodness
Duk - virtue
Chung - loyalty
Yong - courage

 

Autocorrect changed hwarang to hearing.