Nurses,
soldiers, police officers and baseball players all have one thing in common;
they wear uniforms. A uniform distinguishes the wearer from others while at the
same time, by its very nature, largely unifies a group of individuals within a
profession or organization. Aside from acting as a symbolic garment, uniforms tend
to serve other purposes as well. They often
The uniforms
worn by the martial artist are ripe with meaning and purpose. They amplify
tradition by remaining consistent with those worn by forbearers of a given art.
They mirror deep seated philosophical doctrines and maximize the ability to
endure extreme and frequently, violent motion. Finally, they serve as great
equalizers of status whereby the university professor cannot readily be
discerned from the elementary school student, the corporate president from the
office worker.
Nomenclature
for the uniform varies from culture to culture and thus, discipline to
discipline. In taekwondo, the V-neck attire is referred to as a dobok; do translated as “the Way” and bok, “robe” or “training clothes”.[1]
In the Japanese and Chinese arts the predominant uniforms are commonly known as
a gi or a hee fu respectively. Nevertheless, as with anything, there are exceptions
to the rule. Often the traditional taekwondoist will wear a gi-style,
wrap-around uniform, particularly in Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo and ITF Taekwon-Do
given the apparel of their founders Grandmaster Hwang Kee and General Choi Hong
Hi.[2]
Moreover, we see many styles of garments worn in the Chinese disciplines.
Drilling down into the design of the taekwondo dobok, we see associations
with Confucianism, Taoism and Korean culture in general. The distribution of
angles that comprise the uniform unimpeachably flirts with the power
of three; a number widely recognized in Asian society for its auspicious value.
In its composition, particular attention is given to three distinct shapes; the
waist line conforms to a circle, the hip area describes a triangle and the
cuffs trace a square. The top of the dobok is constructed according to the same
manner where three geometric patterns denote heaven (won-circle), earth (bang-triangle),
and mankind (kak-square). Taken as a
whole these three symbols represent the foundation of the Universe (samsilshingo). In paying tribute to the Ying/Yang (Eum/Yang in Korean), the ancient Taoist icon known far and wide to
signify balance, harmony and the acceptance of constant change, the dobok is
divided into two parts, top and bottom. Information provided by the Korea
Taekwondo Association further introduces the notion that the dobok is inspired
by the hanbok – the traditional
clothing worn by native Koreans for centuries.[3]
As is the case
with the taegeuk-ki or the Republic
of Korea national flag, the white color of the dobok is said to denote
innocence, purity, dignity and most significantly, humility in the Confucian
mold. Other shades simply cannot manifest this metaphysical concept. Here also,
the concept of baekeuiminjok as Korea
being the “white-clad nation”, resides.[4]
Subsequently, in the formative years of Kukkiwon taekwondo, the dobok was
completely white. However, in the 1970s, to distinguish the black belt from the
color or under belt practitioner, the uniform was altered by adding black trim
to the V- shaped collar, while red and black trim was appended to the poom or junior black belt uniform. Likewise,
according to Nowling, during the 1980s, in an endeavor by General Choi Hong Hi
to distance taekwondo from the influence of Japanese martial culture, a limited
number of blue ITF doboks were produced from materials originating in North
Korea.[5]
Today, there are a variety of designs being considered by the Kukkiwon, the
World Taekwondo Federation and the Korea Taekwondo Association in an effort to
update the current fashion. Lastly, for athletes who regularly engage in
martial sport competitions sanctioned by global organizations such as the WTF,
ATA or ITF, a specific uniform is generally required for legitimate
participation. This is particularly evident in the new extended V-neck dobok
now mandated for poomsae competition by the WTF.
Customarily,
regardless of pedigree, the dobok should always be kept clean, neat and
pressed, reflecting a deep-seated respect for the art, ones school and its
masters. Consequently, it follows that if the uniform along with the belt or tti, is worn in an orderly manner, the
appearance will encourage precise technique during practice.
Armed with
this information, why then do we see such a variance in uniforms and the associated
insignia attached to them, from school to school and association to association,
even within the same discipline? Speaking from the perspective of a taekwondo
school owner, instructor and author, there are a number of reasons for these
actions, some unpleasant to admit, others more benign.
Too often in
the modern martial arts, dollars sadly trump tradition. To combat anemic
enrollment and enhance retention, managers sometimes resort to using a rainbow
of uniforms tied to belt rank as a motivational tool. While the novice may
begin by wearing the basic white dobok or gi, rank advancement precipitates an
obligation to purchase uniforms in an assortment of colors; blue, green, grey,
red and black for example, representing an additional profit center to the
school. Compound this with a further assortment of uniforms adorned with copious
patches that designate membership in ancillary groups such as a Leadership Team
or Black Belt Club, and the underlying purpose of the uniform begins to
deteriorate all together.
Undoubtedly,
martial arts of all styles have proven fertile ground for commercial gain in
Western society. In truth, many of us who teach professionally have benefited greatly
from what the founders would likely have considered an unmitigated aberration
regarding the true purpose of their original missions – to transmit
battle-proven defensive skills, infused with character development, to those
worthy of their virtues uncorrupted by monetary distraction, personal
aggrandizement or egocentric notoriety. By way of illustration, Kwe Byung Yoon,
founder of the Han Moo Kwan and co-founder of the Ji Do Kwan, supported the belief
that “martial arts instructors should hold a job outside of the martial arts to
make a living”.[6]
Nevertheless,
for better or worse, the current business model proliferates unabated. Those
who earn a comfortable living teaching taekwondo while remaining loyal to
tradition by choice seem to be in the minority. Yet, in order to faithfully
preserve the rich philosophy, history, customs and technical attributes unique
to the national Korean martial art as they were initially intended, a conscious
decision to follow the high road as it equates to principle and profit must be
made by those in positions of authority. Maintaining a standard relating to the
traditional uniform may seem inconsequential. Yet it is clearly a significant,
symbolic step in the preservation of the art.
Author’s Note: All photographs, except
where stated, are courtesy of Dynamics, Inc., 245-14 Jericho Turnpike Floral
Park, NY 11001. 800-538-1995. www.dynamicsworld.com.
Master Doug
Cook,
a 6th dan black belt, is head instructor of the Chosun Taekwondo
Academy located in Warwick, New York, a senior student of Grandmaster Richard
Chun, and author of four best-selling books entitled: Taekwondo…Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Warrior, Traditional Taekwondo - Core Techniques,
History and Philosophy, Taekwondo–A
Path to Excellence, and Taekwondo
Black Belt Poomsae: Original Koryo and Koryo, co-authored with Grandmaster
Chun. Master Cook can be reached for lectures, workshops or questions at www.chosuntkd.com or
info@chosuntkd.com.
Thanks for this great article and I totally agree. In the ATA form of Taekwondo, we have 3 different color uniforms which are acceptable for training: traditional white, black and red. Because of the potential for students and parents to feel the pressure to purchase the colored uniforms, and because I don't believe in pushing products on our students just to increase profits, I have a rule at my school that our students all wear the traditional white uniform and only the black belts can wear the other colors, but it's purely optional and completely up to the student. By black belt, you have proven you are a serious practitioner and many see it as a reward for earning their rank. The last thing I want is for a white belt to feel like they have to buy multiple uniforms in order to look cool, fit in or because they feel they have to.
ReplyDeleteI run a Tang Soo Do studio and everyone wears white - colored trim to match belt color is optional except for BB's who have black trim. Colored dobohks are only allowed for exhibitions and group competitions, not individual, so not used much. We're traditional, and like it that way. Good article sir! Master Glenn Engel
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