The Purpose of Soo Bahk Do

Soo Bahk Do is our moo do, or martial art. The “art”, or “Do”, is a language of the spirit and body, therefore, “moo do” is our language of spirit and body through martial training. It’s not what moo do is that’s important, but how we express it that matters.

Many practitioners believe Soo Bahk Do translates to “hand strike way”. This is an inaccurate translation and does little to describe our art by labeling it as merely a form of attack. Soo Bahk Do is not defined as a method to strike with the hands, rather Soo Bahk Do is a tool to strengthen our spiritual and physical language and improve overall personal well-being.

Seal Script for Soo Bahk Do. Figure 1.

The term “Soo” does mean “hand” but the hand is a representation of the human body. Look at Figure 1 to see the seal script for the term “Soo” (Seal script is an older style of Chinese writing and the first writing style that used the term Soo Bahk). It is a representation of the human body with a head, spinal cord, and tail (tailbone). The two horizontal lines symbolize the arms and legs. Placing a real hand upside down, each finger represents one of the 5 main branches of the nervous system:

1. The middle finger represents the spine.
2. The index and ring fingers represent the legs.
3. The thumb and little finger represents the arms.

The term “Bahk” has many meanings including to tangle, twist, turn over, pound, or change. An example would be a farmer turning over the soil which is a form of cultivating the earth. Another example would be a smith who works with metal by pounding and folding it to produce something of value. Every translation has one thing in common: Bahk is a term to improve or cultivate. The symbol on the left is the same symbol for “Soo” showing a human change. Just as a farmer and smith put forth tremendous effort and hard work to achieve the desired result, we as Moo Do In (Martial Art Practitioners) must give sincere effort as well. Physical cultivation will only come after intense physical conditioning as you pound, twist, and change your body. The same process is required for a spiritual change. Only after you are exposed to life’s challenges and successfully overcome them by choosing the path of virtue can you achieve spiritual refinement.

“Do” is an abstract term that is roughly translated as a spiritual way or path. The left side of the character signifies a road or path and the right side stands for head. Do can be expressed and observed through our actions.

Therefore, Soo Bahk Do really means the way of the art of human well-being. Our destination is to improve every aspect of the self. We need to keep every part of our self healthy. There are three distinct areas that we should concentrate to improve:

1. Our skin, muscles, and bones relate to our external, physical health. In order to strengthen our body, we need to apply a scientific method. This is accomplished in the do-jang as we improve our strength, endurance, flexibility, and technique. We strengthen and improve our physical body through Weh-Kong.
2. Our internal health relates to how we eat, sleep, and breathe. Training in both Moo Pahl Dan Kuhm and Moon Pahl Dan Kuhm (Standing and Sitting 8 Pieces Brocade) will improve the health of the internal organs through Ki-Kong breathing and an understanding of O-Haeng. Our internal health is closely coupled with O-Haeng, O-Ki, and the related 5 internal organs: Kidney, Liver, Heart, Lung, and Spleen. Regretably, few Moo Do In understand the relationships of O-Haeng, but is a vital component to the training of Nae-Kong 內功 (sincere internal effort).
3. Our spirit, or ma’ulm, relates to our heart or soul. It is not intellectual, but spiritual. Enhanced intellect is only beneficial as long as it is applied to cultivate one of these three distinct areas: Weh-Kong, Neh-Kong, or Shim-Kong. The value of the 8 Key Concepts, for example, is much more than a standard for improved martial technique. Courage, concentration, endurance, honesty, humility, and others are principles that need to be engraven in your ma’ulm, and revealed in your every action—both in and out of the do-jang. This is Shim-Kong 心 功 (sincere spiritual effort) training.

All three work together to find well-being. The composite gives us good health and longevity. Soo Bahk Do is the vehicle to improve each of these three aspects of our selves and that is the purpose of Soo Bahk Do.

Kohn Kyung means sincere effort. In order to improve yourself in these three areas, it’s important that you have sincere effort. Kong 功is another term that translates to effort and is the basis for the terms Shim-Kong, Nae-Kong, and Weh-Kong. Only by exercising sincere effort in cultivating the soul, breath and internal organs, and the physical body, will a Soo Bahk Do practitioner succeed in the purpose of Soo Bahk Do.

