Black Belt Magazine – July 2001

Posted on July 1, 2001April 20, 2021 by taejoonlee

Taejoon Lee
Hwa Rang Do®’s Golden Child
Prepares to Lead the Korean Art into the New Millennium
(Black Belt Magazine – July 2001)
By Hyung-Min Jung

The conflict between traditional values and modern living is an issue in many cultures these days. The martial arts have also become a battlefield for this conflict, with many practitioners wondering whether to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors or tread a new path. In an era when old-fashioned values are increasingly falling by the wayside, there are exceptional few who manage to retain the strength of the old ways while improving, growing and adapting with modern society. Taejoon Lee, chief master of the World Hwa Rang Do® Association, is one of them.

Personal History
The eldest son of Lee Joo-bang, the supreme grandmaster of the World Hwa Rang Do Association, Taejoon Lee has seen both sides of the tradition-vs.-modernization and has constructed a path for his students to follow. Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised under the strict eye of his father, Lee under went an often painful forging process in his early years. “Children have life a little too easy these days,” says the seventh-degree, “Go talk to older people. Most of them went through things that would be considered child abuse by modern standards, yet the vast majority of them didn’t exhibit the kind of disturbing behavior we see so commonly in today’s youth, like breaking into their father’s gun cabinet shooting their schoolmates.”

Once when Lee was 4, he threw a temper tantrum in front of his parents. His father left him on the rooftop of their building in the freezing snow barefoot and in his underwear in the middle of the Korean winter until he realized the impropriety of his manner. “Doing that is illegal these days,” he says. “You’d be thrown in jail in a heartbeat, and your kids would be put in protective custody. In Korea, we called that discipline.” For most the story would end there, but that’s not all. The real clincher is: After sometime has passed, Lee’s father tells the mother to go let him in. When his mother approaches and tells Lee his father has given him permission to come in, Lee refuses and defiantly remains in the snow.

The opponent (left) controls Taejoon Lee with a head lock (1). Lee activates a pressure point behind theopponent’s right knee to prevent him from stepping backward, then slides to his left so he can position his right arm for the escape (2). Lee scrapes his ridge hand and forearm across the opponent’s face as he arches his back and neck, thus loosening the head lock (3). The hwa rang do expert continues to bridge backward as he wraps his right arm around the other man’s neck and cranks it (4). Lee continues to roll the opponent and pull him off-balance as he steps forward with his right leg (5). To finish, Lee drops to one knee and tightens his hold on the opponent’s neck and hair (6).

Through daily mental training like the aforementioned experience, Lee grew and learned within the Hwarang warrior tradition. “People, especially in the United States, think of discipline as a form of punishment,” he says. “It’s seen as an impairment of freedom, limiting the free expression of another human being. To the followers of the Hwarang tradition, we understand that without strong discipline accompanied by effective consequences, a human being cannot grow to full potential. The discipline and forging we undergo in our youth gives foundation on which to really grow mentally, physically and spiritually.

Yet there’s a caveat to those would misinterpret what Lee is saying. “Discipline isn’t punishment,” he cautions. “Discipline should come from love. Punishment comes from hatred. Children have to be guided with care and love, not with an abusive heart.”

The freedom Lee speaks of can be seen in everything from his beautiful West Los Angeles dojang (training hall) to the effortlessness with which he takes flight to kick. The spacious hall that houses Lee and his students offers the best in modern training equipment, complete with polished equipment, hardwood floors, comfortable mats, stereo sound and computerized attendance and bookkeeping systems. Yet there are reminders of traditional virtue all around in the shape of beautifully carved, wooden Chinese characters representing the qualities of perfect conduct as written by his father: humanity, justice, courtesy, wisdom, trust, goodness, virtue, loyalty and courage. Under the junior Lee’s strict guidance, such a training environment gives students the foundation on which to build their mind and body.

The physical discipline of Hwa Rang Do is another aspect of Taejoon Lee’s expertise. Speaking of the spectacular kicks for which his art is renowned, he says “A lot of people look at a kicking demonstration and talk about how much they want to learn that. But when it comes time to really practice, really train, really sweat push hard, their hearts might not be into it. Physical excellence isn’t something a credit card can buy. It’s one of the best B.S. detectors you can find. Someone who really works hard, really puts in the effort will be superior.”

