| V |
Little is known of the early life of Sosan other than that he was born in
1520 and that he became a monk. As was common for monks in this time,
he travelled from place to place, living in a succession of monasteries.
Buddhist monks had been forced to keep a low profile since General Yi
Seonggye had been forced to eject Buddhism from its state of total
permeation of government, in order to gain the support of Neo-Confucian
scholar-officials to consolidate his position against his Buddhist political
opponents when he overthrew King Gongyang in 1392 to become King
Taejo of Joseon.
Before ever having tested his hand as a military commander, Seosan was
a first-rate Seon (Korean Buddhism) master and the author of a number
of important religious texts, the most important of which is probably his
"Seon gugam", a guide to Seon practice which is studied by Korean
monks even today. Like most monks of the Joseon period, Seosan had
been initially educated in Neo-Confucian philosophy. Dissatisfied, though,
he wandered through the mountain monasteries. Later, after making a
name for himself as a teacher, he was made arbiter of the Seon school by
King Myeongjong, who was sympathetic towards Buddhism. He soon
resigned from this responsibility, though, returning to the itinerant life,
advancing his Seon studies and teaching at monasteries all around Korea.
The mountains where the monasteries were located were dangerous, and
so the monks had to learn to defend themselves. Seosan recognised that
the development of armour made striking and kicking much less effective,
but he also noticed that wherever the armour bends, so does the body.
He saw that by manipulation of these joints one could defeat an armoured
opponent on the battlefield. He also applied this same principle to the use
of a rope or belt as a weapon, which he discovered can be wrapped
around the body of your attacker, trapping weapons and, when
necessary, breaking joints as it wraps. It was used by Seosan and the
soldiers he trained to immobilise, carry and even kill their opponents.
Wrapped around the mouth and nose the rope would prevent the
opponent from breathing, bringing about unconsciousness and allowing
them to be taken as a prisoner. Many of these techniques were adopted
and developed to give birth to the modern art of Hapkido.
At the beginning of the 1590s, Japanese Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
after stabilising Japan during this era of warring nations, made
preparations for a large scale invasion of Joseon. Joseon was unaware of
the situation in Japan, however, and was unprepared for the Japanese
aggression. In 1592, after rebuffing Japan’s request for aid in conquering
China, approximately 200,000 Japanese soldiers invaded Joseon, and the
Waeran (Japanese War) began. At the beginning of the invasion, King
Seonjo fled the capital, leaving a weak, poorly-trained army to defend the
country. In desperation he called on Seosan to organise monks into
guerilla units. Even at 73 years of age he managed to recruit and deploy
some 5,000 of these warrior monks, who enjoyed some instrumental
successes.
At first, the government armies of Joseon suffered repeated defeats, and
the Japanese armies marched north up to P'yŏngyang and the Hamgyŏng
provinces. At sea, however, the Joseon navy, under the command of
Admiral Yi Sun-sin, enjoyed successive victories. Throughout the
country, loyal volunteer armies formed and fought against the Japanese
together with the warrior monks and the government armies of Joseon.
The presence of Seosan's monks' army, operating out of the Heungguksa
temple deep in the mountain of Yeongchwi-san, was a critical factor in the
eventual expulsion of the Japanese invaders in 1593 and again in 1598.
1520 and that he became a monk. As was common for monks in this time,
he travelled from place to place, living in a succession of monasteries.
Buddhist monks had been forced to keep a low profile since General Yi
Seonggye had been forced to eject Buddhism from its state of total
permeation of government, in order to gain the support of Neo-Confucian
scholar-officials to consolidate his position against his Buddhist political
opponents when he overthrew King Gongyang in 1392 to become King
Taejo of Joseon.
Before ever having tested his hand as a military commander, Seosan was
a first-rate Seon (Korean Buddhism) master and the author of a number
of important religious texts, the most important of which is probably his
"Seon gugam", a guide to Seon practice which is studied by Korean
monks even today. Like most monks of the Joseon period, Seosan had
been initially educated in Neo-Confucian philosophy. Dissatisfied, though,
he wandered through the mountain monasteries. Later, after making a
name for himself as a teacher, he was made arbiter of the Seon school by
King Myeongjong, who was sympathetic towards Buddhism. He soon
resigned from this responsibility, though, returning to the itinerant life,
advancing his Seon studies and teaching at monasteries all around Korea.
The mountains where the monasteries were located were dangerous, and
so the monks had to learn to defend themselves. Seosan recognised that
the development of armour made striking and kicking much less effective,
but he also noticed that wherever the armour bends, so does the body.
