The history of Tang Soo Do

You tend very frequently to keep the fight art China for the cradle. But China's of its neighbour Korea claim is contested.

This also has all reason polished systems of the wrestling and boxing already exist in Korea to this then long before Bodhidama came to China and the Shaolin Kempo was created by it. These arose in the time of the three kingdoms (Kogurjo, Päktsche and Silla) on the peninsula approx. 2000 years ago.

Sobak and Kwonbop took shape in the Kogurjo epoch. While Sobak is standing for handles and throws, Kwonbop is the Korean concept for the Chinese Quanfa or the Japanese Kempo, a fight art consisting of blocks, kicks and blows.

In the chronicle Samguksagi the legendary masters become Ongjo, Pirju and Asin mentioned, which ones, have promoted karate of the development of the Korean. The 634 prince Sondok ascended the throne Sillas, maintained diplomatic relations to the Chinese Tang-empire. He let his young noblemen train in the Chinese arts of the philosophy, literature, rhetoric, music, dealing with weapons and close combat. The education started already in the boyhood. So an elite group ripened, which named himself Hwarang. In the course of the time, so the whole complex got the way of the Hwarang in connection with etiquette and the morals regulations then, the names "Hwarang Do". This in the Silla dynasty's performed art of the close combat left deep traces in the complete Korean history.

The father of the modern times Tang Soo Do is Hwang Kee. He took the name Tang Soo Do and also its Chinese characters. Translated literally Tang Soo Do means the philosophy of the Chinese hand. Tang stands for (a dynasty of) China. Soo or the Japanese "Te" means hand, fist, blow or block and Do for way or philosophy.

Hwang Kee

Today's Tang Soo Do is a melting pot of the fight arts which had influence on the style direction in the course of the millennia. In the course of the last decades several highly graduated pupils of Hwang Kee left the association and founded Tang Soo Do associations of their own.

E.g. are worldwide known:

- Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do (SMT)

- International Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do Federation (IMTF)

- United Tang Soo Do Federation (UTF)

- World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA)

- North American Tang Soo Do Federation (NATF)

- World Mi Guk Kwan Tang Soo Do Federation (MGK)

- American Tang Soo Do Association (A.T.A.)

Persons of the fight art Tang Soo Do are Cynthia Rothrock and the sixfold full contact carats world's champion of Chuck Norris this one nowadays well known. Both are actors in many film and TV productions.