In Hwa Rang Do, kicks abound, and the degree of difficulty is often underestimated by novices. “New students love to see advanced students practicing the aerial and spinning kicks, often trying to imitate them,” Lee says. “But the discipline it takes to stay focused on really perfecting the basic kicks and develop the leg power from stance work can seem boring to novices. That’s when I have to explain to them that every hour they put their whole effort into perfecting the kicks and stances will make it easier to learn the more difficult techniques later on.”

“When students can postpone that urge for immediate gratification and focus on the task at hand, they’ll be successful in anything they do because they’ve learned what real persistence and diligence are about,” Lee continues. “These are people who push themselves to greatness—the self-starters that every company wants to hire.”

Taejoon Lee (left) readies himself for the opponent’s attack (1). The opponent charges and attempts to tackle the hwarang do stylist (2), but he intercepts the motion by wrapping his left arm around the opponent’s right arm and pushing his own right arm down as if to effect a guillotine choke (3). Lee then switches course and locks a figure-4 hold on the other man’s right arm (4). By placing pressure on the opponent’s triceps, Lee forces him down as he tightens the shoulder lock (5). Next, Lee drops to his right knee while maintaining pressure on the shoulder (6). He completes the defense by moving to the opponent’s back and immobilizing him (7).

Evolution
Hwa Rang Do’s techniques are not limited to just kicks, however. The system to which Lee’s family is heir is perhaps Korea’s most comprehensive martial art. Throws, locks, strikes and more than 108 weapons comprise the arsenal of modern hwa rang do warriors. Ancient techniques that have been handed down for thousands of years give students a distinct advantage on the street, but don’t think for a moment that the art hasn’t evolved over time.

“When the kingdoms of Baekche (18 B.C.-A.D. 668) and Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. B.C.-A.D. 668) were at war, firearms weren’t a major part of the equation like they are now,” Lee says. “But Hwa Rang Do has grown to meet the needs of every era. We now have gun disarms, weapon retention techniques and strategic shooting principles for the military and police courses we teach. “The base concepts on which the system was founded allow you to interpolate the proper attack or defense in any situation, regardless of which era you’re in,” he continues. “Koreans have been invaded more than any other country in Asia, but our culture and our ways have survived. We didn’t get that way by not being able to adapt.”

In the same way his art has evolved, so has Lee. When he arrived in America at age 9, he took the English name of Henry. While still young Henry Lee was known in martial arts circles as a child prodigy. He attended the University of Southern California and pioneered the Intercollegiate Hwa Rang Do Society (ICHRDS) during his undergraduate career. During those years, he ran as President of ICHRDS (which governed seven HRD university clubs: USC, UCLA, UCI, UCR, UCSD, CSLB, ASU) for over ten years, he managed to divide time between teaching at several campuses, running his own school, managing the international headquarters dojang and full-time academics—thus maintaining a delicate balance between the demands of Korean tradition and American college life. After he graduated, he made the difficult decision to abandon his pursuit of law and follow in the footsteps of his father, inheriting the family business with all the trials and tribulations inherent in a martial arts dynasty.

“Because he’s so completely focused on the development and maintenance of his art, my father let a lot of things go in his early years here in the United States,” Lee says. “His students would ask him questions about the history or lineage of Hwa Rang Do, and then they’d write articles on what they heard from him. Unfortunately, there were some inaccuracies that piled over time due to the language barrier, and my father didn’t really make an effort to put the situation in check.”

“When I made the decision to devote my life to Hwa Rang Do full-time, I questioned him about everything I wasn’t 100-percent sure about. But my father’s answers as well as through my personal research made complete sense to me, and now with the help of a bilingual individuals such as myself, we’re setting the historical straight for the public, and we’ll let the scholars verify it all.”

Future
Now Lee’s life is geared toward propagating his father’s art and continually bettering himself in preparation for the mantle he will wear one day as the Supreme Grandmaster of Hwa Rang Do. “All the happenings of the past few years have given me time to really digest what my place in this world is,” he says. “I am my father’s eldest child, the one who will support him and his art to my last breath because I see the greatness that he is and because I understand the truth that he speaks.”
“I made a conscious choice to accept the responsibility that comes with being my father’s successor in Hwa Rang Do,” he continues. “As warriors our strength is measured by the responsibilities we carry and our accountability to a higher cause. That signifies our worth to this world. My responsibility is to my father’s art and in setting an example for later generations of practitioners to follow.”

