Kwon Tae-Man
Encyclopedia
Kwon Tae-Man, born in 1941, in Andong
in what is now South Korea
. He was an early Korea
n hapkido
practitioner and a pioneer of the art, first in Korea and then in the United States
. He formed one of the earliest dojang's for hapkido in the United States in Torrance, California
, and has been featured in many magazine articles promoting the art.
. During that period of time, following the Korean War
, Korea was in a period of rebuilding its physical and cultural landscape. Formal dojang
s, had not yet been constructed. Thus, the taekwondo classes Tae Man Kwon attended were taught in warehourse and in fields. At the age of seven Tae Man Kwon found himself to be little and weak. Even after studying taekwondo for almost three years, he realized he could not compete with the larger boys around him by fighting with taekwondo's aggressive styling. He began to look for other forms of the martial arts
to satisfy his specific needs."
In 1956 he began his study of hapkido with Ji Han Jae
in Andong. At this point in history the art was still using the name Hapki Yu Kwon Sool. This was the first dojang
, or martial arts school, that Master Ji opened and so the practitioners there, along with those who started training at Suh Bok Sup's Yu Kwon Sool dojang in Daegu, were among the first to train in the art. The school was called the An Moo Kwan. Some of Kwon's fellow students at that time were Yu Yong-Woo and Oh Se-lim
(future president of the Korea Hapkido Federation).
In 1957 Kwon moved to Seoul and continued to study under Master Ji at the first the first school for the art which was located in the nation's capital. The school was located in the Majang-dong district and among the other students who studied with Kwon there were Hwang Duk-Kyu ( Ji's first student in Seoul ), Kang Jong-Soo, Myung Kwang-Sik
, Kim Yong-Jin, Lee Tae-Jon and shortly afterward Jung Won-Son and Lee Dong-Koo. The following year, in 1958, when the school moved to the Joongbooshijang, the central market area of the city, Kwon's fellow students were Choi Seo-Oh (first hapkido teacher in the U.S.), Myung Jae-Nam (the Founder of the International Hapkido Federation in Korea and later Hankido
) and Han Bong-Soo (who would become one of the foremost promoters of the art abroad.)
Although Kwon started training earlier than many of the senior hapkido people, such as Master Bong Soo Han
, he was younger and therefore initially was given fewer responsibilities than his older colleagues. Over time however his position grew within the largest hapkido association of the time, the Korea Hapkido Association.
where he instructed U.S. Army personnel stationed there.
In 1967 Kwon was sent by the Korean Hapkido Association to be part of a demonstration team to Vietnam
teaching Korean, US, and Vietnamese troops as well as Special Forces.
In 1971 he was promoted to master instructor by the Korea Hapkido Association and became its chief judge for testing and promotions.
in the United States in 1973, first opening a school in Palos Verdes
and later in Torrance
. There, he and fellow students Kim Chong-Sung and Han Bong-Soo formed an early hapkido association and worked together to promote the art and support each others efforts.
Andong
Andong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 in October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city...
in what is now South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. He was an early Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n hapkido
Hapkido
Hapkido is a dynamic and also eclectic Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, techniques of other martial arts, as well as kicks, punches, and other striking attacks...
practitioner and a pioneer of the art, first in Korea and then in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He formed one of the earliest dojang's for hapkido in the United States in Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
, and has been featured in many magazine articles promoting the art.
Life
"Tae Man Kwon's first exposure to the martial arts was a the age of seven, when he began studying taekwondoTaekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
. During that period of time, following the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Korea was in a period of rebuilding its physical and cultural landscape. Formal dojang
Dojang
Dojang is a term used in Korean martial arts, such as taekwondo, Kuk Sool Won, and hapkido, that refers to a formal training hall. It is typically considered the formal gathering place for students of a martial art to conduct training, examinations and other related encounters.-Meaning:Do means...
s, had not yet been constructed. Thus, the taekwondo classes Tae Man Kwon attended were taught in warehourse and in fields. At the age of seven Tae Man Kwon found himself to be little and weak. Even after studying taekwondo for almost three years, he realized he could not compete with the larger boys around him by fighting with taekwondo's aggressive styling. He began to look for other forms of the martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
to satisfy his specific needs."
