The HMD Philosophy

By Master Hyong

Understanding Tae Kwon Do As An Art

• Moo Do:The Idea of Tae Kwon Do
• The Substantive Characteristics of the Synthesized Ideal of Tae Kwon Do
• Critique of Competitional Tae Kwon Do
  

Moo Do:The Idea of Tae Kwon Do

Elaboration of the ideal of Tae Kwon Docan be initiated from the genealogy of Moo Do. Martial art is the translation of Moo Do. We can triangulate the meaning of Tae Kwon Dothrough understanding what Moo Do and martial arts signify. The Chinese character /Moo/ consists of /Guh/ and /Ji/. /Guh/ means "spear, attack, disturbance, and aggression" and /Ji/ means "to stop". Thus, /Moo/ together means "to stop the attack, disturbance, and aggression." This etymological analysis tells that Moo originates from the practice of halting and pacifying war or disturbance. In the context of modern life, we are involved in continuous disturbance: Even though we Do not suppose an extreme event like war, our capacity as human beings are finite, we must face death regardless. Thus, we must accept that we cannot be totally free from disturbance, however, we can learn to manage the disturbances that plague us. We can view them as challenges to our lives. But to Do so, we must enhance our capacity to deal with them. Construed in this way, Moo is a relevant practice to our everyday concern since it is the practice of cultivating our capacity to deal with the set of inevitable and contingent disturbances arising in our lives.

For the purpose of operational distinction, we can identify three major sources of disturbance. These are external, internal, and a combination of both. External disturbances are those which arise due to circumstances outside oneself. They include the threat of physical violence to oneself or one's fellows, or any obstacle which stands in the way of accomplishing one's goals. External disturbances also include societal problems such as oppression and discrimination.

Internal disturbances are those which arise from within one's own mind or body. They can take the form of basic physical needs or desires, such as food, shelter and sex. Or, they can be related to one's personality. For example, a lack of respect for others, a lack of ethics, irresponsibility, laziness, passivity, overconfidence, and aggressiveness can all contribute to conflict situations.

Finally, the source of disturbance may be both internal and external. In many cases the causes of disturbance will not be separate, but interactive. An external disturbance may provoke an internal response which causes conflict. Further, the effects of external disturbances usually become greater for those who are burdened with serious internal disturbances. For example, economic difficulties can cause the person of weak conscience to steal.

In practicing Moo Do we are training to develop a strong self, in order to overcome both external and internal sources of disturbance. The attitude of the student determines the nature of his character development. We are not practicing in order to passively defend against every disturbance, but to approach disturbances as personal challenges which, when overcome, contribute to personal growth.

Again, this can be seen etymologically. The Chinese character /Do/ encompasses /Ji/ and /Su/. /Ji/ means walking, behaving, and bodily practice. /Su/ means face, head, mind, thoughts, and ideas. Thus, /Do/ together means 'the way to live a life within a harmonious unity of body and mind'.

Dodeals with becoming the ideal self in relation to the entire dimension of living, including our relationships with nature, otehrs, and society as a whole. The path of Do is grounded in the ethical; the mode of life one aspires to while rconciling our relationships with the latter. Thus, Do is a bridging principle between the individual and the larger social context. As a result, the path to Do demands philosophical self-reflecting, an understanding of 'Who am I?", and 'What is my moral relation to nature and society?' That is, understanding oneself as an individual, as wwell as part of a larger whole. By articulationg the meaning and value of nature, others, and society, each individual is able to create his/her own way of life. This ethic must become routine, eventually subconscious as the martial artist progresses to his/her full potential. That potential is realized when the martial artist fully knkows him/herself and in turn transcends that self for the good of society. This is the art of living, and the goal of Moo Do.

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The Substantive Characteristics of the Synthesized Ideal of Tae Kwon Do

1. The Aesthetic Concept

Based upon this interpretation of Moo Do, we can tentatively include the following substantive characteristics in our synthesized ideal of Tae Kwon Do:

Tae Kwon Do is harmony: physical, psychological and philosophical exercise brings one's life into accord.

