Kwan Heon - A closer look at Kwan creeds of early Taekwondo part 7.2: Ji Do Kwan

 

This time I revisit the Ji Do Kwan because I want to make this blog series the most accurate and comprehensive series available for free in English on the old Kwan philosophies and creeds. I am sure someone else has made something better, but I can not find it, and if I would want to read something and it does not exist I feel I should do my best to make it. Most of this blog has come about this way, I want someone to write about something, I can not find much and so I do research and try my best to share what I find here :-) Anyway, in this post I will:

- Look at the Ji Do Kwan Members pledge

- Look at the Ji Do Kwan Crest

- Finish my theory and speculation on what Yeon Mu Kwan philosophy MIGHT have been and why I think so. 

So without further adu lets start :-)

I am not sure if you would like to read the whole series, but I would at least read the previous installment, (click here) take a good long break, and only then read this one, if you just want Ji Do Kwan philosophy. If you are new here and want to read the whole series you can click on the following links to go to anywhere you would like in the series: Chung Do Kwan part 1, Chung Do Kwan part 2, Song Mu Kwan, Kang Duk Won, Chang Mu Kwan, Mu Duk Kwan, Ji Do Kwan (part 1). 

Ji Do Kwan Members Pledge

The above picture shows something called “PLEDGE OF THE MEMBER”. The document it comes from appears to be a Dan certificate, which means we can date it exactly to the 19th of January 1971. This would put it within what I call the Kwan-Era, roughly from 1944 to ca. 1973ish.

The formal consolidation and standardization of the Kwans happened a little later, but by 1973 the Korean Taekwondo Association was strong and had been running for years, the ITF had been founded (1966), and both the WTF (later WT) and Kukkiwon had been established. So in 1971 the Dan certificate was not a Kukkiwon Dan certificate, but was most likely issued and registered by the Ji Do Kwan itself.

To me this makes it a valuable historical document that contains valuable historical information. I have cropped the original photo so the owner of the certificate can choose whether to showcase it in its entirety on his own personal sites. For this discussion I wanted to pinpoint that the following material rests within the Kwan-Era and therefore offers a primary example of Kwan-era institutional thinking.

Original English text transcribed from the original document (1971): 

PLEDGE OF THE MEMBER

1. I will observe the rule, and absolutely obey
   the order of Ji Do Kwan.

2. I will attain Physical and mental discipline
   in the spirit of Ji Do Kwan.

3. I will devote myself to the creation of new
   tradition and achievement of Ji Do Kwan.

Unfortunately the picture quality of the original document was so grainy and poor that I just do not dare to transcribe the original language text and analyze it, so we will have to make due with what we do have which is the English version. 

Read in isolation, the promise to “absolutely obey” the orders of the Kwan can sound authoritarian. Within the broader Ji Do Kwan ethical framework, however, it was probably understood as loyalty to the institution, its rules, and its legitimate leadership. Even so, the pledge itself only states the member’s obligation. It does not describe corresponding obligations placed upon the leadership.

The second line presents training as more than physical development. Members are expected to cultivate both body and mind in accordance with the “spirit of Ji Do Kwan.” This can reasonably be understood as training according to the ethical and philosophical ideals of the Kwan, although the short English wording does not tell us precisely how that spirit was taught or interpreted.

The final line is perhaps the most intriguing. Members pledge themselves to the “creation of new tradition” and the achievements of Ji Do Kwan. This suggests that they were not expected merely to receive an inherited tradition passively, but to contribute to the Kwan’s future legacy and success.

Exactly what “new tradition” meant is less certain. It could include technical development, but it might equally refer to establishing institutional customs, strengthening the Kwan, producing future achievements, and building a tradition that could be passed to later generations.

Personally, this wording resonates with my own view that a tradition must remain alive rather than becoming concerned only with preserving a single historical moment. That, however, is my interpretation and not something the brief English pledge states explicitly.

Overall, I read the three layers as: respect the rules and authority of the Kwan, cultivate both body and mind according to its spirit, and contribute to its future tradition and accomplishments. It moves from institutional discipline, through individual cultivation, to service toward the continuing development of Ji Do Kwan. I find that to be a coherent and meaningful pledge.

Analysis of the Ji Do Kwan Crest based on oral explanation

Much of the information covered here comes from oral instruction with masters from a Ji Do Kwan lineage, but I see that this kind of thinking about the crest has been widespread, and that there is actually a few English websites and articles tackling this, and they have learned what I learned. Here I will tweak it a little in light of what I have learned through this project, plus correspondence with Master Jon Lennart.

