Hwa Rang Do® - The martial art name: "The way of the flowering manhood." This is the name of the
martial art identity that was founded in 1960 by Dr. Joo Bang Lee. He is the one who created the
syllabus of this martial art for public instruction. He combined the spirit and philosophy of the
ancient Hwarang warriors with the ancient secret Hwarang combat skills Um Yang Kwon that were
passed to Dr. Lee from his master Suahm Dosa.
Hwarang - "Flower man" The title given to the leaders of the youth group from the ancient kingdom
of Silla. This title was only received by the youth of royal family members, and not civilians.
Rangdo -"Fellows" The title of the Hwarang's fellows. These people were the students disciples,
and soldiers of the Hwarang, and all came from the civilian class.
Hwarang (s) - (Hwarangdo ) - The term used to refer to the ancient Hwarang warriors. The Hwarang
and Rangdo together were called the "Flower knights." In reference to these individuals as a
group of people, the Hwarang (leaders) and Rangdo (fellows), two terms are used. Most references
simply say Hwarang (s), but there are some later references that also use Hwarangdo . The "DO"
suffix used here means a group of people. So the term pronounced Hwarangdo means a "group of
flower men."
As you can see the martial art name Hwa Rang Do® (The Way of the Flowering Manhood) and the
ancient Hwarang/Hwarangdo (Flower knights) youth group of Silla are different identities. They
have the same Korean and English spellings, however their meanings are different. The "DO" term
associated with the ancient Hwarang/Hwarangdo means a group of people. However, the "DO"
term associated with the martial art Hwa Rang Do® means the "Way" or "Art." The Korean language
uses hanja (the characters of the Chinese writing system) as wells as hangul (the Korean alphabet)
to produce the written meanings of their language. This combination has created a circumstance
where words that have the identical Korean pronunciations also have completely different
meanings. For example the hangul word pronounced, "DO" "" in Korean has 45 different meanings
associated to it because of this connection with the Chinese language. Another example of this is
the hangul word "Mudo ." This word means martial (military) arts , another "Mudo " means
inhumanity, and also another "Mudo " means dance. Even the word "Hwarang " has multiple
meanings. One is Flower Man "", and the other is a picture gallery "Hwarang ". Because of these
problems with translations, and the difficulties that surround the terms of these languages, we will
show the hangul and hanja meanings with a phonetic spelling for an English equivalent.
The tradition of the Hwarang system has existed for over 2,000 years, and during this time it has
developed into an incredibly influential force. The impact of the Hwarang system and people was
strongly felt in the East Asian region in ancient times, and has also reverberated through time,
leaving a lasting mark for us. The Korean combat skills originally began over 5,000 years ago with
the formation of the Kochosun kingdom. In order to protect the people and their territory this
kingdom began the development of a strong combative system. Later, over 2,000 years ago, the
kingdom of Silla (BC 57) was formed and they began the development of their own warrior system.
This Hwarangdo system eventually spread to Japan and was very influential in the development of
the Japanese Samurai system and Bushido (Korean-Musado, this is the moral mentality of the
Hwarang and samurai). During this time much of the Japanese culture originated from the Korean
kingdoms of Silla, Koguryo and Packche. Along with social customs, martial aspects were passed
across the sea to Japan. So the counterpart of the Silla Hwarang was the Japanese Shogun, and
the counterpart of the Silla Rangdo was the Japanese shogun's soldiers (their samurai). It is also
thought that the family of the founder of Jujitsu was also connected to the Hwarang warriors. The
name of this "Jujitsu " founder is "Shinna Sabro ", and the Korean pronunciation of his name is
"Silla Samrang." There were many Koreans who moved to other countries, and because they still
felt strong ties to their homeland they used this kingdom's name as their maiden name. The
meaning of this founder's name is "Silla third man," so it is thought that this founder's ancestors
came from the kingdom of "Silla ".
Japanese soft styles such as Judo (mostly a sport version of throwing and chocking), Daitoryu
Yawara (same as Aiki Jujitsu - mostly throwing, joint manipulation, and grappling), and Aikido
(mostly the use of an opponent's strength, and joint manipulation) were the same skills that
evolved from Jujitsu. But, in Japan the Daitoryu yawara (Aiki Jujitsu) and Jujitsu name has been
disbanded, and presently these branch schools are called Judo and Aikido schools. However, the
Jujitsu that has become popular in present times is called Brazilian Jujitsu and is mostly focused
on grappling and ground locks. All of these Japanese soft style skills share many similarities with
the soft style "Yusool" skills of the ancient secret combat skills of the Hwarang which are called
"Um Yang Kwon " (Yusool -soft skills and Kangsool -hard skills). Because of these many
similarities and the meaning of the founder's name, it is thought that Jujitsu's roots lie in the
Hwarang tradition of Korea.
