Taekkyon

Taekkyon is an old way to fight from Korea. It looks like a dance. People move their knees up and down.

This helps them stay smooth and rhythmic. They use special steps that look like triangles.

People use their whole bodies to move. They use hands and feet to trip others. They also use kicks to score points.

Some arm moves look like bird wings.

This art is very old. It was almost lost long ago. Now, it is a special part of Korea. It is even on a big world list.

Taekkyon is a traditional martial art from Korea. It looks very much like a dance. People move with a smooth and rhythmic flow. They bend and stretch their knees constantly. This motion is called ogumsil.

One special part is the footwork. It is called pumbalki. This means "stepping-on-triangles." These steps help a person stay balanced. They also use arm moves called hwalgaejit. These moves look like the wings of a bird. These movements help distract an opponent.

In a match, people score points by kicking a head. They can also score by throwing an opponent.

Taekkyon is very old. It was almost lost during the Japanese occupation. One master named Song Deok-gi helped save it. He was the last master of the Joseon ruling family era. Today, Taekkyon is a famous part of Korean culture. It was the first martial art on the UNESCO list. This list honors special traditions from around the world.

Taekkyon is a traditional martial art from Korea that feels like a dance. Practitioners, or taekkyon-kkun, move with a smooth and rhythmic flow. They use a special motion called ogumsil, which is a constant bending and stretching of the knees. This gives the art a very graceful appearance. The whole body is used in every movement to stay ready. In a competition, people score points by landing kicks on an opponent's head. They can also score points by throwing or tripping their opponent.

There are many specific ways to move in Taekkyon. The most unique part is the footwork called pumbalki. This means "stepping-on-triangles" because the steps follow a triangular shape.

This rhythmic stepping helps a person stay balanced and strong. They also use arm movements called hwalgaejit. These moves look like the wings of a butterfly or a bird. These deceptive arm motions help distract an opponent before a counterattack. Taekkyon also uses many different types of kicks and strikes. These can include low, medium, or high kicks and even jumps.

Taekkyon has a very long and interesting history. The earliest written mention of the term appeared during the reign of King Jeongjo. This was during the Joseon dynasty between 1776 and 1800. At that time, there were two different versions of the art. One version was used by militaries for combat. The other version was a popular game for common people. It was often practiced at festivals like the Dan-O-Festival.

During these festivals, players could enter tournaments called Gyeoll-yeon-Taekkyon.

This art almost disappeared during the Japanese occupation of Korea. It was nearly wiped out because people were not allowed to gather. After the Korean War, only one master remained to teach it. His name was Song Deok-gi, and he was a very important figure. He was known as the "Last Taekkyon Master of the Joseon Dynasty."

On June 1, 1983, the Korean government named it an Important Intangible Cultural Asset. Later, in November 2011, UNESCO added it to their Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It was the very first martial art to receive this honor.

Today, Taekkyon is a living link to Korea's past. It even helped shape the modern martial art known as taekwondo. There are now different schools that teach the art in different ways. Some schools focus on preserving the old, traditional forms. Other schools treat Taekkyon as a modern sport to share with the world. The first modern competition took place in Busan on June 30, 1985.

Since then, Taekkyon has seen a big comeback. Many people now practice it in university clubs and new schools. It remains a proud and beautiful part of Korean culture.

Taekkyon is a traditional Korean martial art known for its fluid and rhythmic movement. Unlike many combat styles that focus on rigid stances, Taekkyon emphasizes a dance-like quality. Practitioners, known as taekkyon-kkun, use their entire bodies to maintain balance and momentum. The art combines hand and foot techniques to unbalance, trip, or throw an opponent. In modern competitions, points are awarded for landing kicks on an opponent's head. Points are also scored by successfully throwing an opponent to the ground. Today, Taekkyon serves as a living link to Korea's ancient past. It is recognized as the 76th Intangible Cultural Property of South Korea.

The core of Taekkyon lies in its unique mechanical movements. The foundation is a type of footwork called pumbalki, which means "stepping-on-triangles."

This rhythmic stepping follows a geometric pattern to shift the practitioner's center of gravity rapidly. This movement is paired with ogumsil, a constant bending and stretching of the knees. This motion creates a flowing appearance similar to the Korean mask dance known as talchum. To defend or distract, practitioners use hwalgaejit, or deceptive arm movements. These motions resemble the fluttering wings of a butterfly or a bird.

This movement helps transfer power from the body to the arms for quick action.

Taekkyon features several distinct categories of physical techniques. The most famous are the baljil, or kicks. Ancient records even called these "flying leg skills."

Practitioners use various styles, such as gyeot chigi, which are kicks that move outward from the middle. They also use inward kicks using the side of the feet or heels. Beyond kicking, the art includes sonjil, which are strikes using the palms, fists, elbows, or fingertips. Another vital component is taejil, the art of throwing. Once a practitioner uses footwork to unbalance an opponent, they follow through with a forward or backward throw.

The history of Taekkyon spans many centuries of Korean life. The term first appeared in written records during the Joseon dynasty. It was mentioned in the book Jaemulbo during the reign of King Jeongjo, between 1776 and 1800. During this era, Taekkyon existed in two primary forms. One version was a combat application used by the military. The other was a popular game played by the common people during festivals. For example, the Dan-O-Festival featured a tournament called Gyeoll-yeon-Taekkyon.

In these contests, a player who defeated five opponents in a row could rest before re-entering.

However, the art faced a period of severe decline and near extinction. As Neo-Confucianism spread among the elite, interest in the practice faded. The situation worsened during the Japanese occupation of Korea. During this time, gatherings and indigenous fighting techniques were prohibited. This nearly wiped the art out entirely. After the Korean War, only one master remained who had received traditional training. This was Song Deok-gi, who had studied under Master Im Ho. Song practiced his style, called the high-village style, in secret during the occupation. He was eventually revealed to the public on March 26, 1958.

The modern era of Taekkyon is defined by its preservation and its split into different schools. In 1983, the Korean government designated Taekkyon an Important Intangible Cultural Asset. This was achieved through the efforts of Song's pupil, Shin Han-seung. Shin introduced modern innovations like bonddae-boigi, which are pre-arranged forms. He also implemented a formal ranking system to turn the art into a modern sport. This created a rift between modernists and traditional preservers. The Widae Taekkyon Preservation Association follows Song's traditional teachings. Other schools follow Shin's approach to bring the art to a global stage.

The first contemporary national competition was held in Busan on June 30, 1985.

Taekkyon holds immense cultural significance both in Korea and globally. In November 2011, it became the first martial art to be listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This recognition highlights its importance as a unique human tradition. The art has also had a lasting impact on other disciplines. Most notably, Taekkyon influenced the name and the conceptual ideas behind taekwondo. It remains a subject of study for its unique blend of combat efficiency and graceful movement. Today, university clubs and new schools help ensure the art continues to thrive.