It should say
“Was Choi Hong Hi and his idea that Taekwon-do is basically a mixture of Taekkyeon and Shotokan Karate a fraud?”
There are so many different versions of the history of Taekwon-do. Which one is generally considered to be the correct one.
Choi Hong Hi had a 2nd dan in Shotokan Karate, and studied taekkyon in his youth. That’s the background he gives in his giant orange tome, so that pretty much answers that question.
I would suspect his version of how all the different kwans were eventually unified is where the debate really begins.
[QUOTE=Chili Pepper;2676999]Choi Hong Hi had a 2nd dan in Shotokan Karate, and studied taekkyon in his youth. That’s the background he gives in his giant orange tome, so that pretty much answers that question.
I would suspect his version of how all the different kwans were eventually unified is where the debate really begins.[/QUOTE]
There is actually no supporting evidence on either his 2nd dan in TKD or him studying Taekkyon.
[QUOTE=Miguksaram;2677197]There is actually no supporting evidence on either his 2nd dan in TKD or him studying Taekkyon.[/QUOTE]
Really? I stand corrected then.
What’s the prevailing opinion for where all the Shotokan material came from? Back when I did TKD in the early 80’s, all the ITF patterns were Shotokan kata, renamed.
[QUOTE=Chili Pepper;2677213]Really? I stand corrected then.
What’s the prevailing opinion for where all the Shotokan material came from? Back when I did TKD in the early 80’s, all the ITF patterns were Shotokan kata, renamed.[/QUOTE]
There is no dispute that he studied shotokan. It is his rank in Shotokan that is in dispute. Also, there is no real proof that he ever studied Taekkyon.
If you studied ITF forms in the 80’s you were not doing Shotokan forms, you were doing ITF Chong-hon forms which were developed by Gen. Choi and GM Nam, Tae-hi. While they may have resembled Shotokan style forms, they were not. If your instructor told you that they were just renamed, then either he did not learn ITF forms or he was not aware of their origin.
Much appreciated. No, my instructor didn’t say they were Shotokan, an acquaintance of mine who was studying karate did
Actually, what’s funny about this is that puffing up one’s resume to include a 2nd Dan wouldn’t even provoke a sideways glance on Bullshido now.
“A 2nd dan? In Shotokan?? Wake me up when he claims a 10th dan in ninjitsu-robics.”
[QUOTE=Chili Pepper;2677374]Much appreciated. No, my instructor didn’t say they were Shotokan, an acquaintance of mine who was studying karate did[/QUOTE]
Then apply my statements I made about the instructor towards your acquaintance.
[QUOTE=Chili Pepper;2677376]Actually, what’s funny about this is that puffing up one’s resume to include a 2nd Dan wouldn’t even provoke a sideways glance on Bullshido now.
“A 2nd dan? In Shotokan?? Wake me up when he claims a 10th dan in ninjitsu-robics.”[/QUOTE]
You have to keep in mind that back then Gichin Funakoshi himself was only a 5th dan. So a 2nd dan would be considered a high rank. But again, there are disputes about his actual shotokan rank.
[QUOTE=Anarchy rising;2676974]It should say
“Was Choi Hong Hi and his idea that Taekwon-do is basically a mixture of Taekkyeon and Shotokan Karate a fraud?”
QUOTE]
The biggest problem is that your question does not accurately state General Choi’s idea.
There is no doubt that he alludes to a brief experience with a Taekkyeon instructor and also relates experience with Shotokan. However he also relates roots in the Shorin and Shorei systems. Further he reflects on how no one person or country can claim to have invented the wheel or discovered fire. In all likelyhood they were developed / discovered concurrently in several places and cultures. He then compares that to Martial art techniques.
Further, by recruiting top martial art talent for the 29th infantry division, he was able to draw upon those recources in developing TKD.
With that in mind, can you refine your question?