Well over two thousand years ago, when Kyoungju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, in what is now Korea, two giants were carved on the tower wall of a Buddhist temple. The giants are facing each other assuming a fighting stance as if they were practicing a martial art. These giants undoubtedly represent the early developments of the modern art of fighting known today as Taekwondo.
Records show that Taekwondo was practiced as early as about 50 BC. During this time, Korea was divided into three Kingdoms: Silla, Koguryo and Baekche. Paintings on the ceiling of the Muyong-chong, a royal tomb from the Koguryo dynasty, provide us with evidence of the practice of Taek Kyon, the earliest known form of Taekwondo. These as well as other paintings show unarmed combat using techniques that resemble those of modern Taekwondo, specifically the use of the knife hand, fist and classical fighting stances.
Although Taekwondo first appeared in the Koguryo kingdom, it is Silla's warrior nobility, the Hwarang, who are credited with the growth and spread of the art throughout Korea. Out of the three kingdoms, Silla was the first to be formed but it remained the smallest and less civilized. Silla's coastline was constantly under attack by Japanese pirates. King Gwahggaeto, the 19th monarch in the Koguryo dynasty line, sent armed forces to help his neighbouring kingdom fight the pirates. It was at this time that Taek Kyon was first introduced to Silla's warrior’s class, taught directly and in secret to a few Sillan warriors by early masters of the art.
These warriors trained in Taek Kyon became known as the Hwarang. They initially established a military academy for the young nobility of Silla. This later became a society called Hwarang-do or translated into English, "the way of the flowering manhood". This society adopted Taek Kyon as part of its basic training regimen. The students of Hwarang-do were all members of the young nobility. They were trained in several different disciplines: History, Confucian philosophy, ethics, Buddhist morality, riding, archery, swordplay, military tactics and Taek Kyon. The guiding principles of this educational system were based on the five codes of Human Conduct, as established by the Buddhist scholar Wonkang.
These codes are:
Be loyal to your country
be obedient to your parents
be trustworthy to your friends
Never retreat in battle
Never make an unjust kill
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