Much of the influence of this Hwarang tradition is due to the arrival of King Chinhung (540 AD), who
was also a Hwarang. The Hwarang system existed before King Chinhung, but he was the individual
who greatly developed the power and strength of this system within his administration and military.
After his arrival followed a long period of wars of expansion with the larger kingdom to the north,
Koguryo. However, before the northern kingdoms were engaged, King Chinhung took on the task
of driving out the Japanese colonies to the east, which were in alliance with the Yamato clan of
Japan. Ten years later, King Chinhung turned his armies onto the fertile valleys of west and central
Korea, between the Han and Imjin Rivers. This was the Pakche kingdom, and the conquest of the
Han-Imjin river area brought great wealth to Silla through the acquisition of the richest agricultural
lands in the peninsula, additional military service, and the labor of the peasantry. This conquest
also opened an easier route to China through the capture of the ports on the Yellow Sea. Because
of the Hwarang warriors of Silla, these three countries were unified for the first time.
Who were the Hwarang?
One of the most significant acts by King Chinhung was the development of the Hwarang system
within his military service. This Hwarang system was organized by groups of youths who went to
mountains, rivers and other places of natural beauty to learn to develop human morality, loyalty,
and mental and emotional control along with their combat skills. Through this development of
strong mental, physical and spiritual training they were taught to act as models of their culture and
chivalrous warriors. They were Silla's elite warriors. They were called Hwarang (Flower Knights)
and Rangdo (a Hwarang's disciple or soldier). These were young men who exemplified the
warrior-intellectual that influenced the Silla kingdom's history for many centuries. A 13th century
monk recorded that the Silla kingdom had "issued a decree and chose boys from good royal
families who were of good morals and renamed them Hwarang (title of leader or General). Hwarang
Sor Won was to be admitted as a Kuksun (Dae Jang Gun or head General). This was the beginning
of the Hwarang (JanGun-General) and Rangdo (SaByoung -soldiers) special integration within the
military system. During this time these warriors were called Hwarangdo (Hwarang and Rangdo
group of people) which means the flowering knights and their warriors.
Besides religious instruction, the Hwarang were taught traditional dance and songs for their
emotional development. Literature, the arts, and sciences were taught for their academic
development. They were also taught the art of warfare, archery, combative skills etc. Their combat
skills are based upon the concept of the unity of opposites embodied in the um-yang . Their
empty-handed fighting techniques were known for their blending of the hard and soft, linear and
circular attacks. A linear thrust punch could break through the wooden armor of an opponent and
kill him instantly. They could also spin kick at such speeds that their enemies frequently thought
that the feet of the Hwarang warriors were swords. Also they learned 108 different weapons within
their curriculum.
The eighth century Silla historian, Kim Taemun, noted in his Hwarang chronicle. "Sagacious
counselors and loyal ministers follow the Hwarang and Rangdo; they produce great generals and
brave soldiers." The rank of Hwarang signified the position of a teacher of the their combat skills
and he commanded 500 to 5,000 students, who were called Rangdo. A Kuksun possessed the rank
of head general (Dae Jang Gun) in the army. The ferocious fighting spirit of the Hwarang warriors
became legendary, and their exploits were recorded for posterity in Hwa Rang poetry and
literature. The Hwarang narratives of the Silla dynasty became the basis of the classical novel that
formed the backbone of Korean literature for a thousand years.
Examples of the Strong Moral Mentality of the Hwarang
One of the most famous stories eulogized by Hwarang literature is the martyrdom of the son of
General P'umil, who died in the wars of unification. Kwan Chang was a Hwarang commander at the
age of 16. He was captured during a battle with Paekche, one of the western kingdoms. Since his
high ranking battle crest indicated he was the general's son, he was taken before the Paekche
general. Lifting his war helmet, the Paekche general was taken aback at his youth. Thinking of his
own young son, he decided against execution, which was the usual fate of the captured officers,
and returned him to Silla lines. Kwan Chang went before his father and asked that he be sent back
into battle at the head of his men. General P'umil agreed. He was captured after a day-long battle,
but after he was disarmed, he broke loose from his guards, killing both of them by hand and
attacked the Paekche general's second in command. A leaping, spin kick killed the commander as
he sat on his horse, a full eight feet in the air. Finally subdued, he was taken before the Paekche
general. Much distressed over the loss of his chief commander, he told Kwan Chang, "I gave you
your life once because of your youth, but now you return to take the life of my best field
commander." This time the Paekche general returned the boy's head attached to the saddle of his
war horse. At the Silla line, General P'umil grasped his son's head and wiped off the blood with his
sleeve. "My son's face is as when he was alive!" he shouted to his men. "He was able to die in the
service of the king. There is nothing to regret." The General rode back into battle to complete the
final defeat of Paekche. This was the famous Hwang San Bul battle and the story became legendary
throughout Korean culture.
