Fortunately, the history of Taekwondo is more easily traced than many other forms of martial arts. Since it is a newer and more recent martial art, the origins are fairly well documented and allow for thorough study of its origins and history. Taekwondo is primarily a Korean martial art, having been created during the early years after the end of the Korean War. Before this modern inception of Taekwondo, however, early forms of martial arts similar to Taekwondo and having served as the basis of Taekwondo were running rampant.
If one is looking that far back (to the earliest ancestors to Taekwondo), it is there that the history does, in fact, get a little murky. Taekwondo is such a universal art and it has “borrowed” techniques from many other martial arts during the years (and centuries) that the “parent” art of Taekwondo is not well known at all. Taekwondo is better thought of as a culmination of many Korean, Japanese and Chinese influences (however, the influences are mainly Korean) to form one very well-rounded and well thought out martial arts curriculum.
One of the reasons that Taekwondo’s parent arts are obscure is that many of them were banned during the years in which Japan had control over the majority of Korea (between 1910 and 1945). For example, the strictly traditional Korean martial arts such as Subak and Taekkyon were prohibited from being practiced or taught in Japan’s effort to force Korea to assimilate to Japanese culture (Koreans were also forced to disregard their own language and take on Japanese names in place of their own). Subak and mainly Taekkyon were still practiced and taught in secret, however, many moves and techniques may have been changed to alter the style enough so that the Koreans would not get caught.
Of course, after the Korean war, modern Taekwondo (it was at this point that Taekwondo received its current name) began to take its place among Korea and other countries as well. It was around the year 1955, after many Taekwondo schools became popular in Korea that Taekwondo began gaining popularity in the United States as well. No one really expected Taekwondo to become as popular as it did in the Western world, and as a martial art form, it is as well known and well practiced in the United States as Karate and Kung Fu.
Even more proof towards the gaining popularity of Taekwondo is that it is one of two martial arts to be an official Olympic game the other martial art is Judo. Some dojangs focus more on practicing and teaching their students the martial art of Taekwondo to prepare them for tournaments and competitions and other dojangs focus more on learning the martial art itself. It is important that anyone interested in Taekwondo find the proper dojang for his or herself. While emphasis on philosophy and virtues are not as prevalent in Taekwondo as in other martial arts, they are present and go back to the original inception of Taekwondo itself.
By: James Dunn
Archive for January, 2010
The History of Taekwondo
January 24th, 2010History of Indian Culture
January 23rd, 2010
Welcome to India buzzing, a website that provides you all you need to know about India, as well latest news on what is happening in India’s economy, sports, finance, culture, Bollywood and food. You can only find this kind of information here on Indiabuzzing. Be prepared to be dazzled by the latest news, gossip as well as information on your favorite stars when it comes to the Bollywood category. When it comes to the Culture category, learn more on how India has changed throughout the decades of its existence. Food category offers you information on Indian Cuisines as well as delicacy’s that you will not want to miss. The Sports category is all about our favorite games that are in India like cricket, football, badminton, hockey, golf and many more. Learn about our sports stars and how they cope being big stars in a land that has more than one billion people watching their every move. So welcome to Indiabuzzing and join us in experiencing India in its fullest.
India’s culture is ever changing, as many are used to the traditional lifestyle that apparently Indians are meant they are yet to experience the new and urban lifestyle change that India is getting into. With the birth of the television and many shows and channels like MTV and Channel V coming to India there was bound to be a change in the way that life in India would change especially in the big metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Goa, and even Chandigarh. Fashion has become a big statement in India with the Sari going international and many designs getting recognized from India, there was no doubt that Indians would change with the tide as well. Gone are the days when only Sari’s or Punjabi Suits where the main attire in India now even labels like Tommy Hilfiger have come to India and have opened up stores all over India. But that is not the only change that India is experiencing, due to the fact that Indian’s are whizzes on the computer when it comes to engineering or programming you will find big companies like Microsoft have checked into India where infact where ever you are in the World and are looking to get advice on how to use your Microsoft product then you should know that they will probably connect you with their Indian counterpart for customer care. Everything is changing nowadays that you will find many clubs where you can hang out and have a good time.
By: Jack Scotte
Short history and production of the grappa
January 23rd, 2010The Italian grappa is famous all over the world, so that also the European Council, with a regulation, already in 1989 has ratified that only marc distillates produced in Italy can be called and denominated as grappa.
The history of grappa is lost in the mist of time, the official legend would make it go back up to a roman legionary of the I century BC, who, gone back home after stealing in Egypt a plant for the distillation of grape pomace, had applied the techniques learned to the marc of the vineyard of which he was assignee in Friuli.
But the distillation process probably has started between VIII and VI century BC in Mesopotamia, while the first evidences of a distillation applied to local vines, to obtain brandy or spirit, date back not before the XII century by the alchemists. The techniques to distil real grappa have been codified by the Schola Salernitana around the year one thousand.
The marcs are the skins of grapes, once they are separated from the must or the wine. In this moment, less than one third of marc is used to produce grappa, from the remaining part derives ethanol.
This fact has a huge influence on the final quality of brandy, because just the best marc, the ones considered more appropriate after a strict selection, can really make grappa.
The quality of grappa depends as first thing from the quality of marc used, and as second from the ability of the master distiller. This is an underrated figure until now, given that he is the firs builder of a high quality grappa. And in fact, according to the current regulations for selling liquors, on the label it is possible to quote both the master distiller and the distillation alembic used, a combination considered crucial for the characterization of the grappa created.
The alembics in fact fall into two main categories, continuous and discontinuous. The first ones work, as their name suggests, in continuation. Fed with marc, they return a fusel alcohol which is elevated to the rank of spirits through a second distillation. The second type, instead, works on various successive cooking, they load in the boiler (or cucurbit) the material to be distilled, the material is heated, the next step is the exhaustion of alcohol and aromatic substances contained, paying great attention in drawing only the “heart”, and in the end the boiler is unloaded. The best distillation occurs slowly, gently, using only old traditional alembics, where the steam passes through the spongy mass of pomace to extract the least volatile part and transmit to the steam its own aromatic substances.
The result of the distillation is aged in wood barrels that give to the grappa, through the transfer of tannins, its aromatic quality. Aging itself is not essential if you want to obtain a distillate of youthful boldness and aggressiveness, of course if you choose the path of a most noble and complex distillate, the organoleptic characteristics obtained depend on the type of wood, the time the brandy spends inside the barrels and on the climatic condition in which it stays.
Grappa has a long history on its back, especially in northern Italy and in Veneto, where this type of spirit is now a symbol of the territory, with over 40% of national production of grappa. Years of distillation, still using the traditional methods, make the quality of this fine spirit always very high and here in Veneto are also located the Italy’s most famous and ancient grappa companies and distilleries.
This article was written by Martina Meneghetti (Prima Posizione Srl – italian search engine), with support from grappa prosecco. For any information please visit acquavite grappa
By: Martinapp