Part of that responsibility involves understanding Hwa Rang Do’s origins. Lee is publicly clarifying his father’s role in the development of the modern Korean martial arts. He has also grown comfortable with his Korean heritage, exhibiting a fierce pride in the accomplishments of his people. “Koreans have never been conquered; that’s why we’re called the indomitable people,” he says. “Our culture, our ways, our language all live on despite the horrifying cultural oppression of the the Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945. To come from that kind of heritage is an honor. In recognition of that history, he has dropped his American name and now sticks to his Korean name: Taejoon Lee.

The junior Lee was practically raised in the dojang, he says.The chief master continues with a little-known vignette: “Years ago there was a Korean martial arts gathering in San Francisco. Hapkido masters, were there, taekwondo masters were there and kuk sool masters were there. When it came time for the masters to be seated at the head table, Ji Han jae, the man who is revered as the senior-most hapkido practitioner in world, was in the seat of honor. The older masters know their place with each other. When they get face-to-face, they know who trained with whom, what each other’s secrets are. There’s no hiding behind the media or a Web site. The man who sits first is the most-senior, most-revered person in that gathering. My father, my uncle [Lee Joo-sang] and I arrived late. When we walked in, Ji Han-jae got up, as did everyone else, and re-seated. My father sat at the seat of honor, followed by Ji Han-jae and my uncle. After them, everyone else sat. When I saw my father sit first, that told me everything I needed to know. Now it’s my turn to make sure the world understands the real deal with Hwa Rang Do and my father’s legacy.”

Just as the Hwarang knights of ancient Silla had models like the legendary Gen. Kim Yu-shin, the modern followers of the Hwarang tradition will have a shining knight to follow in the 21st century. Taejoon Lee is coming out, ready to fight, ready to stand behind his art, ready to show the world what the strength of tradition can accomplish and ready to make waves. His life in Hwa Rang Do has given him the means to make the perfect synthesis of East and West, the traditional and the modern—finally attaining balance within himself and living harmoniously with the universe.

Lee Joo-bang, the patriarch of Hwa Rang Do, sits with son Taejoon.

The Invincible Sulsa Warriors (Black Belt Magazine – June 1986)

Posted on June 1, 1986April 20, 2021 by taejoonlee

By Taejoon Lee

In the early 1970’s, Americans began to receive a wider variety of martial arts from which to practice. Among this vast array of choices was an innovative and dynamic style that would forever transform the perception of the martial arts: Hwa Rang Do® (way of the flowering manhood). Korea holds the roots of Hwa Rang Do, an 1800 year old martial skill-set originally known as UmYangKwon (combat skills of Silla Hwarang warriors), which at present is led by Dr. Joo Bang Lee. Within this esoteric art, which combines many facets of physical and mental development, resides perhaps the beginning of today’s warfare tactics and hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Hwa Rang Do is a highly balanced martial style incorporating physical techniques with philosophy, academics and healing arts. It is divided into four categories: 1) wae-gong (external power), 2) nae-gong (internal power), 3) shin-gong (mental power), and 4) mugi-gong (weapon power).  To demonstrate this idea of balance, Hwa Rang Do has two different, yet necessary, divisions of physical applications: Jung-do and Am-ja.

Jung-do is the “way of the true sword and light.” It means fighting in battle with honor and dignity, dueling to the death, never retreating in the face of the enemy, and dying if one must in the process. In ancient times, the code of chivalry was up held at all cost, and the gentleman’s code was practiced sincerely. Jung do techniques require the ability to face the enemy in a fair match to demonstrate superiority of power. It involves the study of the way of the true sword, where one must call out the inner spirit. This is attained by eliminating all thoughts and emotions. One is like the wind, which moves from here to there, and in the movement there lies strength, with no inhibiting element to stop the current of air.

Am-ja is the “way of darkness.” In this division, trickery, deception and cunning are the key elements of success. One must use whatever method, tool, or strategy is necessary to gain an advantage and defeat the enemy. In am-ja, the only honor lies in the ultimate outcome. Like the Machiavellian principles, the end justifies the means. In this school, one learns techniques in manipulating the enemy psychologically, physically and emotionally to confuse him, then move in for the final blow. In ancient Korea, the way of darkness was necessary for maintaining national security.

With the neighboring Korean kingdoms constantly at war with one another, espionage and counter-espionage were inevitable. Consequently, there emerged a group of warrior elite known as the sulsa (knights of the night). They practice the am-ja methods of warfare and infiltrated enemy kingdoms to gather information.  The sulsa were selected from the best Hwarang warriors. They were Hwa Rang Do’s special forces, majoring in infiltration, exfiltration, intelligence gathering, assassination, and survival tactics. They used whatever means necessary to carry out their plan.