He saw that by manipulation of these joints one could defeat an armoured
opponent on the battlefield. He also applied this same principle to the use
of a rope or belt as a weapon, which he discovered can be wrapped
around the body of your attacker, trapping weapons and, when
necessary, breaking joints as it wraps. It was used by Seosan and the
soldiers he trained to immobilise, carry and even kill their opponents.
Wrapped around the mouth and nose the rope would prevent the
opponent from breathing, bringing about unconsciousness and allowing
them to be taken as a prisoner. Many of these techniques were adopted
and developed to give birth to the modern art of Hapkido.
At the beginning of the 1590s, Japanese Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
after stabilising Japan during this era of warring nations, made
preparations for a large scale invasion of Joseon. Joseon was unaware of
the situation in Japan, however, and was unprepared for the Japanese
aggression. In 1592, after rebuffing Japan’s request for aid in conquering
China, approximately 200,000 Japanese soldiers invaded Joseon, and the
Waeran (Japanese War) began. At the beginning of the invasion, King
Seonjo fled the capital, leaving a weak, poorly-trained army to defend the
country. In desperation he called on Seosan to organise monks into
guerilla units. Even at 73 years of age he managed to recruit and deploy
some 5,000 of these warrior monks, who enjoyed some instrumental
successes.
At first, the government armies of Joseon suffered repeated defeats, and
the Japanese armies marched north up to P'yŏngyang and the Hamgyŏng
provinces. At sea, however, the Joseon navy, under the command of
Admiral Yi Sun-sin, enjoyed successive victories. Throughout the
country, loyal volunteer armies formed and fought against the Japanese
together with the warrior monks and the government armies of Joseon.
The presence of Seosan's monks' army, operating out of the Heungguksa
temple deep in the mountain of Yeongchwi-san, was a critical factor in the
eventual expulsion of the Japanese invaders in 1593 and again in 1598.
| CLOSED READY STANCE A |
| Slide to C to form a right rear foot stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm. |
| Execute a middle vertical punch to D with the right fist while forming a left walking stance toward D, slipping the left foot. |
| Slide to C to form a left rear foot stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm. |
| Execute a middle vertical punch to D with the left fist while forming a right walking stance toward D, slipping the right foot. |
| Execute a high side block to BC with the right knife-hand while forming a left walking stance toward BC. |
| Execute a middle punch to BD with the left fist while forming a sitting stance toward BD. Perform 5 and 6 in a fast motion. |
| Execute a high side block to BD with the left knife-hand while forming a right walking stance toward BD. |
| Move the right foot to C turning clockwise to form a parallel stance toward A while executing a horizontal strike with a twin knife-hand. |
| Execute a middle punch to BD with the right fist while forming a sitting stance toward BD. Perform 7 and 8 in a fast motion. |
| Execute a high side piercing kick to C with the right foot keeping the position of the hands as they were in 9. |
| Move the left foot to C forming a parallel stance toward B while executing a horizontal strike with a twin knife-hand. |
| Execute a high punch to A with the right fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward A. |
| Execute a high turning kick to D with the right foot. Perform 10 and 11 in a continuous kick. |
| Lower the right foot to D in a jumping motion to form a right X-stance toward BD while executing a high side strike to D with the right back fist and bringing the left finger belly to the right side fist. |
| Execute a high side piercing kick to C with the left foot keeping the position of the hands as they were in 13. |
| Move the right foot to D to form a left walking stance toward C while executing a high front block with the right forearm. |
| Bring the right palm on the left fore fist and then twist them counter clockwise until the left back fist faces downward while forming a left walking stance toward A, slipping the left foot. Perform in a releasing motion. |
| Move the left foot to A forming a right L-stance toward A executing a low punch to A with a left double fist. |
| Lower the left foot to D in a jumping motion to form a left X-stance toward AD while executing a high side strike to D with the left back fist and bringing the right finger belly to the left side fist. |
| Execute a high turning kick to D with the left foot. Perform 14 and 15 in a continuous kick. |
| Slide to B to form a right L-stance toward B while executing an upset punch to B with the right middle knuckle fist and bringing the left side fist in front of the right shoulder. |
| Execute a front strike to B with the right back fist while forming a left walking stance toward B, slipping the right foot. |
| Execute a high punch to B with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward B. |
| Bring the left palm on the right fore fist and then twist them clockwise until the right back fist faces downward while forming a right walking stance toward B, slipping the right foot. Perform in a releasing motion. |
| Move the left foot on line AB to form a left L-stance toward B while executing a low punch to B with a right double fist. |
| Land to C forming a left L-stance toward C while executing a middle guarding block to C with a knife-hand. |
| Jump to execute a flying front snap kick to C with the right foot. |
| Move the left foot to D forming a right walking ready stance toward C. |
| Execute a front strike to A with the left back fist while forming a right walking stance toward A, slipping the left foot. |
| Slide to A, turning clockwise to form a left L-stance toward A while executing an upset punch to A with the left middle knuckle fist and bringing the right side fist in front of the left shoulder. |
