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
- 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.
- Execute a middle punch to B with the right fist while maintaining a left walking
stance toward B.
- 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.
- Execute a middle punch to A with the left fist while maintaining a right walking
stance toward A.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Execute a middle punch to E with the right fist while maintaining a left walking
stance toward E.
- 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.
- Execute a middle punch to F with the left fist while maintaining a right walking
stance toward F.
- 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.
- Execute a middle front snap kick to CE with the right foot, keeping the position
of the hands as they were in 13.
- Lower the right foot to CE forming a right walking stance toward CE while executing
a middle punch to CE with the right fist.
- 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.
- 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.
- Execute a middle front snap kick to CF with the left foot, keeping the position
of the hands as they were in 17.
- Lower the left foot to CF forming a left walking stance toward CF while executing
a middle punch to CF with the left fist.
- 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.
- 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.
- Move the right foot to C forming a right walking stance toward C while executing
a rising block with the right forearm.
Ki-Hap
- 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.
- 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.