Taekgyeon

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Taekgyeon
Korean martial art-Taekkyeon-01.jpg
Common spelling:
Hangul : 택견
Revised Romanization : Taekgyeon
McCune-Reischauer : T'aekkyŏn
South Korean spelling:
Hangul : 택견, 태껸
Revised Romanization : Taekkyeon
McCune-Reischauer : T'aekkyŏn

Taekkyeon , often Taekkyon or Taekyon written, is a traditional Korean martial art and martial arts and is one of the few dance martial arts is.

In November 2011, Taekgyeon was the first martial art worldwide to be included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity .

Taekgyeon encompasses a large number of foot and hand techniques. His specialties are deep kicks to the legs, throws, high kicks as well as jumps and other more athletic foot techniques such as wheel strokes. The most typical kick is the sinuous Gyeot Chigi (also called Jjae Chagi ).

history

Taekgyeon has developed in Korea over centuries. It is unknown when exactly it was created. Since the end of the 18th century at the latest, Subak , which is mentioned in even older sources (see the article on Subak), was synonymous with Taekkyon. This comes from the source Manmulbo ( Kor. 만물 보 , 萬物 譜 ).

The Manmulbo is the first known written source in which Taekgyeon appears by name in Korean script ( Hangeul ). It was created around 1790 and is also known as Jaemulbo ( 재물 보 , 才 物 譜 ). There it is written Tak-gyeon ( 탁견 ). The original text is:

“Byeon and Subak are Byeon, Gangnyeok is Mu, and all of these are called Takgyeon [sic!] In Hangeul. (卞 手 搏 爲 卞 角力 爲 武 苦 今 之 탁견) "

- Manmulbo
The painting “Daekwaedo” shows a Taekgyeon fight in the lower part. Seoul University Museum.

The painting "Daekwaedo" ( 대 쾌도 , 大 快 圖 ) by Hyesan Yu Suk ( 유숙 , 劉淑 ), a painter who lived from 1827 to 1873, was created around 1850 . It shows Ssireum above and Taekgyeon below.

In 1895 the book "Korean games with notes on the corresponding games of China and Japan" ("Korean Games" for short) by the ethnographer Stewart Cullin appears. There is also a chapter on Taekkyon.

In "Haedong Jukji" by Choe Yeong-nyeon (최영 년, Hanja: 崔永 年) from 1921, the Idu spelling 托 肩 is used for Tak-gyeon. The translation of 托 肩 is "push shoulder", but it has no meaning, but represents a kind of onomatopoeia (see under Idu). This book contains a poem and a factual text about Taekkyon, in which it is lyrically referred to as “technique of the flying leg” (Bi-gak-sul, 비각 술).

This picture (around 1900) was taken by an unknown photographer and shows children playing taekgyeon.

Between 1905 and 1945 the Japanese made Korea one of their colonies and it fell under Japanese rule . During this time, Taekgyeon almost completely disappeared, as the Japanese colonial rulers did not allow gatherings with more than ten people. The exact time is unknown, but Song Dok-ki , one of the last Taekgyeon-kkun ( kkun means player) living at the time, said after World War II that it "probably disappeared 70 years ago". It was not until Shin Han-seung , who became aware of Song Dok-ki through a newspaper article in 1971, that the martial arts became more popular again. As early as March 26, 1958, Taekkyon was presented on the birthday of the former Korean President Syngman Rhee , but this demonstration did not lead to a wider spread of the fighting style. Song Dok-ki had few students in those years.

In addition to Song, two or three other Taekkyon-kkun from the Joseon dynasty lived around 1970. Taekgyeon was passed on through them, so that today there are around 15,000 active members in three Korean associations (as of 2010). Since the renaissance of the martial arts in the 70s and 80s, both Song Dok-ki and Shin Hanseung have been called grandmasters .

Taekgyeon is the only Korean martial art that has been recognized by the Korean government as an "intangible cultural asset" (registration number 76). This official registration was made on June 1, 1983. In this context, reference should also be made to Ssireum (Korean wrestling) and Guk Gung (Korean archery), which are also genuinely Korean, but have not yet received such a registration.

Song Dok-ki and Shin Han-seung were named "living cultural heritage" in the same year because of their knowledge of a traditional cultural asset.

In 2011, Taekgyeon was the only martial art in the world to be included in the corresponding UNESCO list of world cultural heritage as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage .

Important figures in Taekkyon history

In the order of their year of birth:

  1. Im Ho (* around 1875)
  2. Jang Kal (exact year of birth unknown, but as a friend of Im Ho also around 1875.)
  3. Song Dok-ki (1893–1987)
  4. Shin Han-seung (1928–1987)
  5. Lee Yong-bok (* 1948)
  6. Jeong Gyeong-hwa (* 1954)
  7. Do Ki-hyun (* 1962)
  8. Ko Yong-woo (* 1951)

execution

Nal Chigi (wheel kick)
Tae Jil (litter)
Eopeo Chigi / Heobeok Chigi (one kick to the thigh or the hollow of the knee)

The movements of Taekgyeon are fluid and dance-like, with practitioners constantly in motion. The elastic bobbing with the knees is of essential importance, which is called Ogeumjil (오금 질 Ogeum = hollow of the knee , Jil = movement ) or Gumsil (굼실). In addition, all techniques in the Pumbalkki (also Pumbapgi or Pumbalgi , Korean 품 밟기) called basic step are trained. Pumbalkki literally means “pounding the pump” and figuratively means “triangular step”.

The techniques are versatile, not only kicks and punches, but also many throws, levers and other techniques such as. B. head butts, pinches and other "dirty tricks" trained. Song Dok-ki's techniques were so varied that it is assumed that there were no restrictions on the repertoire of technology before the Japanese colonial government. Only ground combat is not trained.

The dominant techniques in Taekgyeon are foot techniques such as foot sweeps and foot throws as well as kicks at all body heights (deep kicks to jumps). Jumps and techniques in which the hands touch the ground are particularly spectacular (e.g. the Nal Chigi , a kick similar to a wheel-turn). One of the specialties of Taekkyon is the Gyeot Chigi (literally "side kick", in other martial arts usually called "twisted kick"), which is often used at head level in competition.

Competition (Gyeorugi)

Gyeorugi (also Kyorugi , 겨루기 ) has always been an essential part of Taekgyeon, which is why it can be seen as a martial art and a martial art. The aim in competition is to either hit the opponent on the head with his foot or to get him to touch the ground with a part of the body other than the soles of his feet by throws, sweeps or other means. You can also try to hold onto the opponent's leg when he kicks to the head and then throw him. Deep kicks to the legs are also allowed, as opposed to blows with the hands or fists.

The top priority is not to hurt the opponent with the techniques. Kicks to the body are therefore generally performed as pressure kicks, which are only intended to throw the opponent off balance. The kicks to the head are carried out in a very controlled manner so as not to cause any damage. In fact, injuries from high kicks are extremely rare. At the same time, they have to be very fast so that the kick cannot be blocked or caught. Since it is relatively risky to kick high, most points are scored by throws and sweeps.

Taekkyon was a popular sport among children as early as the Joseon Dynasty. This Taekkyon was called Aegi Taekkyon , or “Children's Taekkyon”. The children also took part in tournaments such as the Gyeollyeon Tae on Dano Day . As an adult you learned other techniques and were also taught the harder techniques known as Yet Beop ("old methods"), which are too dangerous for competition. So the training has always led to the sporting competition to the more serious fight, which is still handled today by the modern associations.

The various associations have developed different sets of rules based on traditional rules since the 1980s. The main difference is the permitted hardness of the kicks. In the "Kyulyun Taekyun Association" the "Taekyun Battle" (TKB) tournament is organized in Insadong every year.

Breathing (gi-hap)

Gi-hap ( 기합 ) is often translated as "battle cry", which is, however, a very free interpretation. It literally means “collect energy”. In Taekkyon, the sound that is called during Gi-hap, in contrast to the Japanese Budo types (called“ Kiai ” there) or the Korean martial arts derived from it such as Taekwondo and Hapkido, have a uniform sound. It isbreathedfrom the lower abdomen ( Danjeon ).

In the "Kyulyun Taekyun Association" the original variant from the time of Song Deokki is used. Most of the time with the fighting techniques and only rarely with steps, "ick!" Or "icku!" Is called. Since training is often carried out in a three-way rhythm (called “pumbalkki”), in which a technique is performed every third beat, you always hear an “ick!” On this beat.

In the two associations that are influenced by Shin Hanseung (the "Korea Taekkyon Federation" and the "Korea Traditional Taekkyon Association"), practitioners also use a gi-hap for steps, which then "ick-" depending on the form of exercise and the rhythm of movement. eck ”or“ ick, eck, eck ”etc. sounds. In the case of strong techniques, a vowel is added (e.g. "icka!").

In (competition) combat, it is not prescribed in any style when a gi-hap should take place. It is only used here with particularly strong techniques and comparatively rarely.