Soo Bahk Do gives us various tools to accomplish its purpose of “rejuvenation and prolonging of life beyond the normal span”:

• Um Yang is balance, which stands for harmony.
• Ship Sam Seh which comprises Pal Gwe and Oh Haeng (not to be confused with the Song of Ship Sam Seh).
• Chil Sung
• Yuk Ro (pronounced Yoong-no)

Each of these is an important tool, or asset needed to be connected to the history, culture, and philosophy of Soo Bahk Do. They are much more than mere lists or terms to memorize, but have great significance and application in your moo do training in and out of the dojang. If you cannot apply these principles in both your training and personal life, you cannot connect to the art. As the Song of Ship Sam Seh states: “Failing to follow [these principles] attentively, you will sigh away your time.”

Do Jang & Do Bok

Calligraph for Do Jang. Figure 2.

Calligraphy for Do Bok. Figure 3.

The Do-jang is the place where we train Soo Bahk Do. Not so long ago, nature was the dojang since there were no formal dojangs with beautiful, painted walls; soft mats or polished wood floors; modern kicking bags and plush targets; or air conditioning and heating. The dojang was outside with whatever conditions Nature was willing to give you.

Even then, there was still a sense of do-jang, called do ryang, which is a Buddhist term. In Buddhism, outside of the main temple structure, there was a do ryang, or place of awakening. Traditionally, the monks would clean the dirt around the do ryang before they became monks. This was a way for them to clean their ma’ulm and connect with the Buddha.

The term do-jang comes after World War II where formal structures were erected called do-jang. “Jang” has two parts. The first is “place” and the second is “change” . Do-jang is the place to change your “do” or your “ma’ulm”. See figure 2 for the calligraphy. It is the place to cultivate your soul and improve self well-being through sincere effort in Weh-Kong, Nae-Kong, and Shim-Kong training. It is not just a place to memorize your forms or learn new martial techniques. Both of these are additional tools used to improve the self.

In the do-jang, we need to wear do-bok. Do-bok means wearing your soul (ma’ulm). When we wear our do-bok in the do-jang, we are reminded that we are here to try and change and improve our ma’ulm and that my ma’ulm is visible to others through my actions. The way you put on your do-bok or the way you care for your do-bok will say much about your ma’ulm.

Moo Do Jaseh

The physical expression of Soo Bahk Do is moo do jaseh. We know that moo do is a language (spiritual or physical language). Jaseh is a posture. We need a good posture of both physical and spiritual. Ja means manner and beauty. Seh means aspect or strength.

Manner (Ja) means:

1. A way of doing something or the way in which something is done or happens.
2. A way of acting, bearing, or behavior.
3. Socially correct way of acting.

Aspect (Seh) means:

1. A way that something can be viewed by the mind.
2. Appearance to the eye.

Calligraphy for Moo Do Jaseh. Figure 4.

Moo Do Jaseh is a physical manifestation of your ma’ulm. Therefore, the way you perform the moo do jaseh will determine how close you are to the art of Soo Bahk Do. The way you present a Chun Gul Jaseh, for example, is a manifestation of your ma’ulm. Likewise, the way you wear your do bok will say a lot about who you are as a person. A dirty, wrinkled do bok will tell a different story than a clean, crisp one. Moo Do Jaseh is everything in our training including the way you tie your belt and the way you communicate with your juniors, seniors, and the general public. Moo Do Jaseh is manifested through your walk, your tone of voice, your words, and your actions.

From a spiritual perspective, all ethical behavior is proper moo do jaseh and can be summarized by the term Duk Haeng—Virtuous Action. Moo Do Jaseh should be made manifest in our every action. If this is the case, then every action will reflect our philosophy. As we practice and become accustomed to acting with proper Moo Do Jaseh, everything we do becomes ceremonious, not as a result of vain repetition, but as a result of sincere, consistent, and natural effort. Actions become ceremony as we tie our belt, ironing our do bok, clean the dojang, and help each other. When all of these things become ceremonial, you become more than a martial artist. You become an artisan of Soo Bahk Do. The art defines you and you contribute to the definition of the art. When you become an artisan, everything you do becomes a serenading stage, full of beauty. This is true mastery.

