武道工夫와 人格形成

Abstract

Countless changes have inflicted upon martial arts throughout our nation’s long history dating from time immemorial. Since development of modern scientific culture, public attention has been directed to martial arts, reevaluating its value, as an alternative of general or liberal education, even under a situation of being in danger of losing its identity. Meanwhile, however, martial arts have been pushed into a situation to cloud its own identity because of encountering sports. Value of martial arts is to reinforce the spirit that laid in humans’ inner mind; we cannot measure it or keep a record thereof. Measurement and record are the language of sports. By making relative comparisons and distinguishing dominance in between, the value of martial arts couldn’t help but to be damaged. This is the time to establish right practice for application (用, pronounced, “Yong” in Korean, meaning also use or usage) of martial arts that fit in with intrinsic identity or genuine appearance (體, pronounced, “Che” in Korean) of martial arts. It shall be self-evident that when martial artists (This may denote “Yong” in another angle.) do devote themselves to pursue the martial way faithfully as a trainee who cultivates their artistic quality, the martial arts shall be able to return to where it was. Study through martial arts is aimed at cultivating humans who have harmonious and desirable thinking and body through physical training. To uphold essential nature as of human being shall be wise way to carry on human life (or 道, pronounced “Do” in Korean, roughly as the way or path, but hard to define in a pinpoint manner.) and to do so, it shall be turned into arms that will protect us from danger, and it will also preserve our life in its entirety. In addition, martial arts study has important value in light of subjective or independent life. Subjective behavior and judgment is the free will of human beings, and also this will be accomplished by humans who have successfully cultivated their inner selves. In the end, it can be defined that martial arts aims at removing desires and greed by refining it with friction in order to follow righteous path having held the morality and principles that ought to be observed by all human beings in an upright manner by following the principle of heaven (道義相磨 欲以爲人, pronounced, “Doui Sangma Yogiwiin”), and based on these virtues, this is to pursue to become a true human being filled with morality. When we recognize such principles and reasons as an initiator of martial arts, then martial arts would be able to recognize its possibility in humane and cultural aspects communicating with open future.