The great monk and scholar, Won-Gwang Bopsah, authored the famous Five Codes of Honor or Five Commandments — the basic rules of Hwarang-Do. These tenets form the basis of Taekwondo and are:

These commandments are viable today, though they may be expressed in modem language. Loyalty to lawful rulers, honor to parents and friends, bravery in battle and mercy mixed with justice in necessary killing, are basic human dignity. They are still the foundation of a full and virtuous life and an inspiration to heroism.

The Hwarang-Do were legendary not only for battlefield deeds, but for their entire way of life. They inspired Silla to throw off enemies, to coalesce disparate groups, and to unite the Korean peninsula. Scattered descriptions in documents of the three Kingdoms, such as the Samgook-Yoosa (history of the three nations), the oldest document of Korean history, show that the Hwarang-Do not only regarded Taekwondo as essential physical and military training, but recommended it as a recreational activity. In 935 A.D., the Kingdom of Silla was overthrown and the Kingdom of Koryo was founded. From Koryo comes the western name, Korea.

During the Koryo Dynasty, Taekyon, the original name for Taekwondo, flourished, as Koryo's survival depended on a strong martial spirit. Taekyon became a compulsory part of every soldier's training and the country produced some of its finest warrior heroes.

In the Koryo Dynasty, Taekyon, then termed Soobak, was practiced not only for health and sport, but it was also encouraged as an important martial art. Soobak is believed to have gained its highest popularity during the reign of King Ui-Jong (1147-1170 A.D.), which roughly corresponds to the Chinese Sung and Ming Dynasties, during which Kung-Fu became widely popular.

In China, martial arts are known as Kung-Fu; in Indonesia it is called Selamban; Sabate in France; Karate, Judo and Aikido in Japan; Samba in Russia; Boslat in Malaysia and Kick Boxing in Thailand. Some of these self-defense forms are as old as mankind itself.

The Way of Pal-Gwe

The code of the Hwarang-Do is one that many taekwondo students are familiar with. But there is another code, The Way of Pal-Gwe — that is just as relevant, perhaps more so, to modern practitioners. You'll note that Pal-Gwe is the name of another group of forms that we teach. The Pal-Gwe forms join Taeguk forms as official forms for U.S.T.U. and W.T.F. competition. The basic philosophy behind Pal-Gwe is understanding yourself and your relatinship to the Universe, or your relationship to your environment in the broadest sense. This includes:

• Respect — for yourself, for others and for the rights of others. In its deepest sense, respect means reverence for life. • Responsibility — honor your commitments. • Integrity — be direct in action and pure in motive (no hidden agendas).

Pal-Gwe deals with the individual, and the relationships of the individual to oneself and others. The Hwarang-Do Code deals more with the relationship of an individual to society and to the organizations within it. Both philosophies offer food for thought for those of us who are studying this ancient martial art in modern times.

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