Philosophy of Han
본문
Philosophy of Han
From the beginning we called this the “Han Ideology” came from Han Bae Geum, the founder of the first Korean nation. He was a renowned leader. The main ideology of “Han” is Hong Ik In Gan- meaning to help other people. Ee Hwa Seh Gye means to make a better world. Ja Ah Wan Seong meaning Cultivate yourself for leadership (self-cultivation). Choi Chi Won, who lead Korea at the end of the Silla kingdom, said, “Han ideology accepted the foreign ideology/religion, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism. He assimilated them into the new Korean Han Ideology.
Han philosophy has four distinctive characteristics: High position in society, Whole or Open-mind, Optimism, or brightness, Intellectual (balance between Pen and Sword).
1.High position or high goals- Common people consider parents, teachers, and leaders as people who have reach a level of high respect and responsibility. Parents give their time and strength to raise their families. Teachers educate the population and make human society different from that of animal life. Leaders guide us and ensure that we can have a peaceful life. While the younger generation respect these three roles of leadership, they have to learn to cultivate their skills to become good leaders. In order to cultivate themselves and become good leaders, they must first learn to set high goals. Working toward these high goals, once accomplished, they set new higher goals. In Han Mu Do training we learn goal setting habits.
When students first join a class, they wear the white belt. Their goal is to earn the yellow belt. Their next goal is green belt. After twelve different levels of different goals, they can finally achieve the Black Belt level. Through this systematic approach to goal setting students learn confidence and discipline. And they learn how to overcome obstacles and reach their goals. In this way, they become leaders for the next generation.
2.Whole or open-mind- The human race must live together. When your train in Han Mu Do, you and your opponent must share the benefits. While one of the partners is learning blocking techniques, the other is learning punching techniques, and vice-versa. This mutual benefit philosophy can later be applied to one’s interactions in general society. Your work for your personal benefit must be matched by a result of community benefit. In a capitalistic society, we need healthy competition. But we also have to learn “unity and harmony.” For example, an airline pilot has to navigate the airplane safely to its destination. Not only for his own safety, but also for that of the passengers, as well. My creation of Han Mu Do not only gives me a benefit, but also gave benefits to many Han Mu Do practitioners. Besides Han Mu Do, I also associate with many Taekwondo grand masters, Hapkido grand masters, and Judo grand masters. I learned many philosophies from these grand masters, and it made my mind more “open” than ever before. This open mind has guided Han Mu Do in a better direction.
3.Optimism-Brightness- Korean people see the future as an optimistic opportunity, despite the many hardships that it may hold. Throughout its 5000-year history, Korean has been invaded more than 900 times, by neighboring countries and pirates. The country was devastated as young men were killed in the battlefields. But, like the great monk Sa Myung said to the king at the end of the Japan/Korea War in 1598, “We will have a new generation, then the country will be full of people, again.” This type of optimistic mind, in view of the hardships, will move from one war to another war. There have been many wars of conquest that have assimilated various races together. But there are only three countries in Far East Asia that have maintained their racial/ethnic identity to this day: China, Korea, and Japan. All others have been assimilated into other cultures. This optimistic philosophy is maintained in Han Mu Do training. For instance, when competing in a tournament, you may lose a match, but you do not feel the failure, but rather consider this loss as part of your training for the next successful match. With this type of optimistic mentality, you can see the world in a more positive light.
4.Intellectual (Balance between Pen and Sword)- During the Silla Kingdom, young people learned martial arts, as well as classical studies so they could become Hwa Rang warriors. When they became government officials and were dispatched to the local provinces, they served as civil officials engaged in civil, legislative, and judicial responsibilities. However, when the war broke out, they became soldiers and fought against their common enemies. They never neglected their martial art training or their classical studies. Han Mu Do Black Belt are called “Sunbi,” meaning “Intellectual Warrior.” They carry out their duties in the same Hwa Rang tradition. In Han Mu Do schools, in order to carry out the Sunbi tradition, aside from their regular physical training, they also include physical and classical training. In this way, the Penmanship and Swordsmanship become balanced.