Martial Arts (Part 1: Tang Soo Do)

Back in the Seventies, many of us would have gone through periods of heightened interest in martial arts of one form or another. This was motivated by various things - gung fu movies (from the Shaolin flicks to Bruce Lee), visits by notable martial artists (I recall some well-publicisd Chinese martial arts demonstrations at a fair in Padungan), even international contests (like the Ali-Bugner fight in KL) ... Others of course took up martial arts for self-defense (against town bullies?) or for health reasons (ya right!).

Some time ago, I asked around for our school mates to contribute pictures and write-ups ....the first one came from Edmund Lee who shared some great photos and an article giving some background of this noble art.

Pic 1: Our very own Edmund Lee with Tang Soo Do master

Pic 2: The Tang Soo Do crest

Pic 3: Tang Soo Do moves

Pic 4: Tang Soo Do moves

Pic 5: Tang Soo Do moves

Pic 6: ELAS in action

Over to our buddy Edmund ...

Below you will find what I think is one of the most complete and unbiased recordings of the history and background of Tang Soo Do - reproduced from a news letter titled 'Tang Soo Do's News-Letter'. Volume 1, Number 1, Dated May 1977. Unfortunately there is no reference to the author at all.

 

The writer's comments : "I respectfully acknowledge that this article is reproduced without permission. However, in the true spirit of Tang Soo Do, I have done so to further the understanding and promotion of our martial art, for students past, present and future."

 

By the way, this is just a summary.....the research paper and recordings are too thick to be shared or reproduced here. I just took the more important extracts for sharing. The reason, being, many Martial Arts students only learn the PHYSICAL aspect of the art. The ACADEMIC and SPIRITUAL perspectives are often neglected, mainly because they are time-consuming and do not generate income for the School or Academy. Present-day Martial Arts Schools are run more like business concerns rather than actual Martial arts schools. They even offer packages from White to Black Belt for a sum of money. Real Martial Arts are not thought in this manner. Students need to go through a filtering process where only the genuine ones will prevail to carry on the legacy. The irony of the real Martial Artists is that they are least reluctant to use their deadly arts unless their lives are really threatened. More often than never, they will just walk away and avoid a physical confrontation.

 

 

On a personal note - I was lucky to be trained under a real Korean Tang Soo Do Master - GrandMaster Kim Mal Tae.

 

Pic 7: Grandmaster Kim Mai Tae

Spent 5 years under his tutelage before I obtained my ShoDan 1st Dan in 1988. The training was really tough and I had to endure his scoldings and shoutings, as any wrong move will trigger an angry look from him, regardless of your background or stature in society. He was a perfectionist. His voice roared like thunder during training sessions. But the results were really satisfying ( for those few left ) - how to execute the knife hand, the twisting punch, the side-punch and the various kicks. I was not really good at free-sparring as I was never cut-out to be a fighter !  Perhaps Master Kim saw the "scholarly" side of me and hence shared with me more on the philosophy of the art rather than the physical attributes. My strengths were in the patterns or Hyungs ( "Kata" in Japanese ) - I just love the formations - beautiful, dance-like routines that I still practice in private. Keeps me fit and alert too. That's the rewards of taking up Tang Soo Do - it lives with you, wherever you go.

 

The necessity to know history.

In 1945, Moo Duk Kwan was found in order to spread, prosper and create understanding of Soo Bahk Do (now called Tang Soo Do), which is the special martial art of Korea, and has a long history and tradition. The foundation of Moo Duk Kwan has remained unshakable by the cooperation and efforts of all members and persons who are interested.

The fame of Moo Duk Kwan has grown not only in Korea, but all over the world. Now, although technique is very important, theory has to be taught for the purpose of the increase of Tang Soo Do and the martial arts. First of all, therefore, all members must perfectly understand the foundation theory of rational history about the art. From time to time some members who have excellent skills deviate from the right path because they do not know and understand it's true history and the foundation. So it is very important to study history and the foundation theory.

The theory of it's origin.

 

The exact origin of Tang Soo Do, as well as karate in general, is obscure. However, there are many equally beautiful theories. An argument continues to rage about the origin of both weapon using and weaponless fighting techniques. Some Japanese karate experts insist that the art is of Japanese origin; some say it came from Okinawa; others say it began in China and spread from there. Although there are various theories and views explaining it's history in Korea, we will consider the Moo Duk Kwan's assertion as described in Moo Duk Kwan's major text book Soo Bahk Do Dae Kam, written by Grand Master Hwang Kee, president.

It is a well-known theory, mainly of Japanese stylists, that according to popular legend the Indian Zen priest Dahlma (called Daruma in Japan) is credited with it's birth in the year 517 AD in China. From China it found its way to Okinawa and subsequently was modified and developed into many styles.

In his book, Soo Bahk Do Dae Kam, Grand Master Hwang Kee strongly rejects the theory that the priest Dahlma is the founder of the martial arts. Citing the Muye Dobo Tong Ji (a martial arts history book written in the Yi dynasty in 1790). He says there was a record of Tang Soo Do-like martial art approximately two thousand years before Dahlma the monk.

 

 

Ancient People needed the arts of self defence.

 

The traditional name of Tang Soo Do was Soo Bahk, Taek Kyun, Hwa Soo and Kwon Bop. Keeping pace with the times, the theory and techniques have been changed and the method of use and the purpose of encouragement were different in every country and society. In fact, the history of Tang Soo Do is very long, but this martial art's founder, time and place of beginning are unknown or are not pointed out exactly in the materials of history.

