Chapter 4: Ancient Korea

Some say these murals depict men sparring in the art of Subak (an ancient ancestor of Taekwondo). One could also interpret that these murals show stretching, dancing, or possibly Mongolian style wrestling, but they certainly do not resemble modern Taekwondo.

The ceiling of Sambo-chong Tomb shows a man in a deep horseback-riding stance wearing a costume similar to the modern day Taekwondo uniform (loose trousers and a jacket held together with a belt tied around the mid-section). The man appears to be blocking high with one arm and blocking low with the other arm. The figure may also be interpreted as a man who appears to be pushing walls apart. Some claim this mural depicts the practicing of a Taekwondo hyung (pattern) but it is difficult to accept this interpretation since the mural only shows a single figure and there are other logical explanations for the position of the man.

Guarding the Sok Kul An Buddhist Cave Temple is a carved statue of Kumgang Yuksa, a famous warrior from the reign of King Hye-Gong (742-762 AD). The clenched fist, a strong knife-hand, and muscled legs which may have been the result of heavy training. The warrior also appears to be in a typical martial art pose, but again, this is open to interpretation.