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WHAT IS TANG SOO DO |
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| The very first evidence of this ancient
form of Korean martial arts appeared during the Three Kingdom era (57
BC-935 AD) as Hwa Rang Do. Since then, 2,000 years have passed. The
indigenous martial arts quietly developed through generations of the
Korean people. During some eras it flourished and other times it
diminished, according to the political, economic or cultural
environment. The art was known by various names throughout the eras as
Hwa Rang Do, Moo Sul, Kyuck Too Ki, Soo Bahk Ki, Soo Byuck Ki, Taek
Kyun etc. respectively. Following 1945 Korean independence, the Korean
martial arts were again merged and flourished throughout the entire
Korean Peninsula. Many organizations were founded with various names
such as Soo Bahk Do, Tang Soo Do, Tae Soo Do and so on. At the
beginning of the modern era of the Korean martial arts, Tang Soo Do
was the most popular term for these arts, however, at that time, the
Korean political leader was concerned about establishing Korean value
based on Korean nationalism. The political leaders recognized the
popularity of Korean martial arts around the world, but were opposed
to the use of the name Tang Soo Do for the art, as it sounded like a
Chinese martial art, because the first word "Tang" could be
interpreted as representing the Chinese Tang Dynasty (617-907 AD). In
1964, a government sponsored small group created a new name for the
Korean martial arts: Tae Kwon Do.
The World Tang Soo Do Association still respects the original term, Tang Soo Do, and intends to preserve its heritage and value as a traditional way or path. Unfortunately, many Tae Kwon Do instructors did not maintain the traditional values of the true martial arts. Instead, they converted to a sport as they have progressed to the internationally recognized sports arenas such as the Olympic games. This was considered to be a great political achievement, to bring strength and prominence to the Korean government in International politics. True Martial Arts lovers had no place within these Tae Kwon Do dojangs to continue to pursue traditional martial arts because they abandoned many valuable aspects of true Martial Arts to become a simple competitive sport. We, as World Tang Soo Do practitioners are striving to maintain traditional values of respect, dicipline, self control, self improvement, etiquette and ultimately live a healthy and harmonious life, physically and mentally.
FROM BIRTH OF WORLD TANG SOO DO ASSOCIATION TO NOW In 1968 Master Jae Chul Shin came to the United States of America as the U. S. representative for the Korean Tang Soo Do Association. He formed the U. S. Tang Soo Do Federation in Burlington, New Jersey in 1968. This traditional Korean Martial Art was quickly accepted and soon grew in popularity throughout the World. The organization reformed to fit new demands internationally, and on November 13 and 14th, 1982, a charter convention of the World Tang Soo Do Association was held in Philadelphia, PA., USA. With the advent of the World Tang Soo Do Association, Tang Soo Do began a new era of development as a traditional martial art. As of 1996, the new organization has grown at an outstanding rate to reach over 100,000 members in 36 countries and thousands of students are training in the following countries; Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, England, Germany, Greece, Guam, Holland, India, Italy, Korea, Mozambique, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Rumania, Russia, Scotland, Seychelles, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Uruguay and the U.S.A. |
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| PURPOSE OF TANG SOO
DO TRAINING
In today's hectic society, there is no doubt that we need self-defense skills. Equally important are physical fitness and methods for the release of daily stress---No matter whether you are seeking self-defense, better health, physical fitness or discipline, our Tang Soo Do can meet your needs. However, Tang Soo Do has its own unique character which differentiates it from any other form of martial arts or martial sports. Tang Soo Do not only teaches physical techniques but also trains us to practice "DO" way of life through practice of the five virtues; "IN" -humanity, "UI"-righteousness, "YIE"-etiquette, "JI"-wisdom and "SHIN"-trust. When we reach the ultimate level of "DO", we can live in perfect harmony with the laws of nature. |
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Return to index |
|
About Grandmaster | ![]() |
About Master Khan | ![]() |
About the flag and symbol | ![]() |
Codes, Tenets and Attitudes | ||