Tae Kwon Do is art: the mind and the body, usually separated in everyday life, work toward their reconciliation, unification, and dynamics.

Tae Kwon Do is aesthetic: the unity of mind allows practitioners to experience the beauty of their unification and to actualize their resulting potential power.

Tae Kwon Do is ethics: our beauty and power, once experienced contribute to a different understanding of ourselves and our existence. This further motivates us to lead harmonious lives with others and to work foe the development of our community.

Tae Kwon Do is universal: it pursues a strong and beautiful self, it strives to understand the objective of life and its trials; it attempts to overcome the yoke of mundane things. As practitioners of Tae Kwon Do, we are in essence, a community of artist, helping each other in the process of realizing our aesthetics and values.

I must reemphasize that my model is not intended to define the practice of Tae Kwon Do in every time and place, for everyone. In order to stand the test of time, this model must be continuously revised and renewed by ongoing communication so as to make it more relevant to the contexts where Tae Kwon Do is practiced and to the people involved in it--regardless of ability, age, creed, race, or economic status.

Note:The growth of Tae Kwon do, while in need of celebration, must not be taken for granted. Tae Kwon do's inclusion in the Olympics presents us with a challenge, that of developing it quantitatively and qualitatively in the future. To meet this challenge, we must reconstruct the foundation and the meaning of this martial art, borrowing from existing views and synthesizing them into a flexible one that can be constantly renewed through continuing discussion, development and refinement. In doing so, we will further Tae Kwon Do's growth as it continues to contribute to the many dimensions of its practitioners lives.

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1. The exclusive emphasis placed on technical developments in competitional Tae Kwon Do to the neglect of Do, which is the developmental principle of martial arts, leads to human alienation rather than human perfection.

2. The competitional Tae Kwon Do has placed itself in the structure of competitive sports of today, diminishing the meaning of Tae Kwon Do to the shallow teleology of winning.

3. Whereas the fundamental principles of modern martial arts lie in the real of everyday living as art, competitional Tae Kwon Do facilitates, and aggravates the existing syndromes of sports elitism. The members of competing squads, segregated from all the rest, not only develop a sense of 'a selected few' through the special training procedures, but become alienated by the very process of technical development. Sports elitism always leads to human alienation rather than salvation.

4. Most people come to Tae Kwon Do with the spirit of amateurism, looking for better health, discipline, self-defense skilled, mental strength, etc. Since they practice Tae Kwon Do with such willingness to spend their won money on their own development, the innate philosophical potentialities of martial arts can manifest themselves better through practices of these ordinary people. On the other hand, the single goal of the members of competing squads is to win, and all their training revolves around the development of the skills, attitudes, and strengths necessary to win points in the one-on-one competition.

5. While competition is geared toward a display of superiority and strength, practicing of Poomsae is more concerned about the perfection of the form itself, which allows individuals to experience Aesthetic satisfaction resulting in harmony between the individuals and his/her environment. In regard to the meditative effects of Poomsae, the hectic rush of competitive Tae Kwon Do is unhealthy.

6. As much as the dynamics and nature of competition are restricted by the rules imposed on competition, the rules also work as a restriction on the development of new skills beyond the structure of competition. The extreme emphasis placed kicking skills to the neglect of hand skill is an example. Furthermore, the systems of the three three-minute rounds, eight weight divisions, points, medals, are all after those of the western sports. The restrictions lay on the form of competition look trite to the eyes of a serious martial arts student.

7. Competitive Tae Kwon Do is enmeshed in the logic of utility and profit. Winning is being translated into all types of practical gains for the individuals on competition. Also, all kinds of political and economical interest are involved in the big tournaments offered by huge politicking organizations. Martial art is a principle of human development; it avoids profit motives.

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