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A long time ago, Bang Mong learned archery from a master named Huyea. The student then thought “What man in all the world is a better archer than I? Only one.” And so, he killed his teacher. About this story, Mang Ja (a follower of Confucius) said that Huyea made a tragic mistake in teaching such a student.<\/p>\n
For the true martial artist<\/a>, this means far more than adhering to the western code of sportsmanship in competition. Martial arts instruction should teach the student the virtues of the traditional oriental gentleman, the Kun Ja. As Confucius said, “Kun Ja develops upward everyday, so that he may reach through to the moral. The little man gropes downward each day, so that he may reach the material.”<\/p>\n
How can we teach students of Taekwondo<\/a> to be Kun Ja, rather than small-minded materialists? Confucianism emphasises the use of natural authority – parent over child, elder over junior – to maintain and transmit traditional virtues. Social organisation is based on respect for those with more experience and more wisdom. Yet in modern society, it is not so easy to find the virtues of the Kun Ja, nor can respect for one’s elders be taken for granted.<\/p>\n