Hwa Rang Do, The Way of the Flowering Knight

Hwa Rang Do is a Korean martial art which translates to mean “The Way of the Flowering Knight. It dates back more than 1800 years and was originally practiced by elite troops using both armed and unarmed skills. These troops were feared by all the peoples of Asia. Hwa Rang Do has been passed down from generation to generation through specially selected Buddhist monks and only recently has spread into the world.

Hwa Rang Do warriors of ancient times had a great deal in common with the Japanese samurai, who came later but are much better known. Both were professional warriors who were very noble. They both had perfected their chosen form of martial art to the very pinnacle of the art. They were subject to morals and ethics which limited their spread of their knowledge and abilities to the world outside.

Hwa Rang Do was created for military use rather than as a sport. It was meant to be used in the battlefield. The martial art was kept inside remote mountain temples in Korea until recently.

In the 1940s, Joo Bang Lee and Joo Sang Lee became students of Hwa Rang Do. By the 1960, they began to demonstrate their martial art skills to the general public, sanctioned by their teachers and the Korean government. This was the first time in more than 500 years that Hwa Rang Do was taught in public.

Today, Hwa Rang Do is taught worldwide. In fact, it is one of the most popular forms of martial arts today. Because people both young, old, large, small and everyone in between can learn this form of martial art, schools have sprung up seemingly everywhere. There are clubs and organizations in most large cities and even in some small towns. Competitions occur regularly.

There are many benefits of learning the skills of Hwa Rang Do. Not only is physical fitness enhanced but mental clarity is improved. The mind, body and spirit must work together to perform the moves of Hwa Rang Do and, as with many forms of martial arts, this provides a means of personal and spiritual growth for the student. The body benefits from exercise. The balance and flow of movements improves muscle tone and flexibility.

You can learn Hwa Rang Do from a certified instructor at any of the schools teaching this art form. Simply locate an instructor near you and attend classes; soon, you’ll progress much farther than you had ever imagined.