The Right Directions for Education in KOREAN HAPKIDO Dojang

Abstract

In Asian society, martial arts education isn't simply regarded as what aims to improve fighting skills or build up a healthy body. Instead, that is accepted as what is of great ethical, moral and inner value as a way to become a decent human being. Martial arts education that is based on traditional ethics has long contributed to character building, and hapkido Dojang are responsible for passing this education onto the next generations. Martial arts education is mainly provided for adolescents in hapkido Dojang, and the educational system of these Dojang are outstanding enough to make them serve as professional educational institutions to foster hapkido-enjoying people out of pure motives. The educational goals that hapkido-related organizations pursue together are mental training, health promotion, self-defense, physical training and the transmission of cultural heritage. But there is a doubt whether hapkido Dojang make a genuine effort to attain these goals of education. Due to keen competition, most of the Dojang often distort the substance of martial arts education by slandering each other or merely by offering play- or game-centered programs for commercial purposes. In a word, it cannot be denied that there is something wrong with traditional martial arts education. Martial arts are basically of educational importance as a means to train the body and acquire skills to learn how to live as a decent human and as an eligible member of the world. The purpose of this study was to examine the right directions for martial arts education in hapkido Dojang in modern capitalistic society characterized by advanced material civilization, limitless competition and individualism. Under the circumstances, hapkido education may just be regarded as a competitive sport if it only focuses on physical training, acquisition of skills or winning. There is a great challenge for hapkido, which is to turn into the kind of martial art that can contribute to the edification of people along with other martial arts in a manner to be appropriate for modern times. When it comes to the right direction for hapkido education, competitive commercial logics should be eliminated among hapkido Dojang above all. The Dojang should renew themselves as the places of oriental mental training. They should value mental culture to foster well-rounded people of character who realize the way through physical training, and trainees should be taught to be courteous, considerate, humble, build up character, use decent language and respect others. Modern people's lives should be sublimated in art in pursuit of human happiness and enjoyment. Hapkido instructors should be future-oriented and shift their way of teaching with a sense of mission to nurture competent people necessary for society through mental training instead of merely sticking to teaching skills or how to win a competition.