| JOONG-GUN Movements - 32 Ready Posture - CLOSED READY STANCE B PATTERN MEANING JOONG-GUN is named after the patriot Ahn Joong-Gun who assassinated Hiro-Bumi Ito, the first Japanese governor-general of Korea, known as the man who played the leading part in the Korea-Japan merger. There are 32 movements in this pattern to represent Mr. Ahn's age when he was executed in a Lui-Shung prison (1910). |
"The Best Rivers and Mountains."
 |
| Ready posture: Close ready stance B |
| Bring the left foot back to ready posture |
| Bring the right foot to the left foot and then move the left foot to B, forming a left fixed stance toward B, at the same time executing a U-shape block to B |
| Execute a pressing block with the left palm while forming a right low stance toward C, slipping the right foot to C. Perform in slow motion |
| Move the right foot to A, forming a right fixed stance toward A while executing a U-shape block to A |
| Move the right foot to C, forming a left L-stance toward C while executing a middle guarding block to C with the forearm |
| Execute a pressing block with the right palm while forming a left low stance toward C, slipping the left foot to C. Perform in slow motion |
| Lower the left foot to C, forming a right L-stance toward C while executing a middle guarding block to C with the forearm |
| Execute a middle side piercing kick to C with the left foot |
| Bring the left foot to the right foot, forming a close stance toward A while executing an angle punch with the right fist. Perform in slow motion |
| Lower the right foot to C, forming a right walking stance toward C while executing a high block to C with the right double forearm |
| Execute a middle side piercing kick to C with the right foot |
| Execute a middle punch to C with the left fist while forming a right L-stance toward C, pulling the left foot |
| Bring the right foot to the left foot and then move the left foot to C, forming a left walking stance toward C while executing a high block to C with the left double forearm |
| Execute a high punch to F with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward F. Perform 18 & 19 in a fast motion |
| Execute a middle punch to C with the right fist while forming a left L-stance toward C, pulling the right foot |
| Twist the right fist clockwise until the back fist faces downward while forming a right walking stance toward F, slipping the right foot to F |
| Bring the left foot to the right foot and then move the right foot to F, forming a left L-stance toward F while executing a high side strike to F with a right back fist |
| Execute a high punch to E with the right fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward E. Perform 15 & 16 in a fast motion |
| Twist the left fist counter-clockwise until the back fist faces downward, at the same time forming a left walking stance toward E, slipping the left foot to E |
| Move the left foot to E, forming a right L-stance toward E while executing a high side strike to E with the left back fist |
| Move the right foot on line CD, and then turn counter-clockwise to form a left walking stance toward C while executing a rising block with an X-fist |
| Move the right foot to D, forming a right walking stance toward D while executing an upset punch to D with a twin fist |
| Lower the right foot to A, and then move the left foot to A, forming a right rear foot stance toward A while executing an upward block with the left palm |
| Move the left foot to D, forming a right L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with a knifehand |
| Execute a right upper elbow strike while forming a left walking stance toward D, slipping the left foot to D |
| Move the right foot to D, forming a left L-stance toward D, at the same time executing a middle guarding block to D with a knifehand |
| Execute a left upper elbow strike, at the same time forming a right walking stance toward D, slipping the right foot to D |
| Execute a low side front snap kick to A with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 4 |
| Move the left foot to D, forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a high vertical punch to D with a twin fist |
| Move the right foot to A, forming a left L-stance toward A, at the same time executing a middle block to A with a right reverse knifehand |
| Lower the left foot to B and then move the right foot to B, forming a left rear foot stance toward B while executing an upward block with a right palm |
| Execute a low side front snap kick to B with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 1 |
| Move the left foot to B, forming a right L-stance toward B while executing a middle block to B with the left reverse knifehand |
| JOONG-GUN |
The pattern was named for An Joong-Gun. Very little is recorded about An Joong-Gun's life.
He stepped in the spotlight of Korean history only briefly, but left his mark as one of Korea's
most revered patriots. His story is best understood in the context of the turbulent political
climate of the times.
