Tang Soo Do Chung Do Kwan describes the creation, history and evolution of the first Korean Kwan to teach martial arts called Tang Soo Do in late 1944 by the Ching Do Kwan founder Grandmaster, Won Kuk Lee who was the first Korean martial arts Master to use the name Tang Soo Do to describe the Japanese style of Korean Karate he taught. It was also Korea's first Post World War II martial art that would get Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee arrested, imprisoned and put on trial as a Japanese sympathizer because he was allowed to teach Tang Soo Do with the Japanese still in control of Korea and later, his Tang Soo Do was so successful it became a threat to the new Korean independent government that his reputation was tarnished. The author describes Chung Do Kwan's travels through the new post World War II Korean government's work to close the Chung Do Kwan Tang Soo Do and the government forces that wanted Chung Do Kwan tang Soo Do to be changed to Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do. The author includes Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee's relationship with the Japanese occupying forces in Korea that allowed him to teach Tang Soo Do just before the Japanese were forced to leave Korea by the U.S. Military and the U.S. military General that invited Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee to immigrate to the United States and avoid his enemies in the new, young independent Korean government that was destroying many Korean martial arts founders they could call a Japanese sympathizer from an earlier time. The author describes the entire evolution of the Chung Do Kwan Tang Soo Do as the first Kwan to teach Tang Soo Do and, as a political entity for the Korean government, Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee's many contribution to the development of Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do and Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee's dedication to Taekwondo's journey to the 1988 Olympics. This book is for the experienced and serious Korean martial arts enthusiast.
About the Author: Len has trained in martial arts since he joined his first Tae Kwon Do class after graduating from college the first time and then began publishing magazine articles around 1990. Len believes that the value in his writing is his unique interpretation of the many classical oral traditions based on his scientific, psychological and philosophical background. Len began teaching martial arts after earning a Cho Dan Black Belt in Moo Duk Kwan Tae Kwon Do and Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do almost simultaneously. One of Len's Grandmasters in Tang Soo Do was Grandmaster Mariano Estioko, the second American to earn a Black Belt in Tang Soo Do while in Korea another of Lens Master Instructor was Master Francis Meyer who was taught by Grandmaster Mariano Estioko. Len earned 5th Dan Black Belts in Moo Duk Kwan Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do almost simultaneously and then Len earned a 3rd Dan Black Belt in International Soo Bahk. In 1984, Len began writing and publishing martial arts related articles, editorials and books on Korean martial arts, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Eastern thought and meditation for martial arts magazines such as the World of Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do Times, Black Belt and Mudo Dojang and others. Len's martial arts related articles often illustrated the lost history of Korean martial arts and so Len's articles and books have been translated and republished in countries around the world. Len's martial arts articles or excerpts from them appear on many martial arts related web sites from schools teaching Korean martial arts and national and international martial arts organization's web sites for the same reason. Len has published more than 40 books on Korean martial arts. Len's books are not how-to punch and kick but are about the more academic aspects of the traditional styles of Tang Soo Do, Soo Bahk and Tae Kwon Do and Kong Soo Do Korean martial arts and the many Kwans and the Kwan founders that made Korean martial arts popular after the Korean war and how Tang Soo Do was transformed into Taekwondo as an Olympic sport. Len currently has more than 25 years of martial arts experience as a student and Instructor, training and teaching in three different styles. Len has also studied Shotokan Karate and the Chinese Wing Chun fighting style extensively. Academically, Len has earned undergraduate degrees in Physics and Mathematics simultaneously, and a graduate degree and a Ph.D in Electrical Engineering and a graduate degree in Education.