During this time

taekkyon, an indigenous
martial art featuring circular kicks, enjoyed popular acceptance
by the citizenry with demonstrations being performed at festivals
and government functions. Students and military personnel
were taught the martial arts at specialized training centers located
high in the mountains. Much of the prosperity enjoyed during
this period has been attributed to the Hwarang who,
through indomitable spirit, were responsible for maintaining a
strong Korean identity. Even so, by the start of the tenth century,
Sillian power began to wane.
It is sometimes difficult to imagine what sociopolitical
dynamic would cause a culture as vibrant as Silla’s to diminish
in stature and eventually dissolve. In truth, the causes were not
very distant from those faced by many contemporary societies.
Disparity between classes, increasing taxation, and external
political pressures all contributed to a shift in government. In
what was perhaps the first example of a controlled transfer of
power in Asian history, King T’aejo assumed leadership of the
Chapter 1: In the Shadow of the Hwarang