17 December 2012 The Do: The Principle of Full and Empty Space
The following is an excerpt from the book Taekwondo: The Spirit
of Korea (2000) by Steven D. Carpener, Jae Sik Suh and Edward H.
Kim, from the chapter "The Technical Philosophy of Taekwondo"
(p. 23-25). I'm sharing this excerpt as it very effectively
explains the very important Princple of Full and Empty Space.
Interestingly, while this book was published by Korea's Ministry
of Culture and Tourism as a type of glossy coffee table book
rather than an official reference book, this is one of the few
English sources that so succinctly explains this core principle
in Taekwondo. . . . Taekwondo's Taoist philosophy is expressed
in the Tao (or Do in Korean) character found in taekwondo's
name. The Do is generally understood as a way, path, or process
one follows in anything one attempts. Do, as an Eastern
philosophical concept is difficult to express in words. However,
in describing taekwondo training it is possible to demonstrate
how the Do elevates taek