Publisher's Synopsis
This book is but one source of many, regarding the popular, but all too fictitious facts about Korean martial arts. As one of the most published authors on Korean martial arts, there is no shortage of experts in the martial arts community and no shortest of critics. One cannot be qualified as knowledgeable simply by the time spent in the physical training aspects of Tang Soo Do while allowed to ignore the academic aspects. This author's facts and suggestions are no more correct or valid than any other person's that publish what they have learned or been exposed too. Since almost all known sources of historical information about ancient and recent Korean martial arts and fighting arts was destroyed and then rewritten by the Japanese occupational forces during the 19th and 20th century occupation of Korea, there is no one person, regardless of their title or time in training who can have any more verifiable information than the rest of us. Again, due to the extermination and conversion of nearly all historical facts on Korean martial arts and Korean history, any Grandmaster, Master and Instructor can be an expert using the fictitious facts they get exposed to during their training and only then can just state their personnel opinions, and opinions are not facts. This book and all books simply provides the author's perspective, as only any book can, and particularly books on Korean martial arts. For those individuals who want people to read the books from whom they believe have the "correct facts," we know that as fascism. For those practitioners who need to believe that their Grandmaster, Master or Instructor is THE source of all correct information about Tang Soo Do and Korean Martial Arts, these same people need to believe that only they know who the true "experts" are and so can not value the contributions of others ideas and perspectives, we usually call this behavior when followers believe that there is only one, all knowing, all seeing person and they know who it is, as cult behavior, and cults are illegal in the United States but not Korea. It is our freedom of speech that motivates authors to write and publish books with new and different interpretations of age old facts and common knowledge, so let the community decide the worth of what is published. This small book, presents simple and complex answers and suggestions to just a few of the many questions that ought to get asked during Tang Soo Do training and these are solely the author's opinions and interpretations. Students and instructors in Tang Soo Do should ask these and many others and answer for themselves at sometime in their training. Most books on Tang Soo Do show the wonderful physical aspects and results from the training with little regard for an academic education in the style they train in. It is hoped by the author that the questions and answers in this book will spark more serious discussions and dialog not less as many suggest and to help to expose what historical references exist as the fiction they are, as all history books are fiction. History is all fiction and usually written by the victor. For those who find this book unacceptable, please use this book as the motivation to write and publish your own book and contribute to the community in a meaningful way. Those that complain the quickest and the most are the least likely to do the work others do and provide their own opinions for others to scrutinize. Its always easier to be critical of the work of others than expose what you know and what you don't. The knowledge of Tang Soo Do training is not in the hands of a few individuals, but spread throughout every school and is in the minds of every person working to get better and be a better person in Tang Soo Do. Use the knowledge that when criticism for others comes to you easier than praise, all your training didn't stick, but was left at the door jam when you left the dojang.
