Tang Soo Do
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| Tang Soo Do | |
|---|---|
| Hangul: |
당수도
|
| Hanja: |
唐手道
|
| Revised Romanization: | Dangsudo |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Tangsudo |
Tangsoodo or Tang Soo Do is a traditional Korean martial arts. Translating the word "Tang Soo Do" is difficult. The word "Soo" means "hand"; the word "Do" means way; however, the word "Tang" has many meanings, such as "Worthiness", "Skillful", and "Strong". Since the hanja used for Tang Soo Do is the same as the symbols used in Japan for Karate-Do, it directly translates as "Way of the empty hand" or "Way of the Chinese hand".
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[edit] Name
Tang Soo Do (Hangul: 당수도) is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese characters 唐手道. In Japanese, these characters mean "karate-do", but in contemporary Japanese karate-do is written with different chracters (空手道). The Japanese pronunciation of both sets of characters is the same, but the newer version means "Way of the Empty Hand" rather than "Way of the T'ang Hand", although it could also be interpreted as "Way of the China Hand" or "Way of the Knife Hand".
The first recorded use of the term "Tang Soo Do" in contemporary history was by Chung Do Kwan founder, Won Kuk Lee . Prior to the unification of the Kwans under the Korea Taekwondo Association, most of the major Kwans called their style Tang Soo Do, or Kong Soo Do. The Chung Do Kwan, along with the rest of the Kwans, stopped using the name 'Tang Soo Do' and 'Kong Soo Do' when they unified under the name Taekwondo (and temporarily Tae Soo Do). The Moo Duk Kwan, being loyal to Hwang Kee, pulled out of the Kwan unification and remained independent of this unification movement, continuing to use the name 'Tang Soo Do'. The majority of Moo Duk Kwan members followed Hwang's senior student, Chong Soo Hong, to become members of a unified Taekwondo. Their group still exists today and is known as Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan (Moo Duk Hae) with an office in Seoul, Korea.
In 1995 the late Hwang Kee officially changed the name of the Moo Duk Kwan style to Soo Bahk Do.
Most schools of Tang Soo Do use the transcription "Tang Soo Do". However, scientific texts apply the official transcription 'tangsudo', written as one word. Some authors write "Tang Soo Do" and give "tangsudo" or "dangsudo" in the parenthesis.
[edit] Founder
Unlike most contemporary martial arts, it is not possible to pinpoint any one person as being the "founder" of Tang Soo Do. One could argue that Won Kuk Lee founded the style, being the first known person to use the name; that argument would be dubious, at best. However, the Moo Duk Kwan style of Tang Soo Do (from which nearly all modern Tang Soo Do stylists trace their lineage) can be traced to a single founder: Grandmaster Hwang Kee. Hwang Kee claimed to have had learned Chinese martial arts while in Manchuria. However, all other Kwan seniors say there is no proof for this claim. He also claimed influence by Japanese Karate, and the indigenous Korean arts of Taekkyon (택견) and Subak. However, Korea Taekkyon Association Grandmaster Yong Bok Lee states these claims are not true. Hwang Kee also claimed to have been highly influenced by an old book about martial arts called the Muye Dobo Tongji (1790) (武藝圖譜通志 / 무예도보통지).
Won Kuk Lee, the founder of Chung Do Kwan, has Hwang Kee listed in his records as a 5th Geup (about green belt level). He states that Hwang came to him to learn the correct movements of Karate, as Hwang found a Karate book by Gichin Funakoshi, who was Lee's teacher. In 1945 Hwang Kee organized the Korean Soo Bahk Do Association. In 1968, Master Jae C. Shin, who studied directly under Grandmaster Hwang Kee, founded the United States Tang Soo Do Federation, though he later left this organization in order to start his own, The World Tang Soo Do Association in 1982.
[edit] Early history
The ancestral art of Korean Soo Bahk Do can be traced back to the period when Korea was divided into three kingdoms:
Goguryeo was founded in 37 BC in northern Korea. The Silla Dynasty was founded in 57 BC in the southeast peninsula. The third kingdom, Paekche was founded in 18 BC.
Finally, after a long series of wars, the Silla Dynasty united the three kingdoms in 668 AD. During this period, the primitive martial arts (including an art known as Soo Bakh) were very popular as a method of self-defense in warfare. This is evident in the many mural paintings, ruins, and remains, which depict Tang Soo Do in those days. Among the three kingdoms, the Silla Dynasty was most famous for its development of martial arts. A corps composed of a group of young aristocrats who were called "Hwa Rang Dan" (화랑단) was the major force behind the development of the art. These warriors were instrumental in unifying the Korean peninsula under the new Silla Dynasty (668 AD - 935 AD). Many of the early leaders of that dynasty were originally members of the Hwa Rang Dan. Most Korean martial arts trace their spiritual and technical heritage to this group. In fact, the names of some martial arts such as Hwa Rang Do or Hwa Soo Do, still reflect this origination.
