History of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan
Author: Len Losik
Moo Duk Kwan taught the ancient principles from ancient doctrine dating back over 2000 years. These principles, many taken directly from Taoist, Confucians and Buddhist doctrine over 4000-years-old, taught loyalty, obedience, respect, consideration, perseverance, courage, concentration, endurance, honesty, humility, and, self-control. The ancient Korean doctrine taught the development of a person's character and was the cornerstone of the makeup of the ancient Korean warrior class. It was based on the t'in ming, or mandate from heaven, and it was derived to rationalize the actions of the ancient warrior-priests. The mandate from heaven evolved into a doctrine of virtue and justice.
In 1945, the Korean people had survived the dissolving of the Yi Dynasty (1392-1910) and dynastic rule (2000 B.C. to 1910 A.D.), the colonial Japanese takeover, the decimation of the Korean culture, World War I, and World War II. After the second world war, the Korean people struggled with their new self-rule. All known records of ancient and recent Korean martial arts practices were destroyed or deeply hidden over the 70 years of colonial rule. The new Korean martial arts instructors and organizations that taught in 1945 worked hard to resurrect the ancient ways. But, without historical reference books and ties to the ancient culture, their first attempts at resurrecting the ancient Korean martial arts faltered. The colonial eradication of Korean culture between 1876 and 1945, including the ancient Korean martial arts, had been very successful. In 1945, the colonial occupation was in many second and third generation families and few memories existed of life before the colonial government existence. It was 12 years after the removal of the colonial government before the first written historical book that described ancient Korean martial arts practices was found.
The Moo Duk Kwan philosophy was based on the ancient Korean philosophies of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. The Korean Hwarang militia created just prior to the T'ang Dynasty and flourished during the T'ang Dynasty (610-932) was said to have been forged from the same teachings. The Hwarang are now legendary in Korea's folklore as having been the elite in Korean academics, philosophy, art, and military training as well as great spiritual leaders.
Korea has been a melting pot of the three ancient philosophies for the last 4000 years. Each one reached its peak at a different time in Korean history. The standards set by each far exceeded those of the ruling Korean families that controlled Korea during the dynastic period in Korean history. Because of the high philosophical standards, the Korean people would resist the oppressive government, and, each of the ancient philosophies fell out of favor. The ancient Korean people did not eliminate the philosophies simply because the government wanted it. Teachings and principles from each were absorbed directly into the culture by the people, thus nullifying the wishes of the government. Principles and teachings from each of these three great ancient philosophies became the foundation and guiding precepts for the Moo Duk Kwan as the Moo Duk Kwan..
Grandmaster Hwang Kee was born in Korea in 1914. He is the son of the 19th century Korean scholar, Hwang, Tong Hwan.
Hwang Kee's father was acknowledged by his fellow Koreans and the royal family of the Yi Dynasty for his many achievements. Hwang Kee was born just after the destruction of the Yi Dvnasty by the colonial takeover. The Yi Dynasty worked hard at raising the intellectual and philosophical awareness of the Korean people, and, the (unfortunate) reduction in importance of the Korean military. The Yi Dvnasty was very successful at reducing the effectiveness of the Korean military but it did take centuries to occur. When the military's power in Korea faded, so went the Korean people's ability to defend themselves from outside invaders as well..
Over the last 1000 years in Korea, the military threatened the royal family in control of the government. The military had a strong foundation in ancient Taoist, Confucians and Buddhist teachings and demanded that the royal family maintain the high code of ethics that evolved over the centuries. Unlike Western government, the Korean military and Korean civilian government did not remain separate. This caused great uneasiness for the civilians in control of the government. Over a thousand years ago, the ruling Yi family of Korea grew fearful of the power of the military. Unable to limit the military role in Korean government, the civilians within the Korean government choose to nullify the military's dominance to stay in power.