Heroic legends of the Hwarang warriors were preserved in many forms: dances, poetry and
literature. They were told and retold from one generation to another and provided an example for
the young of each generation to follow. The fighting spirit of the Silla warriors was so widely known
that even the most powerful enemies hesitated to attack.
One of the most famous stories that illustrates the respect that the country of Tang (as China was
known in this period) had for the people of Silla, is told about the young Hwarang general named
Yoo Shin Kim. General Kim was 15 at the time he became a commander in the army. Some years
later China and Silla were in an alliance in a war against Paekche. The Silla armies had engaged
Paekche in a battle and defeated them. But the battle had taken several days and it caused the Silla
commander, Moon Kyung Kim, to be late for a meeting with the Chinese general, who was the top
commander in this temporary alliance.
The Hwarang commander and General Kim went before the Chinese General Jung Bang So to
report the good news of their victory. But General So wanted to punish the Silla Commander for his
disobedience and late arrival, so he ordered his execution! Suspecting treachery, that China's real
intentions were to first take Paekche and then turn on Silla, General Kim spoke out angrily, "Are we
your allies or your slaves?" Then in a burst of fury he exploded, "I will first fight with your army and
then we will defeat Paekche." Kuksun Yoo Shin Kim's sword rose from its scabbard by itself into his
hand and he was about to take the life of the Chinese general. It was thought in those times that
the sword was the soul of the warrior and that it followed the mind of its master. Seeing this,
General So was taken with fright. He quickly apologized to General Kim and rescinded the order of
execution.
Paekche was defeated and Silla prepared for a war with China. However General So was afraid to
attack Silla and returned home to China. Asked by the Emperor why he had not taken Silla also,
General So said, "It is true that Silla is a small country, but their King is very wise and the generals
are fierce and loyal. All the people are united in a strong camaraderie." He repeated the incident
with the Hwarang commander and said, "they are small, but we cannot defeat them."
Another story which revealed the depth of familial bonds of the Silla period concerned the death of
the Hwarang General Bi Yeng Ja. Asked by General Kim to lead a suicide attack against a large
Chinese force. Hwarang Bi Yeng Ja replied, "You have given me a great honor to show loyalty to
my king and country." He then requested that the general watch over his son and prevent him from
following him into battle. Since Hwarang Bi Yeng Ja had only one son, he was concerned that his
family name live another generation. General Kim assured him that he would watch over his son.
Hwarang Bi Yeng Ja entered battle and was killed. Upon witnessing the death of his father, the son
mounted his horse and followed his father into battle and was killed too. Then followed the house
manager and servant who were also killed. The whole Silla army witnessed this act of loyalty and,
swept with a wave of sympathy for this act of sacrifice, charged into battle to avenge the death of
the Bi family. They defeated the Chinese armies and saved Silla from almost certain conquest.
Fraternal loyalties among the Hwarang warriors were frequently as strong as familial ties. Another
story is about Hwarang Sa Da Ham who was 15 years old when he became a Hwarang under King
Chinhung. In a war with the Northern kingdoms, Sa Da Ham pleaded with the King that he be
allowed to lead the first attack. In spite of Hwarang Sa Da Ham's young age, the King consented so
as to demonstrate the bravery of the Hwarang youth. Sa Da Ham led the army into battle against a
fortress and he was the first to breach the gate. For his bravery, King Chinhung gave him 300
slaves from the defeated army, but Hwarang Sa Da Ham gave them their liberty and wished no
personal rewards for his deeds.
In this war, Hwarang Sa Da Ham lost his closest comrade, Hwarang Moo Kwan Rang. From early
childhood the two young friends had a death pact that obliged each to commit suicide should one
or the other die in battle. Sa Da Ham heard of his friend's death and fell into remorse and mourning.
He refused to eat or sleep for seven days. He died on the seventh day, and his sacrifice was
eulogized in Hwarang novels for centuries to come.