An Joong-Gun was born in 1879 in the town of Hae-Ju in Hwang-Hae Province. An's family
moved to the town of Sin-Chun in Pyong-An Province when he was about ten years old. He
became a well known educator and established his own school called the Sam-Heung
(Three Success) School. His school, like others at that time, was destined for hardships
under the Japanese military Occupation of Korea and became enmeshed in a Japanese
power play by virtue of its location. In 1895, the Japanese government was determined to
create a large empire that would include Manchuria and China. Korea was obviously
necessary as a stepping stone for creating this empire. However, the Korean government
the time was under the indirect control of the Russian government. The pressure created by
this political situation caused considerable unrest in Korea. Rising tension resulted in
several meetings from 1896 to l898 among neighboring countries as well as foreign powers
concerned about Korea's future. These meetings, which included Japan, China, Russia,
England, and the United States, resolved very little.
Korea was pulled further into the conflicts when turmoil erupted in China in 1900. Chinese
patriots, fed up with colonial domination of their country by foreign powers, incited the
Chinese population to a wave of violent riots known as the Boxer Rebellion. In response to
this rebellion, the colonial powers descended upon the region in force to protect their
interests. Prompted by the movement of Russian army units into neighboring Manchuria,
England established an Anglo-Japanese Alliance in 1902. A Russian French Alliance was
subsequently established in 1903 followed by a movement of French and Russian in into
northern Korea. Meanwhile, the Japanese saw this action as a direct threat to their claim of
Korea and demanded the removal of all Russian troops from Korea. When Russia rejected in
1904, Japan initiated a naval attack. Korea, of course, claimed neutrality but was invaded
nonetheless by Japan. By the autumn of 1905, Russia had surrendered and Japan was
firmly established in Korea. However, this invasion was not viewed as an act of aggression
anywhere in the world, except in Korea.
The long-term occupation of Korea also involved the complex takeover of the Korean
government. One of Japan's leading elder statesmen of the time, Hirobumi Ito, became
involved in masterminding a plan to complete the occupation and political takeover of Korea.
He was named the first Japanese resident general of Korea in 1905. He was answerable only
to the Japanese emperor and had the power to control all the Korean foreign relations and
trade. To fulfill his duties and to keep order in the country, he was given total access to all
Japanese combat troops stationed in Korea.
While still in Japan, Ito pressured the weak Korean government into signing the
"Protectorate Treat" on November 19, 1905, which gave the Japanese the right to occupy
Korea. After signing the treaty as resident general, Ito made every effort to keep it a secret
from the Korean people. Following the ratification of the treaty, twelve Japanese
commissioners were assigned to the various provinces in Korea, with one being stationed in
Seoul. Later, in March 1906, Ito arrived in Korea to take the reins of power. At this time, he
ordered all foreign delegations in Korea to withdraw, leaving Korea at the mercy of the
Japanese. The new Japanese puppet government enacted laws that allowed Korean land to
be sold to Japanese, although land generally was just taken.
The Korean people were extremely irritated under these grim circumstances. Word soon
leaked out concerning the Protectorate Treaty, provoking a wave of anti-Japanese violence.
Several small guerilla groups were formed and attacked the Japanese occupation forces.
One such group in Chung Chong Province armed themselves with 50 cannons and
conducted a long campaign of hit-and-run actions against the Japanese. They were finally
defeated, however, as most other groups were when hunted down by the much larger
Japanese army. The general wave of unrest continued to spread very rapidly. Violence
pervaded the general population, as many loyal Korean government officials committed
suicide and Korean government officials who had signed the Protectorate Treaty were
assassinated.
In the face of the oppression that accompanied this Japanese annexation of Korea An
Joong-Gun went into self-exile in southern Manchuria. There he formed a small private
guerilla army of approximately 300 men, including his brother. This army conducted
sporadic raids across the Manchurian border into northern Korea, keeping a relentless
pressure on the Japanese in this region.
The violent objection of the Korean population spread out of the country as well as into the
upper levels of the Korean government. The Japanese government was unnerved by the
vocal, patriotic Korean organizations, particularly those that had formed within the United
States. Those in power wanted to quell these anti Japanese sentiments to avoid having
other countries interfere with their control of Korea. With this in mind, in March 1907, the
Japanese government sent an American citizen, D. W. Stevens, to the United States on a
mission to distribute pro-Japanese propaganda to the American public. Stevens had
originally been hired by the Japanese to help set up the resident general's government in
Korea.
While he was in San Francisco, Stevens was assassinated by two outraged Korean patriots.
Many other political leaders were assassinated during this violent time, including Yi
Wan-Yong, the man lto had appointed as the premier of Korea after he had forced the Korean
emperor to install a new pro-Japanese cabinet.
