The origin of Taekwondo can be traced back to the Hwa Rang, also known as the Flower Knights. They were an elite group of male warriors in Silla, an ancient Kingdom along the Korean Peninsula. It is believed that the Hwa Rang united the three kingdoms of Korea by the most famous Hwa Rang soldier, General Yoo Shin Kim.
The Hwa Rang were young warriors taught to serve the king. They were trained in combat, leadership, civility, as well as in the arts. Trained by Buddishst Monks, the foundation of their skills was rooted deep in spirituality and were given five laws to follow. In the National Martial Arts Alliance we know it as the Hwa Rang Code of Chivalry.
In their early teens, the Hwa Rang became generals and were in charge of 1000 to 5000 soldiers. While most of the time they were outnumbered against their enemies, the Hwa Rang were victorious not only for their outstanding fighting skills, but also for their strength, courage, brotherhood, honor, duty, and loyalty to each other. They are legendary for their Hwa Rang spirit, something brought to the NMAA to this day.
The secret skills of the Hwa Rang were passed down through generations until they reached us at Venture Martial Arts. We are proud to be a part of history and continue to share the knowledge to this day, not only of the combat, but of the spirit and values that were most important to the warriors.
In order for students to get their Black Belts, they must know the history of the Hwa Rang and memorize the Hwa Rang Code of Chivalry. When asked, they must be able to recite it on command. It reads:
Be loyal to your country
Honor your parents
Be loving between husband and wife
Be cooperative between brother and sister
Be faithful to your friends
Be respectful to your elders
Establish trust between teacher and student
Use good judgment before taking action
Always stand for justice
Always follow through on your commitments
Venture Martial Arts will be having Black Belt testing at our Flatirons location on March 11th. To learn more about our program click here.