Taekkyon is one of the few martial arts in which there is a battle cry in this specific form, probably the only one. On the one hand, there is no other regularly articulated sound (repeated "ick-eck") and on the other hand, the sound in other martial arts is mostly not uniform.

clothing

In the Joseon Dynasty , the Taekkyon-kkun wore different garments when training and competing. Often were Hanbok , or as seen in the painting Daekwaedo, durumagi ( 두루마기 ) worn. The traditional trousers are called Baji ( 바지 ), are cut very wide and are held in place by a belt. The belt is put once around the waist and tied with a bow on the side. The jacket-like top of the Hanbok is closed with a bow at the side at chest height. The jacket could be white or colored, and belts of different colors were worn. The colors didn't mean anything.

Because Taekkyon was mainly practiced outdoors, the fighters mostly wore mituri (shoes, 미투리 ). Training and fights with Mituri continue to this day.

In the renaissance of the sport in the 1970s, it was decided to wear a white hanbok with a blue belt.

In 2001 the “Korea Taekkyon Federation” created special Taekkyon clothing, the so-called “Taekkyon-bok”, with the help of Professor Seo Hwang-ok from Chung-Ang University in Seoul, who specializes in traditional clothing. This is based on the traditional "Cheollik" ( 철릭 ), which has been worn by the king and members of the court as well as by military officers and ordinary people since the end of the Goryeo dynasty. Just like the Cheollik, the Taekkyon-bok has skirt-like folds (see photo of the Taekkyon-kkun in a green Cheollik above). The Baji of Taekkyon-bok is identical to that of Hanbok.

Graduations

Originally there were no graduations or examinations in Taekgyeon and therefore no special titles. Pupils addressed their teacher as “Mr. Teacher” (Kor. “Seonseng-nim” 선생님 ), as is still common in all teacher-student relationships in Korea.

Grandmaster Shin Han-seung first introduced a graduation system in the 1970s, in which "Dong" is the grade for students and "Jjae" is the grade for advanced students. As long as you have a Dong graduation, you wear a white belt here. From the Jjae it will be blue. These terms and colors for graduations are still used today by the Korea Traditional Taekgyeon Association, as this association maintains the style of Shin.

The “Korea Taekkyon Federation” under the direction of Grand Master Lee Yong-bok introduced the grades “Pum” for students and “Dan” for teachers, initially with the clothing and the two belt colors from the 1970s. Since 2001/2002 there has been a special Taekkyon garment in this association (see chapter "Clothing"). Since then, both the belt color and the color of the top (Cheollik) have changed with the graduations. All Pum grades, counted backwards from nine to one, wear a black belt and a white Cheollik. For the first and second dan the belt is orange and the top is black. For the third and fourth dan the belt is gold and the top is green. The fifth and sixth dane wear a gold belt with a blue top. In Dan seven and eight, the golden belt is combined with a red robe. The ninth dan is reserved for the reigning grandmaster and is marked by a silver belt and a black cheollik.

The "Kyulyun Taekyun Association", which is based very closely on Song Dokki's style, developed an examination program relatively late. This association has the following levels:

  1. Gyeollyeon Taekgyeon Kkun (Elementary)
  2. Bigak Taekgyeon Kkun (Bigak means "flying leg", so many jumps have to be learned for this level)
  3. Yet Beop Taekgyeon Kkun (Yet Beop are the "hard" techniques that are only used in an absolute emergency.)

Taekgyeon in Germany

The German Taekkyon Circle has existed in Germany since 2002 and teaches and disseminates this sport. It emerged from a university sports group at the Aachen University of Applied Sciences . On September 22, 2011, the Taekkyon Center Germany was founded in Seoul as the official German representative of the World Taekkyon Headquarters.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Entry in the official "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity", incl. Photos and video
  2. ↑ Lee Yong-bok: Taekkyon, a Korean Martial Art (한국 무예 택견). Hakminsa Publishing, Seoul 1990, p. 69.
  3. ↑ Kim Joo Hyung: Taekkyon - Korea's traditional martial art. Dongsim edpia; bilingual edition, Seoul 2008, ISBN 978-89-87920-79-5 , p. 66.
  4. ↑ Lee Yong-bok (이용복): “Taekkyon” (택견) . Daewonsa Publishing, Seoul 1995, p. 14 f.
  5. ↑ Song, Interview 1984, see video and document (English and German translation)
  6. ↑ a b Lee Yong-bok: Taekkyon, a Korean Martial Art (한국 무예 택견). Hakminsa Publishing, Seoul 1990.
  7. ↑ "Taekyun Battle (TKB)" ( Memento of the original from December 24, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.tkbattle.com
  8. ^ Taekkyon Center Germany

literature

  • Hendrik Rubbeling: Taekkyon - Like water and wind . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2017, ISBN 978-3744896818 .

Web links

Commons : Taekkyeon  - collection of images, videos and audio files