DAE KUM KANG MUN

      The Formal name of Son Mu Do is Buddhism Kum Kang Young Kwan.
             It is a training method to extinguish worldly pains and attain enlightenment.
                           The characteristic of this training is the harmonization of the mind and body united with breathing. The trainers are adopt Zen as a way of life.

      Sonmudo is the Son (Zen) martial art handed down from generation to generation        by   Buddhist families from the time when Buddha was alive  2,544 years ago.

                       Sonmudo came to Korea during the early years of the Shilla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D.936) And influenced Hwarangdo.
                     Hwarang which means the flower of youth referred to the units of elite warriors,drawn from ruling class families.
                       The Zen martial art was then handed on to monk soldiers during the Koryo Kingdom (918-1392).
                 Until the kabo Kyongjangor Reform of 1894 during the Choson Kingdom (1392-1910).
              Buddhist monks were encouraged to practice the Zen martial art.
                        However,it was neglected as the modernization of the country began to proceed in late 19th century.

                  The Most Venerable Yang Ik Sunim,a monk at Pomosa temple revived the art by systematizing it.
                      Then,the Venerable Chok Un Sunim,a monk at Golgulsa temple worked to popularize it in the 1970s.

                 The name,Sonmudo was given to the Zen martial art by Chok Un Sunim in 1984.
                          Son,is the way to attain an intuitive illumination of mind and spirit     through meditation.Mu means "martial"and Do means"way"
                      Those who practice Sonmudo say one can attain a higher state of   mind through both movement of body and spiritual calm.
                     Non-Buddhists tend to think of Sonmudo purely as a martial art,but it is in fact a way to practice Zen.

                    Along with other martial arts such Taekkyon and Kyongdang. Sonmudo is a traditional martial art of Korea
                That the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Tourism Corporation are recommending to foreigners.
                   Sonmudo is being taught not only in Seoul,Pusan,Taegu and other big cities in Korea.
                    Olso in Los Angeles and Florida as well Toronto in Canada,France-Toluse, Salzburg in Austria.

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