Describe the essential characteristics of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan which make it unique and differentiate it from

other styles. Maxwell Wolfe April 19, 2012 The history of martial arts is often complex due to the tendency of many styles to borrow and copy one another. Korean martial arts in particular, evolving through multiple periods of foreign occupation, frequently combine aspects of Japanese, Chinese, and local styles into singular disciplines. Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee recognized this fact, and strived to maintain Soo Bahk Do as a true Korean martial art. But what are the aspects of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan that make it unique? By looking at the five Moo Do values, one can truly see what distinguishes Soo Bahk Do. History The history of Soo Bahk Do is both unique in itself and the origin of many other unique aspects of the art. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan was founded by Hwang Kee Kwan Jang Nim in 1945 under the name Hwa Soo Do (Way of the Flowering Hand). Previously, Korean martial arts and culture had been suppressed under Japanese occupation, and only Japanese styles were well known. The name Hwa Soo Do was chosen in celebration of Koreas new independence, as Hwang Kee KJN intended for his system to become the traditional art of Korea. Due to lack of public knowledge about Korean martial arts, Hwa Soo Do struggled to gain recognition. In 1947, Hwa Soo Do merged with Tang Soo Do, which was more recognizable because of its Japanese influences. However, Hwang Kee KJN continued to stress the importance of the Hwa Soo Do techniques and never gave up his vision of creating a truly Korean art. This vision was strengthened in 1957 by Hwang Kees discovery of the MoonYei Do Bo Tong Ji, the only known text on Korean martial arts from before occupation. KJN Hwang Kees personal study of this book led to the incorporation of more traditional Korean techniques and further differentiated it from other styles of the time. To emphasize these unique changes, Hwang Kee KJN changed the name of the art to Soo Bahk Do, a reference to the chapter of the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji on weaponless techniques. In 1965, there was a large movement in Korea to unify all the Kwan into a single school called Tae Kwon Do. Despite political pressure from the Korean government, Hwang Kee KJN ultimately elected to remain separate from Tae Kwon Do because he felt that Soo Bahk Do would be underrepresented in the unified system. Additionally, changing the name of the art from Soo Bahk Do would obscure the arts unique relationship to traditional Korean martial arts. Tradition In addition to its history, Soo Bahk Do has unique traditions. One of the most visible examples is the color of the Dan belts. Most styles of martial arts, including Tae Kwon Do, Judo, karate, and Aikido use a solid black belt to denote Dan level expertise. Soo Bahk Do uses a midnight blue belt instead of black to signify that the holders knowledge is not absolute. Black is also symbolic of the end or completion of an activity, but midnight blue shows that a martial artists journey is never totally complete.

Philosophy Philosophy is what separates a martial art from a sport. Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee has always envisioned Soo Bahk Do as more than a system of punching and kicking; it is a mechanism for improving human relations worldwide. The eight key concepts and ten articles of faith (based on the Korean Hwa Rang Do creed) were established in 1945 at the same time as the art itself. These key aspects allow the Soo Bahk Do practitioners opportunities to train the whole self rather than just the physical. This philosophy distinguishes Soo Bahk Do from Tae Kwon Do, which focuses on competition. Tae Kwon Do began in the Korean Athletics Association (a sports organization) and to this day remains the national sport of Korea. Discipline/Respect One unique way discipline is maintained in Soo Bahk Do is through the Dan Bon system. Each person who has reached the rank of Cho Dan is awarded a unique number, known as their Dan Bon, to indicate when they became a Dan. This began with the Kwan Jang Nims first student (Kim, Un Chang) who received Dan Bon #1, and continues in sequence to today. The Kwan Jeok Bu lists all the Dan Bons ever recorded, beginning in 1947. This allows members to maintain rank order, but also signifies each practitioners place in the lineage of Soo Bahk Do. No other school of martial arts keeps such a detailed record of its heritage in this way. Technique Since many of the techniques in Soo Bahk Do come from the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji, the technical aspects of the art are unique as well. For example, the correct application of hip motion is of paramount importance in generating proper power with any technique. Soo Bahk Do uses unique hip extensions during kicking techniques that are not present in other styles. Rather than snap kicks that emphasize speed, like those seen in Tae Kwon Do and Karate, Soo Bahk Do kicks all have a contraction and expansion from the center of the body that emphasizes power. Additionally, the Peet Cha Gi (inverted round kick) is a kick unique to Soo bahk Do. This technique is so intrinsic to Soo Bahk Do that the iconic image of H.C. Hwang performing it became a registered trademark of the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Ferederation. In addition to the use of hip in kicks, Soo Bahk Do has several hyung (forms) that were created by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee. The seven Chil Sung (seven star) Hyung were introduced beginning in 1952. These forms are particularly important because they guide the student on a path towards balancing internal and external power, a key concept in Soo Bahk Do. In 1982, Hwang Kee KJN introduced Hwa Sun Hyung, which was taken directly from the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji, another entirely unique hyung.

While many parts of Soo Bahk Do are similar to Japanese and Chinese martial arts, the founder has made significant endeavors to remain a distinctly Korean martial art. Drawing from the Moo Yei do Bo Tong Ji, Soo Bahk Do has its own Korean heritage and unique techniques that distinguish it from other art forms. These differences are reflected in its history, philosophy, and discipline. It is for these reasons that Soo Bahk Do has resisted unification with other arts and continues to be taught to students around the word today.