| Execute a middle punch to C with the left fist while shifting to C, maintaining a left walking stance toward C. |
| Execute a middle block to BC with a double arc-hand while forming a left walking stance toward BC and looking through the hands. |
| Execute a middle punch to D with the right fist while shifting to D, maintaining a right walking stance toward D. |
| Turn clockwise, pivoting with the left foot to form a right walking stance toward D while executing a high front block with the left forearm. |
| Execute a high inward strike to BC with the right knife-hand and bringing the left side fist in front of the right shoulder while maintaining a left walking stance toward BC. |
| Execute a circular block to BD with the left inner forearm while forming a right walking stance toward D. |
| Execute a middle punch to D with the right fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward D. Perform 39 and 40 in a fast motion. |
| Lower the left foot to D forming a left walking stance toward D while executing amiddle punch to D with the left fist. |
| Execute a low front snap kick to D with the left foot keeping the position of the hands as they were in 37. |
| Execute a low block to D with the right knife-hand and a middle outward block to D with the left inner forearm while forming a left walking stance toward D, slipping the left foot. |
| Execute a high punch to D with the right fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward D. |
| Execute a rising block with an X-knife-hand while maintaining a left walking stance toward D. |
| Jump to C, spinning counter-clockwise to form a right L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm. |
| Move the left foot to D, and then slide to D, turning counter-clockwise to form a right L-stance toward C while executing a low guarding block to C with a knife-hand. |
| Execute a rising block with an X-knife-hand while maintaining a right walking stance toward D. |
| Execute a middle punch to D with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward D. Perform 47 and 48 in a fast motion. |
| Lower the right foot to D forming a right walking stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the right fist. |
| Execute a low front snap kick to D with the right foot keeping the position of the hands as they were in 45. |
| Execute a high punch to D with the left fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward D. |
| Execute a circular block to AD with the right inner forearm while forming a left walking stance toward D. |
| Execute a high inward strike to AC with the left knife-hand and bringing the right side fist in front of the left shoulder while maintaining a right walking stance toward AC. |
| Execute a middle block to AC with a double arc-hand while forming a right walking stance toward AC and looking through the hands. |
| Execute a high punch to D with the right fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward D. Perform 52 and 53 in a continuous motion. |
| Execute a middle punch to D with the left fist while forming a right L-stance toward D, pulling the left foot. |
| Move the right foot to D, and then slide to D, turning clockwise to form a left L-stance toward C while executing a low guarding block to C with a knife-hand. |
| Jump to C, spinning clockwise to form a left L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm. |
| Execute a low block to D with the left knife-hand and a middle outward block to D with the right inner forearm while forming a right walking stance toward D slipping the right foot. |
| Execute a high punch to D with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward D. Perform 57 and 58 in a continuous motion. |
| Execute a middle punch to D with the right fist while forming a left L-stance toward D, pulling the right foot. |
| Move the right foot to the side rear of the left foot, and then slide to C, forming a left L-stance toward D at the same time executing a scooping block with the right palm. |
| Shift to D, maintaining a left L-stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D with the left fist. |
| Turn clockwise while forming a left bending ready stance A toward C. |
| Execute a high side piercing kick to C with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 62. |
| Lower the right foot to C, forming a right walking stance toward C while executing a middle punch to C with the left fist. |
| Move the right foot to D, forming a right L-stance toward C while executing a middle guarding block to C with a knife-hand. |
| Move the left foot to the side rear of the right foot, and then slide to D, forming a right L-stance toward C while executing a scooping block with the left palm. |
| Shift to C, maintaining a right L-stance toward C while executing a middle punch to C with the right fist. |
| Turn counter-clockwise while forming a right bending ready stance A toward C. |
| Execute a high side piercing kick to D with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 68. |
| Lower the left foot to D to form a left walking stance toward D at the same time executing a middle punch to D with the right fist. |
| Move the left foot to C to form a left L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with a knife-hand. |
| Execute a high punch to D with the right fist while forming a right walking stance toward D, slipping the right foot. Perform 71 and 72 in a continuous motion. |
| Bring the right foot back to a ready posture. |
| SO-SAN |
| Movements - 72 Ready Posture - CLOSED READY STANCE A Pattern Meaning SO-SAN is the pseudonym of the great monk Choi Hyong Ung (1520-1604) during the Lee Dynasty. The 72 movements refer to his age when he organized a corps of monk soldiers with the assistance of his pupil Sa Myunh Dang. The monk soldiers helped repulse the Japanese pirates who overran most of the Korean peninsula in 1592. |