Grandmaster
Hwang Kee selected the name "Hwang" to describe
"Hwa Soo Do", the art he taught. It is in honor
of the Hwarang warriors. Because of the war, he was forced
to change the name to "Tang Soo Do" in recognition
of Korea’s martial link to China. This is the name
we use today in our school. In 1960, years after World War
II, he changed the name to "Soo Bahk Do". This
is an ancient name that he used in his earlier years of
practice. Soo Bahk Do has many of the same traditions as
Tang Soo Do. There are many schools related to our art that
use the name Soo Bahk Do.
Moo
Duk Kwan is split into two different groups: |
Group
One:
(3 Traditional Martial Arts):
Hwa Soo Do,
Tang Soo Do (formerly called Hwa Soo Do),
Soo Bahk Do (formerly called Tang Soo Do).
|
Group Two: (Non-Traditional
martial arts for competitive sports):
Tae Kwon Do
|
Grandmaster Hwang Kee's History
Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee was born on November 9, 1914, in Jang Dan,
Kyong Ki province where the DMZ is currently located.
His father, Hwang, Yong Hwan, had a dream in which he saw the bright
star (Sam Tae Song) before his son's birth. He named his son "Tae
Nam", which means "star boy". Later his name was changed
to "Kee". His father was a scholar who had achieved a high
level of academic recognition from the last King of the Yi Dynasty,
Ko Jong.
In May of 1921
Hwang Kee was 7 years old was visiting a nearby village, attending
a traditional Festival called "Dan.There they had archery, wrestling
and many other festivities. As Hwang Kee was enjoying the festival,
a group of seven or eight men had a dispute with another man. Suddenly
the group of men attacked the lone man, who began evading and counter
attacking with his feet, eventually defeating the group of men. This
ability to defend himself against several attackers so impressed Hwang
Kee that he followed the man home and asked him to teach Hwang Kee.
Hwang Kee was refused because he was much too young learn.
Hwang Kee knew he wanted to learn to martial arts, determined to learn,
he would go to the master’s house daily, watching from a distance
on a hill nearby as the master would teach Tae Kyun to other men. He
spent hours practicing the moves that he saw.
In the country of Korea in the 1920's and 1930's the educational system
differed significantly from the present time. Few students became high
school graduates. The Kwan Jang Nim entered elementary school at the
age of 11 and graduated high school in March 1935. Hwang Kee continued
to practice the techniques of Tae Kyun that he had learned years before,
becoming more proficient.
Following his high school graduation, in May of 1935, Hwang Kee went
to Manchuria to find work.
In May 1936 he
met a Chinese master, Master Yang, Kuk Jin. Master Yang was teaching
a handful of private students practicing a Chinese martial art in his
home .There he was able to train in Chinese martial arts. Here he received
formal training which included Seh Bop (Postures), Bo Bop (steps) and
Ryun Bop (Conditioning). He also trained in Dham Toi Sip E Ro (12 Step
Tan Tui) and Tae Kuk Kwon (Tai Chi) where he became a dedicated student.
In
1939 he had to go to work, and became employed at the Survey department
of the Cho Sun Railway Bureau. Hwang Kee visited his master regularly.
In his spare moments Hwang Kee practiced martial arts and read books
from the library. He particularly enjoyed reading about Okinawan
Karate, philosophy and astronomy.
Then there were a number of wars, initiated by Japan, broke out.
There was much strife in the country. This led to World War II.
China became a Communist country in 1946, so Hwang Kee could no
longer communicate with or visit Master Yang. During
World War II it became illegal to practice the martial arts. Hwang
Kee spent hours studying books on Okinawan Karate |
|
and continued
to practice Tae Kyun privately, daily. He also practiced Okinawan Karate.
He became a extremely proficient martial artist.
Finally, Korea
became an independent country on August 15, 1945, as World War II came
to an end. At the time it became possible for Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee
to fulfill his life-long dream to dedicate himself solely to the martial
arts.
