Welcome to Nim's Tang Soo Do (Australia)
What is Tang Soo Do?
Tang Soo Do as we know it today is a relatively modern art of self-defense or unarmed combat (Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan was registered in 1947) with its ancient origins dating back to almost 2000 years ago in Korea. The literal translation of the combined words “Tang Soo Do” means “The Art of Worthy Hands” “Tang” means worthy. “Soo” means the hand. “Do” means the art, way or method. Other meanings can be translated as The Way of the Chinahand & The Art of the Knife Hand.
In these modern times, Tang Soo Do is still taught the traditional way i.e. through the utilization of both hands & legs as well as grppling techniques (largly derived from Judo and Jiu Jitsu) for self-defence purposes. This method of training proves more practical & effective as the applications of either the hands or legs, or both can be carried out depending on different situations or
circumstances. This also gives members a “total” martial art training system.
In these modern times, Tang Soo Do is still taught the traditional way i.e. through the utilization of both hands & legs as well as grppling techniques (largly derived from Judo and Jiu Jitsu) for self-defence purposes. This method of training proves more practical & effective as the applications of either the hands or legs, or both can be carried out depending on different situations or
circumstances. This also gives members a “total” martial art training system.
Where we came from
Grandmaster Hwang Kee
(10th degree black belt)
Founder of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bahk Do
(November 9, 1914 - July 14, 2002)
Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee was reportedly born on the 9th of November 1914 in Jang Dan, Kyong Ki province where the DMZ is
currently located.
At a young age Grandmaster Hwang Kee attending a traditional Festival in his local area, It was here that he witnessed
a fight between one man and a group of seven or eight men. The lone man was able to defend himself and defeat his attackers. This ability to defend himself against several attackers so impressed the young Hwang Kee that he followed the man home and asked to be trained (not something I would encourage buding martial artists to try themselves). Hwang Kee was refused because he was much too young to learn.Not to be discouraged, the young Grandmaster to be reportedly watched the man training in his home from the street and mimicked what he saw.
The Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945) was a difficult time for Korean martial artists as the only martial arts allowed in Korea were Kendo and Judo (both traditional Japanese arts). The Grandmaster studied and trained on his own from 1921 until 1936. In 1936, while working with the railroad in Manchuria, he was introduced to a Chinese master, Master Yang, with whom he trained until his return to Seoul in August of 1937.
In 1939, he began work with the Cho Sun Railway Bureau. There he had a library with many books on martial arts, particularly Okinawan Karate. Through the books, he studied this art which later influenced Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan and is evidenced in the Pyung Ahn forms as well as Bassai and Kong Sang Kun.
With the end of Japan's occupation, the Grandmaster was free to pursue the development of his art according to his vision. On November 9, 1945 he founded the Moo Duk Kwan and named his art Hwa Soo Do (art of the flowering hand). Unfortunately, it was not immediately popular so it struggled to gain and keep students. He later met Won Kuk Lee, the founder of Chung Do Kwan, whose art was Tang Soo Do. Lee had trained in Karate in Japan, was very successful and had many more students than the Moo Duk Kwan. Because Tang Soo Do had a more recognizable name, it was better received by the public. The Grandmaster decided to combine it with his Hwa Soo Do and what he learned from the Okinawan books. In 1947 he began teaching his new art of
Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan to the public.
At the start of the Korean War in 1950 the development of the art was again disrupted until the war's end in 1953, when the Kwan Jang Nim returned to Seoul to continue his work. He leased his first commercial space in 1955 and it grew to be known as the legendary "Joong Ang Do Jang".
As the Moo Duk Kwan's popularity grew, more dojangs sprang up.The Moo Duk Kwan system was taught in schools, to the police and the military, both at the Naval & Air Force Academy of Korea and the Republic Of Korea Air Force Academy where the Grandmaster taught personally
1957 was a pivotal year in another respect. During his research, the Kwan Jang Nim discovered a 300 year-old Korean manuscript called the "Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji" that documented Korean martial techniques known as Soo Bahk. This was a fortunate find as his vision was to have a truly Korean martial art and a traditional Korean martial arts organization.
In Korea at that time there were only five original Kwans or schools -
Moo Duk Kwan (Hwang Kee),
Yeon Moo Kwan (Yun, Kwei Byong),
YMCA Kwon Bup Bu (Lee, Nam Suk),
Chung Do Kwan (Shon, Duk Song),
Song Moo Kwan (No, Byong Jik).
Ji Do Kwan, an offshoot of the Yeon Moo Kwan merged with the Moo Duk Kwan and on June 30, 1960 they were officially registered as the Korean Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Association, with Grandmaster Hwang Kee as its head.
1961 marked the beginning of another round of hardship for the Moo Duk Kwan. On May 16th, a military revolution led by Lt. General Chong Hee Park took place. The Grandmaster was removed as instructor for the ROK Air Force base and the national police, and was prohibited from publishing his monthly publication, Moo Yei Si Bo. Between 1961 and 1965, operation of the the Association became very difficult as the government exercised great political control over it.
