Revival of the Kwan System

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2012/04/20/20/0301000000AEN20120420004000315F.HTML

Please review the above material that I came across on ladytkd.com

Now one to my peace.

Revival of the Kwan System:

Screen capture from 12 Angry Men, also the image that comes to my mind as I think about this.

When a seed becomes a small tree and that tree takes root, the roots begin to grow. The root system spreads, underground, and although a healthy tree needs a deep root system to be big, strong and healthy, it also needs the spreading of the roots to grow with in unison. If you have read the history of TKD and how the kwans came together then you know they never exactly worked in perfect harmony. Please read “A Killing Art” by Alex Gillis, linked under the must! Section. This may give you some insight on how the actual idea of TKD was formed; it was formed with some very distinct, much pinpointed, tasks in mind. 

The spreading of TKD’s popularity launched it from just a hand full of schools, run by different people who most had conflicting styles, into a nation’s national martial art. It was destined to be like a tree that you see leaning rooted in turmoil. A big strong tree; one that is so big and so strong that although it may never fall, every time it grows it struggles more and more. If the roots are pulling in different directions then what is the tree really, except ironic poetry?  Perhaps that is what makes the tree so special, or perhaps that is what will wind up tearing the tree into three or four different trees. This has happened in the past and can always happen again. 

Going from a revived ancient tradition, to a military art, then back into a quasi-revival of an ancient tradition, then finally launched into the Olympic spot light! Come on now! That is a crazy road for a martial art to travel, much less a crazy road for the martial artists wrapped up in it. You add the years spent in Confucianism, politics, and gang related activities then it has been martial arts cauldron for High Anxiety.

There were originally 9 – 12 different Kwan’s (or what might be considered a Kwan) depending on your source and they attempted to unify them under one name. What’s in a name? Well getting national recognition is what’s in it. Because then you can change the world. My remarks may come across facetiously but it’s this very drama that I love about the art. The depth of TKD’s history is amazing to learn and good luck learning it all.

My question here is this; is it time to resort back to the Kwan system? The old way of doing things, where each school is different, but with similar patterns and goals, I know it never will. But think about how interested in Olympic TKD the world would be if only they knew the back story.

I believe I’m just ranting now. Peace!