Taekkyon and Subak history, Taekkyon music???
- Thread starter dcsma
- Start date
mastercole
Master Black Belt
This is the English section from the "Taekkyon Korea" website http://www.taekkyonkorea.com/event/engtk/ What is displayed there are excerpts from the book "Taekkyon Korea's Traditional Martial Art" by KIM Joo Hyung, whom I know. He is the instructor at Gangnam Taekkyon Training Center (not far from Kukkiwon). He is also PR and International Director of World Taekkyon Headquarters. He and I train under the same teacher, the leader of Taekkyon in Korea, GM LEE Yong Bok.
The rest of the site is in Hangul as Taekkyon is just now beginning to spread outside of Korea, and most recently into the USA. GM LEE Yong Bok has around 500,000 students through South Korea, so that site was really developed for them. I made a request for Taekkyon Korea to open this English section on there site for now. They are working to open a full English site soon.
As for music, there is no official music for Taekkyon, however, Taekkyon was played at the Danho Festival which took place in Northern Seoul and specifically with contestants from the Woodae and Araedae areas. The music that was, and is played at the Danho Festival would be generally classified as "Kukak" [National Traditional Music]. The specific type of Kukak would be "Nongak" [farmer's music]. This music has a very unique rhythmic pattern that is found in most Pungmul traditional drum based music.
Their is a relation between the rhythmic pattern of this music and the rhythmic movement in Taekkyon as Taekkyon stepping and action takes place using this rhythm, at various tempo.
See this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BHWfICpu0k&feature=related
mastercole
Master Black Belt
As for ancient Soobahk, we really don't know. According to scholars of research into Korean history, and Korean martial arts history, we only have some verifiable information about Taekkyon, which is very little in written record, and directly from SONG Duk Ki himself. However, all we have is written reference to Soobhak. These scholars state that what techniques Soobahk actually consisted of, or even what it was, is still unknown. Though there is a here in South Korea who is trying to figure it out. He has actually put together some ideas, based mostly on other Korean traditions and dance, and Korean martial arts that exist today and has begun teaching students. But is it actual Soobahk? Not according to scholars who studied this.
mastercole
Master Black Belt
I should have posted a bit more. Here is an interview with GM LEE Yong Bok.
From the 1st American Martial Arts Leaders Taekkyon Instructors Seminar held last year in Cleveland, Ohio, my comments about Taekkyon's modern history.
"Taekkyon is well known as the original form of Taekwondo. It’s existence can be traced back to at least 57 BC. Taekkyon survived several millennia but was almost extinguished under Japanese Colonial Rule during the 1909—1945 period of occupation. However, one Taekkyon practitioner who was still alive and well after the occupation by the name of SONG Duk Ki brought the last remaining remnants of Taekkyon to the edge of modern times. Along came a martial arts historian and researcher who was also a high level Taekwondo Master in search of the roots of Korean Martial Arts. His name is Yong Bok Lee."
"Great Master Yong Bok Lee studied every movement, wrote down every detail and researched all he could from his new found teachers, Grandmaster SONG Duk Ki and his disciple SHIN Han Seung. After painstakingly researching the history of Korea Martial Arts and discovering the principle of Taekkyon, Great Master Lee developed Taekkyon’s first standard curriculum, as traditionally Taekkyon had no standardized format. Then Great Master Lee made a big decision."
"Great Master Lee began the process of adding Taekkyon programs to his existing Taekwondo Dojangs. After time, Taekkyon became very popular, especially among Taekwondo Dan holders. Some Dojang even completely converted over to Taekkyon. Today, Taekkyon is practiced by about 500,000 persons in Korea and is now beginning to spread to other nations."
From the 1st American Martial Arts Leaders Taekkyon Instructors Seminar held last year in Cleveland, Ohio, my comments about Taekkyon's modern history.
"Taekkyon is well known as the original form of Taekwondo. It’s existence can be traced back to at least 57 BC. Taekkyon survived several millennia but was almost extinguished under Japanese Colonial Rule during the 1909—1945 period of occupation. However, one Taekkyon practitioner who was still alive and well after the occupation by the name of SONG Duk Ki brought the last remaining remnants of Taekkyon to the edge of modern times. Along came a martial arts historian and researcher who was also a high level Taekwondo Master in search of the roots of Korean Martial Arts. His name is Yong Bok Lee."
"Great Master Yong Bok Lee studied every movement, wrote down every detail and researched all he could from his new found teachers, Grandmaster SONG Duk Ki and his disciple SHIN Han Seung. After painstakingly researching the history of Korea Martial Arts and discovering the principle of Taekkyon, Great Master Lee developed Taekkyon’s first standard curriculum, as traditionally Taekkyon had no standardized format. Then Great Master Lee made a big decision."
"Great Master Lee began the process of adding Taekkyon programs to his existing Taekwondo Dojangs. After time, Taekkyon became very popular, especially among Taekwondo Dan holders. Some Dojang even completely converted over to Taekkyon. Today, Taekkyon is practiced by about 500,000 persons in Korea and is now beginning to spread to other nations."
Last edited by a moderator:
If you are serious about learning about Taekkyon, my suggestion to you is to take mastercole up on his offer to you. He is the head of taekkyon in the united states and he regularly has senior taekkyon instructors staying with him. He could help you learn about taekkyon, and kukki taekwondo as well, if that is what you are interested in.
