Definition of martial arts

Write by Dr. Heo
 UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage and Martial Arts
2009 World Martial arts Aeminar,  World Martial Arts Academy 

If martial arts are defined using Chinese character, they can be summarized as follows:

Moosol: It defines martial arts based on intrinsic value which is fighting skills. Therefore, this concept often implies that the awareness on mental aspect has not been developed yet.

Mooye: It defines martial arts techniques with an aesthetic and artistic perspective. Based on this interpretation, martial arts are often understood in higher level.

Moodo: Martial arts are often understood with mental and philosophical perspectives. However, the problem is that the mental and philosophical criteria are obscure.

In terms of a history of the development of martial arts on moosol, mooye and moodo, it has been understood that martial arts have evolved in order of moosol, mooye and moodo. Under this perspective, moosol which focuses on practical efficiency develops into mooye in which aesthetic and artistic martial arts are emphasized. Then, mooye evolves into moodo which pursues the realization of educational or religious value which targets on trainees’ mental and emotional development, exceeding the practical aspect.

The said interpretation can be summarized as follows:

Moo + sol = moosol: Fighting skills – war – no value
Moo + ye = mooye: Art – true, goodness and beauty – value
Moo + do = moodo: Rule, order – maintenance of community system – value

The said classification which has been common in our society has some logical risks. Under this kind of system, moodo tends to accept and develop values based on terminology instead of accepting and developing diverse values according to social and cultural development. However, this kind of awareness is too simple and dangerous because the understanding on since when moosol tried to pursue social or artistic values according to social and cultural aspects could be ignored, and the artistic and social aspects that are observed in the early development stage of martial arts could be underestimated. This kind of framework of awareness needs to be approached with an understanding on the historical and cultural aspects in the process of concept formation. Under this kind of aspect, the most common framework of understanding is either ‘moosol – moodo’ or ‘moosol – mooye – moodo,’ which has developed in the Japanese history.

According to the framework of awareness which backs up the development flow of ‘moosol à mooye à moodo; and most Japanese scholars’ opinions, ‘moosol’ is understood as practical combat skills that were developed during wartime that lasted for over 500 years before the Japanese unification accomplished by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Dokukawa Ieyas. Since the establishment of Dokukawa Bakuhu, the combat skills became less practical. Since then, Busi has inherited the ideology and culture of the martial arts, naming their training center as ‘moodo.’

According to those who understand the development flow of ‘moosol à mooye à moodo,’ they see the emergence of professional martial artists after the war as an important variable. The creation and spread of the sects led by these martial artists, and the techniques and stylization of the martial arts are understood as ‘mooye.’ Since then, martial arts training have become extremely stylized, which has weakened their practical efficiency. Instead, mental training or educational values were more emphasized. As a result, a concept of ‘moodo’ emerged. Therefore, it seems essential to understand Japanese Geido phenomena and Zen culture to find out what moodo truly is. 

Another important opinion sees that moodo originated from Kano Jigoro’s Judo. According to this opinion, no martial arts were called ‘do’ before the Kano period. However, Kano clearly stated the concept of moodo and related concept and philosophy in Judo. Kano insisted that his martial arts were ‘do (art)’ rather than ‘sol (skills)’ because he believed that diverse educational values could realized through competitionalization after the development of a training method which makes Nandori possible and fights.
 
According to the said discussion, the following important variables can be found in understanding the development process of moosol, mooye and moodo; 1) correlation with actual combats, i.e. the practical use of martial arts, 2) the significance of mental training in martial arts training, 3) training method (ex: either a pose- or fight-centered training), 4) new martial arts with the emergence of professional martial artists.
 
The understanding of the concept of moosol, mooye and moodo is relatively complicated because it requires the understanding of some important values and technical and historical subjects. In particular, the practicality-mentality relationship, practicality-skills, skills-mentality and the correlation between practice, spirit and skills are core factors that are necessary in understanding the concept of moosol, mooye and moodo.

In martial arts education, a direction for the awareness on the said concept sets the direction for the education itself. For example, whether or not skill training, mental training or theoretical education will be emphasized will be decided. In the skill training, whether or not the aesthetic completeness of the skills will be emphasized or the practical efficiency of the skill will be decided.

Along with the understanding on the gradual and evolutional development flow, another common framework of understanding on moosol, mooye and moodo is the awareness of moosol-China, moodo-Japan and mooye-Korea. Without awareness on the fact that certain words are chosen in consideration of local preferences or culture, the said issue cannot be understood.

Therefore, both moosol and moodo have settled down as new concepts. However, they have limitations in terms of possibility as common concept and the limited concept of local cultural tradition. The possibility as common concept can be understood from the fact that the traditional martial arts keep certain distance from moosol and moodo while limited concept is based on the local cultural tradition. Therefore, there exist certain limitations in accepting moosol or moodo. That’s why it is urgent to review on the difference.

This kind of understanding method is called ‘moosol’ in China and ‘moodo’ in Japan. However, the nature of moosol, mooye and moodo has not been properly delivered to us. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the original purpose of martial arts instead of focusing on defining the meaning of martial arts as art or skill.