The history of Korea is one of invasion after invasion. The Japanese, the Chinese, and the Mongols, all at one time or another, sliced up Korea and divided the spoils among their people. This, in a land whose own political boundaries shifted like water over a plate, created an atmosphere of confusion among the people over who they really were. A few men though, have made a difference in Korea. They have provided the realm with a sense of wholeness that it has been unaccustomed to in much of its history. One of these men is Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Through his ingenious naval action and bravery in overwhelming battle, the admiral presented, for one brief moment, what it was to truly be Korean to the Korean people. Since our martial art is a Korean martial, many of the qualities found in Korean heroes are found exemplified in our art.
From 1592 to 1598, the Japanese emperor, Hideyoshi, ordered his entire country to a war with Korea. The problem with the invasion though is a geographic one. In order for Japan to conquer Korea, she has to move her army across the sea. Admiral Yi Sun-sin, seeing the war coming from far off, discovered a way to defeat the Japanese in their endeavor to cross the sea. He created a new weapon, a round metal armored boat that could defeat the power that the Japanese had received from the Portuguese gunpowder. His boats, collectively called the turtle boats for their uncanny resemblance, were one of the only things that stood in the way of the Japanese and victory.
During the first invasion, the Japanese attacked before Korea was ready to defend herself. They quickly over ran Seoul and seemed on their way to conquering the country. Then came Admiral Yi Sun-sin. He attacked the Japanese at their weakest point, the sea, and quickly broke the Japanese supply lines. This left the Japanese troops already on the peninsula defenseless against the Korean counter attacks, bolstered by Chinese reinforcements. The first invasion failed completely.
The second invasion, after some deft political and underhanded dirty tricks by the Japanese, occurred with Admiral Yi Sun-sin disgraced and jailed. The Japanese, facing fierce opposition from the Chinese and Korean armies, slowly pushed their way into the interior of Korea. Facing political pressure, the Korean dynasties absolved Admiral Yi Sun-sin of his supposed crimes and reinstated him at the head of a navy that was a fraction of its formal size. Under supplied, outnumbered, and outgunned, Admiral Yi Sun-sin attacked with his turtle boats. Amazingly he won victory after victory due to his mad bravery. The word that Japanese emperor Hideyoshi had died and the fact that Admiral Yi Sun-sin had cut their supply lines again caused the complete withdrawal of the Japanese occupation force. Admiral Yi Sun-sin was not finished yet. He took his small fleet and attacked the whole Japanese armada and defeated them so soundly that Japan left Korea alone until 1904. Unfortunately, he died in that battle martyring himself into the hearts of the Korean people.
In our martial art, much of the characteristics that describe Moo Duk Kwan, the school of military virtue, are exemplified by Admiral Yi Sun-sin. His bravery in battle, his courage under duress and his loyalty to his country are all virtues that make up the moral loom that our martial art is woven into. So in a way, Yi Sun-sinÂ’s influence is indirect, but his influence is very important none-the-less. Now, Korea, a country with so few heroes and so few examples of its own national identity, is a land grasping for scraps of who she really is. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan is one of those ways the country has reached out. In Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the founders of this martial art discovered part of what it is to be Korean.
From 1592 to 1598, the Japanese emperor, Hideyoshi, ordered his entire country to a war with Korea. The problem with the invasion though is a geographic one. In order for Japan to conquer Korea, she has to move her army across the sea. Admiral Yi Sun-sin, seeing the war coming from far off, discovered a way to defeat the Japanese in their endeavor to cross the sea. He created a new weapon, a round metal armored boat that could defeat the power that the Japanese had received from the Portuguese gunpowder. His boats, collectively called the turtle boats for their uncanny resemblance, were one of the only things that stood in the way of the Japanese and victory.
During the first invasion, the Japanese attacked before Korea was ready to defend herself. They quickly over ran Seoul and seemed on their way to conquering the country. Then came Admiral Yi Sun-sin. He attacked the Japanese at their weakest point, the sea, and quickly broke the Japanese supply lines. This left the Japanese troops already on the peninsula defenseless against the Korean counter attacks, bolstered by Chinese reinforcements. The first invasion failed completely.
The second invasion, after some deft political and underhanded dirty tricks by the Japanese, occurred with Admiral Yi Sun-sin disgraced and jailed. The Japanese, facing fierce opposition from the Chinese and Korean armies, slowly pushed their way into the interior of Korea. Facing political pressure, the Korean dynasties absolved Admiral Yi Sun-sin of his supposed crimes and reinstated him at the head of a navy that was a fraction of its formal size. Under supplied, outnumbered, and outgunned, Admiral Yi Sun-sin attacked with his turtle boats. Amazingly he won victory after victory due to his mad bravery. The word that Japanese emperor Hideyoshi had died and the fact that Admiral Yi Sun-sin had cut their supply lines again caused the complete withdrawal of the Japanese occupation force. Admiral Yi Sun-sin was not finished yet. He took his small fleet and attacked the whole Japanese armada and defeated them so soundly that Japan left Korea alone until 1904. Unfortunately, he died in that battle martyring himself into the hearts of the Korean people.
In our martial art, much of the characteristics that describe Moo Duk Kwan, the school of military virtue, are exemplified by Admiral Yi Sun-sin. His bravery in battle, his courage under duress and his loyalty to his country are all virtues that make up the moral loom that our martial art is woven into. So in a way, Yi Sun-sinÂ’s influence is indirect, but his influence is very important none-the-less. Now, Korea, a country with so few heroes and so few examples of its own national identity, is a land grasping for scraps of who she really is. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan is one of those ways the country has reached out. In Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the founders of this martial art discovered part of what it is to be Korean.