Unlike the ancient Japanese ninja, however, the most important asset of the sulsa was there ideal of hwal-bop, which encouraged the warrior to save lives, rather than take them. If one is able to kill, then one should be able to heal as well. The sulsa played a significant role in the unification of the Korean peninsula. Legend has it that the king of Silla province had a dream of producing the greatest fighting machine in history. Consequently, hwarang warriors were trained in all aspects of warfare, strategy, and combat. The very best warriors were subsequently selected and trained as sulsa. The chosen few possessed the characteristics of patience, loyalty, trust, courage, intelligence and cleverness.

Thanks to the sulsa’s selfless devotion to the kingdom, Silla’s neighboring provinces of Koguryo and Paekche were ultimately conquered, unifying Korea into one nation. Unfortunately, the unification also marked the decline of the sulsa. With Silla’s enemys in check, there was little use for the “knights of the night.” During their heydays, the sulsa were experts in un-shin-bop, a subdivision of Hwa Rang Do, which involves the art of concealing oneself in front of others. It employs a combination of distraction, suggestion, stealth, and camouflage. To be invisible, one must utilize what is visible. By controlling the elements that can be seen, one can appear invisible. We assume things are real by making associations with past experiences. We set expectations and anticipate the results before analyzing all the facts. When one can determine the boundary between reality and illusion, he no longer exists in the real world, but only in his illusions.

Yet another aspect of Hwa Rang Do is its subdivision of am-ja into three catagories: jham-bok-sul, jham-ip-sul, and bo-bop.

Jham-bok-sul is the study of camouflage for hiding for long periods of time. It focuses on techniques of hiding by adapting and immersing the body and spirit into the environment. To hide as a rock, one learns to be a rock, study its characteristics, take on its spirit, and become totally engulfed in the reality of being a rock. One must not only be able to hide on land, but also in water, under ground, in trees, and in all different types of terrain. By knowing every situation and every environment, one achieves that balanced state where differences no longer exist and all things merge into one.

Jham-ip-sul is the study of infiltration and exfiltration techniques. In this subdivision, one has to analyze the enemy’s personality, so he can live among the enemy. Techniques in traveling swiftly, climbing, acrobatics and stealth are also taught. Intelligence – emphasis is placed on sneaking behind enemy lines to collect information and relay it back to the generals. Camouflage is also an important part of jham-ip-sul. Many aspects of shin-gong (mental power) are taught: bok-shin-sul (the power to read minds); in-sul (the development of patience); choe-myun-sul (the technique of putting a person to sleep); and sa-sang-bop (study of human types).

Bo-bop is the study of stalking, stealth and fast movement. There are many ways to walk, depending on the type of surface. The art of stealth is taught for sentry stalking and removal. Utilization of dan jun ho heup bop (the study of breathing techniques with active ki power) assists in body relaxation. There are incredible stories of sulsa warriors flying through the air like sparrows, from tree to tree,and rooftop to rooftop (much like todays free-run

ning). These training tactics and the application of over 4000 hand-to-hand combat techniques made the sulsa an awesome fighting machine. Another aspect of the sulsa’s prowess was its weapons expertise. There are 108 different weapons in the study of Hwa Rang Do, which helped make the sulsa an enemy feared by all. The spirit of the Hwarang warrior links sulsa of every generation.

One of the most famous hwarang warriors of the 20th century was Michael D. Echanis, who through his master Dr. Joo Bang Lee, brought the ancient ideals of the Hwarang combat skills into the American military system. Echanis, who was killed in Nicaragua in 1978, left his mark in the training programs he instituted for the elite forces of the American military. One of the first Americans trained in Hwa Rang Do and the first American given the title of Sulsa by our Founder, Dr. Joo Bang Lee, Echanis took the techniques practiced by the art’s early warriors and applied them to modern-day unconventional warfare by creating the first unconventional warfare tactics school in Fort Bragg, NC.

The advancement of battlefield technology has decreased the need for hand-to-hand and special weapons experts, but there still situations where the strategies and techniques of the sulsa would be most effective. As long as there are nations with opposing views, there will be battles and wars waged where the foot soldier is utilized. The method of warfare may have changed over the past 1,800 years, but man’s desire to live remains the same. Putting aside all the strategy, weapons, and military jargon, we are all human, even the invincible sulsa. The Hwarang spirit has not endured 18 centuries because its techniques are superior, but because people who cherish the art understand the value of harmony between man, nature and the universe.

