Jidokwan
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Jidokwan is one of the original nine schools of the modern Korean martial arts that became Taekwondo and was founded in what is now South Korea at the end of World War II.
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[edit] Meaning of the Jidokwan symbol
The eight outer lotus leaves represent the Buddha's eight fold path philosophy. The central figure represents Bodhidharma, or Daruma, the great Buddhist monk who crossed the Himalaya mountains and stayed at the Shaolin temple and became the founder of what is know today as Zen (Chan). He is also considered the first ancestor of most all Asian martial arts. This figure is a balance figure and rights itself when knocked over. It symbolizes the Buddhist saying, "Seven times down, eight times up".
[edit] History
The foundations of what was to eventually become Jidokwan were laid down by Chun, Sang Sup.
Chun began his martial arts training while in high school. He initially trained in Judo. Judo was the only martial art that Korean Nationals could train in during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945). When he was seventeen years old, Chun relocated to Japan to attend College at Dong Yang Chuck Sik (Takushoku) University in Japan, where he mastered Shotokan Karate under Gichin Funakoshi. Upon his return to his native Korea, he began teaching the martial arts that he had learned in Japan at the Chosun Yunmoo-Kwan school of Judo. This was one of the few martial art schools that the Japanese occupying forces allowed to exist during this period of military occupation. During this time, he had a very close relationship with Byung In Yoon, who studied Chuan-fa in Manchuria and became a Shudokan Karate "Shihan" (Sabum or teacher) under Kanken Toyama while he studied in Japan.
Chun and Yoon would travel to train with other martial artists, sometimes traveling to Manchuria. They trained with each other so much that they became known as brothers. Yoon taught class at Chun's Choson Yun Moo Kwan]] Kong Soo Do Bu for about 6 months before opening his own club called the YMCA Kwon Bop Bu. Yoon's YMCA club later became the Chang Moo Kwan, which he founded with his most senior student, Nam Suk Lee.
During the Korean War, all schools of martial arts were closed in Korea. This was also the case with the Chosun Yunmoo-Kwan. Sang Sup Chun and Byung In Yoon both vanished during the Korean War. Byung In Yoon is believed to still be alive and living in North Korea according to evidence presented by Kim Soo of Austin, Texas. Sang Sup Chun has never been heard from since the Korean War.
At the end of the Korean War, with the loss of Chun, the leadership of this school of self-defense was passed onto Yoon, Kwe Byung. The name was changed to Jidokwan upon the recommendation of Chong Woo Lee. Jidokwan means "The Way of Wisdom."
Jidokwan eventually became one of the primary systems of Korean self-defense that merged under the umbrella organization of Taekwondo. Today, Taekwondo Jidokwan-Korea which celebrated it's 60th Anniversary on March 3, 2006 in Seoul, South Korea, remains only as a fraternal social club that follows the Kukkiwon curriculum of martial arts practice.
[edit] Roots to the birth of modern Taekwondo—is Jidokwan
From Korean Language Magazine World Taekwondo, August 1997. Interview of Chong Woo Lee, the most senior Jidokwan member living today (2006). He was the second student of Sang Sup Chun.
Roots to the birth of modern Taekwondo—is Jidokwan By Chong Woo Lee. English translation provided by Al Cole from http://www.taekwondojidokwan.com
Jidokwan, as meaning of the "way of wisdom", has developed through the root of Chosun Yun Moo Kwan. Jidokwan, especially took a main role for the Kwan unity act, the new executive committee drove the act positively.
[edit] Initiative role for the Kwan Unity
For myself, for the Kwan, for the country, based on these three words, Jidokwan was founded in March 3rd of 1946. The Jidokwan was first titled as Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan Kong Soo Do Bu.
The Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan first founded by CHUN, Sang Sup, the first grandmaster of Jidokwan.
Master CHUN, Sang Sup first started his martial arts career in Judo during his high school years, then he attended Dong Yang Chuck Sik (Takushoku) College in Japan, where he mastered Karate.
[edit] Founded by Sang Sup Chun
After graduating from college, Chun, Sang Sup returned to Korea, and started to teach Taekwondo to black belt Judo trainees in the Yun Moo Kwan, which was located in Soo Song Dong, Seoul at the time. Lee, Kyung Suk was the grand master of the Yun Moo Kwan during that time and Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan was a Judo dojang.
After the surrender of Japan in world war II in August 15th, 1945, Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan moved there location from the Soo Song Dong to So Gong Dong, where the Japanese Gang Duk Kwan used to be located, and officially announced the opening of the Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan as branch of the Korea Taekwondo.