Soo Bahk Do and Moo Duk Kwan

Soo Bahk Do is more than just an activity to learn to get in shape and practice self defense techniques. It is a set of Korean principles that are available to help better ourselves and those around us. True moo do comes from seeking to learn and to apply these principles and then sharing these ideologies amongst each other as those before us have done in order to preserve this legacy of learning. The Moo Duk Kwan is an organization founded by the late founder, Grandmaster Hwang Kee to do just that. It facilitates the movement of ideas and principles and allows us to connect with people of similar passion. Our Moo Duk Kwan pride should come from our proper application of Moo Do Jaseh in our members, which will make a positive change in the societies in which they live.

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Throughout all of history, man has tried to understand the workings of the universe and his relationship with both Heaven and Earth.  In ancient Korea, the traditional Um/Yang symbol had three distinct sections: heaven, earth and human.  These people deduced that whenever two forces opposed one another one of two things would happen: one force would dominate the other, thus one would be superior and the other inferior; or the two forces would be equal cancelling one another out.

It was from this observation that the Um/Yang philosophy was born.  Everything around us has an opposite:  hot and cold, high and low, summer and winter, fire and water.  Um energy is soft, yielding and passive.  Yang is hard, aggressive and active. Striking a balance between Um and Yang energies would result in Tae Guk or Grand Ultimate.  Tae Guk is a state of neutrality where perfect harmony exists.  Energies naturally flow from yang to um and back to yang effortlessly.  Neither force dominates the other.

Western minds think in a linear fashion with a beginning and multiple steps leading to an end.  Conversely, Eastern thought can be illustrated better by a circle.  There is neither a beginning nor an end but a circle filled with a number of phases, each leading in both directions to another.  An example that can be found in both Western and Eastern culture is the concept of the “circle of life”.  Initially, you may think of life as a straight line beginning with birth (yang) and ending in death (um).  However, after we die, our bodies return to the earth and give nutrients to the soil to produce more life (yang), which will eventually produce more death (um).  This endless circle is an example of how nature is constantly flowing from Yang to Um energy.

Ship Sam Seh

This Um/Yang philosophy can be found in every aspect of Korean culture including Astrology, agriculture, architecture, nutrition and even fighting arts (kwon bup).  The variation of Um/Yang philosophy that correlates with kwon bup is known as Ship Sam Seh (13 Principles/Influences).  The Ship Sam Seh can be broken down into Pal Gwe (8 Forces/Directions) and Oh Haeng (5 Energies/Elements).

Having an understanding of Ship Sam Seh philosophy will teach you how to react to neutralize an attack.  If someone attacks high (yang), then counter low (um).  If your opponent has a strong straight line (yang), then side-step off of his line (um).  There are, however, more strategies than merely Um and Yang.  You have only scratched the surface of the possibilities.  The Pal Gwe and the Oh Haeng are derivatives of Um/Yang, each having an Um or Yang characteristic, but each is also distinct with its own set of unique attributes.

Pal Gwe

The Pal Gwe, or 8 forces, are connected to the 8 directions on a compass.  The directions are further divided into Sa Jung (four principle directions) and Sa Woo (four corners or intermediary directions).  This shows your positioning in space and the ability to move in the 8 directions by stepping, hopping, lunging, etc.  Without stepping, you can also use Pal Gwe on the way you move your mass.  This is done by moving your waist:  Left, Right, Forward, Backward, Up, Down, Clockwise, Counter clockwise.

Besides physical direction (yang), each Gwe has a specific strategy or technique (um) associated with it.  Anyone who has studied Tae Kuk Kwon (Tai Chi Chuan) will be familiar with these strategies.   It is my belief that Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee learned much of his Ship Sam Seh knowledge while he trained with Master Yang in China.  It was during that time that Kwan Jang Nim learned Tae Kuk Kwon.

The Sa Jung, or four principle directions, are considered “Yang” and are more aggressive and should be used when there is a greater distance between you and your opponent.  The intent of these strategies may include exposing vulnerabilities for counter attacking, redirecting the energy of an attack, creating distance from your opponent, or disrupting your opponent’s center and rendering him off-balance.  Table 1 lists the Sa Jung.

