Kwan Um Do Kwang

[wiesiek]

Course of "Seon Gum Defense Dharma" according to the rules and regulations established by Kwan Um Do Kwang, was yesterday in Krakow.

It happened close to my place, and friend of mine, which day earlier sow demo of the system`s Head Master / Mark Forteen 8th grade black belt/ and his wife , gave me enthusiastic call -; I packed my swords and saddle the bike...
During 3 h seminar I`ve try to learn 10 basic forms :single moves deffence -attack , for dao/katana- sorry - forget Korean name of the sword.
Head Master Mark is from the San Francisco

`cause we have big board members crew from SF bay area, + I feel some connection with the deepest root of the system thru zen Master Soe san nim ,
hoppin` to get some more , even deep, from >inner circle< info .

[wiesiek]

nobody yet?
ok,
my shot is old and very shallow,:
Chang Sik Kim /not quite sure if I remember his name well/ was send by Zen Master Soe San Nim for 100 days of meditation.
During this time, Kim get Enlightenment on the Way of Sword
and
"Sword of Zen" /temple style MA/ was re-born contemporary.

Hmmm, it sounds pretty >standard< , isn`t it?
but, it is quite contemporary story, after the II WW, anyway

Highest rank of this art was Zen Monk - Udong, unfortunately he passed away not long ago in the France, he urge Mark to find disciples of the art in Poland. Mark will support building Zen Temple in the Wisła /small mountains village , close to the Wisla river source /.
This is the reason of his visit and open teaching in Krakow couple days ago.
and
`cause of above I had pleasure to meet him and get taste of the art.

Hope, that board Members from the Bay area and maybe from the France? will add something...

[Trick]

Are these forms done as Japanese Iaido and/or as Japanese sword(two person)Kata(form) ? Or are the forms more moving around as Chinese sword forms but with a Japanese style sword ?

[wiesiek]

We used bokken, with modified grip/handle to add thickness/width in the "main grip" area -thumb/finger.
Handling the sword is in one hand, for all of the 10 "forms",
and
when in the "open position" , and handle is laying on the inner part of the forearm , end of it - shouldn`t block elbow joint in any direction. Both hands should be trained , of c.
One of them, is designed for >two person drill< , in the mind,
but
we didn`t try it as two p.s., yet. It was showed as the one person learning form.
Compare it to Japanese katana`s basic teaching - Kwan Um is little more complex from the start :
one "form" in most cases including - two sword moves and step, sometimes very deep.
No "movi`n around", so far
but
step a side and cut .

To clear little beat >Temple Style< term-
Here, we have beginning each of the training set with:
-108 Buddhists bows and hearth sutra recitation,
rest is more "classic" - bare hand combat, six feet stick forms and sword of the Dharma of course.

[wiesiek]

unfortunately unable to find anything on the net,
Zen teaching only.

Mark left all 10 forms filmed from different angles in local Zen Abbot hands for us to learn.
I try to put it here, or Utube, If it possible.

[wiesiek]

Lads and Gents,
Polish branch of Kwan Um Do Kwang has been establish,
I was on the 1st, 2h training /Abbot has some background/,
and
shortly -I like it.
We trained:
left/right parry and upward blocks
horizontal hi/lo cuts and stabs , after short introduction,those are connected in two person set.
If
you add circular 180 degree slash with a jump, and 280 degree in the horse stance, you have the1st "Form of the system.
Sorry, I do not get permission to publish the video . It is for recognized students view only.

[Greg J]

This website gives a nice overview of the history of Kwan Um Do Kwan. It appears that there are some active centers in the states.

http://zensword.org/index.html

I've always been interested in the relationship/ overlap between combat arts and personal and spiritual development. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your experience and practice of Kwan Um Do Kwang.

Best,
Greg

[wiesiek]

thank you for the link, Greg
I have to correct teacher`s name from my initial post - FORTIN not Forteen,
sorry, I got a note written with the mistake.

Interesting could be - how the style found me:
There was kinda of strange coincidence ,
- flash backs of the hard core dream from my youth /sword fight/,;
- "Reluctant swordsmen" novel, which I know, but didn`t read it yet ;
- enthusiastic call from my friend about Marc Fortin and his wife swords demo
- invitation for the introduction of the style
and
- opening the school almost next to my door

couldn`t resist, out of the question...

