Part 2 – Formation of the martial art TaeKwonDo
Part 1 – Martial arts of old Korea
Part 3 – Partition of TaeKwonDo into styles and transformation into a sport
We find ourselves in 1945, when Korean resistance lasting since 1919 triumphed over the occupation and Korea freed itself from Japanese rule. In the short term, the first Korean martial arts schools, which until then had not been allowed to be taught publicly, led by Korean masters, are opening in the area of today’s Seoul in South Korea.
1 – Chung Do Kwan – 1944, – Won Kuk Lee (1907–2003)
school of Taekkyeon, Shotokan Karate and Shaolin Kung Fu – 5000 students
2 – Moo Duk Kwan – 1945, – Hwang Kee (1914 – 2002)
school of Soo Bahk, Taekkyeon, 5 forms of Muye Dobo Tongji, Taijiquan, Kuk Sool – 900 students
3 – Song Moo Kwan – 1945, – Ro Byung Jick (1919-2015)
school of Soo Bahk, Taekkyeon, Shotokan Karate a Shaolin Kung Fu – 600 students
4 – Yun Moo Kwan – 1946, – Kyung Suk Lee a Chun Sang Sup
the classic form of Judo school later with elements of Shūdōkan Karate and Shitō-Ryū Karate – 200 students
5 – Chang Moo Kwan – 1946 – Yoon Byung In (1920 – 1983)
school of Kung-fu and Shūdōkan Karate connecting with Bajiquan – 300 students
Won Kuk Lee (left)
Among the first masters of the 4 dan forming TaeKwonDo were, under the leadership of the most respected masters Won Kuk Lee, Hwang Kee and their disciple Ro Byung Jick, masters: Duk Sung Son, founder of WTA, Yong Taek Chung – WTA, Hyun Jong Myun – co-founder. ITF, Woon Kyu Uhm – co-founder. WTF, Lee Yong Woo – WTF and Kang Suh Chong.
By 1950, there were already about 18 schools – Kwans. This development was interrupted by the Korean War (1950-53). when Korea was politically divided into North and South on the basis of the invasion of the USSR and the USA. Many masters did not return from the war. The same fate befell 4 – Yun Moo Kwan, led by Yun Kwae Byung (1922-2000) who studied Shūdōkan Karate and Shitō-Ryū Karate. He changed his name to 4 – Ji Do Kwan.
Other prominent 4th dan masters include:
For 1 – Chung Do Kwan mention – Jhoon Goo Rhee – kick techniques teacher of Bruce LEE, Cho Hee Il – founder AIMA, Choi Kwang Jo – co-founder of the ITF and later founder of own style named ChoiKwanDo, Kim Book Man – the only holder of 11 degree of Black belt in the world.
For 2 – Moo Duk Kwan mention – Shin Jae Chul – teacher of Chuck Norris, or Hyun Chul Hwang, a direct successor to style and president of the World Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation
For 3 – Song Moo Kwan mention – Young Sup Lee co-founder of the WTF, or Hee Sang Ro founder of the World Song Moo Kwan Association, World Hosinsul Federation, North American Kung Fu Association and American Taeguk Kumdo Association
For 4 – Ji Do Kwan. Mention – co-founder of the WTF Lee Chong Woo, Bae Young Gee, Lee Kyo Yoon, who was also subsequently the head of the technical commission for the award of master degrees in Kukkiwon.
For 5 – Chang Moo Kwan mention – co-founder of the WTF Kim Soon Bae, or a long-time head of the WTF exhibition team Lee Nam Suk.
The complete list of masters can be found … here: TaeKwonDoMap.com
After the Korean War, more than 30 Kwans were opened, who taught various systems under many different names. There was pressure among the great Kwans to unite under one name, but since no one could agree on what name to use, a meeting was held on April 11, 1955 to vote on the proposals. The leading authority of the largest school, Chung Do Kwan, Grandmaster Duk Sung Son, together with General Choi Hong Hi, who at the time was already leading his own successful Oh Do Kwan, focused on military and police training, conducted research on terminology and came up with the words “Tae Kwon“. -hand), and because the name expressed the use of digging, and was similar to the ancient Korean Tae Kyeon, the term TaeKwonDo was officially chosen. General Choi Hong Hi was elected president of the first Korean TaeKwonDo Association – KTA in 1958 thanks to his influence and support of the South Korean army.
From the wide base of masters, the 12 best, so-called 12 original TaeKwonDo masters were selected, who were to present this unique martial art to the world in its comprehensive form under the banner of the South Korean KTA. These masters included:
Park Jung Tae – Chief Technical Commissar of the ITF, later founder of the GTF
Choi Kwang Jo – co-founder of the ITF, later Choi Kwang-Do
Han Cha Kyo – Universal Tae Kwon Do Federation
Kim Kwang Il – Kwang Mu Sul Taekwon-Do
Rhee Chong Chul – Rhee Taekwon-Do
Rhee Chong Hyup – Rhee Taekwon-Do
Choi Chang Keun – co-founder of the ITF
Kim Jong Chan – co-founder of the ITF
Kong Young Il – co-founder of the ITF
Park Jong Soo – co-founder of the ITF
Rhee Ki Ha – co-founder of the ITF
Park Sun Jae – co-founder of the ITF
The great interest in martial arts studies also meant disagreements and differing opinions of the grandmasters in teaching, training and the meaning of the whole exercise. At the time of the emerging modern and global world, for many masters, the partition of Korea meant the only possible solution, emigration from their homeland, which in turn meant the expansion of this martial art in all its forms around the world.
Shortly after the founding of the South Korean KTA, Moo Duk Kwan – Hwang Kee moved away from the TaeKwonDo concept, as did Grandmaster and Supreme Authority Won Kuk Lee. withdrew into seclusion and together they laid the groundwork for the future Hap Ki Do. Later, the Grand Masters separated and Hwang Kee reopened his original concept under the name Soo Bahk Do. Grandmaster Ro Byung Jick left Korea in 1966 to form his own World Song Moo Kwan Association.
In an environment where the influence of the original schools of Kung Fu, Judo, and a different style of Karate than that taught by General Choi Hong Hi (Shotokan Karate and Taekkyeon), it has become difficult to keep the masters united, creating a mushroom to divide TaeKwonDo into several styles.
In addition, General Choi piqued the other Grand Masters against each other by unequivocally awarding the invention of the name TaeKwonDo to himself and calling himself the father and founder of TaeKwonDo. General Choi Hong Hi was a talented leader and visionary, one of the 150 Grand Masters of TaeKwonDo.
The real fathers and founders of the traditional TaeKwonDo are a trio of grandmasters Won Kuk Lee, Hwang Kee and Ro Byung Jick. However, none of these Grandmasters claimed to be the father of modern martial arts, because it included elements of something that was not in line with their own style. In addition, the unified association, as the official representative of Korean culture, had the task of promoting South Korean policy.
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Part 3 – Partition of TaeKwonDo into styles and transformation into a sport
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