Chung Do Kwan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Chung Do Kwan | |
|---|---|
| Hangul: |
청도관
|
| Hanja: |
靑濤館
|
| Revised Romanization: | Cheong Do Gwan |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Ch'ŏng Do Kwan |
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art, and Chung Do Kwan is one of the original nine schools of Taekwondo.[citation needed] Chung Do Kwan is also the oldest of the schools, being the first school founded in 1944.[citation needed] At the end of World War II, several Kwans arose. They were: Chung Do Kwan, Moo Duk Kwan, Jidokwan(Yun Moo Kwan), Chang Moo Kwan, Han Moo Kwan, Oh Do Kwan, Jung Do Kwan, Kang Duk Won, and Song Moo Kwan.
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[edit] Founding
Chung Do Kwan (Pure Way or Blue Way School) was founded by Won Kuk Lee in 1944. Lee earned a black belt in Shotokan karate training under Gichin Funakoshi at Chuo University in Japan, then travelled around the Orient studying martial arts technique, history, and philosophy. He returned to Korea and opened the Chung Do Kwan in 1944 after being refused permission by the Japanese government twice. His original name for what he taught was "Tang Soo Do", which is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese characters pronounced Karate Do in the Japanese language.
[edit] Taekwondo
Although the name "Taekwondo" was proposed in 1955 by Chung Do Kwan students, it was slow to catch on among other Kwan Heads (Kwan Jang). Two of the other Kwan Jang preferred the name "Kong Soo Do"-Way of the Empty Hand. It was felt by some that "Kong Soo Do" would be more understood by potential students. In the same way that many people are familiar with the term "Karate" This idea was quickly voted down in meetings with various Kwan Heads. As a result, a compromise name-Tae Soo Do-began to be used. A few years later, the name "Tae Kwon Do" was adopted by all Kwans because it was simular in sound to the ancient Korean kicking game of Taekkyon.[citation needed]).
Previously, Taekkyon had developed a bad reputation because it was used by gangsters and the subject of betting. The name "Taekwondo" was chosen for several reasons. It was felt that a new, Korean-based name was needed that honoured the legacy of Tae Kyon without being sullied by its association with gangsters and troublemakers. Previous names included: Tang Soo Do (Way of the Tang Hand), Kong Soo Do (Way of the Empty Hand), and Hwa Soo Do (Way of the Flowering Hand). As Lee explained, he chose to use "Tang Soo Do" (Karate-Do in Japanese) to reflect his belief that Oriental martial arts, Japanese karate included, derived from and/or were influenced by Chinese martial arts and philosophy. Hence, "Tang Soo Do" rather than "Kong Soo Do". Won Kuk Lee's teacher, Gichin Funakoshi used the Japanese version of the Tang Soo Do name in the early years of Karate, but later adopted the Japanese version of the Kong Soo Do name as it was chosen as the result of a meeting held by prominent Okinawan masters in the 1930s.
[edit] Development
A 1947 demonstration involving prominent Chung Do Kwan black belts and witnessed by then Korean President Syng Man Rhee resulted in Chung Do Kwan being required for all police and military training in Korea.[citation needed] The hardcore, almost brutal, training of that time was ideal for the needs of the police and military forces in Korea. Under the direction of army general Choi Hong Hi, all military personnel were members of Oh Do Kwan, a splinter group of Chung Do Kwan.[citation needed] Gen. Choi's policy was that only Chung Do Kwan black belts would be accepted by the Army as is-all other Kwan black belts had to retest before a panel.[citation needed] This was unacceptable to the other Kwan's as Gen. Choi was only an honorary Dan holder, and not an actual teacher. This policy was changed shortly after Choi instituted it.
Unfortunately, due to conflicts with the Korean government, Won Kuk Lee was forced to leave South Korea as a political refugee. He settled first in Japan, and eventually in Virginia where he lived the remainder of his life.
The first Chung Do Kwan President was Founder Won Kuk Lee, followed by Duk Sung Son, Gen. Choi (honorary only), and finally Woon Kyu Uhm. Uhm serves as Chung Do Kwan President to this day and is the current President of the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters) in South Korea.