The 20th Century Prisoners – Knights of Present Longing For Warrior Past (Inside Kung Fu Magazine-April 1986)

Posted on April 1, 1986April 20, 2021 by taejoonlee

By Grandmaster Taejoon Lee

Once the hwarang knights were a loyal and relentless fighting machine. The rules were simple: obey your king, follow your heart and you will gain immortality. But the standards of the 20th century have created special problems. Rather than enjoy life, they feel trapped in society. They are prisoners of their own art.

In the mist-bound woods of a far-off land , where tigers roam and rivers flow with perpetual current, a warrior quietly contemplates a battle he has dreamed about for 16 years. His armor is in place, his chin raised and firm.

He reviews step-by-step the training he has received at the Academy of Hwa Rang Do, for now as a hwarang ( flowering knight). He has earned not only the respect and admiration of his countrymen, but also the opportunity to display his loyalty and courage to his king.

This young warrior, Kwan Chang, is the son of famed General Pumil. In his training as a hwarang, he had to endure great tests of will and character. Now it has come to this.

In this brief desolate moment before battle, he must harness the dragon’s breath, sun cut through the mist and bounce off a sword which hangs from his waist to his ankle. The first commander slowly approaches, careful not to disturb the great warrior in his final moment before battle.

“The Baekche Army is approaching, sir. We must attack now or chance losing our western front,” the commander warns.

Kwan Chang nods and begins the long walk down the mountain to his horse. Once on the steed, he rips a sword from his scabbard, raises it defiantly over his head, and adresses his mighty troops.
“Let us die as we were born. A man among men, a brother among brothers, a warrior among warriors. Let heaven and the tiger’s claws and the cold wind of the north. He must face the enemy – not with fear, but with disdain. The hwarang believe the display of fearlessness in battle opens the door to immortality.

Kwan Chang rises and several rays of earth be witness to our glorious triumph.”
With Chang in the lead, the army thunders across the open plain and into the heart of the Baekche Army. But the enemy is too great in both skill and number and Chang is captured.

Since his high-ranking battle crest indicates that of a general’s son, he is taken before the Baekche general. Lifting Kwan Changs war helmet, the Baekche general is shocked at the youth of the prisoner. Thinking of his own son, the Baekche general decides against execution and sends Chang back to the Silla lines.

“Go back to your father, young one. Go back in peace,” the general says in a fatherly tone.

After returning to his father, Kwan Chang asks permission to return to the front. There is no answer; the question is moot. The young Chang takes a sip of water, mounts his horse and charges back into the fray. After a long day of fighting, Chang once again is captured. But after being disarmed, he breaks loose and kills two guards by hand. He then attacks the gerneral’s second in command. With deadly grace and speed, Chang spins 540 degrees in the air and delivers a killing heel kick into the general who sat on his horse, a full nine feet from the ground.

Finally subdued, he is taken before the Beakche general. Much distressed over the loss of his commander, the general says, “I gave you your life once because of your youth. But now you return to take the life of my best field commander. For this you will die.”

Kwan Chang closed his eyes, bent his head toward the earth and prepared for the end. “I may die,” he says to the general,”but through my death the spirit of the hwarang will live forever. Life is like a feather. Loyalty is like hard steel.”

Late that night, Chang’s head and horse returned to the Silla lines. General Pumil respectfully untied the head from the saddle and cleaned the blood which had been dripping from the severed veins.

“My son’s face is as it was when he was alive,” he said, shouting to his men and holding the head for all to see. “He died in the service of the king. There is nothing to regret.” The king rode back into battle and eventually defeated the Baekche general. This legend became the basis for a hwarang do sword form.

In the 20th century, where does the battlefield lie for the hwarang warrior? Where is the honor in dying for a country or an ideal? How does this dying breed of warrior survive in the concrete jungle where ethics and morality are forgotten concepts? There are wars and fueds among nations, but they are too politically contaminated by the needs of a few. Is there a war today that demands the human essence – his spirit, his honor, his loyalty? These warriors do not fight with M-16’s, .45-caliber pistols or submachine guns. Instead, they fight with the human spirit. They face their enemy with the extension of their soul, a sword, a bow, a knife – weapons which take skill to master. Tragically, the warrior is trapped in a society that deprives him of his dignity. People no longer respect and admire the warrior for his courage and bravery.