Over the centuries, the civilian influence in the Korean government was successful at destroying the military. Without a strong military, Japan's continuous invasions and warring was successful. In 1876 Japan successfully invaded and conquered Korea which brought the end to the Yi Dynasty·. In 1910, the Japanese announced to the world that Korea became a part of Japan and named it Chosan. Fearing takeover by the military, the Yi Dynasty destroyed the internal threat, but in doing so, lost control of the government to colonial Japan. Over the centuries, as the military organization was being slowly dismantled by the royal family, loyal Korean military personnel saw that the end was nearing. Devout military leaders wanted to pass on the many achievements of the once great Korean military. Around 1700, a general in the Korean military wrote the book titled, Moo Yei Tong Bo Yi· The Moo Yei Tong Bo Yi concerned itself with the ancient Korean military and ancient Korean military training, philosophy, and self-defense techniques.
Hwang Kee did not fit the popular profile of a Japanese master. He had not trained with the great Japanese masters of his time. He had not come from an ancient line of Japanese warriors that dated back centuries. Hwang Kee had trained with several instructors including family members, in his youth and much of his early life. During his youth, his country was in ruin. His countrymen were kept illiterate by the colonial government. Many families had their children taken away and sent to Japan as slaves. All things of value were shipped to Japan to pay for the Japanese military war machine. It was difficult, if not impossible for anyone in Korea to train without going to Japan. Because of this, Hwang Kee and most Korean masters of his day that shared similar heritage were criticized by Japanese masters of his day. Struggling with credibility against the well established, anti Korean Japanese martial arts organizations, Hwang Kee worked hard at resurrecting Korean martial arts. He was later extremely successful in reducing the tensions between Korean and Japanese practitioners.
In 1945, Hwang Kee created the Moo Duk Kwan. The first Korean government was also created in
that same year. Later, the two would become intertwined. The future politics in an independent Korean government would have a profound effect on the Moo Duk Kwan in future decades. In 1945, the weak and inexperienced Korean government was having to deal with establishing itself as well as ridding threats from internal and external sources. The government looked at anyone that did not agree with its decisions as an enemy. The leader and president of the Moo Duk Kwan, Hwang Kee was a strong and loyal leader of his kwan. However, Hwang Kee's strong position and beliefs for the Moo Duk Kwan put him in opposition to the wishes of the Korean government.
At first try in 1945, the Moo Duk Kwan was not successful. Hwang Kee began teaching Korean martial arts and named his style Hwa Soo Do, and taught it under the Hwa Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. Hwa Soo Do's meaning was in honor of the reemergence of Korea, and, from the ancient Korean martial training of the Korean Hwarang, or "flowering youth." Hwa Soo Do, translated meant "the way of the flowering hand." The art was not received with enough interest to maintain the Moo Duk Kwan. Only a few students began training and they immediately quit. In 1947, after talking with another instructor that used the Korean name Tang Soo Do, which meant "the way of the China hand," Hwang Kee decided that the Korean people were not ready to support a traditional Korean martial art, and chose to use the more politically correct name, Tang Soo Do. Hwang Kee acquired many students using the name Tang Soo Do. When Hwang Kee changed the name of Hwa Soo Do to Tang Soo Do it became the beginning of the Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.
The name Tang Soo Do was simply the Korean translation for the more well known Japanese term, Karate-do, or the way of the China hand. Karate-do was spread throughout the region before and during the colonial rule from 1876 through 1945. Although the colonial government was removed in 1945, it took many years to remove the tremendous influence, fear and distrust it had on the Korean people. Korea's past would not be fully resurrected for decades. In the past centuries, the Japanese had always returned after being expelled. Many Korean people in 1947 believed that the Japanese would return again and so they were slow to return to their ancient culture.
Hwang Kee was very successful in teaching Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. The Moo Duk Kwan grew in size, numbers of members, and influence until 1955. In 1955, Hwang Kee was invited to attend a meeting with other Korean kwan leaders. The goal of the meeting was to consolidate the many loose-knit instructors and kwans that were created in South Korea between 1945 and 1955. The United States military presence had caused a tremendous growth in the number of Korean martial arts instructors and organizations. Between 1945 and 1955, Moo Duk Kwan instructors could earn large sums of money by teaching Korean martial arts to American military personnel. American dollars grew to be essential in Korea. The American military presence and their interest in all things Korean helped to rebuild the frail Korean economy after the end of World War II. Wherever American military bases were, Moo Duk Kwan instructors taught Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. Many of the Korean instructors would save their earnings and use the money to immigrate to the United States and teach in later years.