The Ji Do Kwan Crest can be seen below:

If you have seen different ones that is not strange, Ji Do Kwan spread far and wide, giving more than a few variations, but the core of the Crest always remained the same: 8 Lotus petals surrounding a figure that to the uninitiated could look like a red snowman the top cirle a little smaller than the one below, but they together form one shape. Some have a fist in the middle of that figure, others do not. The modern World Ji Do Kwan logo looks similar but with longtitudes and longtitude lines going through the circle making it look more international hence "WORLD" Ji Do Kwan :-) 

Now the 8 flower petals that surrounds this figure as it was explained to me is representing the 8 fold path that the Ji Do Kwan teaches in their philosophy. Like I previously said there seems to be some variations on what the individual principles or precepts might actually be, but they are always 8. Since I have gone through them all already, I just mention this here.

The inner part however tells another story. The figure I described as a red snowman is actually called 오뚜기 or "ottogi". In Asia this is often made as a figure where the weight is located at the very bottom and the top is very light. So no matter how hard you push it and no matter which direction you push it, it always corrects itself and stands up again. This symbol is often seen as a symbol of Boddhidarma, and also as a symbol of not giving up. There is a famous saying: 칠전팔기- Chil Cheon Pal Gi - Fall down seven times, get up 8. Morally it also serves the function of self correction, and this self correction theme can comfortably be stretched into the Dojang too with the student self correcting his mistakes, weakness(es) or other shortcomings. This is natural associations looking at the symbol centered in the Ji Do Kwan Crest. 

Looking at the Ji Do Kwan 8 fold path that I ended up preferring (back of the membership card) they seemed to adopt the 8 fold path from Buddhism, but adopt it and change it so that the Ji Do Kwan 8 fold path became a map of how a good Dojang would function, how to be the best teacher, how to be the best student or indeed how to grow and be the best person. Keeping that in mind I am inclined to think that the 오뚜기  ("ottogi") also serves a similar role in the Ji Do Kwan Crest and that the Buddhist association is simply an association, while the "never give up", and s"elf correcting themes" are the ones being stressed. 

(Image Source)

What was the Yeon Mu Kwan philosophy and why do I think so?

In Part 6 (Han Mu Kwan) I wrote near the end: "Given the close structure between the Han Mu Kwan Creed and the Ji Do Kwan Creed I think it is not unreasonable to trace this part of the Kwan philosophy back to the Yeon Mu Kwan, and therefore perhaps Chun Sang Sup as the originator of the Creed. I will say that this is merely my speculation based upon what we have. The thing is that since Chun Sang Sup disappeared in the Korean war we can not ask him, and so we have to look at what we have and analyze it as best we can on its own merit. 

I will explain my reasoning for my Yeon Mu Kwan origin speculations in more depth in the next post which perhaps naturally will be on the Ji Do Kwan."

So this is me picking up where we left off. I wanted to make sure we had a decent look at the Ji Do Kwan Creed and the possible interpretations including my original teachers words on the topic. We did all that in Part 7.1 but that post became so long that I started feeling sorry for those who might try to read the whole thing so I divided up the post in half and here we are :-) 

So quick recap; 

Han Mu Kwan Creed: 

Practice diligence for oneself.

Devote oneself for the Kwan.

Serve society.

Be loyal to the nation.

Ji Do Kwan Creed:

For myself

For the Kwan

For the nation

Speculation Alert, the following is speculation, so just to be clear it is speculation and not facts: And a quick detour to my other interest which is exploring Norse Religion and Saga Literature. I am a nerd and I know it. I am literally the 10 year old who borrowed "Snorri Sturlason King Sagas" when my family were going on a car trip holiday. Anyway, most importantly for this post is that in the Saga literature we often have oral stories that has been passed down, altered along the way and when they were written down and compiled over and over again during the 1200s-1400s we sometimes get conflicting or different stories claiming to be the original one, both claiming to be from an older document or collection which is now lost to us. 

In a way I see Yeon Mu Kwan in this light, we know there is an older source (Yeon Mu Kwan) but we do now know what kind of Creed or philosophy they taught. We have however two newer schools both being the off shoots or descendants of the original; Han Mu Kwan and Ji Do Kwan.

What they do when they are doing manuscript studies to filter out what was likely the original story is that they take the newer variations versions descending from the original, compare the two (or more) and look for what they have in common. Then they use the commonalities to try and reconstruct what the "original version" (as far as an old oral story being passed down can be said to have an "original version") might have been. 

So can we do the same here? I think it is a worthwhile thought experiment at least, and after reading the Han Mu Kwan and Ji Do Kwan Creed you will see that they have an extremely close structure and commonality in themes. 