At that time, Taekwondo was called Kwon Bop Boo. The first trainees of the new Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan were, Chun, Ill Sup, brother of Master Chun, Sang Sup; Pae, Young Ki; Kim, Bok Nam; Lee, Chong Woo; Pak, Hyun Jong; Lee, Byung Lo; Chung, Jin Dong; Kim, Chun Sun, they later became members of the Jidokwan.
Chun, Ill Sup first popularized the Taekwondo to the state of north Jun-La (Cholla buk do), Bae, Young Ki served 3rd Grandmaster term for the Jidokwan, and Lee, Chong Woo served 2nd and 4th grandmaster terms and they became the main leaders of the Jidokwan.
Yet, Park, Hyun Jong gained the strength of Jidokwan from the reign of the Pusan and Lee, Kyo Yoon from Han Moo Kwan joined the Jidokwan and founded the Han Kuk Chae Yuk Dojang (Seoul) and acted as master while he was working for the police communications department.
The title Jidokwan first used from Pusan in 50'
Pae, Young Ki had the earliest relation with Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan. He started his first training from the Soo Song Dong period
Yoon, Byung In, the founder of Chang Moo Kwan, also worked as master for one year in the Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan in 1947. Later he went to the YMCA and then founded the Chang Moo Kwan.
With appointment of new master Yoon, Gae Byung, who was known as a great master among the Karate field, Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan became very active.
In June 25th 1950, the Korean War started and the Grandmaster Chun, Sang Sup, founder of Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan, was abducted to North Korea. And during the evacuation period in Pusan, the Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan changed their name to Jidokwan. Lee, Chong Woo first suggested the change of the Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan's title and with the agreement of Yoon, Gae Byung, Cho Sun Yun Moo Kwan became Jidokwan.
"After the abduction of master Chun, Sang Sup during the Korean war, I have suggested to Yoon, Gwae Byung for the change of the title and with his agreement, I suggested the appointment of Yoon, Gwae Byung as the grand master", said Lee, Chong Woo.
Jidokwan became very active and gained their strength in 1953, when Jidokwan extended their organization on the Han Kuk Chae Yuk Dojang’s (Korea Sports Center) Taekwondo Department.
During that period, once or twice a year, they thought self-defense and bone setting from special sessions. But Jidokwan started to have disruption over the Kwan unity act.
During the development of the Korea Tae Soo Do Organization, Ki Hwang and his followers from Moo Duk Kwan and Yoon, Gwae Byung and his followers from the Jidokwan stands in opposition to the Kwan unity act.
[edit] Training Through Contest
And that was the start of the disruption of Jidokwan. Lee, Chong Woo drove the Kwan unity act without Yoon, Gwae Byung and became 2nd Grandmaster of the Jidokwan with the support of the national committee.
Kim, Chun Sun (council of Jidokwan), Cho, Yong Dae (president of Australia's committee), Lee, Sang Chul (president of USTU), they are also alumni from Jidokwan.
Jidokwan, along with Moo Duk Kwan, acting as the main role of modern Taekwondo in Korea. Especially Jidokwan's unique and intensive training, one would have to defeat three straight competitors to have belt promotion, made the birth for the great athletics for this period.
[edit] History of Grand Masters
Founder: Sang Sub Chun 1st Grandmaster: Yoon, Gae Byung 2nd Grandmaster: Lee, Chong Woo 3rd Grandmaster: Pae, Young Ki 4th Grandmaster: Lee, Chong Woo 5th Grandmaster: Lee, Sung Wan (current president)"
[edit] Break Away Black Belts
In the 1950's, 60's and early 70's, when the Kwan's existed as martial arts, some black belts left their Kwans for various reasons. The main reason for most black belts to leave the Jidokwan was that this Kwan had a reputation for being the best sparring school, taking over 70% of the nationals sparring titles. These fighters where highly prized by the Kwan and the Korean Government. Some Black belts from this school who did not participate in sparring did not like this preferential treatment, so some joined other Kwans, or became independent.
The most noteable person to break away from Jidokwan, due to disagreement, was Kyo Yoon Lee who went on the found the Han Moo Kwan in August of 1954. Kyo Yon Lee writes about this developement in his English language book "Global Taekwondo". Today, the Han Moo Kwan, like the other eight Kwans has millions of decendent practitioners world wide.
[edit] Reference
World Taekwondo Magazine, August 1997 (Korean) Publisher LEE, Kun Chul.
A Modern History of Taekwondo 1999 (Korean) Kyong Myung Lee and Kang Won Sik ISBN 89-358-0124-0
Global Taekwondo 2003 (English) Kyo Yoon Lee ISBN 89-952721-4-7
A Guide to Taekwondo 1996 (English) Kyo Yoon Lee ISBN 89-85936-50-0
Kukkiwon 25th Anniversary Text 1997 (Korean) Un Yong Kim
Jidokwan Annual Year Book 1989 (Korean) Chong Woo Lee
