A Letter to Beldon Granada Concerning Our History of Moo Duk Kwon Tae Kwon Do (CHOI)

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Hello, Mr. Granada.

I am happy for your in-depth interest in the traditional aspects of the martial arts background. Before I go on I must mention that everything I might express now is only my opinion and observation, two though the words may sound authorative or absolute I don't believe that martial art remains as the ideals WE may choose to talk about now...

From the 60s & 70s, in the Moo Duk Kwan sense, TKD & TSD were virtually twins (or sister styles, with different organizational ties and sense of purpose, or mission). You notice true tangsoodo proponents were dark (mid-night blue) instead of actual black belt. This is to represent a deep humility and sense heavenly values; black in certain context signifies an absolute, like death; the blue suggests infinity (without end)... These are some of the subtle conceptual differences, philosophically speaking. My instructor always thought mainstream tangsoodo was too soft, esoteric & trying to be exotic (from Chinese influence), while deeming modern tkd as too wild, sloppy and undisciplined. Yet, practicing as a Korean art is the mixed influence of hard, direct (explosive) as Japanese fighting arts, adventurous

and insightful (historical heritage) versatility of Chinese wisdom, instilled with the dynamics and explosive power of Korean (kicking) skills is the premise of good tangsoodo. Soo Bahk Do is a old-fashion name, referring to soo = hand and bahk (meaning to bahk or bop someone, just like it sounds) i.e., smashing or hitting; a more-or-less primitive, cultural form of Korean survival techniques. The correlation to Korea SooBahkDo, Tangsoodo - MooDukKwan is that (in modern terms) it comes from the same founder, Great Grandmaster Hwang Kee exposure from pre-WWII times in his land. We determined that tangsoodo is simply Korean karate-do, in the general sense; Soobahkdo is an older name strictly identifying Korean heritage to the karate history (you have to watch the characteristics of the aristocrats from some old Korean videos to catch the flavor or expression in personality of Korean movement--the way they sat, kicked from Taekyun, hit and shoved reflected custom and lifestyle before formalizing as modern martial art in this precept). The name Moo Duk Kwan, Art or Institute of Martial Virtue was the school/brotherhood name adopted (as a style, or school name) because of the ideology Gmr. Hwang wanted to build into his practice. I interpret the earlier details (pickiness) in my own club creed of peculiar demands: do the right thing, the right way, for

the right reasons. By far we know that know one is perfect, however, seeking abstract perfection in do's & don'ts is the path of original moo duk kwan concept. There have been a lot of compromises. For example: bent "boody" kicks, instead of instilling linear dynamics. Pointy toes that look flashy for height and extension, instead of using the whole self...these points are too hard, extremely demanding in everyday practice for many to pursue, so they settle for what's kool and acceptable with compromise, rather than emphasizing standards. The strict old days had developed a system or style that was a proven science through art and combat, mixed! Also, the demanding way (of true survival, nothing wasted--one shot, one kill) requires more spiritual strength, another area people compromise. Minds are not strong with mental fortitude, true martial spirit is lacking in a lot of us. Then again, many of our practitioners possess really excellent quality in other areas. One could be the nicest guy, or the smartest gal--but doesn't make necessarily a good (real) marital artist. Especially nowadays where mental & physical survival and culture is no

longer based on martial arts to begin with. Currently, it's a lifestyle decision--and a double-edge sword. There are certain qualities in everyone that may be both good & bad. You have to find what is meaningful to you. My point...it is not in a style, or a style name--especially now. As my instructor, Grand Master Kong, Shin-Young expresses to me, "don't worry about the other schools, rank, or organizations; you have to practice good habits that you believe in and stick by that". We can't master everything, so find a few key areas to base from: one good technique multiplies itself into a hundred (options & variations), as a hundred fancy techniques can be exemplified, or broken down into the basic essentials, fundamental concepts & principles persist through a GOOD FOUNDATION! We believe is quality of technique, and a strong mind projects that character through body-discipline, what kind of HABITS one has! One of Gmr Hwang Kee publications depicts a lot of do's & don't for personal AWARENESS in training habits--don't lean, don't slouch, don't over-extend, don't under-step, etc... Be cognizant of what the fingers, toes, and extremities do to participate in an action, just as well as to overt or obvious aspects (the aesthetics) of a technique... That's the way my master corrected me. But, as I try to teach, it is all "not because I (as an instructor) say so, but these notions or do's & don'ts prove and verify themselves through Natural Power/natural forces & the laws of Nature. That's the spirit of Moo Duk Kwan, martial virtue; pure technique, with a clean mind! An abstract goal of perfection, and thorough whole-heartedness... Granted, no one really practices that way any more. It's not it the form, but how you perform it. It's not in the kick, but the timing, angle and focus of it. You may stab the toughest guy to death with merely a pencil point, right! So, with martial virtue, do the right thing, the right way,(and hopefully) for the right reason(s). So, we can train the weaker person, the underdog to overcome a seemingly superior opponent by the art & science—knowledge is power, but appropriate action brings that power to light! In recent times I think Hwang Kee and his followers purposely reverted to the SooBahkDo organization name because too many people wanted to claim the so-call traditional aspects (in protest to maybe the sports element). Yet, he felt that they, or we were not really a part of his practice, so he established (or renamed the tangsoodo moodukkwan, primarily in U.S. & Korea in an eliteous attempt to separate further by his registered name). Tangsoodo name became a fad, a trend just like everything else; I too, sort of separated since I/Master Kong never truly followed the Tangsoodo organizations anyhow, and we don't fit Kuk Ki Won's Korea Taekwondo (Moo Duk Kwan) mold either. So we took/kept all the concepts (system & theories) of insightfulness, spirituality, form/training history, body-discipline techniques--to the extreme, and maintained Kong's Korean-style karate, otherwise known as Kong Dae Won, Moo Duk Kwan as a separate entity of the Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan/Tangsoodo Moo Duk Kwan background. I can't speak for everybody else on this behalf. In some ways we overlap, in others it's just a name, for a sense of merely belonging! That's it for now. I look forward in communicating with you again!

Wm. Laird