It is impossible to determine if either the Ji Do Kwan or Han Mu Kwan might be the "original" Yeon Mu Kwan Creed, but I feel that whatever the original Yeon Mu Kwan Creed might have been like it likely had:

- Something or nothing expressed one the "Self-level"

- Something or nothing expressed one the "Kwan-level"

- Something or nothing expressed one the "Nation-level"

When I say something or nothing I mean that either a sentence like in Han Mu Kwan (Practice diligence for oneself) or more spartan and open to interpretation like the Ji Do Kwan (For myself). My personal view is that when faced with two different options like this the shortest and easiest one is likely the one easiest to transmit over time, so when asked what the original Yeon Mu Kwan Creed was, I am inclined to think it is the Ji Do Kwan version. It has the fewest words, it has the fewest steps (3 vs 4) and it has the most in common with the other variation we have preserved. Does this mean that I think the Han Mu Kwan one is somehow lesser? No not at all, and I would never dared to speculate at all on the Yeon Mu Kwan Creed without having access to the Han Mu Kwan Creed because we would not have any datapoints to compare too. What possibly sets both Han Mu Kwan and Ji Do Kwan apart from the Yeon Mu Kwan is that it is likely they both adopted and added to the original. If I am correct in my speculations Han Mu Kwan added the "Society-level", plus it added concrete things on each level, while the Ji Do Kwan might have preserved the Creed as is they likely adopted more into their philosophy, those things being what they do not have in common with the Han Mu Kwan (the 8 folded path, the Ji Do Kwan Pledge, the inherent symbolism in their Crest). 

Looking at this one might also speculate on another mystery in the history of Taekwondo; Many sources claim that Han Mu Kwan was established because of disagreement(s) between Lee Kyo Yun (founder of Han Mu Kwan) and Lee Chong Woo (2nd Kwanjang of the Ji Do Kwan, but 2nd in command from the start of Ji Do Kwan). However, none of the sources go into what the disagreement(s) were. It is tempting to think that it was about or at least partly about the philosophy of the original school (Yeon Mu Kwan) being altered and added to by the leaders of Ji Do Kwan, and Lee Kyo Yun might have felt that his purpose was to preserve it like he was taught while the Ji Do Kwan kept developing their own philosophy which kept the creed but added a lot to it. Who knows? But it is interesting to speculate on.

Kwan "Heon" or Kwan "Hun"?

I have been going a little back and forth behind the scenes as to use the term Kwan "Heon" or Kwan "Hun". The reason I have stuck with Kwan "Heon" is for the most part old habit, and old habits die very hard. I quoted my original teachers book in one of the posts, and in that book he writes and present it as Kwan "Heon". He did not provide any Hanja or Hangul though. In the 2015 document that I have used a lot in this series for history and for making sure each Kwan had their Creed written about they consistently write Kwan "Hun". So could you use both? 

The meaning and difference between "Heon" and "Hun"

Kwan is something we should be intimately familiar with by now, but quick easy recap for this discussion let us translate it simply as "School". That leaves both Heon and Hun. Since both words are translated into English as "oath" "creed" etc with little distinct differences between the two I think we can gain some insight looking at the Hanja for both terms.  Let us start with Hun:

Hun (훈) has a Hanja character which is: 訓. The meanings associated with this character is: "instruction", "admonition", "moral teaching", "to train/ to instruct". Typical usage of the character:

• 교훈 (敎訓)  moral lesson

• 가훈 (家訓)  family precepts

• 훈시 (訓示)  formal admonition

• 관훈 (館訓)  Kwan instruction/ Kwan precepts (I left Kwan as is)

So does this fit with what we have been discussing in this series? Yes it does, and it is being used by several Korean language sources too. If you look at the conceptual direction of the term though it is very much "something from the school -> to you", and this is an example of didactic language. With that I mean that with Hun (훈/ 訓) the school is telling you the student to do something. The school is teaching you from a position of authority and you have to obey. 

Heon (헌) also has a Hanja and that is 獻. The meanings associated with this character is: "to offer", "to dedicate", "to present solemny", "to consecrate". Typical usage of the character:

• 헌신 (獻身)  devotion (offering one’s body/self)

• 봉헌 (奉獻)  dedication/ offering

• 헌납 (獻納)  to donate/ offer formally

• 관헌 (館獻)  dedication to the Kwan (conceptually)

So does this fit with what we have been discussing in this series? Yes it does :-P And in some Korean language sources this one is used. The thing is though that if you take a look at the meanings associated and the examples of using this character you might note that while it still might translate as creed, law, oath etc just like Hun would, the flow or direction is the opposite. It is very much "The self" -> to "The School". If Hun (훈) is an example of didactic language, Heon (헌) seems to be the opposite (volitional/ vow-based language).

Now if we take a look at the Kwan creeds themselves they usually speak of "I will" or "we will" so based on that, I actually prefer the "Heon" usage over the "Hun" usage.