The story of Hwarang Won Sool, the second son of Dae Jang Gun Kuksun Yoo Shin Kim,
commander of the Silla army, is similar in its importance. Hwarang Won Sool was a lieutenant in the
army when it suffered a defeat at the hands of Chinese troops. Upon his return, his father
requested permission from King Moon Moo to execute his son for the disgrace he brought on the
family and the country. But King Moon Moo replied that the boy was not in command and therefore
was not responsible for the defeat. But the father banished his son into exile in the mountains as a
monk. When the father died Won Sool came back down from the mountain to face his mother, but
she refused to see him replying that she would not violate the father's command. Won Sool
returned to Tae Bak Mountain. Some years later China launched another war. Hwarang Won Sool
heard of the impending war and returned to the King to request that he be allowed to enter the
battle. He was given a command and performed brilliantly. King Moon Moo wanted to reward him,
but Won Sool refused, saying that his family held him in shame and that he could not accept. He
returned to his mountain once again to live out his life as a hermit monk.
These stories, which became part of the Korean folklore and heroic legend, were not idle fairy
tales, but models of the martial code of chivalry. This code evolved into a system of ethics and
morality that was essential to the Hwarang warrior's mentality. The ego and self-interest was never
sufficient to sustain such a commitment.
The development of a code of ethical behavior was achieved by the monk Won Kwang Bopsa. He
told his young disciples Hwarang - Kwi San and Chu Hang, "The society of the Silla people already
had five rules called Sae Sok Ohkae, but I command you to give these five rules to the Hwarang
warriors for their rules of life." From this point on these five rules are called the Hwarang Ohkae.
These five rules have been passed down and held by the Hwarang warriors from every generation
since Won Kwang Bopsa first gave them to his two Hwarang disciples.
The End of an Era
This Hwarang system was passed through the Koryo dynasty. However, the name of this system
was changed to kuksondo and pungwealdo during this time. Even so, this system existed in the
same capacity until one Hwarang Jang Gun (general) Sung Gae Yi (or Lee) took over the Koryo
kingdom and established the new country of Chosun (1392 AD). The third king of Chosun, King Tae
Jong (the fifth son of Sung Gae Lee) destroyed the Hwarang system when he initiated a policy that
ordered all of the independent Jang Guns' (Hwarang generals) personal soldiers to be under his
control. King Tae Jong was afraid of the power that the individual Hwarang generals had. King Tae
Jong believed that the possibility of another strong Jang Gun attacking his reign was great. So this
policy was created in order to destroy all of the power that these individual Jang Guns held. This
act eliminated the Hwarang system from the public which was based on the relationship between
the Jang Gun and his soldiers.
After giving the king their soldiers, some Hwarang generals left the kingdom. They left society and
turned to mountain life or became monks. It was almost 600 years that the Hwarang system and
these Hwarang combat skills did not exist in the public society of Korea. The combat skills of the
ancient Hwarang were only passed secretly from one monk to one monk, until they were passed to
Suahm Dosa. He is the 57th generation Hwarang title holder and master of the secret ancient
Hwarang combat skills called Um Yang Kwon . He in turn, passed these secret skills to two young
boys, Joo Bang Lee and his brother Joo Sang Lee.
martial art identity that was founded in 1960 by Dr. Joo Bang Lee. He is the one who created the
syllabus of this martial art for public instruction. He combined the spirit and philosophy of the
ancient Hwarang warriors with the ancient secret Hwarang combat skills Um Yang Kwon that were
passed to Dr. Lee from his master Suahm Dosa.
Hwarang - "Flower man" The title given to the leaders of the youth group from the ancient kingdom
of Silla. This title was only received by the youth of royal family members, and not civilians.
Rangdo -"Fellows" The title of the Hwarang's fellows. These people were the students disciples,
and soldiers of the Hwarang, and all came from the civilian class.
Hwarang (s) - (Hwarangdo ) - The term used to refer to the ancient Hwarang warriors. The Hwarang
and Rangdo together were called the "Flower knights." In reference to these individuals as a
group of people, the Hwarang (leaders) and Rangdo (fellows), two terms are used. Most references
simply say Hwarang (s), but there are some later references that also use Hwarangdo . The "DO"
suffix used here means a group of people. So the term pronounced Hwarangdo means a "group of
flower men."
As you can see the martial art name Hwa Rang Do® (The Way of the Flowering Manhood) and the
ancient Hwarang/Hwarangdo (Flower knights) youth group of Silla are different identities. They
have the same Korean and English spellings, however their meanings are different. The "DO" term
associated with the ancient Hwarang/Hwarangdo means a group of people. However, the "DO"
term associated with the martial art Hwa Rang Do® means the "Way" or "Art." The Korean language
uses hanja (the characters of the Chinese writing system) as wells as hangul (the Korean alphabet)
to produce the written meanings of their language. This combination has created a circumstance
where words that have the identical Korean pronunciations also have completely different
meanings. For example the hangul word pronounced, "DO" "" in Korean has 45 different meanings
associated to it because of this connection with the Chinese language. Another example of this is
the hangul word "Mudo ." This word means martial (military) arts , another "Mudo " means
inhumanity, and also another "Mudo " means dance. Even the word "Hwarang " has multiple
meanings. One is Flower Man "", and the other is a picture gallery "Hwarang ". Because of these
problems with translations, and the difficulties that surround the terms of these languages, we will
show the hangul and hanja meanings with a phonetic spelling for an English equivalent.