In June of 1907, the Korean emperor, Ko-Jong, in an effort to break loose of the Japanese
control, secretly sent an emissary to the Hague Peace Conference to expose the Japanese
aggressive policy in Korea to the world. When Ito found out, he forced Ko-Jong to abdicate
the Korean throne on July 19, 1907, and the Japanese officially took over the Government of
Korea. Severe rioting involving many Korean Army units broke out all over Korea. The
Japanese responded by disbanding responded by disbanding the Korean police force and
the army, except for the palace guard. The Korean Army troops then retaliated by attacking
the Japanese troops, but were quickly defeated. All Koreans prisons, courts, and police
units were officially turned over to the Japanese government.
Even after the defeat of the Korean troops, resistance from the general Korean public
continued for many years with many guerilla groups operating out of southeastern
Manchuria. Small groups of patriots attempted assassinating several Japanese leaders and
members of the Japanese-Korean government. Because of its proximity to Manchuria, the
town of Kando in northern Korea became a hotbed of such activity. Ito decided to set up a
significant Japanese military and police presence in the area. However, 20 percent of the
100,000 residents of Kando were Chinese. When the Japanese began to crack down on the
population of Kando, these Chinese were caught in the violence. The situation caused
considerable conflict between the Japanese and the Chinese.
In response to the increased Japanese activity in the Kando region, An Joong-Gun led his
guerilla army on a raid there in June 1909. The raid was a success, resulting in many
Japanese deaths. Despite such guerilla activities, the Japanese finally arrived at an
agreement with the Chinese. The treaty, signed on September 4, 1909, allowed the Japanese
to build a branch line to the Southern Manchurian Railway to exploit the rich mineral
resources in Manchuria. In return, the Japanese turned over to the Chinese the territorial
rights to Kando. This brazen act of selling Korean territory to another country was the last
straw for many loyal Koreans such as An Joong-Gun. He set out for his base of operations
in Vladivostok, Siberia, to prepare for his assassination of Hirobumi Ito.
Russia was becoming very nervous at the level of Japanese activity in the northern Korean
area and Japan's obvious designs on Manchuria. Ito, who had officially become the
president of the Japanese Senate (an aristocratic government body), arranged to meet with
Russian representatives at Harbin, Manchuria, to calm their fears over the Japanese
intentions to annex Manchuria and invade China. The final plans for the meeting between Ito
and General Kokotseff, a minister-level Russian govermner1t official were set for October 26,
1909.
When Ito arrived at the Harbin train station at 9:00 a.m. on October 26, 1909, An Joong-Gun
was waiting for him. Knowing full well that he would never escape alive, and that torture
awaited him if captured by the Japanese, An Joong-Gun shot Ito after he stepped off the
train. Following the assassination, Joong-Gun was captured by Japanese troops and
imprisoned at Port Arthur. While in Japanese prisons, he suffered through five months of
extremely barbarous torture. Despite this unbelievable treatment, it is said that his spirit
never broke. On March 26, l9l0, at 10:00 a.m., Joong-Gun was executed at Lui-Shung prison.
The assassination of Hirobumi Ito, like so many other actions by Korean patriots, seemed to
only serve to fuel the fires of Japanese oppression. In 1910, the office of resident general,
with Ito's successor now in charge, was changed to governor general to allow a more
dictatorial approach to the total control of Korea. Akashi Genjiro was named as the
commander of the Japanese military and police superintendent in Korea. He launched an
extremely harsh campaign to harass the Korean population. He closed all newspapers,
disbanded all patriotic organizations, arrested thousands of Korean leaders, and enforced a
strict military rule of the capital city of Seoul by crack Japanese combat troops. This type of
rule under the Japanese continued in Korea until Japan surrendered at the end of World War
II.
The sacrifice of An Joong-Gun was one of many in this chaotic time in Korean history. His
attitude and that of his compatriots symbolized the loyalty and dedication of the Korean
people to their country's independence and freedom. Joong-Gun's love for his country was
forever captured in the calligraphy he wrote in his cell in Lui-Shung Prison prior to his
execution. It simply said, "The Best Rivers and Mountains." This implied that he felt his
country was the most beautiful on all, a great Korean patriot
He stepped in the spotlight of Korean history only briefly, but left his mark as one of Korea's
most revered patriots. His story is best understood in the context of the turbulent political
climate of the times.
