Gup Manual Section 2
Gup Manual Section 2
Gup Manual Section 2
The history of Korean martial arts will never be completely known, due to the
destruction of many ancient documents of the Korean people by occupying armies over
its history. However, most Tang Soo Do historians agree that the art has its origins
roughly two thousand years ago at the time known as the era of the Three Kingdoms.
During the first century BC, the modern Korean peninsula was divided into three
kingdoms. Koguryo (37 BC-668 AD), located in the north, was the largest. In the south
were the two smaller kingdoms of Paekche (18 BC-660 AD) and Shilla (57 BC-935 AD).
The era of the Three Kingdoms lasted for six centuries, during which Korean arts and
culture flourished. Since the kingdoms fought continuously with each other, as well as
outside invaders, the practice of martial arts was very important. Each of the Kingdoms
had their own traditions and techniques and there are many statues and murals from
that period depicting techniques that resemble modern Tang Soo Do. This was most
evident in the artwork from the Shilla Kingdom depicting the art of Hwa Rang Do
During the 7th century, the Shilla dynasty joined forces with the Tang Dynasty of
China to overthrow Paekche and Koguryo. They succeeded, but then the Tang
betrayed the Shilla and tried to conquer the Korean peninsula. However, the Shilla
repulsed the Tang forces and it was Shilla who ended up unifying the three kingdoms for
the next three centuries. Central to this victory were the Hwa Rang warriors of Shilla.
Hwa Rang translated means “flowering manhood” and referred to the warriors dedicated
to the Shilla emperor’s defense. These warriors were devoted to perfecting themselves
in all ways and their martial art was known as Hwa Rang Do. The Hwa Rang warriors
had a five- part code of honor that was defined approximately 1800 years ago:
• Be loyal to one’s Country
• Obey one’s Parents, Elders and Teachers
• Honor Friendship, including Brothers and Sisters
• Do not retreat in battle
• In killing, choose with justice and honor
This code clearly forms the philosophical basis of the Tem Articles of faith, which are
adopted by all true Tang Soo Do practitioners. Although the code has been adapted to
reflect modern culture, the meaning remains, providing a clear path for the students of
Tang Soo Do.
Shilla was overthrown by the warlord Wang Kun in 918 AD, establishing the
Koryo Dynasty (918 AD-1392 AD), from which the modern name of Korea derives.
During this dynasty, martial arts was an important part of the military and social fabric of
the Korean people. The art was derived from the hand and foot techniques of Hwa
Rang Do and was known as Soo Bahk (Hard Hand). Soo Bahk Do was practiced not
only by the military, but also by civilians as a means to improve physical and mental
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health. As the influence and practice of Soo Bahk Do grew, it became the national
sport, with the royal family organizing public demonstrations by Soo Bahk Do Masters
and national competitions.
The Shilla Dynasty gave way to the Yi Dynasty (1392 AD-1910 AD). The Yi
dynasty initially encouraged more emphasis on literature, music and the arts and did not
actively support wide spread practice of the martial arts. In fact, the royal house
generally looked down on the discipline, considering it unrefined. During this period, the
practice of Soo Bahk was fractured into small schools, with no central organization.
Because of this, little growth was realized in the martial arts. However, as military
pressure from China and Japan mounted in the 16th and 17th centuries, the practice of
martial science and martial arts was reinvigorated and, by order of the royal house,
many manuals depicting military skills and training regimens were commissioned. The
most notable of these was the “Mooye Dobo Tongji” (Comprehensive Illustrated Manual
of Martial Arts) commissioned by King Jungjo and written by Yi Duk-moo and Park Je-gi
in 1790.
The Mooye Dobo Tongji describes and illustrates 23 fighting system including
various weapons disciplines for mounted cavalry and foot soldiers as well as techniques
for hand to hand combat known as Kwon Bop. According to the authors, Kwan Bop
incorporated hand and foot techniques derived from the older Soo Bahk style and
Chinese Tai Chi. It was from the interpretation of this text by Grand Master Hwang Kee
that the ancestral martial art of Korea was revived in the modern art of Tang Soo Do.
The Japanese invaded the Korean peninsula in 1909 and the Yi Dynasty fell in
1910. During the Japanese occupation the practice of martial arts was forbidden. Many
of the texts and manuals regarding the Korean heritage, including the martial arts were
destroyed. Soo Bahk Do and other styles were practiced in secret, but no written
documents of the arts were made. It was not until after the end of the Second World
War that modern Tang Soo Do is born under the guidance of its Great Master, Hwang
Kee.
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Grand Master Hwang Kee;
Founder of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan
!