Table 1

The Sa Woo, or intermediary directions, are “Um” in nature and are designed for in-close fighting.  In-close fighting has a new set of cahllenges and opportunities.  You can trap, grab, or pull a limb as a counter measure or even as an attack.  You can also strike, create distance, or disrupt your opponent’s center.  Table 2 lists the Sa Woo.

Table 2

Oh Haeng

Just as the Um and Yang philosophy was an ancient way of explaining nature, the Oh Haeng was a further attempt to explain more complex forces of nature.  The Oh Haeng, or 5 Elements/Energies include: Fire, Water, Wood, Metal and Earth.  Each element produces a unique energy (Ki) that can be cultivated for Kwon Bup and for health.

Table 3

The 5 Elements demonstrate two important cycles in nature:  the creative cycle and the destructive cycle.  Creation occurs in the following order:  Water is needed to grow wood, wood ignites to create fire, fire burns the wood which creates ash (earth), metal is extracted from the earth, and water condenses and forms on metal.  You can use the creation cycle in many ways:

Respect  >   Kindness  >  Trust  >  Openness  >  Honesty  > Respect
Fear        >  Anger        >  Envy   >  Worry       >  Sadness  >  Fear

The destructive cycle is equally as intuitive:  Water smothers a fire.  Fire melts metal.  Metal chops wood. Wood breaks up the earth.  Earth muddies water.  The destructive cycle also holds true:

Respect  >  Trust  >  Honesty  >  Kindness  >  Openness  >  Respect
Fear        >  Envy   >  Sadness  >  Anger      >  Worry        >  Fear

Within the context of Kwon Bup, each element has unique attributes and can be sub-divided by Um (internal) and Yang (external).  The Oh Bo are the 5 Steps—Advance, Retreat, Right, Left, Center—and refers only to direction of movement.  The internal strategies, called Oh Mal, are much more telling:  Listen, Connect, Adhere, Redirect and Yield.  Table 4 summarizes the Oh Haeng.

Table 4

The O Mal, or 5 Strategies, seem to be  a set of ordered instructions on how to face an opponent effectively.  The first step is to have good shi sun and “pay attention to the slightest change from full to empty.”  Many of these strategies can be found intertwined in the Song of Ship Sam Seh.  Listening hands has to do with reading your opponenet based on his eyes, body movement, stance and breath.  Once you begin to read your opponent, then you try and connect with him.  “Surprising things will happen when you meet youur opponent.”  Move in harmony with your opponent so that you move as one entity.  “Pay attention to the slightest change from full to empty”.  This is the beginning of controlling your opponent.

Once you have gained a connection with your opponent, you must maintain it by adhering to him.  This can be physically through an exercise called “sticky hands” or it could be a mu sang exercise where you do not break the connection you have.  Learn to follow or lead your opponent without aggression.  You will begin to control your opponent without any effort (don’t oppose force).  Each strategy seamlessly prepares you for the next strategy.  Unlike the rest of the Oh Haeng and Pal Gwe groupings, these strategies are to be used simultaneously.

This article has given a brief overview of the Ship Sam Seh.  The next article will give some practice drills on how to incorporate Pal Gwe and Oh Haeng in your training.

*The information contained in this paper is a result of years of study and compilation.  Some of my major sources include Hwang Kee’s Volume I text, online articles by Master Daniel Segarra.

The scroll has the characters that denote “sincerity” and the writing on the far left means roughly all things come from the heart, which is the meaning of sincerity.

The fan has special significance to me.  The whole fan is symbolic of Chil Sung, which is Jang Sa Bom Nim’s expertise.  Chil Sung is a term well-known to Soo Bahk Do practitioners, especially dan members.  It is a set of forms that are unique to our system.  The direct translation means 7 stars, which refer to the 7 stars of the big dipper.  These set of forms are our guide in Soo Bahk Do much like the Big Dipper was a guide for sailors.

