The History of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan

At its core, Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan is essentially a Korean form of Japanese karate.
Literally translated, the word “Tang” means the T'ang Dynasty of China, reflecting the shared cultural background between China and Korea (617-907 AD). “Soo” means hand, but it implies fist, punch, strike, defence, etc. “Do” means a way of life or art. Thus Tang Soo Do means " The way of the Chinese Hand".
For a complete history, visit the wiki page.

Below is a rough timeline of the development of Tang Soo Do and therefore Tae Kwon Do.

1800's

  • Okinawan Un-armed combat styles emerge

1891

  • Ankō Itosu is born(Okinawan Karate)

    • Known as the Grandfather of Modern Karate

    • Believed in fishing the opponent in 1 decisive strike rather than successive quick strikes to vital areas

    • Said to be the first person to practice what resembles Shotokan karate

    • Itosu is credited with teaching his art in Okinawan Schools and removing the secrecy around the art

1868

  • Gichin Funakoshi is born

    • Known as the Father of Moden Karate

    • Trained under Ankō Itosu

    • Founder of Shotokan Karate

    • Established over 30 Dojos in Japan, mostly in Universities

    • Adapted the colour belt system from Judo and the traditional bowing and formalities

1907

  • Won Kuk Lee is born

    • Created the style “Tang Soo Do”

    • Trained under Gichin Funakoshi

    • Later renamed his style “Chung Do Kwan”- Blue Wave School

    • Chung Do Kwan peaked at over 50,000 members

1914

  • Hwang Kee is born

    • Founder of Moo Duk Kwan

    • Studied Soo Bahk and Tae Kyon in school and Okinawan Karate by reading books

    • Won Kuk Lee, claimed Hwang Kee trained under him. Kee disputed this.

    • Claimed to have discoveries from an ancient woodblock print “Muye Dobo Tongji” and incorporated these into his art.

    • Founder of Soo Bahk Do

1929

  • Jae Joon Kim is Born

    • Trained under Hwang Kee

    • Known as a Masters Master or the Legendary Jae Joon Kim

    • Introduced Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do to America

    • Founded the World Traditional Tang Soo Do Federation

1939

  • Gichin Funakoshi builds the “Shotokan” Dojo

1940

  • Chuck Norris is Born

    • Studied Judo under Mr Ahn and Tang Soo Do under Master Jae Chul Shin

    • Founded

      • National Tang Soo Do Congress

      • United Fighting Arts Federation

      • Kickstart Kids

    • Developed his own arts Chun Kuk Do and American Tang Soo Do

1944-1946

  • Pre-Korean War

The 5 Korean Kwans 

    • 1944 Won Kuk Lee

      • Chung Do Kwan School teaches " Tang Soo Do"

    • 1944 Byung Jick Bo

      • Song Moo Kwan

    • 1945 Hwang Kee

      • Hwa Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan (Adopts "Tang Soo Do")

    • 1946 Sang Sup

      • Chun Jido Kwan

    • 1946 Lee Nam Suk and Kim Soon Bae

      • Chang Moo Kwan

1947

  • Hwang Kee began teaching his new Martial Art, Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan

1953

  • Post-Korean War 

The Second Generation Kwans

    • 1954 Kyo Yoon Lee

      • Han Moo Kwan

    • 1955 Choi Hong Hi and Nam Tae Hi

      • Oh Do Kwan

    • 1956 Hong Jong-Pyo and Chul Hee Park

      • Kang Duk Won

    • 1956 Young won Lee

      • Jung Do Kwan

1952

  • Hwang Kee forms The " Korean Tang Soo Do Association"

1953

  • The 5 Original Kwans formed the Korea Kong Soo Do Association

1954

  • General Choi Hong Hi performs a Tang Soo Do demonstration for Rep. Of Korea president Rhee Syngman.

    • Rhee directed that martial arts become an integral part of military training

    • Pushes for a single Korean Martial Art and requests the Nine Kwans to unify.

1955

  • The Nine Kwans met to discuss a name for the new Korean Martial Art

    • Tae Soo Do was the leading choice

1957

  • Tae Kwon Do is suggested and accepted by The Nine Kwans and becomes commonplace by 1959

  • Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan is introduced to US Servicemen

  • Hwang Kee integrates “Soo Bahk” techniques into his teachings from the “Muye Dobo Tongji”

1958

  • The Korea Tang Soo Do Association formed initially by Hwang Kee

  • Hwang Kee withdraws Moo Duk Kwan from Tae Kwon Do and forms Tang Soo Do

1959

  • Korean Taekwondo Association formed from the Korean Tang Soo Do Association and Korean Kong Soo Do Association

  • Hwang Kee

    • Removes Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do from the Korean Taekwondo Association

    • Forms Tang Soo Do as a Martial Art from remaining members

1960

  • Korean Tang Soo Do Association renamed to Korean Tae Soo Do Association(KTA)

  • The Korean Tae Soo Do Association began to consolidate the various Kwans into what becomes known as the Nine Kwans

1965

  • General Choi convinces the KTA to rename itself to Korean Taekwondo Association

  • Moo Duk Kwan

    • Hwang Kee Resisted the KTAs kwan unification.

    • Both Tang Soo Do and Soo Bahk Do are taught internally.

    • Some others support the KTAs Tae Kwon Do teachings

1966

  • General Choi resigns from KTA and forms International Tae Kwon Do

1971

  • Tae Kwon Do becomes a National Sport in Korea

  • Kukkiwon is established as the South Korean Academy of Taekwondo

1990

  • Des Galligan establishes Tang Soo Do in Ireland

1995

  • Hwang Kee renames " Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan" to "Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan" officially

2002

  • Hwang Kee passes away, and his son Hwang Hyun Chul is named successor

  • World Moo Duk Kwan Federation was founded by 1st generation Students of Hwang Kee

2007

  • Jae Joon Kim passes away in Brandon Florida

The history of Tang Soo Do is an ongoing endeavour and will continue to be written for years to come