HAPKIDO CREATOR
The best known figure in establishing Hapkido is Choi Yong-South. There are many accounts of Choi's training variation in Japan and each particular story must be seen in the context of whoever is writing it. Much of Japanese history is written The from an ethnocentric point of view, particularly in relation to Korean history. An example of this is the way Korean history has been rewritten for point of view
Japanese during the brutal occupation of Korea 1910-1945. During this period, the Japanese tried to completely eliminate Korean thought, cultural arts and the foundation of traditional Korean martial arts as these pose a threat to their authority in an occupied land.
Choi was born in 1904 in Chung Buk province in Korea. Some said he lost his parents at an early age. he is taken to Japan in 1913 , where he was a tomboy / servant , perhaps even the adopted son of Daito Ryu Aikijujitsu the grand master Takeda Sokaku. The Historians of martial arts Kim Jeong-yoon from Seoul says that after Choi was orphaned, he was taken to Japan by a Japanese family. He then spent four years living in a temple before Takeda, a close friend of the abbot, took him in. Perhaps a more authoritative account comes from Suh Bok Sub, Choi's first student in Korea.
In an interview with Michael Wollmershauser from Massachusetts in 1996, Suh Bok Sub claimed that Choi had told him that he was born into a very poor Korean family who lived near a candy factory run by a Japanese couple. The couple took a liking to Choi and, as his family could not afford him, they allowed the couple to return to Japan with their son. This is according to Kim Jeong-Yoon's report. As a Japanese couple took him to Japan there was no problem Choi entering Japan. The couple left Choi at a Buddhist temple so that they could travel more widely in Japan and so that Choi could be given an education. Apparently, Choi wasn't interested in schooling and was causing some minor problems by struggling and having a lack of discipline.
The head of the temple sent him to a friend of his by the name of Sokaku Takeda. Choi then cleans Takeda's dojo for five years after which the master allowed him to learn Aikijujitsu. In Suh Bok Subs interview he mentions Choi showing a picture of Takeda to him and explaining to Suh that Takeda was his surrogate father.
Many Aikijujitsu exponents cannot accept the proposition that Choi, a Korean of low status in Japanese eyes could have been taught or been close to Takeda. On the other hand Bernie Lau, an Aikijujitsu researcher and instructor in the 1987 February issue of Black Belt commented that one of the most famous styles related to Daito Ryu is hapkido. Furthermore, he makes the comment that Uyeshiba Morehei, founder of aikido and a former student of Takeda, was so much lower in social status than the other of Takeda's disciples that he couldn't even get a proper recommendation to study with Takeda.
In Japan, Choi used the Japanese name Yoshida Tatsujutsu (or Tatujutu) since Japanese law in the time required everyone to use a Japanese name. Dr. He-Young Kimm explains that on Choi's return to Taegue city in Korea in 1945, after the end of the Japanese occupation, a bag with his martial arts certificates and money was stolen. This was confirmed by Suh Bok Sub who claims that the bag was stolen at the Younson train station after Choi returned to his hometown, Yong Dong, then decided to locate Taegu city after he found no one to meet him at the station. train . However, there are no official records on Daito Ryu to reflect the award of a teaching certificate. .
Perhaps the reason there are no records is the fact that despite the close relationship with Choi Takeda he was not Japanese and therefore excluded from the records or that he does not pay any money for the lessons and therefore there is no payment record.
Some claim that Choi's training was limited to just attending seminars. Regardless of these conjectures, Choi has spent 32 years in Japan on and off and his techniques reflect a definite bond to Daito Ryu Aikijujitsu. Recent information came to light in the form of an interview personal with Master Choi in 1982, in New York, where he details the first years of his life. It looks like he was kidnapped by the Japanese couple and then abandoned by them because he was being extremly difficult. This would explain why he arrived at a Buddhist monastery, because he often took care of orphans.
Suh Bok Sub also mentions that by the time he returned to Korea to stay after the war, he was married to a Korean woman and had three daughters and one son. It appears that he had traveled from Japan to Korea previously and met his wife on one of those visits.
Rare Photos of Grandmaster Choi Training in your dojang in korea
Jang In Mok
We have now come to a more interesting development that does not appear in much of Hapkido literature. Still living today in Taegue city is Grandmaster Jang Em Mok, who also trained with Takeda Sokaku. Grandmaster Jang is 83 years old who makes his birth year 1912. He has a book that lists the training record on Daito Ryu. Even though Jang Em Mok was born until Choi Young Sool they were contemporaries in Japan studying under Takeda and the two returned to Taegue City in Korea in 1945. Jang is a physician of oriental medicine and massage, but also used to teach hapkido. As his career was mainly as a doctor, he did not produce a large number of students. Further research on Master Jang's early years in Japan is currently underway, should he provide us with any additional information it is sure to improve our resolution to this past window.
From these two men who trained under Takeda Sokaku there was a flowering of Hapkido masters who spread the art around the world for the benefit of tens of thousands of students. As with any creative art each master has stamped his personal style and emphasis on his Hapkido. Dr. Kim He Young documents many of the early Hapkido masters who trained under Choi Yong Sool. Among those listed are Suh Bok Sub, Kim Moo Wong (Shin Moo Kwan Hapkido), Ji Han Jae (Sin Moo Hapkido), Lee Joo Bang (founder of Hwarang Do), In Hyuk Suh (founder of Kuk Sool Won), Won Kwang Wha (Moo Sool Kwan Hapkido) and Kim Jung Yun (Han Pul). What is clear is that Suh Bok Sub was Choi Yong Sool's first student in Korea and his first lesson was on Sunday, February 22, 1948 . At present (1996), Choi Yong Sool's two highest-ranking students are Grandmaster Im Hyon Soo (9th grade) teaching in Daegu City, Korea, Grandmaster Chin il Chang (9th grade) in New York City and Chief from Hapkido (under Choi of the system). Grandmaster Ji Han Jae (10 Dan) leads his extensive Sin Moo Hapkido organization.
Understanding these historical connections is an important component in any serious study of Hapkido and martial arts journey.
source: http://www.ustkd.com/choiyong.htm
Grand Master Choi Yong South