The tradition of the Hwarang system has existed for over 2,000 years, and during this time it has
developed into an incredibly influential force. The impact of the Hwarang system and people was
strongly felt in the East Asian region in ancient times, and has also reverberated through time,
leaving a lasting mark for us. The Korean combat skills originally began over 5,000 years ago with
the formation of the Kochosun kingdom. In order to protect the people and their territory this
kingdom began the development of a strong combative system. Later, over 2,000 years ago, the
kingdom of Silla (BC 57) was formed and they began the development of their own warrior system.
This Hwarangdo system eventually spread to Japan and was very influential in the development of
the Japanese Samurai system and Bushido (Korean-Musado, this is the moral mentality of the
Hwarang and samurai). During this time much of the Japanese culture originated from the Korean
kingdoms of Silla, Koguryo and Packche. Along with social customs, martial aspects were passed
across the sea to Japan. So the counterpart of the Silla Hwarang was the Japanese Shogun, and
the counterpart of the Silla Rangdo was the Japanese shogun's soldiers (their samurai). It is also
thought that the family of the founder of Jujitsu was also connected to the Hwarang warriors. The
name of this "Jujitsu " founder is "Shinna Sabro ", and the Korean pronunciation of his name is
"Silla Samrang." There were many Koreans who moved to other countries, and because they still
felt strong ties to their homeland they used this kingdom's name as their maiden name. The
meaning of this founder's name is "Silla third man," so it is thought that this founder's ancestors
came from the kingdom of "Silla ".
Japanese soft styles such as Judo (mostly a sport version of throwing and chocking), Daitoryu
Yawara (same as Aiki Jujitsu - mostly throwing, joint manipulation, and grappling), and Aikido
(mostly the use of an opponent's strength, and joint manipulation) were the same skills that
evolved from Jujitsu. But, in Japan the Daitoryu yawara (Aiki Jujitsu) and Jujitsu name has been
disbanded, and presently these branch schools are called Judo and Aikido schools. However, the
Jujitsu that has become popular in present times is called Brazilian Jujitsu and is mostly focused
on grappling and ground locks. All of these Japanese soft style skills share many similarities with
the soft style "Yusool" skills of the ancient secret combat skills of the Hwarang which are called
"Um Yang Kwon " (Yusool -soft skills and Kangsool -hard skills). Because of these many
similarities and the meaning of the founder's name, it is thought that Jujitsu's roots lie in the
Hwarang tradition of Korea.
Much of the influence of this Hwarang tradition is due to the arrival of King Chinhung (540 AD), who
was also a Hwarang. The Hwarang system existed before King Chinhung, but he was the individual
who greatly developed the power and strength of this system within his administration and military.
After his arrival followed a long period of wars of expansion with the larger kingdom to the north,
Koguryo. However, before the northern kingdoms were engaged, King Chinhung took on the task
of driving out the Japanese colonies to the east, which were in alliance with the Yamato clan of
Japan. Ten years later, King Chinhung turned his armies onto the fertile valleys of west and central
Korea, between the Han and Imjin Rivers. This was the Pakche kingdom, and the conquest of the
Han-Imjin river area brought great wealth to Silla through the acquisition of the richest agricultural
lands in the peninsula, additional military service, and the labor of the peasantry. This conquest
also opened an easier route to China through the capture of the ports on the Yellow Sea. Because
of the Hwarang warriors of Silla, these three countries were unified for the first time.
Who were the Hwarang?
One of the most significant acts by King Chinhung was the development of the Hwarang system
within his military service. This Hwarang system was organized by groups of youths who went to
mountains, rivers and other places of natural beauty to learn to develop human morality, loyalty,
and mental and emotional control along with their combat skills. Through this development of
strong mental, physical and spiritual training they were taught to act as models of their culture and
chivalrous warriors. They were Silla's elite warriors. They were called Hwarang (Flower Knights)
and Rangdo (a Hwarang's disciple or soldier). These were young men who exemplified the
warrior-intellectual that influenced the Silla kingdom's history for many centuries. A 13th century
monk recorded that the Silla kingdom had "issued a decree and chose boys from good royal
families who were of good morals and renamed them Hwarang (title of leader or General). Hwarang
Sor Won was to be admitted as a Kuksun (Dae Jang Gun or head General). This was the beginning
of the Hwarang (JanGun-General) and Rangdo (SaByoung -soldiers) special integration within the
military system. During this time these warriors were called Hwarangdo (Hwarang and Rangdo
group of people) which means the flowering knights and their warriors.