The warrior of this century must fight a new type of enemy – one who dresses in a three-piece suit, carries a leather briefcase, strives to expand his capital budget, and destroys his competitors with corporate takeovers. How does a warrior who only knows the blade and martial ethics of the Orient fight against this mighty foe? Are we to adopt his mode of attack and face him at the 20th floor of his corporate headquarters?

No. The hwarang wants to experience life, replete with its rewards and disappointments. Life – failing and succeeding, making mistakes, falling, erring – this is human and this is the greatest joy of a hwarang. He wants to help the seeds of mankind blossom into a beautiful flower, which is the epitome of perfection because it possesses natural beauty.

However admirable this golden concept, it is not practical in the 20th century. Martial arts teachers struggle to keep open their places of worship. They must compete both mentally and physically.

The hwarang’s ancestors never needed to pay rent for a training hall; never dealt with loan companies or the federal government; never were hit with lawsuits or had to pay liability insurance; and never paid college tuition.

Imagine a time when all people had to do was train their minds through meditation, their bodies through thousands of hours of techniques and their spirits through yogic concentration.

The mind is at the core of hwarang do training. The brain, practitioners say, is divided into four distinct quadrants. The first quadrant measures 0-90 degrees and signifies the range of human behavior. At the 90-180-degree level is a quadrant that covers the range of extraordinary human powers. The third quadrant, running from 180-270 degrees, includes the realm of supernatural powers. The final quadrant is in the category of Buddha, where the body becomes one with the universal ki (internal energy) and is transformed into pure spirit and vital force.

All humans possess the potential to enter the fourth quadrant, but how are we to get there when we can’t even concentrate our minds to exercise daily activities? How are we to overcome the stress and find enlightenment? Is the answer to ignore responsibilities to family and society and search for a hidden monastery in a remote corner of the world?

Maybe…

The conflicts and frustrations are many to a traditional warrior like the hwarang. Imagine you are a man who cannot see, hear or speak, but somehow has witnessed a great revelation. How can you tell others of this great news?

You can’t. And the hwarang feels the same frustration in his heart. Like the blind man, the hwarang is trapped by social convention. The ignorance of society blinds the eyes. Polluted noise deafens the ears. And foul language twists the tongue.

Today, the forgotten hwarang preside in hundreds of dojang (training halls) throughout the world. They are preparing for a battle that will someday set them as free as Kwan Chang was upon his death. The trials and tribulations of these warriors arise from their need to escape linear time and return to an age where knights and warlords ruled the world. They long to recapture the bliss of knowing life is being lived as it should. And that one is only confined by one’s imagination.

Kick Illustrated – January 1984

Posted on January 1, 1984April 20, 2021 by taejoonlee

His First Magazine Cover and Interview with then Young Grandmaster Taejoon Lee – at the time going by his American name Henry Lee.

At the World Headquarters of the World Hwa Rang Do® Association, the dojang reverberates with the sounds of thrown bodies striking the mat. Fresh from classes at the University of Southern California, Henry Lee, the son of Hwa Rang Do® Founder (DoJooNim) Dr. Joo Bang Lee, is putting the evening classes through its paces.

“Step right there,” he cautions a very young student. “Remember to go with me on the throw or you’ll hurt yourself.” Having given the youngster some advice on learning back falls, Lee slides forward and the young student goes spinning over to land flat on his back. “See, nothing to learning how to fall-at first,” Lee grins.

Henry Lee has been a martial artist for most of his short life. Currently attending USC, where he’s majoring in business, Lee eventually hopes to attend an Ivy League school. At the moment, his future plans include combining a study of law with a study of business. Lee also possesses what he readily admits as “a rather optimistic view of life.” And in the quiet that followed the evening class, he sat down and began to discuss not martial technique, but the meaning to martial art-and its ability to alter lives for the better-particularly, as Lee sees it, the lives of his own generation. After all, as Lee pointed out, “Hwa Rang Do is an art that is not proud of its techniques – it’s an art that’s proud of its discipline and traditionalist ways. Hwa Rang Do is not a person who brags about how hard he punches or about how many boards he breaks. No, Hwa Rang Do is a person who is proud of the way he conducts his life understanding the nature of humanity in general. And I’m sure,” Lee adds, “that that’s true about all traditional martial art schools.” To Lee Hwa Rang Do represents not a way of fighting, but a way of living a productive, disciplined life. And he sees that as the biggest boon martial art-whatever the style or tradition- has to offer his generation. It’s a view that’s been reinforced within the context of his own life. “For the younger generation especially,” he remarks, there is a need for some type of guidance – they need something they can use to lead their lives. It’s good to talk about freedom and independence, but when you’re young it’s very helpful to have someone to tell you, you must do this and that to attain your goals” – whatever those goals may be. There is a need for structure and discipline to inform you that you can attain the goals you set. “A lot of young people today are kind of reluctant to decide on what they want to do in the future…or they wander aimlessly, drifting into things because they ‘do it for today.’ They enjoy the moment. “Well, I believe that what Hwa Rang Do does is reinforce the idea that there are goals that one seeks to attain – and it teaches you how to attain that goal, how to have the courage to persevere in reaching the goal. It’s like the metaphor of life as an unpaved country road: It’s not always straight; there are detours to take; sometimes life is a rocky road filled with pain… or adversity. Even though those challenges arise and one has to confront adversity, Hwa Rang Do teaches you to overcome them, to strive and move forward.”