An Joong-Gun was born in 1879 in the town of Hae-Ju in Hwang-Hae Province. An's family
moved to the town of Sin-Chun in Pyong-An Province when he was about ten years old. He
became a well known educator and established his own school called the Sam-Heung
(Three Success) School. His school, like others at that time, was destined for hardships
under the Japanese military Occupation of Korea and became enmeshed in a Japanese
power play by virtue of its location. In 1895, the Japanese government was determined to
create a large empire that would include Manchuria and China. Korea was obviously
necessary as a stepping stone for creating this empire. However, the Korean government
the time was under the indirect control of the Russian government. The pressure created by
this political situation caused considerable unrest in Korea. Rising tension resulted in
several meetings from 1896 to l898 among neighboring countries as well as foreign powers
concerned about Korea's future. These meetings, which included Japan, China, Russia,
England, and the United States, resolved very little.
Korea was pulled further into the conflicts when turmoil erupted in China in 1900. Chinese
patriots, fed up with colonial domination of their country by foreign powers, incited the
Chinese population to a wave of violent riots known as the Boxer Rebellion. In response to
this rebellion, the colonial powers descended upon the region in force to protect their
interests. Prompted by the movement of Russian army units into neighboring Manchuria,
England established an Anglo-Japanese Alliance in 1902. A Russian French Alliance was
subsequently established in 1903 followed by a movement of French and Russian in into
northern Korea. Meanwhile, the Japanese saw this action as a direct threat to their claim of
Korea and demanded the removal of all Russian troops from Korea. When Russia rejected in
1904, Japan initiated a naval attack. Korea, of course, claimed neutrality but was invaded
nonetheless by Japan. By the autumn of 1905, Russia had surrendered and Japan was
firmly established in Korea. However, this invasion was not viewed as an act of aggression
anywhere in the world, except in Korea.
The long-term occupation of Korea also involved the complex takeover of the Korean
government. One of Japan's leading elder statesmen of the time, Hirobumi Ito, became
involved in masterminding a plan to complete the occupation and political takeover of Korea.
He was named the first Japanese resident general of Korea in 1905. He was answerable only
to the Japanese emperor and had the power to control all the Korean foreign relations and
trade. To fulfill his duties and to keep order in the country, he was given total access to all
Japanese combat troops stationed in Korea.
While still in Japan, Ito pressured the weak Korean government into signing the
"Protectorate Treat" on November 19, 1905, which gave the Japanese the right to occupy
Korea. After signing the treaty as resident general, Ito made every effort to keep it a secret
from the Korean people. Following the ratification of the treaty, twelve Japanese
commissioners were assigned to the various provinces in Korea, with one being stationed in
Seoul. Later, in March 1906, Ito arrived in Korea to take the reins of power. At this time, he
ordered all foreign delegations in Korea to withdraw, leaving Korea at the mercy of the
Japanese. The new Japanese puppet government enacted laws that allowed Korean land to
be sold to Japanese, although land generally was just taken.
The Korean people were extremely irritated under these grim circumstances. Word soon
leaked out concerning the Protectorate Treaty, provoking a wave of anti-Japanese violence.
Several small guerilla groups were formed and attacked the Japanese occupation forces.
One such group in Chung Chong Province armed themselves with 50 cannons and
conducted a long campaign of hit-and-run actions against the Japanese. They were finally
defeated, however, as most other groups were when hunted down by the much larger
Japanese army. The general wave of unrest continued to spread very rapidly. Violence
pervaded the general population, as many loyal Korean government officials committed
suicide and Korean government officials who had signed the Protectorate Treaty were
assassinated.
In the face of the oppression that accompanied this Japanese annexation of Korea An
Joong-Gun went into self-exile in southern Manchuria. There he formed a small private
guerilla army of approximately 300 men, including his brother. This army conducted
sporadic raids across the Manchurian border into northern Korea, keeping a relentless
pressure on the Japanese in this region.
The violent objection of the Korean population spread out of the country as well as into the
upper levels of the Korean government. The Japanese government was unnerved by the
vocal, patriotic Korean organizations, particularly those that had formed within the United
States. Those in power wanted to quell these anti Japanese sentiments to avoid having
other countries interfere with their control of Korea. With this in mind, in March 1907, the
Japanese government sent an American citizen, D. W. Stevens, to the United States on a
mission to distribute pro-Japanese propaganda to the American public. Stevens had
originally been hired by the Japanese to help set up the resident general's government in
Korea.
While he was in San Francisco, Stevens was assassinated by two outraged Korean patriots.