Besides religious instruction, the Hwarang were taught traditional dance and songs for their
emotional development. Literature, the arts, and sciences were taught for their academic
development. They were also taught the art of warfare, archery, combative skills etc. Their combat
skills are based upon the concept of the unity of opposites embodied in the um-yang . Their
empty-handed fighting techniques were known for their blending of the hard and soft, linear and
circular attacks. A linear thrust punch could break through the wooden armor of an opponent and
kill him instantly. They could also spin kick at such speeds that their enemies frequently thought
that the feet of the Hwarang warriors were swords. Also they learned 108 different weapons within
their curriculum.
The eighth century Silla historian, Kim Taemun, noted in his Hwarang chronicle. "Sagacious
counselors and loyal ministers follow the Hwarang and Rangdo; they produce great generals and
brave soldiers." The rank of Hwarang signified the position of a teacher of the their combat skills
and he commanded 500 to 5,000 students, who were called Rangdo. A Kuksun possessed the rank
of head general (Dae Jang Gun) in the army. The ferocious fighting spirit of the Hwarang warriors
became legendary, and their exploits were recorded for posterity in Hwa Rang poetry and
literature. The Hwarang narratives of the Silla dynasty became the basis of the classical novel that
formed the backbone of Korean literature for a thousand years.
Examples of the Strong Moral Mentality of the Hwarang
One of the most famous stories eulogized by Hwarang literature is the martyrdom of the son of
General P'umil, who died in the wars of unification. Kwan Chang was a Hwarang commander at the
age of 16. He was captured during a battle with Paekche, one of the western kingdoms. Since his
high ranking battle crest indicated he was the general's son, he was taken before the Paekche
general. Lifting his war helmet, the Paekche general was taken aback at his youth. Thinking of his
own young son, he decided against execution, which was the usual fate of the captured officers,
and returned him to Silla lines. Kwan Chang went before his father and asked that he be sent back
into battle at the head of his men. General P'umil agreed. He was captured after a day-long battle,
but after he was disarmed, he broke loose from his guards, killing both of them by hand and
attacked the Paekche general's second in command. A leaping, spin kick killed the commander as
he sat on his horse, a full eight feet in the air. Finally subdued, he was taken before the Paekche
general. Much distressed over the loss of his chief commander, he told Kwan Chang, "I gave you
your life once because of your youth, but now you return to take the life of my best field
commander." This time the Paekche general returned the boy's head attached to the saddle of his
war horse. At the Silla line, General P'umil grasped his son's head and wiped off the blood with his
sleeve. "My son's face is as when he was alive!" he shouted to his men. "He was able to die in the
service of the king. There is nothing to regret." The General rode back into battle to complete the
final defeat of Paekche. This was the famous Hwang San Bul battle and the story became legendary
throughout Korean culture.
Heroic legends of the Hwarang warriors were preserved in many forms: dances, poetry and
literature. They were told and retold from one generation to another and provided an example for
the young of each generation to follow. The fighting spirit of the Silla warriors was so widely known
that even the most powerful enemies hesitated to attack.
One of the most famous stories that illustrates the respect that the country of Tang (as China was
known in this period) had for the people of Silla, is told about the young Hwarang general named
Yoo Shin Kim. General Kim was 15 at the time he became a commander in the army. Some years
later China and Silla were in an alliance in a war against Paekche. The Silla armies had engaged
Paekche in a battle and defeated them. But the battle had taken several days and it caused the Silla
commander, Moon Kyung Kim, to be late for a meeting with the Chinese general, who was the top
commander in this temporary alliance.
The Hwarang commander and General Kim went before the Chinese General Jung Bang So to
report the good news of their victory. But General So wanted to punish the Silla Commander for his
disobedience and late arrival, so he ordered his execution! Suspecting treachery, that China's real
intentions were to first take Paekche and then turn on Silla, General Kim spoke out angrily, "Are we
your allies or your slaves?" Then in a burst of fury he exploded, "I will first fight with your army and
then we will defeat Paekche." Kuksun Yoo Shin Kim's sword rose from its scabbard by itself into his
hand and he was about to take the life of the Chinese general. It was thought in those times that
the sword was the soul of the warrior and that it followed the mind of its master. Seeing this,
General So was taken with fright. He quickly apologized to General Kim and rescinded the order of
execution.
