|
|
|
| ||||||
| ||||||
|
Leo, I'll have to go back and research -- BUT ... the Koreans actually massacred the Christian missionaries who were attempting to gain a foothold just before the Japanese occupation ca. 1890 (or was it officially in 1910??). I think the logic was, "Look at what the Christians have done for China!" Which was enough for the ruler to give the command. I think Christianity really took hold in Korea after the Korean War. I might be mistaken, though. It's quite a site, really. At night, no matter what city or village you are in, you see red neon crosses wherever a Christian church is located. Sometimes, you see them all over the place. > > Can this "cultural destruction", if it existed, explain why there are no "corpses" of kumdo out there in Korea?<< Although the "cultural destruction" is well documented, I don't think that is why there are no extant texts or "corpses." The major reason is that Korea follows the teachings of Kungfu-tzu (Confucious). In the Confucian society, education was deemed more desireable than was being a soldier. Society as a whole looked down on the soldier, but praised the government administrators (China gave birth to the Civil Service concept). In Japan, the situation was either reversed, or blended -- the warrior class was praised, and the aristocracy was "tolerated." I have no doubt the Korean generals had ways of training their troops -- I just don't think any of it has survived, or that it has been practiced. Perhaps the same as if I were to pick up a saber manual written in 1830 and tried to recreate a "living" method by going through the illustrations. That can be done, but there is the loss of direct transmission. I'd feel more comfortable if the Koreans said, "Kumdo is Japanese kendo, nothing more -- it's just done with a new Korean influence." Which is *close* to what the head of the World Kumdo Federation said. But he went further and recommended students combine kumdo with hapkido (the supposed Koreanification of Daitoryu aikijujutsu -- except the waza, from what I've heard, are dissimiliar). Oh well, I'd better stop before I re-dig that hole I was in previously. Regards, Guy Regards, Guy
|
||
| Follow Ups | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Post Followup | ||