Won-Hyo is the Sixth Gup, or green belt,
form of the International
Tae Kwon Do Federation branch of Tae Kwon Do. Shaped like a capital-I, the form has 28
movements, and is the third form
students learn. The form features a few new
techniques in the form for
novice students, though by this time the student will have learned the individual techniques in separate
training. These techniques include the high inward knife-hand strike, ready-stance guarding block, lead leg side kick, circular block, and middle guarding block.
Won-Hyo is named for the monk who established the syncretic trend in Korean Buddhism in 686 CE and popularized the religion among the people there. The following parable told by Tae Kwon Do's Grandmaster Kim Soo demonstrates an important lesson Won-Hyo can teach us.
During the Korean Silla Dynasty (57 BCE-918 CE) the famous martial artist Won Hyo took a pilgrimage to China to seek the origins of Buddhism. One night during his travels a storm came and blackened the sky, darkening the countryside and making travel hazardous. Rain soaked Won Hyo and the wind blew furiously. He searched for shelter from the storm and stumbled upon a small, dry place.
The shelter was dark inside, and he had to use his hands to find his way. The floor felt as though it was padded with straw. He thought this was wonderful since he was tired from his travels. Not only did he have a dry place to sleep, but also it was very comfortable. Won Hyo lay down on the straw floor and pondered the good sleep he would have. The drumming rainfall and hours of walking took its toll and he fell fast asleep.
A few hours later he awoke, parched. After groping in the darkness he found a cup with water in it. Won Hyo thought this was wonderful. Not only did he have a dry place to sleep, he had water to satisfy his thirst. He drank the water and laid down to finish a good night's sleep.
When morning came Won Hyo woke up, stretched, and thought about his good fortune from the night before. After opening and clearing his eyes he gazed about him. The bright morning sunlight clearly lit the entire shelter. He was shocked by what he found.
The shelter was a tomb with bones strewn about its floor. He looked down to find the cup of water he drank from was a broken human skull, caked in blood with bits of flesh hanging from it. Insects floated lazily in the stagnant, filthy rainwater that had collected inside. Upon learning this Won Hyo became ill opened his mouth to vomit.
As soon as the vomit poured out, his mind cleared and he understood. Last night, since he didn't see and didn't think, the water was delicious. This morning, seeing and thinking had made him vomit. He concluded that thinking makes good and bad, life and death; nothing can harm one unless one lets it.