Paekche was defeated and Silla prepared for a war with China. However General So was afraid to
attack Silla and returned home to China. Asked by the Emperor why he had not taken Silla also,
General So said, "It is true that Silla is a small country, but their King is very wise and the generals
are fierce and loyal. All the people are united in a strong camaraderie." He repeated the incident
with the Hwarang commander and said, "they are small, but we cannot defeat them."
Another story which revealed the depth of familial bonds of the Silla period concerned the death of
the Hwarang General Bi Yeng Ja. Asked by General Kim to lead a suicide attack against a large
Chinese force. Hwarang Bi Yeng Ja replied, "You have given me a great honor to show loyalty to
my king and country." He then requested that the general watch over his son and prevent him from
following him into battle. Since Hwarang Bi Yeng Ja had only one son, he was concerned that his
family name live another generation. General Kim assured him that he would watch over his son.
Hwarang Bi Yeng Ja entered battle and was killed. Upon witnessing the death of his father, the son
mounted his horse and followed his father into battle and was killed too. Then followed the house
manager and servant who were also killed. The whole Silla army witnessed this act of loyalty and,
swept with a wave of sympathy for this act of sacrifice, charged into battle to avenge the death of
the Bi family. They defeated the Chinese armies and saved Silla from almost certain conquest.
Fraternal loyalties among the Hwarang warriors were frequently as strong as familial ties. Another
story is about Hwarang Sa Da Ham who was 15 years old when he became a Hwarang under King
Chinhung. In a war with the Northern kingdoms, Sa Da Ham pleaded with the King that he be
allowed to lead the first attack. In spite of Hwarang Sa Da Ham's young age, the King consented so
as to demonstrate the bravery of the Hwarang youth. Sa Da Ham led the army into battle against a
fortress and he was the first to breach the gate. For his bravery, King Chinhung gave him 300
slaves from the defeated army, but Hwarang Sa Da Ham gave them their liberty and wished no
personal rewards for his deeds.
In this war, Hwarang Sa Da Ham lost his closest comrade, Hwarang Moo Kwan Rang. From early
childhood the two young friends had a death pact that obliged each to commit suicide should one
or the other die in battle. Sa Da Ham heard of his friend's death and fell into remorse and mourning.
He refused to eat or sleep for seven days. He died on the seventh day, and his sacrifice was
eulogized in Hwarang novels for centuries to come.
The story of Hwarang Won Sool, the second son of Dae Jang Gun Kuksun Yoo Shin Kim,
commander of the Silla army, is similar in its importance. Hwarang Won Sool was a lieutenant in the
army when it suffered a defeat at the hands of Chinese troops. Upon his return, his father
requested permission from King Moon Moo to execute his son for the disgrace he brought on the
family and the country. But King Moon Moo replied that the boy was not in command and therefore
was not responsible for the defeat. But the father banished his son into exile in the mountains as a
monk. When the father died Won Sool came back down from the mountain to face his mother, but
she refused to see him replying that she would not violate the father's command. Won Sool
returned to Tae Bak Mountain. Some years later China launched another war. Hwarang Won Sool
heard of the impending war and returned to the King to request that he be allowed to enter the
battle. He was given a command and performed brilliantly. King Moon Moo wanted to reward him,
but Won Sool refused, saying that his family held him in shame and that he could not accept. He
returned to his mountain once again to live out his life as a hermit monk.
These stories, which became part of the Korean folklore and heroic legend, were not idle fairy
tales, but models of the martial code of chivalry. This code evolved into a system of ethics and
morality that was essential to the Hwarang warrior's mentality. The ego and self-interest was never
sufficient to sustain such a commitment.
The development of a code of ethical behavior was achieved by the monk Won Kwang Bopsa. He
told his young disciples Hwarang - Kwi San and Chu Hang, "The society of the Silla people already
had five rules called Sae Sok Ohkae, but I command you to give these five rules to the Hwarang
warriors for their rules of life." From this point on these five rules are called the Hwarang Ohkae.
These five rules have been passed down and held by the Hwarang warriors from every generation
since Won Kwang Bopsa first gave them to his two Hwarang disciples.
The End of an Era
This Hwarang system was passed through the Koryo dynasty. However, the name of this system
was changed to kuksondo and pungwealdo during this time. Even so, this system existed in the
same capacity until one Hwarang Jang Gun (general) Sung Gae Yi (or Lee) took over the Koryo
kingdom and established the new country of Chosun (1392 AD). The third king of Chosun, King Tae
Jong (the fifth son of Sung Gae Lee) destroyed the Hwarang system when he initiated a policy that
ordered all of the independent Jang Guns' (Hwarang generals) personal soldiers to be under his
control. King Tae Jong was afraid of the power that the individual Hwarang generals had. King Tae
Jong believed that the possibility of another strong Jang Gun attacking his reign was great. So this
policy was created in order to destroy all of the power that these individual Jang Guns held. This
act eliminated the Hwarang system from the public which was based on the relationship between
the Jang Gun and his soldiers.