For most of my life, that was the complete meaning of Chil Sung.  Apparently, Chil Sung is a term richly engrained in

Korean culture.  Chil Sung is a composite of Tae Guk (Um/Yang) plus O Haeng (5 Elements) .  The Um Yang is the red and blue symbol found on the Korean flag and are located on the far right side of the fan.  In the center of the fan, you’ll see 5 symbols, represening the 5 elements:  Wood, Metal, Fire, Water, and Earth.  Earth is the center symbol in Yellow, which also represents the Golden Mean.  Everything in our world are manifestations of Chil Sung and through careful study, we can find elements of Chil Sung throughout our training and also in our daily life.

Perhaps in time, I’ll write a little more about Chil Sung Philosophy.  I’d be interested to know if there are many people out there who would be interested in further information on the subject.  I know I am.

            Yuk Ro Sam Dan, most commonly referred to as Po Wol, is the third hyung in the Yuk Ro (pronounced Yoong-no) series created by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee.  These forms were inspired by Kwan Jang Nim’s study of the ancient Korean martial arts text Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji (武藝圖譜通志), written by Park Je Ga and Lee Duk Mu during the reign of King Jong Jo 300 years ago. 

            To understand the characteristics of Po Wol, and the Yuk Ro Hyungs in general, it is important to understand the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji (MYDBTJ) and the personal martial arts history of the form’s creator, Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee.  We begin with an examination of the writings in the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji:

“There is what is known as Yun Soo in the training methods, consisting of thirty five training methods and eighteen types of footwork. They were classified into six paths (Yuk Ro) and Ten level exercises (Ship Dan Khum). The six paths include: Woo Shin Tong Bu Choi Wee Go, Doo Mun Shim Shwe Jun Yung Ho, Seo nin Ip Ki Jo chunse, San chul Pyowol Bulsangyo, Yang pyun Joawoo Innankup, and Sal chu chingro Yang shiyo”

            The Yuk Ro (six paths) are what inspired the Yuk Ro Hyung series.  The fourth path, San Chul Pyowol Bulsangyo (撒出抱月不相饒), can be translated as “remove, exit and embrace the moon, we mutually keep each other at bay.”  This is the path that influenced the creation of Po Wol Hyung.  Po Wol (抱月) signifies “embrace the moon.”

            Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee was an extremely creative and brilliant man, who had a firm understanding of the martial arts and of Ship Sam Seh philosophy that helped in the formation of the Yuk Ro Hyung.  After translating the MYDBTJ, he used his knowledge of the martial arts to create a set of forms that could preserve what was left of the Yuk Ro.  He used what information was available about the Yuk Ro and incorporated it in the forms.  To piece it all together, he used the knowledge he had gained from other sources, including Dham Doi Ship E Ro, whose influence can be seen in the Yuk Ro series, including Po Wol.  An example would be the Jang Kap Kwon and Jang Kwon Do techniques. 

            The signature technique of Po Wol is po wol seh, or embrace the moon method.  This technique was most likely derived from the MYDBTJ and is the central piece of the hyung.  Within this one movement, the energy and spirit of Po Wol Hyung is defined.

The energy, spirit, and intent of this form should be a sense of receiving and embracing energy with a relaxed, fixed center.  Just as the moon is representative of um, so too Po Wol Hyung should represent a softer side of training. 

Within Po Wol Hyung, the Ship Sam Seh philosophy is very apparent.  Earlier, there was mention of how wol, or moon, is symbolic of um energy.  The earth also symbolizes an um energy, which is a component of the O Heng (5 elements).  The O Heng is broken down into two sections:  External Steps and Internal Strategies.  The step for earth is jung (土)  which means to stay centered.  We can apply this principle by applying a solid stance and working on being still.  The internal strategy for earth is  Boo Joo Hang (不丟頂), which translates to non-opposing force.  By not opposing the force of an opponent, control can be obtained.  Boo Joo Hang and Jung make up the central characteristic of po wol seh.  In performing the technique, we receive an attack by maintaining a centered stance and embracing the energy without opposition. 

            By concentrating on po wol seh, the feeling of jung and boo joo hang is carried throughout the form with relaxed, embracing energy.  This is the way to reach a greater understanding of some of the Ship Sam Seh principles Kwan Jang Nim embraced.