[edit] Prominent students
Prominent Chung Do Kwan students include:
- Duk Sung Son
- Woon Kyu Uhm (current Kukkiwon/Chung Do Kwan President)
- Tae Hi Nam (Special Assistant to Gen. Choi Hong Hi)
- Cha Kyo Han (Special Military Instructor)
- Hyun Ok Shin (Grandmaster, United Chung Do Kwan Association, headquartered in Floral Park, NY)
- Jhoon Rhee (Father of American Taekwondo)
- Tae Zee Park (Grandmaster, President Tae Park Taekwondo, Korean National Free Fighting Champion 1963-1968, 12 Gold Medals)
- In Mook Kim (Grandmaster, President American ChungDoKwan Taekwondo Association ACTA)
- Dong Hoon Kim (Grandmaster, President Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Kwan Schools)
[edit] Jhoon Rhee
Jhoon Rhee was a Chung Do Kwan school graduate and the first Korean to come to the U.S. and introduce Americans to Taekwondo. Thus, Chung Do Kwan is often associated with what Rhee originally taught Americans. Rhee introduced Americans to the Oh Do Kwan Hyungs called Chang Hon, Chang Hon, which were introduced by General Choi and NAM, Tae Hi, and HAN, Cha Kyo and are still used by the late Choi's ITF today (Chon-Ji, Dan-Gun, Do-San, Won-Hyo, Yul-Gok, Chung-Gun, Toi-Gye, Hwa-Rang, Chung-Mu, Kwan-Gye). He did this at the urging of Gen. Choi, who wanted Taekwondo to establish its own Korean identity, something it couldn't do with Japanese forms. Jhoon Rhee states that he learned the Chang Hon forms from the South Korean Army Field Manual sent to him by Gen. Choi Hong Hi. The Chang Hon set of forms are still taught by independent American Taekwondo intructors who came from the Jhoon Rhee lineage. Rhee's 1970-1971 publication of the Chang Hon forms in a series of 5 separate books through Ohara Publications. Originally the ATA even used the Chang Hon forms until the 1980s, even today there are dozens of private American Taekwondo organizations that trace what they teach, and the forms they use, to a Chung Do Kwan/Chang Hon influence. Such organizations include: ITF, United States Taekwondo Federation (USTF), National Taekwondo Federation of America (NTFA), American Karate and Taekwondo Organization (AKATO), American Karate Black Belt Association (AKBBA), National Progressive Taekwondo Association (NPTA), etc.
[edit] Woon Kyu Um
Woon Kyu Um was the third Chung Do Kwan Kwan Jang, after Lee and Duk Sung Son. He is also the present leader of the Chung Do Kwan, as well as the current President of the Kukkiwon, succeeding longtime President Dr. Un Yong Kim. One of the first Chung Do Kwan black belts, Uhm was a student of Founder Won Kuk Lee Um's nickname was "Sliding Side Kick God", due to his unmatched ability with that technique. Reportedly, he could kick an opponent from ten feet away using it.
Um helped devise the current rules governing modern Taekwondo free sparring, and is one of the pioneers responsible for the formation of modern Taekwondo. He was also Special Instructor for the South Korean Military. He also played a large part in the formation and development of the World Taekwondo Federation and the Kukkiwon.
As one of Won Kuk Lee's original and first students, Uhm remains a link to the earliest days of Taekwondo. He was also a well known competitor and coach in Taekwondo's early days. As Head of Chung Do Kwan and President of the Kukkiwon, he has spent decades ensuring that Kukkiwon Taekwondo retains the power, etiquette, high technique, manners, and Way that makes it one of the world's pre-eminent martial arts. He is one of the most important Taekwondo person in Korea, and one of the most important in the world today.
[edit] Tae Hi Nam
During a famous 1947 demonstration put on by Chung Do Kwan black belts, it was Tae Hi Nam's breaking of 13 roofing tiles that amazed the watching government officials, one of whom was Korean President Syng Man Rhee (Earl Weiss-September 2000 TKD Times). Upon inspection of Nam's hand, and finding no injury, they decided that Chung Do Kwan should be taught to Korea's military and police troops (ibid). This was a decision enthusiastically supported by Chung Do Kwan supporter Gen. Choi Hong Hi, who would later found his own military-based Kwan, the Oh Do Kwan (ibid).