[wiesiek]

Today I can describe 1 form /kuduk/,
- bow, sword vertically in front
- take out the sword -over the head block and ma bu stance
- horizontal cut /aim in throat /
- upper block /age uke/, side parry, jump and circular downward slash
- upper block and horizontal cut
- 180 degree turn with circular leg slash
- upper block and horizontal cut
- left side parry 180 degree downward slash
- block on the back /center/
- block on the front /center/
- left side parry and right thrust with right L step
- 180 degree leg cut and upper block
- throat cut with the L step
- left and right parry
- thrust with the L step
- age uke with 90 degree turn
- return to the beginning stance and bow

[wiesiek]

Something special for the Finny request ... : /distance in sword fighting thread/
Full Kim`s sword exact story -

Zen Master Soe S.N. sow in Kim`s body and spirit the martial ability ,
and send him for 100 days meditation - /20 h a day sutra recitation/.
In 1st week he experienced visions of demons so intens , that he run away from the fire.
Next there was Mahakala visions
and
he /Mahakala/ is responsible for teaching Kim.
btw, Kim didn`t has any fencing background, and didn`t had a sword,
so
story go, that he tear of a branch from tree near by,
and
believe it, or not, this piece of the wood direct his hand thru all the forms...
End of the story is in Japan where Kim wins the duel .
5 th dan Kendo was the loser .

then Finny is right - it wasn`t Mushashi but Mahakala
however
`cause both names has letter M on front
ok
I`m not so strong in the spiritual realm, however it will be not so far to say that Mushashi spirit is in Mahakala
"body" .

anyway Kim is in Boston and there is his school, so Finny - you may not only ask him directly, but also try to get piece of him
best

[Trick]

If it comes from the Japanese sword tradition it should be this guy that guided him https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futsunushi

When Chōi-sai returned home, he offered prayers to the deities of both Katori Shrine and Kashima Shrine, the latter being a famous local shrine in nearby Ibaraki Prefecture, where shrine officials themselves reputedly practised a form of swordsmanship, called 'Hitotsu no Tachi' (the solitary sword). Even today the Kashima Shrine training hall attracts Kendo practitioners from around the world, and the chief object of interest for visitors is the shrine's sacred sword. Supplementing his considerable skills with assorted weaponry, Chōi-sai was also an expert in Musō Jikiden ryū yawaragi, holding the position of seventh Headmaster in the history of that ryū.[citation needed] [notes 3]

This legend is typical of martial arts Ryūha and other cultural forms as well. Ryūha founders often attributed their mastery to magical teachings transmitted by Shinto or Buddhist deities, by long-dead historical figures like Minamoto no Yoshitsune, or by legendary supernatural creatures such as the tengu, Japanese goblins commonly depicted with a long red nose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenshin_Shōden_Katori_Shintō-ryū

[Trick]

Sorry, this was the quote I had in mind

Legend says at the age of 60 Chōi-sai spent 1000 days in Katori Shrine practising martial techniques day and night, until the kami of the shrine, Futsunushi (経津), appeared to him in a dream and handed down the secrets of martial strategy in a scroll named Mokuroku Heiho no Shinsho. He called his swordsmanship style derived from this miraculous dream the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, the "Heavenly True, Correctly Transmitted Style of the Way of the God of Katori".

[Trick]

The "Heavenly True, Correctly Transmitted Style of the Way of the God of Katori" style have some interesting Iai-Kata, quite different than most Iaido I’ve seen. And their sword pair/sparring katas also interesting.

[wiesiek]

Suppose, that there are more than one possibility,
My knowledge of ancient swordsmanship history is shallow .
Probably even Kim doesn`t know exactly, `cause he prayed to Mahakala, and he doesen`t care anyway.
But
Mahakala is Dharma Guardian , -
My present >transcendental knowledge< is telling me, that all Buddhists sword masters are( forms) ,part/s/ of his "body".
Anyway, what is 100% sure :
- two swords style has Buddhist Temple origin
- was practiced and used 500 y,a. in Korea
- Mahakala bring it back thru Kim`s body

What relay shocked me a little -Kim doesn`t had any previous MA background !
and
kicked arse of Kendoka with over 20 years experience...

digging more:
I don`t know any Japan two swords system /our board Nippon insiders may straight up me on this/
so, I come up with Miamoto, Korea isn`t to far away and time is about right...

After couple trainings I can tell you, that this is really >no shit< system with incredibly huge potential of controlling the space around you .

[jbb73]

Maybe I don't see the point - but is there any relevance to post it in the Xingyi-Bagua-Taiji-Forum?