taichi4eva Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 When Korea was still under Japanese occupation, a lot of people practiced kong soo do. I asked someone a long time ago what hyung they practiced and they said just the pyong ahn (like the ones in tang soo do). Does this mean that pyong ahn were considered for a long time to be representative of kong soo do? that it was a separate style altogether, even without other hyung like palseck, etc? I know that pyong ahn is the korean pronunciation of pinan, a group of forms created by the Okinawan master Anko Itosu. I know that Itosu had created the pinan kata for high school students, but was it supposed to be a style altogether? Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmclain Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 During the Japanese occupation of Korea, Korean (in Korea) were not allowed to practice karate-type arts. The occupiers only allowed them to learn Judo and Kendo during that time. The occupiers thought that they would have a Korean uprising if the Koreans learned karate and would not allow it. Following WWII, Koreans returning to Korea brought back knowledge they were allowed to learn when living abroad - including martial arts. Most of the major schools in Korea were karate schools. They also used the names Kong Soo Do and Tang Soo Do interchangibly during this time. Koreans were really practicing karate from Japan and Okinawa. The forms you will find in a classical karate school: (Korean names) Pyung Ahn, No Hai, Sypsoo, Bassai Tae, Bassai So, etc. were the forms used and taught during those early years(after WWII) in Korea. R. McLain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommarker Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 I've seen pics of CS Kim posing in front of a building with a "Dang Soo Do" logo as well. In the words of my Chinese friend who saw his name mispelled in a sports program... "I don't care how they spell my name in English" I'm no longer posting here. Adios. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLopez Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 Koreans were really practicing karate from Japan and Okinawa. The forms you will find in a classical karate school: (Korean names) Pyung Ahn, No Hai, Sypsoo, Bassai Tae, Bassai So, etc. were the forms used and taught during those early years(after WWII) in Korea. I'm sure that is true for the Koreans that were still practicing 'Karate', but there were many masters of the traditional Korean martial arts still alive that started teaching again after the Japanese occupation. That was part of the wave of nationalism of Korea, to resurrect all things 'Korean' that were suppressed during the occupation. There are many Korean martial arts that derive nothing from Japanese/Okinawan martial arts. Kuk Sool Won is one of those. (Shameless plug! ) DeanDahn Boh Nim - Black-Brown BeltKuk Sool Won"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow." - James Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmclain Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 Martial arts in Korea had already fallen into disfavor during the Yi Dynasty (1392-1910AD). There was Korean folk wrestling called, Ssirum, and the kicking art/game Tae Kyun practiced as a game and competition at the Dan Oh festival held at the end on the Spring planting time. When the Japanese invaded in 1910, they banned Koreans from practicing any indiginous martial arts. You're correct, a few practiced behind closed doors and preserved a bit of it. Even the Japanese forced the Koreans to speak Japanese for awhile. They tried to squeeze out anything Korean. You'll even notice the similarity of some of the Korean food being influenced by Japanese food. There weren't many people that came out after the occupation claiming to teach Korean arts. After 36 years of oppression most of it was forgotten. Even Song Duk Ki, who was declared a national treasure for preserving Tae Kyun admitted to not remembering much. Yes, there was lots of politics and Nationalism in Korea in the 1950's and 1960's. A Korean title does not change the root and lineage of the art. Many people tried to do that back then. Look at Choi Hong Hi and Taekwondo. He tried to do that and had the backing of the government. Fictionalized history of taekwondo as being 2000 years old. I believe it is better to be proud of a lineage and art, no matter where it comes from. Art students use the works and techniques of art masters from all over the world as their foundation, not just art masters from their country. I don't think martial arts should be any different. It changes when someone intends to make it "property" for their own gain or something. I thought the Kuk Sul Won founder studied under Yong Shul Choi in Korea? Please let me know about this. R. McLain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akima Posted July 19, 2004 Share Posted July 19, 2004 I thought the Kuk Sul Won founder studied under Yong Shul Choi in Korea? Please let me know about this. R. McLain I have found the same information in my studies as well. Most researched information indicates that unarmed MA in Korea dies out as weapons became the fashion. This coupled with the occupation pretty much killed korean unarmed MA. Korean MA today is directly decended from Akijujitsu and Karatedo (which was stolen from okinawa). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommarker Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Stolen is a bit of a strong word, but I'm glad to see it thrown at the Japanese instead of the Koreans for once I'm no longer posting here. Adios. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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