What are the traditional martial arts?

By Keon Sik Heo, Ph.D.

The traditional martial arts are one of body culture that has been with the history of one country or one nation. The meaning of it is bigger than any other cultural material in view of that it was not made quickly in a short period but has been continued with the life of the corresponding legion.

Understanding of the ultimate purpose or value of the training of the martial arts can be sought at the mind-cultivating recognition beyond the practical utility or functional efficiency that can be commonly found in the oriental thinking structure. What the value was that Oriental people thought much of through the development of the martial arts is helpful for understanding the value of the training of the martial arts. Here is a phrase of Jung Yong(中庸), the Doctrine of the Mean, which gives an important clue:

子曰, 射有似乎君子. 失諸正鵠, 反求諸其身

“If a wise man did not hit the target with an arrow, he must see his own body”

It means that “The archery technique will be not completed by his simple technique but by the completion of his own inside.” ‘The completion of his own inside’ is the calm or self-control of inside mind, or the mind unification, or in the broad meaning, it may be translated that the immatureness of his own personality is reflected to the technique. This kind of thinking means that certain bodily art or expression does not possess value for themselves, but it is recognized as means for the cultivation of personality that is more important. This is an important learning content in the course of the martial arts training.

The core of the martial arts is thinking much of the education of the action. Teaching daily life behavior and making to have an executive vitality and belief are a guideline of the ‘action’ education. Oriental action morality emphasizes its calm in the state of mind and body. This education method of action sinks into the training hall of martial arts, and emphasizes the community consciousness that regards the harmony as the highest virtue through the traditional spirit education course.

And, the facing of self through the struggle type of martial arts is being applied to the nature-forming that can effectively cope with the daily life challenge of people. Oriental martial arts are affected by the training theory of Buddhism, and have the technical nature that trains and enhances the spirit of self. And, the trainee’s situation is thought importantly. The reason that the conduct is more important than the theory is the reason. If the ultimate purpose of the western sports is a contest of victory and defeat, i.e. the winning over others, the martial arts are overcoming to the victory and defeat, and the harmony with others. This can be understood as a community consciousness, and this can be easily understood by viewing the theory of martial arts in which the community consciousness is being emphasized. It can be sought in the theory of Judo in which pragmatism and utilitarianism were emphasized as follows; ‘The devotion to the welfare of mankind, the help for the world’, the educational ideology of Korea, advocated by the Korean martial arts, or ‘Good use of vitality, Co-prosperity of oneself and others’, Mr. Gano Jigoro, the founder of the modern Judo, emphasized.

It is understood that the martial arts are being transferred from the nationalistic training theory such as the loyalty and filial piety in the past days to the world peace or the theory of co-existence of the world people.