In 1964 the Korean Tae Soo Do Association was formed, which in 1965 became the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association. Due to its political influences, the Tae Kwon Do group, led by its second President, General Choi, Hong Hee, tried to unify it with the Korean Soo Bahk Do Association. Kwan Jang Nim's organization was the largest of any martial arts system in Korea at the time. Grandmaster Hwang Kee agreed to discuss unification, but when it became clear that the move was designed to gain control over his organization, he ultimately refused. The result was a weakening of the Moo Duk Kwan as the Tae Kwon Do movement grew in strength, absorbing many Moo Duk Kwan members in the process.
In 1965 and again in 1966, the Kwan Jang Nim won two legal battles that would allow him to run his organization without interference and thereby work to rebuild his organization. As a testament to the Grandmaster's perseverance in the face of great
adversity, Tang Soo Do (Soo Bahk Do) is today practiced in nearly 40 countries around the world.
(10th degree black belt)
Founder of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bahk Do
(November 9, 1914 - July 14, 2002)
Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee was reportedly born on the 9th of November 1914 in Jang Dan, Kyong Ki province where the DMZ is
currently located.
At a young age Grandmaster Hwang Kee attending a traditional Festival in his local area, It was here that he witnessed
a fight between one man and a group of seven or eight men. The lone man was able to defend himself and defeat his attackers. This ability to defend himself against several attackers so impressed the young Hwang Kee that he followed the man home and asked to be trained (not something I would encourage buding martial artists to try themselves). Hwang Kee was refused because he was much too young to learn.Not to be discouraged, the young Grandmaster to be reportedly watched the man training in his home from the street and mimicked what he saw.
The Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945) was a difficult time for Korean martial artists as the only martial arts allowed in Korea were Kendo and Judo (both traditional Japanese arts). The Grandmaster studied and trained on his own from 1921 until 1936. In 1936, while working with the railroad in Manchuria, he was introduced to a Chinese master, Master Yang, with whom he trained until his return to Seoul in August of 1937.
In 1939, he began work with the Cho Sun Railway Bureau. There he had a library with many books on martial arts, particularly Okinawan Karate. Through the books, he studied this art which later influenced Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan and is evidenced in the Pyung Ahn forms as well as Bassai and Kong Sang Kun.
With the end of Japan's occupation, the Grandmaster was free to pursue the development of his art according to his vision. On November 9, 1945 he founded the Moo Duk Kwan and named his art Hwa Soo Do (art of the flowering hand). Unfortunately, it was not immediately popular so it struggled to gain and keep students. He later met Won Kuk Lee, the founder of Chung Do Kwan, whose art was Tang Soo Do. Lee had trained in Karate in Japan, was very successful and had many more students than the Moo Duk Kwan. Because Tang Soo Do had a more recognizable name, it was better received by the public. The Grandmaster decided to combine it with his Hwa Soo Do and what he learned from the Okinawan books. In 1947 he began teaching his new art of
Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan to the public.
At the start of the Korean War in 1950 the development of the art was again disrupted until the war's end in 1953, when the Kwan Jang Nim returned to Seoul to continue his work. He leased his first commercial space in 1955 and it grew to be known as the legendary "Joong Ang Do Jang".
As the Moo Duk Kwan's popularity grew, more dojangs sprang up.The Moo Duk Kwan system was taught in schools, to the police and the military, both at the Naval & Air Force Academy of Korea and the Republic Of Korea Air Force Academy where the Grandmaster taught personally
1957 was a pivotal year in another respect. During his research, the Kwan Jang Nim discovered a 300 year-old Korean manuscript called the "Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji" that documented Korean martial techniques known as Soo Bahk. This was a fortunate find as his vision was to have a truly Korean martial art and a traditional Korean martial arts organization.
In Korea at that time there were only five original Kwans or schools -
Moo Duk Kwan (Hwang Kee),
Yeon Moo Kwan (Yun, Kwei Byong),
YMCA Kwon Bup Bu (Lee, Nam Suk),
Chung Do Kwan (Shon, Duk Song),
Song Moo Kwan (No, Byong Jik).
Ji Do Kwan, an offshoot of the Yeon Moo Kwan merged with the Moo Duk Kwan and on June 30, 1960 they were officially registered as the Korean Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Association, with Grandmaster Hwang Kee as its head.
1961 marked the beginning of another round of hardship for the Moo Duk Kwan. On May 16th, a military revolution led by Lt. General Chong Hee Park took place. The Grandmaster was removed as instructor for the ROK Air Force base and the national police, and was prohibited from publishing his monthly publication, Moo Yei Si Bo. Between 1961 and 1965, operation of the the Association became very difficult as the government exercised great political control over it.
In 1964 the Korean Tae Soo Do Association was formed, which in 1965 became the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association. Due to its political influences, the Tae Kwon Do group, led by its second President, General Choi, Hong Hee, tried to unify it with the Korean Soo Bahk Do Association. Kwan Jang Nim's organization was the largest of any martial arts system in Korea at the time. Grandmaster Hwang Kee agreed to discuss unification, but when it became clear that the move was designed to gain control over his organization, he ultimately refused. The result was a weakening of the Moo Duk Kwan as the Tae Kwon Do movement grew in strength, absorbing many Moo Duk Kwan members in the process.
In 1965 and again in 1966, the Kwan Jang Nim won two legal battles that would allow him to run his organization without interference and thereby work to rebuild his organization. As a testament to the Grandmaster's perseverance in the face of great
adversity, Tang Soo Do (Soo Bahk Do) is today practiced in nearly 40 countries around the world.