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Drysdale’s
School Of Tae Kwon Do
The History of Toi Gye
Yi Hwang (Toi-Gae) was born in 1501 in the province of Kyongsang-Do. He
lived at a time of great social upheaval and ethical conflict between the
public good and private self-interest. A very intelligent man, he passed the
preliminary provincial civil service examination with top honors at the age of
33. Because this exam was usually only passed by older people, he was
held in high esteem for this accomplishment. He continued his scholarly
pursuits, even as he held several government positions, until his death at age
70.
During his youth he acquired the pen name Yi Toi-Gae that means
"returning stream." Although he was appointed to several high
government offices during his life, he preferred to devote himself primarily to
his academic studies. His legacy was his philosophical teachings. His writings
significantly influenced neo-Confucianism
The foundation of Toi-Gae's school
of thought was based on the philosophy of the 12th century Confucian scholar
Chu Hsi. Chu Hsi established the concepts of "li" (reason or abstract
form) and "chi" (matter or vital force), and proposed that these two
concepts were responsible for all human characteristics and the operation of
the universe. As he defined the concepts, they are very similar to the concepts
of body and soul in Western philosophy and religion. The "li,"
however, is not totally synonymous with the idea of an individual represents
groups or models for each form of existence. Toi-Gae's school of thought
supported the concept that the "ii" was the controlling agent in the
universe and that the "chi" was a supporting component. Perfecting
oneself through the building of good moral character, learning, and reflection
was stressed in the practice of the "li" school of thought. Its
influence was strongly felt in the Kyongsang area where Yi Toi-Gae was born.
The other major school stemming from the philosophy of Chu Hsi was fostered by
Yi I (Yi Yul-Gok), who proposed that the "chi" controlled the
"li." This school stressed the importance of education, experience,
and practical intellectual activities. Yi Yul-Gok, 35 years younger than Yi
Toi-Gae, once visited him and they spent time discussing their philosophies.
The teachings of Yi Toi-Gae not only
had appeal to the scholars of his time in Korea but soon attracted many senior
government officials as well. Soon, government and political support increased
for the formation of schools teaching his concepts of the supremacy of
practical ethics. Yi Toi-Gye took advantage of his considerable influence when
he became the head of a private school or shrine, such as Tosan Sowon (shown on
left) in Kyongsang province in 1557. This shrine had been dedicated by its
previous instructor to the honor of a revered scholar who introduced the
teachings of Chu Hsi into Korea. It was a combination shrine, private study
facility, school, and social gathering point for local scholars. Yi To-Gae used
his political ties to get royal patronage for the Sowon because it was also a
shrine for a Confucian sage. This patronage, or tax-free status, resulted in an
influx of assets in the form of cash, cattle, land, slaves, grain, and books.
As a result, this Sowon, and this type of educational system in general,
proliferated and became a predominant type of school in the Joseon Dynasty.
Yi Toi-Gae's leadership in this
school of thought pulled him into the political arena. The Joseon Dynasty was
characterized by political and religious reform with frequent conflicts between
scholars and officials. As the underlying principle behind these changes,
neo-Confucianism began to dominate the state creed and politics of the Joseon
Dynasty. Under this pressure, all of the Korean Buddhist sects were forced to
unify into one of two groups, Son (den) or Kyo. Because Buddhism was viewed by
strict neo-Confucians as a social evil, all but 18 of the nation's main
Buddhist temples were closed. Political differences ultimately became focused
on neo-Confucian concepts and their differences rather than on political
problems.
Although he died in 1570, Yi Toi-Gae,
through his teachings, had great historical impact on Korea during the years
that followed. A member of his school of thought, Kim Hyo-Won, occupied a post
of considerable power, enabling him to hire, dismiss, or veto all government
appointments. When the leader of the opposition party, Sim UP Gyom, arranged to
have his brother succeed him, Kim exercised his veto power. This act polarized
the entire government. Eventually every official had to become aligned with one
side or the other or risk attack by both. Since Kim lived in the eastern
quarter of Seoul and Sim lived in the western quarter, the two factions became
known as the Easterners and the Westerners The Easterners followed the
teachings of Yi Toi-Gae while the Westerners followed the teachings of Yi I
This feuding continued long after Kim and Sim had disappeared from public life
and often took the guise of schemes designed to exile members of the rival
faction, remove them from office, or get them executed on false charges. Their
philosophical differences tended to drive the two factions further apart,
increased the conflicts, and made the functioning of government virtually
impossible. The day-today functioning of the government and military became so
impotent that resistance to the Japanese invasions of Korea by Hideyoshi
(200,000-man force) in 1592 and 1597, and the Manchu attacks in 1627 and 1637,
were totally ineffective.
No doubt Toi-Gae would have been
sorely dismayed had he lived to witness the political problems that beset Korea
in the name of his teachings. Despite the role it played in that dark chapter
of Korea's history, Toi-Gye's philosophy has made an enriching contribution to
neo-Confucian thought. His influence is still being felt in the 20th century in
China, Korea, and Japan. His academy remains a center for the study Toi-Gae
thought, and regular memorial services are held in honor of its founder twice a
year.
From the Tae Kwon Do
Tudor
Edited by Master David
D. Drysdale Sr. VII Dan ITF/DSOTKD/USITF
Mrs. Joan M. Drysdale VI Dan ITF/DSOTKD/USITF
16266 King Road
Riverview, Michigan 48193
1-734-479-6255
mailto:drysdaletkd@sbcglobal.net
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