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Do-San

Do-San is a pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-ho. The 24 movements represent his entire life, which he devoted to furthering education in Korea and the Korean independence movement.

Download Instructions in PDF format

Ready Position - Parallel Ready Stance, facing North Diagram for Do-San

  1. Move the left foot to B, forming a left walking stance toward B while executing a high side block to B with the left outer forearm.
  2. Execute a middle punch to B with the right fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward B.
  3. Move the left foot on line AB, and then turn clockwise to form a right walking stance toward A while executing a high side block to A with the right outer forearm.
  4. Execute a middle punch to A with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward A.
  5. Move the left foot to D, forming a right L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with a knife-hand.
  6. Move the right foot to D forming a right walking stance toward D while executing a middle thrust to D with the right straight fingertip.
    Ki-Hap
  7. Twist the right knife-hand together with the body counter clockwise until its palm faces downward and then move the left foot to D, turning counter clockwise to form a left walking stance toward D while executing a high side strike to D with the left back fist.
  8. Move the right foot to D forming a right walking stance toward D while executing a high side strike to D with the right back fist.
  9. Move the left foot to E, turning counter clockwise to form a left walking stance toward E while executing a high side block to E with the left outer forearm.
  10. Execute a middle punch to E with the right fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward E.
  11. Move the left foot on line EF, and then turn clockwise to form a right walking stance toward F while executing a high side block to F with the right outer forearm.
  12. Execute a middle punch to F with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward F.
  13. Move the left foot to CE forming a left walking stance toward CE, at the same time executing a high wedging block to CE with the outer forearm.
  14. Execute a middle front snap kick to CE with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 13.
  15. Lower the right foot to CE forming a right walking stance toward CE while executing a middle punch to CE with the right fist.
  16. Execute a middle punch to CE with the left fist while maintaining a right walking stance toward CE. Perform 15 and 16 in a fast motion.
  17. Move the right foot to CF forming a right walking stance toward CF while executing a high wedging block to CF with the outer forearm.
  18. Execute a middle front snap kick to CF with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 17.
  19. Lower the left foot to CF forming a left walking stance toward CF while executing a middle punch to CF with the left fist.
  20. Execute a middle punch to CF with the right fist while maintaining a left walking stance toward CF. Perform 19 and 20 in a fast motion.
  21. Move the left foot to C forming a left walking stance toward C, at the same time executing a rising block with the left forearm.
  22. Move the right foot to C forming a right walking stance toward C while executing a rising block with the right forearm.
    Ki-Hap
  23. Move the left foot to B, turning counter clockwise to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a middle side strike to B with the left knife-hand.
  24. Bring the left foot to the right foot and then move the right foot to A forming a sitting stance toward D while executing a middle side strike to A with the right knife-hand.

END: Bring the right foot back to a ready posture.

Other Reources

Do-San Tul performed by Jaroslaw Suska (5th Degree)

Official ITF video for Do-San Tul

Dan-Gun Tul performed by Grandmaster S.J. Kim

The History Behind "Do-San"

Ahn Chang-Ho was committed to preserving Korea’s educational system during the Japanese occupation. He was well known for his sincerity and lack of pretence in dealing with others. He was a farmer’s son. He abandoned traditional learning in his home town, Pyongyang, and studied for two years at a missionary school operated by the Salvation Army. He became a Christian and felt he couldn’t hate the Japanese as men. He decided to seek a source of national strength and cultivate it to regain national independence and prosperity.In 1894, at the age of 18, Ahn became a member of the Tongnip Hyophoe "Independence Association," which promoted independence from Japan and worked to reform domestic affairs and reduce dependence upon foreign countries. But the group’s activities were interrupted by the conservative ruling class, so, Chai-pil, leader of the group, went into exile in the United States. This strengthened Ahn’s belief that Koreans themselves were to blame their failures and thus victory must come from within. He returned to his home town and established the Chomjin School, which was the first private modern school established in Korea.

Among the first Koreans to emigrate to United States in 1902 were Ahn Chang-Ho and Rhee Syngman, who was later to become the first president of the Republic of Korea. Once in the United States, Ahn established groups within the Korean community in support of the independence of the Korean people. In 1903, Ahn organized a fraternity that became the Kungminhoe (Korean National Association), which inspired Korean immigrants toward a movement for national independence. The group published a newspaper called "Kongnip Shinmun."

Upon learning of the Japanese protectorate treaty enforced on Korea in 1906 following the Russo-Japanese war, Ahn returned home in 1907. He organized an underground independence group in Pyong–An Province called Shinmin-Hoe (New Peoples’ Association). The Shinmin-Hoe was associated with Protestant organizations and was dedicated to promoting the recovery of Korean independence through the cultivation and emergence of nationalism in education, business, and culture.