Grand Master Hwang began his martial arts at the age of 7 when he witnessed
one man defeat seven men in a street fight during a festival in his home town of Jong
Dan, in the Kyong Ki province of Korea; which is currently located in the DMZ. He was
told that the gentleman was an expert in Tae Kyun, a native Korean martial art style that
was practiced in secrecy, as the Japanese; who occupied Korea at that time, had
forbidden the Korean people to practice martial arts. Grand Master Hwang followed the
man home and spent many nights watching him train; faithfully copying what he
observed. He eventually approached the gentleman about training, but was refused
because of his age. Nevertheless, he continued to observe and train on his own,
gaining great proficiency through hard work.
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Grand Master Hwang Kee
Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation to this day. Spreading martial arts practices to
other cultures and countries was a very radical idea at the time. Perhaps it was because
he had seen so much war in his life, but it was his dream that international conflict and
the personal conflict from which it came, could be ended by the teaching of Tang Soo
Do Moo Duk Kwan. Ironically, he met the most resistance for this idea in his native
country.
Around 1960, the Korean Government began pressuring all martial art schools to
organize as the Tae Soo Do (later called Tae Kwon Do) association under the control of
the Korean Athletic association. At that time, nearly 70 percent of the martial artists in
Korea were members of the Moo Duk Kwan. Further, all the military and law
enforcement personnel were trained in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. Wanting to limit
Grand Master Hwang’s influence, the government only offered 3 seats out of twenty one
on the association governing board to the Moo Duk Kwan. Although he wanted to work
with the government, Grand Master Hwang felt that this level of representation for his
students was unfair. He was also concerned with martial art being organized under the
control of the Athletic association, making it a sport, rather than an educational pursuit;
corrupting its core message of self-discipline to end conflict in one’s life. He, therefore,
declined to join the new association. The government immediately removed, without
explanation, all Moo Duk Kwan instructors from Military bases and police academies.
They further tried to revoke Grand Master Hwang’s permit to operate his organization.
They failed in front of the Supreme Court of Korea to do so, but they continued to
persecute Grand Master Hwang and his students. Eventually, confused by the issues
and tired of the conflict, students joined the new Tae Kwon Do organization and the
influence of the Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan diminished. But, Grand Master Hwang,
never compromised his beliefs; in the face of physical attacks and slander regarding his
personal character, he maintained the integrity of his vision of martial art as a vehicle of
personal enlightenment and world peace.
To the day of his death, July 14, 2002, Grand Master Hwang worked tirelessly to
refine his teaching system of Moo Duk Kwan, and to promote world unity. His countless
innovations in martial art training and education are used throughout the martial art
community to this day. More importantly, he left a core group of students, among them
Grandmaster J. Seo, who understand that Grand Master Hwang meant for Tang Soo Do
Moo Duk Kwan to be a “Living Art”, one that is constantly growing and evolving as new
techniques and training methods are discovered, but, also, one that remains grounded
in the immutable principles of loyalty to country, honoring your parents, elders and
teachers, fighting for the right reasons and always finishing that fight. The legacy of
Grandmaster Hwang Kee, like his art, is very much alive, with many Masters, Korean
and international, returning to his vision of a world united by martial art and the core
principles by which it is governed.
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Grand Master Joseph H.Y. Seo:
Founder of International Tae Kwon Do Tang
Soo Do Federation
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Grand Master Joseph H.Y. Seo
1991 and 1992, he was a member of the USA Moo Duk Kwan team. He taught the NY
Dutchess County Police Department and was the assistant instructor for West Point
Military Academy. In 1998, he retired from competition to become a full time instructor
and business owner.
Currently Grand Master J. Seo has promoted over 500 black belts who are recognized
all over the country and operates three Seo’s Martial Arts locations here in Colorado
and four additional satellite schools on both the East and West Coasts.
“I am striving to make martial arts a positive force in the lives of children and adults.
With the assistance of my immediate family and the extended family of Seo’s Martial
Arts I feel that this goal is very much within reach. I look forward each day to the
commitment I have made here in Colorado and that is to have the best schools, with the
best instructors and to make Seo’s Martial Arts the best place to train in the art of
Martial Art.”
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Grand Master Joseph H. Y. Seo’s Moo Duk
Kwan Lineage (Rupah):
Lineage (Rupah):
One of the most important and unique features of Tang Soo Do Moo
Duk Kwan is the student’s Rupah, which is Korean for “Lineage”. The
Rupah is kept by issuing each student a “Dan Number” when they achieve
their Black Belt. The student now knows not only where the rank in their
Dan testing class, but also, where they are in the history of Tang Soo Do
Moo Duk Kwan, providing a link back to the founder and to generations of
Tang Soo Do practitioners yet to come. This helps them to understand that
they are a small, but unique part of a proud history that is ever unfolding.
Above is Grand Master Seo’s Rupah. It is very important for a student to
know and understand the Rupah of their instructor in order to honor him
and his teachers, as well appreciate their own Tang Soo Do roots.
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