by wiesiek on Sun Sep 08, 2019 3:16 am
below is copy of the foreword from the book "Shim Gum Do - Sword of Zen":
..."In 1971 the Founding Master toured Japan with his teacher, Seung Sahn and visited temples and martial art centers giving demonstrations of Shim Gum Do. In
Osaka, a dramatic confrontation took place when he visited a Kendo Club composed of 300 black belt members. Soen Sa Nim, who spoke fluent Japanese,
introduced and explained Shim Gum Do followed by a slow, powerful demonstration by the Founding Master of the first sword form. The president of the school, who knew little of sword, hoped to prove the superiority of Japanese Kendo and so asked if the Korean Master would free-fight. Soen Sa Nim, worried
about this confrontation, turned to his student and asked urgently what he could do about this challenge. The Founding Master, who had never free-fought in his
life, calmly accepted the proposal to duel and asked politely to be matched with a fourth or fifth Dan Master. In Kendo, fourth and fifth Dans practice a lot of free-
fighting and higher ranking Masters can only be challenged if their student is first defeated. One Kendo Master stepped forth and obtaining permission from his
teacher to duel, left the choice of weapons to the Korean visitor, who requested wooden swords and no armor. This unconventional and dangerous choice
heightened tension and interest in the confrontation. The tall Japanese Master held his sword straight in front of his body with the
tip slanting slightly forward. Chang Sik Kim had never seen Kendo before and was amazed at how his opponent managed to make such a narrow target by
pulling his shoulders together to compress his chest. He looked straight into the Kendo Master’s eyes and was met with an animal ferocity which glared back at
him. “You do not understand Sword yet,” the Founding Master thought to himself, realizing that lack of expression means calm and self-assurance. They
stared at each other unmoving for five minutes when Chang Sik Kim interrupted to ask what the rules were concerning the parts of the body open for attack. His
opponent declared that there were no rules and any part of the body was a target. They resumed eye contact but soon the Founding Master realized that they had
not bowed to each other yet so he let his sword bow, lowering the tip until it nearly touched the ground. He did not realize that in Kendo such a gesture is an
insult and his move taunted the Japanese Master who let loose with a lightening downward slash of his sword. The duelers passed by each other and turned to face off again. All at once, the entire school of black belts bowed down in unison and someone had to motion for the bewildered Kendo Master to sit down. He was informed that he had been cut six times across the back by the Korean Master. Chang Sik Kim then approached the Seventh Dan Head Master and asked him for the honor of a duel but the Head Master declined saying that he was unable to match such skill and declared that the Korean Shim Gum Do Master was the fastest swordsman in the world, faster even than Miamoto Musashi who is revered as Kendo’s founding father. The entire school body bowed to their honored guest and when he returned to his dressing room, he found scores of Kendo students lined up, each holding a piece of his clothing, anxious to be close to him and have the honor of serving him. When Zen Master Seung Sahn and the Founding Master returned to Korea, a ceremony was held at the Hwa Gye Sa to formally proclaim the art of Shim Gum Do and announce that Chang Sik Kim was its founder. Prominent Buddhist Masters and teachers from all over Korea attended the event and watched a demonstration of the revived temple art. ..."
End the story , I would like to add, - that second Seung Sahn`s prophecy is, that art of Shim Gum Do will be lost again with Kim`s death...
Joyful Fruits of the Live