Many other political leaders were assassinated during this violent time, including Yi
Wan-Yong, the man lto had appointed as the premier of Korea after he had forced the Korean
emperor to install a new pro-Japanese cabinet.
In June of 1907, the Korean emperor, Ko-Jong, in an effort to break loose of the Japanese
control, secretly sent an emissary to the Hague Peace Conference to expose the Japanese
aggressive policy in Korea to the world. When Ito found out, he forced Ko-Jong to abdicate
the Korean throne on July 19, 1907, and the Japanese officially took over the Government of
Korea. Severe rioting involving many Korean Army units broke out all over Korea. The
Japanese responded by disbanding responded by disbanding the Korean police force and
the army, except for the palace guard. The Korean Army troops then retaliated by attacking
the Japanese troops, but were quickly defeated. All Koreans prisons, courts, and police
units were officially turned over to the Japanese government.
Even after the defeat of the Korean troops, resistance from the general Korean public
continued for many years with many guerilla groups operating out of southeastern
Manchuria. Small groups of patriots attempted assassinating several Japanese leaders and
members of the Japanese-Korean government. Because of its proximity to Manchuria, the
town of Kando in northern Korea became a hotbed of such activity. Ito decided to set up a
significant Japanese military and police presence in the area. However, 20 percent of the
100,000 residents of Kando were Chinese. When the Japanese began to crack down on the
population of Kando, these Chinese were caught in the violence. The situation caused
considerable conflict between the Japanese and the Chinese.
In response to the increased Japanese activity in the Kando region, An Joong-Gun led his
guerilla army on a raid there in June 1909. The raid was a success, resulting in many
Japanese deaths. Despite such guerilla activities, the Japanese finally arrived at an
agreement with the Chinese. The treaty, signed on September 4, 1909, allowed the Japanese
to build a branch line to the Southern Manchurian Railway to exploit the rich mineral
resources in Manchuria. In return, the Japanese turned over to the Chinese the territorial
rights to Kando. This brazen act of selling Korean territory to another country was the last
straw for many loyal Koreans such as An Joong-Gun. He set out for his base of operations
in Vladivostok, Siberia, to prepare for his assassination of Hirobumi Ito.
Russia was becoming very nervous at the level of Japanese activity in the northern Korean
area and Japan's obvious designs on Manchuria. Ito, who had officially become the
president of the Japanese Senate (an aristocratic government body), arranged to meet with
Russian representatives at Harbin, Manchuria, to calm their fears over the Japanese
intentions to annex Manchuria and invade China. The final plans for the meeting between Ito
and General Kokotseff, a minister-level Russian govermner1t official were set for October 26,
1909.
When Ito arrived at the Harbin train station at 9:00 a.m. on October 26, 1909, An Joong-Gun
was waiting for him. Knowing full well that he would never escape alive, and that torture
awaited him if captured by the Japanese, An Joong-Gun shot Ito after he stepped off the
train. Following the assassination, Joong-Gun was captured by Japanese troops and
imprisoned at Port Arthur. While in Japanese prisons, he suffered through five months of
extremely barbarous torture. Despite this unbelievable treatment, it is said that his spirit
never broke. On March 26, l9l0, at 10:00 a.m., Joong-Gun was executed at Lui-Shung prison.
The assassination of Hirobumi Ito, like so many other actions by Korean patriots, seemed to
only serve to fuel the fires of Japanese oppression. In 1910, the office of resident general,
with Ito's successor now in charge, was changed to governor general to allow a more
dictatorial approach to the total control of Korea. Akashi Genjiro was named as the
commander of the Japanese military and police superintendent in Korea. He launched an
extremely harsh campaign to harass the Korean population. He closed all newspapers,
disbanded all patriotic organizations, arrested thousands of Korean leaders, and enforced a
strict military rule of the capital city of Seoul by crack Japanese combat troops. This type of
rule under the Japanese continued in Korea until Japan surrendered at the end of World War
II.
The sacrifice of An Joong-Gun was one of many in this chaotic time in Korean history. His
attitude and that of his compatriots symbolized the loyalty and dedication of the Korean
people to their country's independence and freedom. Joong-Gun's love for his country was
forever captured in the calligraphy he wrote in his cell in Lui-Shung Prison prior to his
execution. It simply said, "The Best Rivers and Mountains." This implied that he felt his
country was the most beautiful on all, a great Korean patriot