In 1908 the Shinmin-Hoe established the Tae-Song (large achievement) School in Pyongyang to provide Korean youth with an education based on national spirit. He ran a ceramic kiln to raise funds for the publications of books for young people. However, the political environment of the time was not conducive to the founding of such a school; the Japanese were in the process of actively banning education for Koreans. By denying the Korean children proper schooling, the Japanese wanted to ensure their illiteracy, thus essentially creating a class of slave workers.

Together with Yi Kap, Yang Ki-tak, and Shin Chae-Ho, he embarked on a lecture tour throughout the nation, warning of a national crisis incurred by the Japanese and urged the public to unite to resist the Japanese. Ahn repeatedly told Japanese leaders that Japan would profit much by keeping Korea as a friend rather than annexing Koreans and inviting their resentment.

By 1910 the Shinmin-Hoe had around 300 members and represented a threat to the Japanese occupation. The Japanese were actively crushing these types of organizations, and the Shinmin-Hoe quickly became a target of their efforts. In December of 1910 the Japanese governor general, Terauchi, was scheduled to attend the dedicating ceremony for the new railway bridge over the Amnok River. The Japanese used this situation to pretend to uncover a plot to assassinate Terauchi on the way to this ceremony. All of the Shinmin-Hoe leaders and 600 innocent Christians were arrested. Under severe torture, which led to the deaths of many, 105 Koreans were indicted and brought to trial. During the trial, the defendants were adamant about their innocence. The world community felt that the alleged plot was such an obvious fabrication that political pressure grew, and most of the defendants had to be set free. By 1913, only six of the original defendants had received prison sentences.

By this time, the Japanese had become fairly successful at detecting and destroying underground resistance groups. However, they were not successful in quelling the desire for freedom and self-government among the Korean people. The resistance groups moved further underground and guerrilla raids from the independence groups in Manchuria and Siberia increased.

The Japanese stepped up their assault on the Korean school system and other nationalistic movements. After the passage of an Education Act in 1911 the Japanese began to close all Korean schools. In 1913, the Tae- Song School was forced to close, and, by 1914, virtually all Korean schools had been shut down. This all but completed the Japanese campaign of cultural genocide. Chances of any part of the Korean culture surviving rested in the hands of the few dedicated patriots working in exile outside of Korea.

When Japanese governor-general Hirobumi Itoho was assassinated by Ahn Choong-gun (1879 – 1910), an independence fighter, Japan tightened its grip on Korean leaders. Finally Ahn exiled himself to Manchuria, then traveled to Siberia, Russia, Europe, and finally to the United States, along with Rhee Syngman. Rhee organized the Tongjihoe (Comrade Society) in Honolulu. In 1912, Ahn was elected chairman of the Korean National People’s Association, which emerged as the supreme organization for Koreans abroad and played an active role in negotiations with the U.S. government. During this time, he established Hungsadan, a secret voluntary group of ardent patriots.

Through these and other organizations an attempt was made to pressure President Woodrow Wilson into speaking in behalf of Korean autonomy at the Paris peace talks. Finally, in 1918, a representative of the Korean exiles was sent to these peace talks.

In 1919, when the Yi Dynasty was forcefully absorbed into the Japanese Empire, Ahn started underground activities that focused on regaining Korean independence. He returned to Shanghai in April 1919 along with Rhee Syngman and Kim Ku, where and became acting premier of a provisional government. They drew up a Democratic Constitution that provided for a freely elected president and legislature. This document also established the freedom of the press, speech, religion, and assembly. An independent judiciary was established and the previous class system of nobility was abolished. After trying in vain to narrow the differences of opinion between the leaders in Shanghai, he resigned from the post after two years.

Finally, on March 1, 1919, the provisional government declared its independence from Japan and called for general resistance from the Korean population. During the resistance demonstrations the Japanese police opened fire on the unarmed Korean crowds, killing thousands. Many thousand more were arrested and tortured.

Even after the Korean Declaration of Independence, Ahn Chang-Ho continued his efforts in the United States on behalf of his homeland. Ahn wanted to establish an ideal village for wandering Korean refugees in Manchuria and visited them in the 1920s. In 1922, he headed a historical commission to compile all materials related to Korea, especially the facts concerning the Japanese occupation.

After a bombing incident launched by Yun Pong-gil, he was arrested by the Japanese, though he was not involved in the incident. His 23-year-long fight for national independence abroad ended with his imprisonment in Taejon in 1932. After a brief release from the prison, he was arrested again by the Japanese police. With failing health, he left the prison on bail only to die in a Seoul hospital on 10 March 1938.



      ""Once you stop trying to become better, you quit being good"" - Unknown

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