Subak
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 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2011) |
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| Subak | |
| Hangul | 수박 |
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| Hanja | 手搏 |
| Revised Romanization | Subak |
| McCune–Reischauer | Subak |
Subak, Subakgi or Yusul is either a specific ancient Korean martial art. Historically this term may have specified the old Korean martial art of taekkyeon.
History
Originally, Korea was divided into three kingdoms: Silla in the southeastern part of the country, Goguryeo (Koguryo) in the northern part, and Baekje located west of Silla. The Subak style was created in the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo.
It was a style that utilizes hand strikes, kicks, jointlocks, and throws. The mountainous terrain of Goguryeo may have made its people have legs relatively stronger than their arms.[citation needed]
The word Sonbae is translated to mean "a man of virtue who never retreats from a fight", and is a member of the warrior corps. Those who were members of the Sonbae lived in groups and learned archery, Kakju (ancestor of ssireum) and Subak (ancestor of taekkyon), history, literature, and other liberal arts. Although they were constantly training in combat, during peace time they helped construct roads and fortresses, assisted after natural disasters and so on.[citation needed]
In the year 400, in an attempt to dominate the entire southern portion of the country, Baekje invaded Silla. King Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo is said by some accounts to have sent 50,000 Sonbae troops to Silla's aid. Later he would attempt to dictate Silla's internal affairs because of this assistance.[citation needed]
It was around this time that the people of Silla formed an elite officers corps called Hwarang. The Hwarang may have utilized techniques from Subak in addition to training in spear, bow, sword, hook and various forms of hand and foot fighting.[citation needed]
Split
Subak took a heavy blow during the Joseon period, which was founded on the ideology of Confucianism, stressing literary art instead of martial art. Subak was only allowed to be practiced in competitions called subakhui. [citation needed] After three subakhui bouts, the winner could become employed as a soldier.[citation needed]
It was also during the beginning of the Joseon dynasty that Subak became increasingly divided into two separate styles, Taekgyeon and Yusul (which is another aspect of subak). Where Taekgyeon techniques consisted mainly of kicks and strikes, Yusul techniques were of the locking and grappling kind.[1] Yusul [유술/柔術] is written with the same Hanja as Jujutsu, and since 柔 means "soft/pliable/yielding" any yusul techniques would naturally "redirect" an opponent's force rather than meet it head on. Kwonsul [권술/拳術], is the contrasting term and although it literally means "fist technique" it no doubt included strikes made with the feet as well as the hands. Taekkyeon [태껸] was a term regarded more in line with a game or idle training methodology, whereas kwonsul [권술/拳術] or kwonbeop [권법/拳法] was the terminology usually associated with hand-to-hand fighting techniques. A similar argument could be made regarding ssireum [씨름] (a game) and japgi [잡기] (grappling skills).
Just as often this split of Subak into hard & soft stylistic techniques has already been made in earlier times by scholars using the terms subak [수박] and galjeok [갈적].[citation needed]
References
- ^ Robert W. Young The History & Development of Tae Kyeon - Journal of Asian Martial Arts 2:2 (1993)
External links
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