It is generally accepted that the nucleus of the martial arts was formed when Bodhidharma (480-528, the 1st patriarch of Zen and the 28th patriarch of Buddhism) made an epic trek across the Himalayas and arrived at the Song Shan Shaolin Temple. He introduced Zen to the temple in the year 520.
Korea and the Hwarang
At the time when the great religions of China began to penetrate southward, the Korean peninsula was divided into three kingdoms. Silla, being the smallest, was under constant attack from its two neighbors: Paekche to the west and Koguryo to the north. Buddhism was already several hundred years old in the northern kingdoms before it was introduced to the southern tip of the Korean peninsula in the small kingdom of Silla. Buddhism was introduced to Silla by two monks from Koguryo in the latter half of the fifth century, but it was another hundred years before Buddhism took root and won general acceptance. Under the reign of King Pophung, Buddhism became the sanctioned state religion of Silla. With the advent of religion came the written language, culture, and the arts. It was the beginning of a great period in Korean history.
In the year 540 a new monarch by the name of King Chinhung came to power in Silla. One of the most significant acts by the King was the creation of the hwarang warrior. To accomplish this, he called upon a famous Buddhist Priest, Won Kwang Bopsa, who developed a system of martial arts that was in harmony with his concept of the laws of nature.
Based on the concept of the unity (um-yang), the empty hand fighting techniques were known for their blending of the soft and hard hand techniques and for their linear and circular foot techniques. Some years later, China and Silla were in alliance in a war against Paekche. The Silla armies had engaged Paekche in a battle and defeated them. It was through the efforts of the hwarang that the kingdoms were united.
Hwarang chivalry endured throughout the Silla and Koryo dynasties and was the driving force that formed the basis for the modern state of Korea. In 1392, General Sung Key Yi overthrew the Koryo Dynasty and established the Yi Dynasty. During the Yi Dynasty (1392-1910), the martial arts fell into decline. During the Japanese occupation of 1905 until the end of World War II, the martial arts in Korea were suppressed even further.
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