A Brief History
The three Kingdoms of Korea.
Koguryo, Silla and Pqekche and the Hwarang were well established in the early 600’s.
All three kingdoms hand fought many conflicts and serving in the military was considered to be an honour and a privilege.
Attached to each of these corps were the famous Hwarang bands, the most famous being those of the Silla.
These followed the highest virtues of the five secular injunctions laid down by the Buddhist Monk, Wongwand.
These injunctions were:
Loyalty to the King.
Fidelity, respect and obedience to one’s parents.
Fidelity in friendship.
Never to retreat in battle.
Never to make an unjust kill.
These are still the guiding tenets of Taekwondo.
The Hwarang were also expected to pursue education in music, dancing, poetry and Buddhism,
but their primary function was military. They had driven back troops from China and Japan and were
famous for fighting on the front lines in times of war. Some of the Kim Yu-Sin and Kwanchang became
the stuff of Korean’s greatest legends.