 

But no one doubts, and all agree with this ; that the self defence techniques began to develop and be used at the same time as the origin of the human race. That is, this art did not originate in any particular place with any specific intention. It developed as a primitive art of fighting with the purpose of self defence or offence with weapons, and also sometimes man had no means to defend himself except with his hands and feet. Thus through various styles and developments it has come to have merit in making it possible for excercisors to knock out their opponents without the use of weapons.

 

There are many theories with little historical data to substantiate them, but to credit any one country or individual would be unfair. Lest we confuse fact with fiction, the best answer is that open hand fighting did not originate in any one country, but instead was a natural development which occurred in different areas as it was needed for self defence.

To avoid prejudice and misunderstanding, perhaps the best answer is that countless methods of development have differed according to place and time from the age of instinctive action approximately one million years ago, to the age of the flowering art, about two thousand years ago. This is, the place where this art originated is all areas of human evolution especially the plateau in the midst of the Asian continent. We know the time this art started was the same time the human race started.

 

 

The birth of Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do.

 

After World War II, in 1945, Korean peninsula recovered their independence, its post-occupational emigres returned, bringing with them the newly improved form of martial arts. They brought two, various names indicative of particular emphasis in Tang Soo Do, such as Kwon Bop, Hwa Soo Do, Kong Soo Do and Soo Bahk Do. Grand Master Hwang Kee, expert of traditional Soo Bahk Ki had accomplished his technical maturity while in China from 1936 to 1945. He encountered the Chinese variation of this art form which was called the Tang method, by combining some of the Chinese Tang methods with those he was already well versed in - Soo Bahk Ki. (Tang method - While Grand Master Hwang Kee stayed in China, his Soo Bahk Ki was influenced by Chinese style which was called Tang dynasty fighting techniques in China at that time). Hence, Tang Soo Do is sometimes referred to as "The Art of the Tang Hand".

Pic 8: Grandmaster Hwang Kee  

 

Master Hwang Kee devised a system of fighting which he brought back to his homeland at the end of Word War II and he named it Tang Soo Do, in honour of the Chinese art. This is the first time the word Tang Soo Do was used officially. Tang Soo Do which is one of the best martial arts in the world was sometimes misinterpreted as a part of Japanese karate by some theorists. The above background will prove that this concept is in error. Someone may say Korean Tang Soo Do or Tae Kwon Do came from Japan because the same type of hyungs or katas are trained in these arts. So some masters try to make new hyungs such as Chun Ju, Tan Kunts. As we all know the traditional forms - Hyung are universal, Japan, Korea, China - all these countries have the same hyungs. The mood of movements, rhythms, principals, emphasis, etc may vary in each style, but it is never owned by one style or country. Pyung Ahn Cho Dan, Bassai, Naihanchi Cho Dan, Jindo, Unsyoo, Kongsang Koon, for example, all were taught by Japanese, Chinese and Korean respectively.

The hyungs' names may be called differently by each country or system, for example hyung Naihanchi is called in Japan Tekki, in Korea Chulki or Naihanchi, in China Naihanchi.

Grand master Hwang Kee organised Moo Duk Kwan at first in Korea on November 9th 1945. This day is Moo Duk Kwan's birthday. The officially registered organisations' name is Dae Han Soo Bahk Do Assn. Literally Dae Han means Korea. Soo Bahk Do means historical Korean fighting art, which Grand Master Hwang Kee mastered and it is his most favourite word among all the historical names. This Soo Bahk Do Assn was known as Tang Soo Do Assn even today. At that time, most people knew this martial art's name to be Tang Soo Do. Even crying children would stop their crying when their parents would say - the Tang Soo Do man will get you. This was used as a last resort to make them stop crying. Tang Soo Do is not only our proud Associations' name, but it was a legendary, secret, and frightening word to most Korean people.

In time, Soo Bahk Do absorbed the more effective and finer aspects of the other existing martial arts, such as Tack Kyun Bop, Yu Sul, Kung Fu, Japanese Karate, and emerged as Tang Soo Do. Today's Tang Soo Do is recognised as the most effective of the martial arts and when used correctly for defensive purposes is unrivalled by any other forms. From 1945 to this day, Tang Soo Do has spread all over the world.

According to the associations records, 32 countries are teaching Tang Soo Do. Also, the Association has produced 18,000 black belt members ranking to the eighth dan. The major countries where Tang Soo Do is being taught are Korea, United States, England, Greece, Thailand, Malaysia, Formosa, even Japan. (Tae Kwon Do branches were not counted in this statistic). The Association estimates over 200,000 Tang Soo Do students are under the Tang Soo Do Association.

 

 

A note from the writer of this history.

 

It is not unusual that once in a while someone will betray his master and that one is betrayed by his pupils in the martial arts field. This happens most often to people who do not have the exact philosophy and historical knowledge of Tang Soo Do. This knowledge can lead you to the philosophical understanding and also influence your way of life. Lacking the correct knowledge of its' history can affect the relationship with the master, pupils and the public. Misinformation and misinterpretation can lead only to a physical relationship between master and pupil rather than create spiritual ties. These two aspects of the martial arts, the physical and spiritual must be one and balance in order to attain a mutual satisfaction in the martial arts field.

There have been many questions about the history of Tang Soo Do, Grand Master Hwang Kee's background and what the Soo Bahk Do means, and also the meaning of Tang Soo Do. We need to be aware of the importance and need of all these as a teaching aid. The preceding history took many hours to compile and write, but it is written with the hope of helping with the progress and final goal in the martial arts. Hence it is recommend that the history of Tang Soo Do as presented here be re-read several times in order that people may fully understand the materials presented. 

The history does not and never will include personal opinions nor interpretations. All materials were derived from Grand Master Hwang Kee's theory and other authentic sources.