History of Chung Do Kwan, Tae Kwon Do & Drexel Tae Kwon Do                   

 

The earliest records of Martial Arts practice in Korea dates back to about 50 B.C. These original forms of Korean martial arts are known as 'Taek Kyon'. Evidence that the Martial Arts was being practiced at that time can be found in tombs where wall-paintings show men in various fighting-stances. There is some debate as to whether the pictures are intended to show combat or dance imagery. Historians have created compelling cases on both sides of the issue. With dance and martial arts often interwoven historically in early Asia, it may have been a combination of the two.

During the Koryo Dynasty the sport Soo Bakh Do, which was then used as a military training method, became popular. During the Joseon/Yi dynasty (1392 A.D. - 1910 A.D.) this emphasis on military training disappeared.

In the early 20th century, up to the 1940's, practice of the martial arts was banned in Korea due to the Japanese occupation of the territory. This is dramatized in the cult film “When Tae Kwon Do Strikes” among others. Training continued underground as did the study of the before mentioned Tae Kyon. Tae Kyon in its current form is very similar to the Brazilian art of Capoiera, with its flowing, dance like movements.

 Modern day Tae Kwon Do is heavily influenced by Japanese Karate. This is because, as stated above,  Japan controlled Korea from aproximately1910 until the end of World War II. During WWII, it was common for Korean soldiers to be trained in Japan, but study in Korea was forbidden,. As with many occupations, the occupation of Korea saw the Japanese try to erase all of the Korean culture, including the martial arts.

The influence that Japan has given to post WW II Taekwondo are the quick, linear movements, that are found in the various Japanese systems, notably Shotokan. Many Korean's learned Japanese martial arts while in Japan. One of these men was Grandmaster Woon Kook Lee who trained under Gigen Funikoshi, the founder of Shotokan.

Grandmaster Lee became a 3rd Dan under Funikoshi in Shotokan before returning to Korea in 1944. Master Lee tought in Seou, Korea. He named his school "Chung Do Kwan" which means Blue Wave Gym. One of his original student’s was Duk Sung Son, a young boxer, who would later become Grandmaster of the World Tae Kwon Do Association. After the war was over (1945) other martial art schools (Kwan's) were formed, some by students of Master Lee. In a few years there were many martial art schools. But, the largest was the Chung Do Kwan institute.

The Kwans were:

  • Chung Do Kwan
  • Moo Duk Kwan
  • Yun Moo Kwan
  • Chang Moo Kwan
  • Oh Do Kwan
  • Ji Do Kwan
  • Chi Do Kwan
  • Song Moo Kwan

 

By 1947 the government began to support Master Lee's martial arts school. Our Grand Master, Duk Sung Son was appointed headmaster over the Chung Do Kwan.

 

The Kwans united in 1955, formally adopting the name Taekwondo around 1957. At this time Grandmaster Son was teaching Tae Kwon Do to policemen and became the chief instructor of Tae Kwon Do for the Republic of Korea's Army and Military Academy. Master Son and General Choi (of the ITF) were both on the panel that came up with the name "Tae Kwon Do". In 1961 the Korean government put pressure on the Kwans to unify, forming the Korean Tae Kwon Do Association (KTA) with General Choi as president. Choi resigned as president of the K.T.A. and founded the I.T.F. on March, the 22nd of that same year. The headquarters of ITF were established in Canada where Choi emigrated to. The KTA became the WTF (World Tae Kwon Do Federation). WTF became more sport, Olympic, the ITF remained more traditional.

In 1962 the Korean government only recognized the rank of those in the KTA. Many of the Tae Kwon Do masters were frustrated with the restrictions this placed on Tae Kwon Do training, so in the early 1960's a number of prolific Masters left Korea and formed Tae Kwon Do organizations outside of Korea. In 1963 Grandmaster Son and several of the Chung Do Kwan institute masters came to the United States. Then in 1966 Grandmaster Son united the Chung Do Kwan masters under the World Tae Kwon Do Association (WTA) with the HQ based out of New York City.

Some of the schools where Grandmaster Son has personally taught are Princeton, Harvard, Brown, New York University, Fordham, SUNY-Stoney Brook, Cornell, Rutgers, M.I.T., Providence College, Rhode Island, USMA-West Point, and IBM-Poughkeepsie.  In 1964, Grandmaster Son appeared on the cover of Esquire magazine along with the famous heavyweight boxer Carmine Basilio.

 

In 1965, President Park conferred the Medal of Honor to Grandmaster Son. 

 

During the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, Grandmaster Son did regular Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, as well as several television exhibitions.  In 1967, co-authored his first book, Korean Karate- the Art of Tae Kwon Do.  In 1982, he co-authored his second book, Black Belt Karate, a text on advanced techniques.  He has received keys to numerous cities across the country and has been declared honorary citizen of many others.  Grandmaster Son continued to teach his headquarters class in NYC until 2008.  He also spent a great deal of his time traveling around the country, visiting his schools, teaching his instructors and testing students to ensure his personal standards were upheld. His two texts on Tae Kwon Do are classics which are read by Martial Arts enthusiasts of varying styles due to their no nonsense  emphasis on hard training. Grandmaster Son currently resides in Rhode Island where he still actively reviews Black Belt candidates.

 

The Drexel Tae Kwon Do Club was started by Vicki Derevyanny (Norton) and Dave Schwartz in 2004. Vicki had just moved to Philadelphia to attend medical school at Drexel. Prior to that she had taught the WTKDA class at University of NC at Chapel Hill under Master Jack Emmel. Vicki’s excellent technique was largely due to that she studied originally with Julie Somers (5th Dan New Jersey). Vicki has won many sparring & kata trophies in both the Northeast & Southeast. Dave began his study in Poughkeepsie, back in the 1980s, receiving his 1st Dan from Grandmaster Son in 1988. Active in the Mid-Hudson valley, Dave studied  with his parent’s class (Freedom TKD), Mike Teck, and regularly attended class with Grandmaster Son. After moving to Philadelphia in 1991, Dave had a 12 year layoff to pursue other interests. Jun Ogata, a mutual friend, put Vicki & Dave in touch so that they could practice together. The duo fed off each other’s enthusiasm and in 2004, class was made open to beginners at Drexel University.  Vicki & Dave commuted regularly to NYC to practice directly at the WTKDA Headquarters. They both were awarded 4th Dans from Grandmaster Duk Sung Son, and in 2006, Becca Parker-Johnson and John Flynn became the first 1st Dans in the class. The club is an enthusiastic presence at all WTKDA tournaments, summer camps, and other regional seminars. A student led organization, the students have formed an inclusive environment where traditional Chung Do Kwan can be practiced and taught. Beginners are encouraged!

 

 (I have done my level best to represent the history of TKD fairly and accurately, if any content is in contradiction to your learning of TKD history, I sincerely express that I intend no offense)

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