Hwang Kee did not attend the meeting fearing that the government would take control of the Moo Duk Kwan. All of the nine kwans represented at the meeting agreed to unite. They also agreed to use the name that Choi, Hong Hi suggested for the new art; thus, the beginning of Tae Kwon Do. The unification of the kwans was short lived. Many of the original kwans were reestablished, but Tae Kwon Do had received enough support to survive and thrive.
In 1955 there was still no record of any ancient Korean martial art that was universally agreed to among the Korean martial arts instructors. So, in 1955 the Korean government threw its full support and financial backing behind Tae Kwon Do as Korea's official martial art. Just two years later in 1957, Hwang Kee discovered the book titled, Moo Yei Bo Tong, Ji. The book was written about 300 years ago and it included ancient Korean techniques from over 2000 years before the colonial occupation. The Moo Yei Tong Bo Ji described in detail, soo balik (damaging hand) techniques and Soo Bahk forms and techniques. Hwang Kee recognized what he had found and incorporated the ancient Korean martial arts teachings into Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. He renamed his art in honor of his discovery of Tang Soo Do Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan. The ancient Soo Bahk techniques that Hwang Kee discovered are different from those of today. They represent ancient teachings and ancient ways from thousands of years ago. Hwang Kee published what he discovered in Korea and in the United States so that others would be aware their existence and their significance. In 1961, a new political period of uncertainty occurred in Korea. The Korean president was forcibly removed from office and Lt. General Park, Chong He took control. Many changes were forced to occur in Korea, and one of them was the reduction in influence of the Moo Duk Kwan.
The new president wanted to reduce the popularity of the Moo Duk Kwan and Tang Soo Do Soo Bahk Do. It was threatening the popularity of the government backed Tae Kwon Do.
The government forced changes that caused Hwang Kee to spend his energy defending the Moo Duk Kwan against government intervention and control. In 1964, the remaining Tae Kwon Do membership, under Choi, Hong Hi wanted to unite with the Moo Duk Kwan members to become larger and more influential. Although many members of the Moo Duk Kwan wanted to unite with Tae Kwon Do, Hwang Kee did not. The Tae Kwon Do members wanted the name Soo Bahk to be dropped. Hwang Kee believed that Soo Bahk techniques were the only authentic, ancient Korean techniques known at the time. Many Moo Duk Kwan instructors under Hwang Kee joined with Tae Kwon Do organization and called the new organization Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk Kwan. Hwang Kee and the remaining Tang Soo Do Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan members continued to teach and spread what had become the most popular system in all Korea.
New books, stories and legends have been uncovered since 1957 when the Moo Yei Bo Tong Ji was discovered. More historical books and writings have been uncovered and published since 1945, adding new information. Information about Tae Kwon, another ancient Korean martial art, and the Hwarang surfaced after Hwang Kee created interest in Korea's martial past. The Moo Duk Kwan has thrived for over 50 years. During this time, the Moo Duk Kwan, and, organizations and affiliations, have been the source of thousands of instructors and dozens of worldwide organizations. The Moo Duk Kwan has been instrumental in the worldwide acceptance and popularity of Korean martial arts. Hwang Kee, creator and grandmaster, has also participated in the creation of several Moo Duk Kwans that teach several different styles, Tang Soo Do, Soo Bahk Do and Tae Kwon Do all Moo Duk Kwan. Few individuals, and few organizations in Korean martial arts history can compare with the success and the achievements of the Moo Duk Kwan.
To the Korean government, the Moo Duk Kwan has been a source of great irritation. Hwang Kee has remained steadfast to the principles and ideas he incorporated the Moo Duk Kwan that were in opposition to what the government wanted. The Moo Duk Kwan has maintained the highest standard of conduct and professionalism The Moo Duk Kwan continues today with great strength and vitality.
New achievements are made continuously. New members and new organizations with past affiliations to the Moo Duk Kwan can found everywhere. Standing strong against insurmountable forces as an example of the principles and concepts on which it was found Hwang Kee and the Moo Duk Kwan continues the process it began over 50 years ago: the resurrection, teaching, and the evolution of traditional ancient Korean martial arts.