Lee pauses a moment, and then reflects, “I know I went through that awkward adolescent stage. But I grew out of it very quickly. For me, that change came about when I began teaching my art. I started when I was fourteen – and the experience matured me rather quickly. In a sense, it helped me abandon my childhood and become an adult.”

Lee is quick to point out in his view, “age does not matter in a person-if the person is able to look at life and put it into perspective and see and extract all the possibilities that exist. To see one facet of one object and say, “that is that and that’s all there is,” is to hold a naive or ignorant viewpoint. But to look at life from all points of view…that’s the hallmark of a wise or mature individual.” Lee observes, “the same is true about arts. Just like Hwa Rang Do: Take it and examine it from one angle and you have one picture. Take Hwa Rang Do and turn it, so to speak, and you’ll find a new picture – a new side. It’s like a cube – or a gem – turn it in your hands and with every turn you’ll find a new facet. “I relate that as being true of life,” Lee says. “Look at it from all the angles – not just your own. And I think that’s what helped me grow out of my awkward stage.”

The key to Hwa Rang Do’s ability to alter one’s life for the better is a key shared by all martial art – a view Lee endorses. “Hwa Rang Do also teaches one to discipline oneself, to put one’s life in order, and not to allow trite things to defeat oneself or to lure one into self-deceit. And of course, it bestows confidence and self assurance that one can struggle and work hard and attain a personal goal.” Hwa Rang Do’s philosophical core is embodied in a code of ethics, Lee points out. “We have five principles in our ethical code: loyalty to one’s country; loyalty to one’s parents and teachers; trust and brotherhood among friends; courage – never to retreat in the face of the enemy; and justice – never to take a life without a cause.” “When you examine these ethics closely,” Lee adds, “you see that they provide one with a definite structure – a way to live life. And it’s important to remember that the ethics go beyond a literal meaning. Take the forth ethic. “Courage – never to retreat in the face of the enemy.” You can say it pertains to fighting, but it pertains to homework, or ones job, or ones way of conducting any relationship – personal or professional. That ethic is describing the will persevere, to overcome the difficulties confronting you and not to retreat into self-defeat.” Lee also credits the very atmosphere of a martial arts school as being a primary cause in restructuring one’s life and attitudes. “The atmosphere in our class is warm and friendly – but discipline and respect are there at the same time. I’m sure that’s true about most studios.” As he points out: “I think as you age, life can teach you that you need to be stern and hard and not trusting of other people. But when you enter the studio, all those outside influences are gone. You do trust the individual next to you – even though you may have not trusted him outside. When you first meet a person, you don’t automatically extend your trust or your care. But when you enter the studio and meet a person, those qualities come out very quickly. Because in the studio you know you’re not going to try to hurt one another – you’re there to learn, and learn together.” Lee returned to his point on the benefits of martial art for the younger generation. “The present generation was once young – they have tasted adversity, they have struggled and attained success – failure in some cases. To build a better future, it is necessary to raise and nurture the young generation – to teach it that it can succeed in the future. I think Hwa Rang Do, and martial arts in general, teaches youths how to channel their energy into attaining a better future.”

