In Korea, the people usually use the familiar and more common name for this art, TANG SOO DO. Literally translated TANG SOO DO means "The Way of the China Hand" and is equivalent to "Karate" the Japanese word for empty hand. The word "TANG", refers to the T'ang Dynasty of China which reflects the shared cultural background between China and Korea (617 - 907 AD). "SOO", means hand, but it implies fist, punch, strike, defense, etc., and "DO" means the way or art.

The man who developed TANG SOO DO, Grand Master Hwang Kee, is himself a martial arts prodigy who at the age of 22 mastered the arts of SOO BAHK DO and TAE KYUN. At that time (1936), Grand Master Hwang Kee traveled to Northern China where he studied Chinese martial arts. From 1936 to 1945 Grand Master Hwang Kee combined the Chinese methods with the Korean martial art of SOO BAHK DO to develop what is now known as TANG SOO DO.

TANG SOO DO is the scientific use of the body in methods of self-defense; "A body that has gained the ultimate use of its faculties through intensive physical and mental training". For just good exercise, TANG SOO DO also ranks among the best, because it utilizes all parts of the body to keep them in tone. TANG SOO DO is a challenging, stimulating and especially purposeful exercise program. One of its greatest benefits is that anyone, regardless of size, age or sex, can practice the art to their own capabilities regardless of handicaps.

TANG SOO DO is one of the oldest and most effective means of fighting known to man. It is the ultimate art of unarmed self-defense that has no equal in power or technique. TANG SOO DO, however, is more than just a mere form of fighting, it is a Martial Art and, hand-in-hand with a mastery of self-defense, its discipline, technique and mental training are character builders. To shape and condition the mind and soul are its basic tenants. Physical superiority will naturally follow. Without mental conditioning, the student will become a mere animal, a "street fighter". The student, in his ignorance, may believe he has superior fighting technique, but when matched with another student who has taken the time to master the deeper, more reflective aspects of the art, he will be defeated.

An old Korean Maxim says:

The bamboo shoot grows quickly in its climb to the sky.
Some are impatient and fall under the burden of its own weight.
Others take time to absorb the good earth.
Then turn within, blossoming forth in beauty and strength.

The essence of TANG SOO DO, speed and effective application of technique, depends on one's ability to properly strike the vulnerable areas of an opponent. A well trained TANG SOO DO student can control his movements to do the amount of damage desired or can frustrate most attacks without doing grievous harm to his opponent.

The layman is often misled about TANG SOO DO. With few exceptions, erroneous information about the art has stressed the bizarre; board and brick breaking and tile crushing as the norm and not as the exception. To add to the confusion, many instructors have capitalized on such feats of strength to elevate themselves as mystical members of some secret Oriental Cult. While it is true that a TANG SOO DO student can smash stacks of tiles with his fists, chop through bricks and split boards with high flying kicks, such exhibitions are only used to demonstrate the power of a TANG SOO DO strike.

TANG SOO DO movements may seem very odd to the layman, but each movement has been analyzed and calculated so that whatever the action; block, punch, strike or kick, it is the maximum that the human body can achieve. One quickly learns that it is not size and strength alone that win, but rather, speed and knowledge are the deciding factors in determining who will emerge victorious in physical combat.

There are those who believe that TANG SOO DO consists of a few special techniques that, once mastered, will instantly turn the student into an "expert". Some schools of martial arts will guarantee the student a black belt in one year. Magazine advertisements tell the reader to buy and read a certain book and they will learn all the "deep, dark secrets" of the Orient and they will become a qualified "Martial Arts Expert".

The truth is, there are no special techniques or quick roads to martial arts mastery, especially in TANG SOO DO. The mastery of its "secrets" cannot be bought at any price other than that of serious and rigorous training. It is an art that has been tested and tempered on the time-worn fields of mortal combat. Its history is a long and honorable one.

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