Literally translated, the word “TANG” means Tang Dynasty of China, which reflects the shared cultural background between China and Korea (617 -907AD). “SOO” means hand, but implies defensive strike. “DO” means way of life or art. Thus “TANG SOO DO” means the Korean classical martial art, which was influenced by the Tang method of martial art.

HISTORY OF TANG SOO DO

The exact origin of Tang Soo Do (as well as any of the martial arts in general) is obscure, though there are a number of historical theories. However, the most credible and the traditional view is that martial arts originated not in any one country, but in almost all parts of the world as they were needed by primitive people.

The ancient ancestral art of Korean Tang Soo Do can be traced back to the period if the three kingdoms. They are as follows:

Koguryo...............................................................Founded in 37BC in Northern Korea

Silla.......................................................................Founded in 57BC in the S.East peninsula

Paekche................................................................Founded in 18BC in the S.West of the peninsula

After a long series of wars, the Silla Dynasty united the three kingdoms in 668 AD. Among the three kingdoms, the Silla Dynasty was the most famous for its development of martial arts. A corps formed by young aristocrats who were called the “Hwa Hrang Do” was the major group who developed the art. Over the years, Tang Soo Do became very popular among the military and public societies. It had many names...Soo Bahk Do, Kwon Bop, Tae Kyun, etc. The first complete martial arts book written in 1790 AD, contained illustrations and substantiated the theory that “Soo Bahk Ki”, the formal name for Tang Soo Do, had quickly developed into a sophisticated art of combat techniques.