Lee reminisces for a moment. “I had a student who was in my class – he was an ‘F’ student in school. But after studying for a few month’s, you could see his whole attitude changing. He was no longer satisfied with failure. And now he’s going to college – to Cal Tech. I had another student who was being held back a grade. Studying Hwa Rang Do changed his attitude too – and he’s not being held back anymore. “Those are the satisfying moments – that’s what makes me proud as a teacher and a practitioner of my art.” Lee’s conversation raises an interesting point – one that’s been mentioned by other practitioners in the past – how becoming an instructor leads to improvement and change in one’s own art. “Most definitely,” Lee nods. “You certainly do grow. I look back and see an evolution from year to year. “You know, it’s often – stated bit of philosophy that the only thing in the universe that is permanent is change. I look back over four years, and I wonder if I should have done things a little differently. But I try to be always open-minded about change. I’m sure in 10 or 20 years, certain ideas of mine will have changed – but I think the fundamental ideas will remain the same. And that’s Hwa Rang Do.”

Lee repeats his earlier point: “Hwa Rang Do is understanding natural laws and living with a deep understanding and appreciation of humanity. That is more important than any technique – and we have over 4,000. And that’s the point that gets across to students, whether young or old – it’s the one aspect they perceive quickly.” But what about the young student who walks in, his mind filled with pictures of his physical ability and fighting? Not everyone responds to the philosophy and ethics of martial art – or to discipline and respect. Lee acknowledges the point with a laugh. It’s a situation that he not unfamiliar with. “At that point, anything you tell the student about mental and spiritual aspects of martial art will pass right over his head. He doesn’t want to listen to that. But after he’s in the class for about three weeks, he’ll start to notice the difference in his attitude and the attitude of the other student. He will change himself automatically. You don’t need to lecture.” The same thing is true of resect. It’s hard to say to a new student: “You respect me” – and have that student respect you. So I let that point pass. As they watch me in class – and the other students senior to them – and see what we can do – respect comes then. It’s must be a natural process.”

Attitude, Technique, and Multiple Assailants Lee’s evening class had concluded with a demonstration of techniques against multiple attackers. The conversation then turned to technical aspects – most directly to confronting multiple attackers.

Lee’s answer harked back to points of his earlier conversation. “It’s a question of attitude and awareness and self-confidence – not technique. After all, by the time you even begin to spar for developing a sense of distance and timing, you already have your fundamental techniques. “Confronting multiple attackers,” Lee observes, “is a question of strategy. There’s an underlying principle – eight directions of attack. Those are the only points of attack – or evasion. Once you learn that basic principle, it’s all a question of strategic ability.”

“There is no set technique or techniques. Take, for example, a situation where you’re confronting four people. The possible combinations to use are endless. And there is attitude – every person is different. You may move against this opponent first because you sense he’s weak – or move against another because you can feel he’s the strongest threat. You must begin by understanding the basic principle of angles of attack.” Lee continued on “Positioning yourself is the greatest factor – not the technique per se – you already are aware of technique. It’s the strategy in applying them that counts. In a multiple opponent situation, if you position yourself in a certain way – you could conceivably end up confronting two or more opponents all at once. That’s situation to be avoided, and that’s why in fighting multiple opponents it’s a question of strategy and positioning. “It’s a difficult situation to explain. There are many variables to any fighting situation. But fundamentally, it all comes down to having a sense of strategy, of positioning the body for maximum effectiveness, and being familiar with fighting ranges and how they relate to technique – legs at long range, for example, punches at medium range, and joint locks and throws at short range. But there are always so many variables.

Lee touches on the other traditional value of martial art aside from discipline and mutual respect – developing a “sixth sense” of awareness, “Lee emphasizes. “It’s a sense of feeling. When you practice an art for years – an art that teaches you how to protect yourself, how to develop combative techniques – how to injure or cripple someone – if you make that a way of life, the “sixth sense” just develops naturally at one stage. And that type of sense is invaluable when confronting multiple attackers. You’re aware of everything – not just one or two opponents. You begin to naturally and subconsciously position yourself – and you react naturally. You don’t think. And it’s a sense that comes from hard work, dedication and perseverance. It relates to what we talked about earlier – attitude, and perseverance – courage in a word. Knowing there are goals you want to attain – and dedicating yourself to attaining the goal, you discover along the way that the goal is not only in reach, but you now have self-confidence and self-awareness. You don’t brag or insist proving strength – you live your life according to the ethics you’ve learned – and you live with quiet pride in yourself.”

Official Site of Grandmaster Taejoon Lee

Tag: hwa rang do

Black Belt Magazine – July 2001

The Invincible Sulsa Warriors (Black Belt Magazine – June 1986)

The 20th Century Prisoners – Knights of Present Longing For Warrior Past (Inside Kung Fu Magazine-April 1986)

Kick Illustrated – January 1984