Self Control- In the Yom Chi TaeKwon-Do Association, Colored Belt Handbook, Self Control is defined as “The ability of one to function in today’s society without losing patience or displaying ill-temper or anger” (Blakely, 25). This relates directly to the Code ‘Be loyal to your king’. In order to be loyal to one’s king one must obey the laws, cultural norms, and moral guidelines, which are created and enforced by the king. To be able to do that consistently in life, one must exhibit Self Control
Courtesy- The Tenet Courtesy is defined as “Being polite to one another. Showing respect to others and behaving in accordance with proper etiquette” (Blakely, 25). Now we can see that being obedient to your parents is behaving in accordance with proper etiquette. Furthermore showing respect for others, namely your parents, involves living your life with the virtues and morals that your parents would want you to posses. Moreover any good parent would wish there children to be polite to one another and show respect to others, thus the Tenet ‘Courtesy’ comes from the code ‘be obedient to your parents’.
Perseverance- Consider the code ‘be honorable to your friends’, in order for a true friendship to develop and last it takes many hardships, sacrifices, and time, from both individuals. Thus it requires perseverance in order for one to be honorable to one’s friends. Which is why the Tenet ‘Perseverance’ comes from the code ‘be honorable to your friends’.
Indomitable Spirit- It is easy to see that to ‘never retreat in battle’ requires one to live by the Tenet of Indomitable Spirit. Never retreating in battle was one of the main aspects which helped the Hwarang warriors become victorious over larger armies. That is the reason why students of TaeKwon-Do are taught to live with Indomitable Spirit. It is the only way the overpowered and mistreated can over through the empowered. Which has great importance in Korea’s (and other countries as well) history. Thus this code ‘never retreat in battle’ translates into the Tenet of ‘Indomitable Spirit’.
Integrity- Consider the final piece of the Hwarang code ‘Make a just kill’. By the process of elimination one can easily guess that the Tenet of ‘Integrity’ comes from this piece of the code. The reason why however, seems obvious. Integrity is defined as “One must be able to distinguish right from wrong and have the conscience, if wrong, to feel guilt” (Blakely, 25). Now to be able to practice selectivity and justice in the killing of living things (in other words to make a just kill), one must be able to distinguish right from wrong, in order to understand what is and isn’t a just kill. Therefore, the Tenet ‘Integrity’ comes from the code ‘make a just kill’.
, integrity (yom-chi 염치