After giving the king their soldiers, some Hwarang generals left the kingdom. They left society and
turned to mountain life or became monks. It was almost 600 years that the Hwarang system and
these Hwarang combat skills did not exist in the public society of Korea. The combat skills of the
ancient Hwarang were only passed secretly from one monk to one monk, until they were passed to
Suahm Dosa. He is the 57th generation Hwarang title holder and master of the secret ancient
Hwarang combat skills called Um Yang Kwon . He in turn, passed these secret skills to two young
boys, Joo Bang Lee and his brother Joo Sang Lee.
| HWA-RANG Movements - 29 Ready Posture - CLOSED READY STANCE C PATTERN MEANING HWA-RANG is named after the Hwa-Rang youth group, which originated in the Silla Dynasty in the early 7th century. The 29 movements refer to the 29th Infantry Division, where Taekwon-Do developed into maturity. |
| HWA-RANG |
| Ready Posture Close ready stance C |
| Execute a twin forearm block while forming a left L-stance toward A, pivoting the left foot |
| Execute a middle punch to D with the left fist while maintaining a sitting stance toward D |
| Execute a middle punch to D with the right fist while maintaining a sitting stance toward D |
| Move the left foot to B to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a middle pushing block to D with the left palm |
| Execute an upward punch with the left fist while pulling the right side fist in front of the left shoulder, maintaining a left L-stance toward A |
| Move the right foot to D, forming a right walking stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the right fist |
| Move the left foot to D, forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a low block to D with the left forearm |
| Move the left to A, forming a left walking stance toward A while executing a middle punch to A with the left fist |
| Execute a downward strike with the right knifehand while forming a left vertical stance toward A, pulling the right foot |
| Execute a middle punch to A with the right fist while forming a right fixed stance toward A in a sliding motion |
| Move the right foot to D, forming a right walking stance toward D, at the same time executing a middle punch to D with the right fist |
| Move the left foot to D, forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the left fist |
| Execute a middle side piercing kick to D with the right foot while pulling both hands in the opposite direction, and then lower it to D, forming a left L-stance toward D, at the same time executing a middle outward strike to D with the right knifehand |
| Pull the left foot toward the right foot while bringing the left palm to the right forefist at the same time bending the right elbow about 45 degrees outward |
| Move the left foot to E, turning counter-clockwis e to form a right L-stance toward E while executing a middle-guarding block to E with a knifehand |
| Move the left foot to C, forming a left walking stance toward C while executing a low block to C with the left forearm |
| Execute a high turning kick to CF with the left foot and then lower it to F, forming a right L-stance toward F while executing a middle guarding block to F with a knifehand.Perfor m 18 & 19 in a fast motion |
| Execute a high turning kick to DF with the right foot and then lower it to F |
| Move the right foot on line EF, forming a right L-stance toward F while executing a middle guarding block to F with a knifehand |
| Move the right foot to E, forming a right walking stance toward E while executing a middle thrust to E with the right straight fingertip |
| Execute a pressing block with an X-fist while forming a left walking stance toward C, slipping the left foot to C |
| Move the left foot to C, forming a right L-stance toward C, at the same time executing a middle punch to C with the right fist |
| Move the right foot to C, forming a left L-stance toward C while executing a middle punch to C with the left fist |
| Execute a middle punch to C with the right fist while forming a right L-stance toward C, pulling the left foot |
| Move the right foot to C in a sliding motion, forming a right L-stance toward D while thrusting to C with the right side elbow |
| End Bring the right foot back to ready posture |
| Bring the left foot to the right foot and then move the right foot to A, forming a left L-stance toward A while executing a middle guarding block to A with a knifehand |
| Move the left foot to B, forming a right L-stance toward B, at the same time executing a middle guarding block to B with a knifehand |
| Execute a front side block with the left inner forearm, extending the right forearm to the side downward while maintaining a close stance toward B |
| Bring the left foot to the right foot, turning counter-clockwis e to form a close stance toward B while executing a side front block with the right inner forearm while extending the left forearm to the side downward |
| HWA-RANG |
| Rare International Tae Kwon-Do (ITF) video produced with the GENERAL CHOI on North Korea, you can see Grand Master Park Jung Tae, Grand Master Choi Jung Wha and other masters of the ITF performing tuls and explaining the movements of each tul. Hwa-Rang and Choong-Moo |