If Choi was the guiding personality and "brains" behind Taekwondo's early development, Tae Hi Nam was the physical manifestation, someone who was capable of physically showing the concepts that Choi wanted to get across (ibid). Long known as Choi's Right Hand Man (ibid) Nam was the physical demonstrator of the early ITF forms, performing them as the concepts were developed. It is also believed that Nam developed many of the techniques himself, using his Chung Do Kwan training and background (http://www.ohdokwan.ca/namtaehi.html)
Tae Hi Nam's career in Taekwondo has spanned 50 years, and includes his assistance to Gen. Choi and longtime support of the ITF (September 2000 TKD Times)
[edit] Technique and Philosophy
In Korean philosophy, blue represents purity, such as the blue sky and the blue water. The Korean word for "blue" is Chung. Therefore Chung Do Kwan translates as "Blue Way School" or "School of the Pure Way". In this sense, Chung Do Kwan and Taekwondo as a whole are practiced to reach a state of physical, mental, and spiritual perfection. The ultimate goal is the uplifting of ourselves and the human race.
Beginning in early times, Chung Do Kwan technique and philosophy centered around mastering basics, developing powerful technique, pinpoint accuracy in application, strong kicking, and deep appreciation for manners and etiquette. Its trademark techniques are the side kick, jumping side kick, and sliding side kick although it practices many other techniques as well-all in accordance with Chung Do Kwan principles. From the start, Won Kuk Lee wanted his students to be men of honor, only allowed upright individuals as his students, and encouraged them to live honorable lives as Chung Do Kwan students. All in an effort to restore the good reputation once held by Korean martial arts and distance itself from the notion of Taekwondo students as troublemakers.
Chung Do Kwan philosophy is that Taekwondo is a method of self-defense, self-improvement, and a Way of Life.
According to Hae Man Park, Vice-President of Chung Do Kwan (retired), today Chung Do Kwan is a social friendship club that endorses 100% the curriculum of the Kukkiwon system. Park states that Kukkiwon Taekwondo is Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo, and has been developed from the old systems of Chung Do Kwan and the other eight Kwans.
[edit] Chung Do Kwan Oath
We, as members, train our spirits and bodies according to the strict code.
We, as members, are united in mutual friendship.
We, as members, will comply with regulations and obey instructors.
[edit] The logo
The Chung Do Kwan logo is the Korean Um/Yang symbol containing a clenched fist (symbolizing physical power) holding a scroll (symbolizing scholarliness). The two ends of the scroll contain the Korean Hangul symbols for "Chung Do".
[edit] Today
The Chung Do Kwan Headquarters still exists in Korea and now functions as a fraternal friendship social club which is no longer a martial arts style. It with the eight other recognized Kwan formed the basis of the Korea Taekwondo Association, and the Kukkiwon. The Taekwondo Chung Do Kwan, Korea only recognizes the Kukkiwon method of Taekwondo practice and support the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).
[edit] Chung Do Kwan forms
According to UM, Woon Kyu, the President of Taekwondo Chung Do Kwan, the Chung Do Kwan today follows the complete curriculum of Kukkiwon.
Some of the older Chung Do Kwan based schools practice the original Pyong-Ahn forms which Great Won Kuk Lee incorporated from Shotokan karate. (The Pyong-Ahn forms originated in Okinawa, where they are called Pinan. In Japan, these forms are called Heian.)
Other older Chung do Kwan schools practice the Palgwe forms, a predecessor of the Taegeuk forms. After black belt, practitioners of the Kukkiwon system practice the Yudanja and Kodanja series of black belt Poomsae of the Kukkiwon (Koryo, Kumgang, Taebaek, Pyongwon, Sipjin, Jitae, Cheonkwon, Hansoo, Ilyo).
[edit] See also
[edit] Further reading
- 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 8975000648
- Kukkiwon 25th Anniversary Text 1997 (Korean) Un Yong Kim
- Kukkiwon Textbook 2006 (English/Korean) Um Woon Kyu
- Korean Karate by Grandmaster Duk Sun Song
- Tae Kwon Do: The Korean Martial Art by Grandmaster Richard Chun
- Tae Kwon Do Classic Forms: 21 Hyung by Ted Hilsen
- Advancing in Tae Kwon Do by Richard Chun
- Tae Kwon Do by Marc Tedeschi