The united Silla Kingdom was ultimately overthrown by a warlord, Wang Kun, in 918 AD. The new kingdom, "Koryo", lasted for 475 years (918 AD - 1392 AD). During the Wang Dynasty, the "Hwa Rang Dan" became "Gook Sun Dul" or "Poong Wal Dul." "Gook Sun" or "Poong Wal" is considered as modern army general, each could have several hundreds to several thousands private armies to protect the country and the region. This system was later adapted by the Japanese and became the Samurai(Hangul: 랑인, Hanja: 郞人) system. In 1392, the Yi Dynasty succeeded the Koryo kingdom. The Yi Dynasty remained intact for 500 years. During the 1000 year period of the Koryo Kingdom and the Yi Dynasty, what we today know as Tang Soo Do was increasingly popular with the military. More importantly however, the art also became very popular with the general public. During this period, Tang Soo Do was referred to as Kwon Bop, Tae Kyun, Soo Bahk, Tang Soo and other names. The first complete martial arts book was written at this time, the "Mooyae Dobo Tongji". It was written in 1790 and its illustrations show that Tang Soo Do (formally called "Soo Bahk Ki") had developed into a very sophisticated art of combat. Although it was popular among the public, it was eventually banned by the Yi Dynasty due to fear of rebels. Therefore, the Korean traditional martial arts were taught as one teacher has only one student thoughout the teacher's life. Later, this force the Korean martial arts practitioners to retake the Japanese martial arts.
[edit] Modern Changes
During the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945), many Koreans were exposed to Japanese versions of Chinese martial arts such as Karate. As the Japanese moved deeper into the continent, Karate was adopted and mixed with more traditional Korean martial arts such as Taekyon, as well as traditional Chinese martial arts studied by Koreans in Manchuria and China.
Around the time of the liberation of Korea in 1945, five martial arts schools were formed by men who were mostly trained in Japanese Karate. They taught an art they called Kong Soo Do or Tang Soo Do, and their schools were called the Kwans. The Kwans and their founders were the Chung Do Kwan (LEE, Won Kuk), Jidokwan (CHUN, Sang Sup), Chang Moo Kwan (YOON, Byung In), Moo Duk Kwan (Hwang Ki), and Song Moo Kwan (ROH, Byung Jick).
Around 1953, shortly after the Korean War, four more annex Kwans formed. These 2nd generation Kwans and their principle founders were; Oh Do Kwan (CHOI, Hong Hi & NAM, Tae Hi), Han Moo Kwan (LEE, Kyo Yoon), Kang Duk Kwan (PARK, Chul Hee & Hong Jong Pyo) and Jung Do Kwan (LEE, Young Woo).
In 1955, these arts, at that time called various names by the different schools, were ordered to unify by South Korea's President Syngman Rhee. A governmental body selected a naming committee's submission of "Taekwondo" as the name. Both Sun Duk Song and Choi Hong Hi both claim to have submitted the name. The name sounds like the ancient Korean martial arts of Taekkyon. However, Taekwondo has no direct relation to Taekkyon in its techniques.
In 1959, the Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA) was formed in an attempt to unify the dozens of the kwans as one standardized system of Taekwondo. The first international tour of Taekwondo, by General CHOI, Hong Hi, and NAM, Tae Hi founder of the Oh Do Kwan (founded, 1953-4), and 19 black belts, was held in 1959. In 1960, Jhoon Rhee was teaching what he called Korean Karate (or Tang Soo Do) in Texas, USA. After receiving the ROK Army Field Manual, which contained martial arts training curriculum under the new name of Taekwondo, from General Choi Hong Hi, Rhee began using the name Taekwondo.
Despite this unification effort, the Kwans continued to teach their individual styles. The Korean government ordered a single organization be created and, on September 16, 1961, the Kwans agreed to unify under the name Korea Tae Soo Do Association. The name was changed back to the 'Korean Taekwondo Association' when Choi became its president in August 1965).
[edit] Current state
Tang Soo Do continues to flourish under numerous organizations that have at some point in time separated from the Moo Duk Kwan, the largest offshoot being the World Tang Soo Do Association, which currently has more than 500 sanctioned studios and more than 100,000 students worldwide. In spring of 1984, the International Tang Soo Do Federation was founded by Chun Sik Kim, whose main school is located near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, USA. Today, there are more 'Tang Soo Do' schools in the United States than anywhere else when you factor in the various eclectic branches, some of which are three generations removed from their connection to the Moo Duk Kwan.
Tang Soo Do continues to evolve and grow. Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo still exists in Korea as a friendship club and holds its annual celebration every year in Seoul, Korea, where both Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan members gather from all over the world.
Current acting head is 8th degree black belt Brian Mable of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. His longest tenured student, David Kluge, is a 6th degree black belt. Both men are on the board of directors.
[edit] Tang soo do Facts
- Training hall is called a dojang
- Training uniform is called a dobok
- The 5 code spirit are:
- Loyalty to country
- Obedience to parents
- Honour friendship
- No retreat in battle
- In fighting choose with sense and honour
- The seven tenets are:
- integrity
- concentration
- perserverance
- respect and obedience
- self control
- humility
- indomitable spirit
[edit] Belts and grading
- white: 10th gup
- white tag: 9th gup(not compulsory)
- yellow: 8th gup
- Orange: 7th gup
- Green: 6th gup
- Blue: 5th gup
- Brown: 4th gup
- Purple: 3rd gup
- Red: 2nd gup
- Red tag: 1st gup
- Dark Blue: cho dan bo
- 1st dan Black: cho dan
- 2nd dan black: ee dan
- 3rd dan black: sam dan
- 4th dan black: sa dan (master grade)