Hwang Kee made it his life to help spread the martial arts around the
world. He authored
many books, traveled many countries and did everything he could to
unify and perfect the martial arts in Korea and the world
It was a great
loss to the martial arts when Hwang Kee passed away on July 14, 2002
at 87 years old. He left a legacy of his art.
Some of Grandmaster Hwang Kee's
many accomplishments were:
In April of 1945 at the age of 16 years old, Grandmaster Jae Joo Kim
became a gifted and devoted student of Grandmaster Hwang Kee.
|
First Hwa Soo Do DoJang in Seoul,
Korea - 1945 |
On November
9 1945 Grandmaster Hwang Kee founded the Moo Duk Kwan Hwa
Soo Do style.
In May 7 1947 he established the first regional branch Hwa Soo Do school
in Dae Jun City, Choong-Nam Province.
In July 7 1947 he established Hwa Soo Do school in the Labor Department.
In May 30 1949 he
authored the first Hwa Soo Do textbook in Korea
In April 1952 he was an Instructor at the Police Academy in Pusan.
In October 1 1952 he was an Instructor at the Ministry of Defense in
Pusan.
In May 1955 he had the grand opening of his headquarters (43-1 Dong
Ja-Dong, Choong Gu, Seoul)
In July 1955 he established the following provincial Moo Duk Kwan branches:
1) Seoul 2)Gyung Gi 3) Gang Won 4) Gyung Buk 5) Gyung Nam 6) Chun Nam
7) Choong Buk
In August 1955 he established the Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do studio at
Korean Air Force Headquarters
In 1955 he organized and chaired first International Goodwill Demonstration
between Korea and China
In March 1956 he was an Instructor at the Korean Air Force Academy
In May 1956 he was an Instructor at the Korean Naval Academy
In July 1958 he authored a" Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do" textbook
In June 1960 he authored a second "Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do"
self-defense textbook
In June 1960 he created the name Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bahk Do from ancient
name of "Soo Bahk", "Soo Bahk Ki" or "Soo
Bahk Hee".
In September 1960 he published "Moo Yei Si Bo".
In May 14 1961 he formed the Asian Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do Association
among three countries: Korea, Japan, Taiwan (position: Chairman
He 1968 he sponsored
and organized first World and fifth Asian Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do
Championship at Citizen Hall in Seoul, Korea.
In December 1980 he sponsored and organized Goodwill Moo Duk Kwan Soo
Bahk Do Champion-ships between Korea and USA held at Jang Choong Gym,
Seoul.
In
September 1981 he sponsored and participated in world Ko Dan Ja Meeting,
regarding 1982 World Championships in Atlantic City, NJ.
|
|
|
|
|
Hwang Kee |
In November 1982 he sponsored and organized world Ko Dan Ja meeting
in Springfield, NJ
In November 1988 he sponsored administrative meeting for foreign branches
at Springfield, NJ
In December 1988 he sponsored and organized world Ko Dan Ja special
training in Seoul, Korea
In March 1991 he held the first Yuk Ro Hyung Clinic. Attending Ko Dan
Ja, W.Y. Chung, H. C. Hwang (Hwang Kee's son), L. Seiberlich, R. Hanke,
S.D. Cho, Y.K. Hong, A. Ah Po, and V. Martinov.
|
Hwang Kee attending a Test
|
In June 1991 he
published "Soo Bahk Do" (Korean version) which introduced
Yuk Ro Hyung from the Moo Yei.
In March 1992 he published 424 pages of "Soo Bahk Do" (Korean
Version).
|
Hwang Kee authored many martial
art books, both in English and Korean |
In November 1992 he published "Soo Bahk Do" volume II (English
version).
In June 1993 he published "Moo Duk Kwan" (Korean Version)
In August 1993 he published "Moo Do Philosophy" (Korean version)
In September 1993 he published "Instructional Guide" for
Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bahk Do.
Grand Master Hwang Kee passed away July 14, 2002. It was a big loss
to the martial arts world as he left his legacy for us to carry on.
Grandmaster Hwang Kee trained many masters that have schools
all over the world. He are just 2 Grandmasters that he has trained:
|