In 1956 he began his study of hapkido with Ji Han Jae
Ji Han Jae
Ji Han-Jae was born in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea in 1936. He is one of the highest ranking hapkido instructors in the world and founder of Sin Moo Hapkido.- Trainee :...
in Andong. At this point in history the art was still using the name Hapki Yu Kwon Sool. This was the first dojang
Dojang
Dojang is a term used in Korean martial arts, such as taekwondo, Kuk Sool Won, and hapkido, that refers to a formal training hall. It is typically considered the formal gathering place for students of a martial art to conduct training, examinations and other related encounters.-Meaning:Do means...
, or martial arts school, that Master Ji opened and so the practitioners there, along with those who started training at Suh Bok Sup's Yu Kwon Sool dojang in Daegu, were among the first to train in the art. The school was called the An Moo Kwan. Some of Kwon's fellow students at that time were Yu Yong-Woo and Oh Se-lim
Oh Se-Lim
Oh Se-Lim was an early Korean hapkido practitioner and a pioneer of the art. He had been the president of the Korea Hapkido Federation for 18 years.- Life :...
(future president of the Korea Hapkido Federation).
In 1957 Kwon moved to Seoul and continued to study under Master Ji at the first the first school for the art which was located in the nation's capital. The school was located in the Majang-dong district and among the other students who studied with Kwon there were Hwang Duk-Kyu ( Ji's first student in Seoul ), Kang Jong-Soo, Myung Kwang-Sik
Myung Kwang-Sik
Myung Kwang-Sik was an early Korean hapkido practitioner and a pioneer of the art, first in Korea and then in the United States...
, Kim Yong-Jin, Lee Tae-Jon and shortly afterward Jung Won-Son and Lee Dong-Koo. The following year, in 1958, when the school moved to the Joongbooshijang, the central market area of the city, Kwon's fellow students were Choi Seo-Oh (first hapkido teacher in the U.S.), Myung Jae-Nam (the Founder of the International Hapkido Federation in Korea and later Hankido
Hankido
Hankido is a new hapkido style developed by the late Myung Jae Nam using even more circular flowing movements owing to Nam's background in traditional Korean dance.-Etymology:...
) and Han Bong-Soo (who would become one of the foremost promoters of the art abroad.)
Although Kwon started training earlier than many of the senior hapkido people, such as Master Bong Soo Han
Bong Soo Han
Han Bong-Soo , also known as Bong Soo Han, was a martial arts instructor, author, the founder of the International Hapkido Federation, and one of the foremost practitioners of hapkido through his participation in books, magazine articles, and popular films featuring this Korean martial art...
, he was younger and therefore initially was given fewer responsibilities than his older colleagues. Over time however his position grew within the largest hapkido association of the time, the Korea Hapkido Association.
Accomplishments
In 1964 he opened his first hapkido dojang in IncheonIncheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
where he instructed U.S. Army personnel stationed there.
In 1967 Kwon was sent by the Korean Hapkido Association to be part of a demonstration team to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
teaching Korean, US, and Vietnamese troops as well as Special Forces.
In 1971 he was promoted to master instructor by the Korea Hapkido Association and became its chief judge for testing and promotions.
Personal life
Kwon immigrated to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the United States in 1973, first opening a school in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes is a name often used to refer to a group of coastal cities in the Palos Verdes Hills on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, within southwestern Los Angeles County in the U.S...
and later in Torrance
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
. There, he and fellow students Kim Chong-Sung and Han Bong-Soo formed an early hapkido association and worked together to promote the art and support each others efforts.
External links
- http://www.masterkwon.com