Yoon Byung-In
Encyclopedia
Yoon Byung-In — also known in English reference as Byung-In Yoon — was a Korean Grandmaster of martial arts. He is believed to be the first Korean national to study Chuan Fa (Chinese Gung Fu) in China and to return to teach it in Korea
. He was an influential instructor to many current and past Masters and Grandmasters, and himself a master of many styles and studies of Martial Arts.
. After diligent efforts to impress a Mongolian Chuan-fa master, the child Byung-In was permitted to study Chuan Fa or Gung Fu.
Yoon studied Chinese Chuan Fa under the guidance of a Mongolian instructor in Manchuria. Later, Yoon trained Karate
at university karate club in Japan with Kanken Tōyama
. When he trained Karate in Japan, Japanese karate students pursued the Korean students and beat them up. Angered by the Japanese karate students, Yoon Byung-in sprung into action using Chuan Fa. He skillfully deflected and evaded the karate students’ strikes and kicks to the point that they gave up and ran back to tell their teacher about what happened. Teacher Kanken Tōyama invited Yoon Byung-in to tell him about the skillful non-karate martial art he used against his students. Yoon Byung-in explained to Toyama about his Chuan-fa education in Manchuria. Toyama appreciated the Chuan-fa background since he (Toyama) had studied Chuan-fa in Taiwan for 7 years, previously. They decided to exchange knowledge; Yoon Byung-in would teach Toyama Kanken Chuan Fa and Toyama Kanken would teach Yoon Byung-in his Shudokan
Ryu
Karate
. Yoon later created his art and called it Kwon Bop Kong Soo Do. Unlike other taekwondo kwans (schools), early Chang Moo Kwan
was mainly based on Chinese Kung Fu (Chuan Fa). The early Chang Moo Kwan taught Palgi kwon (which influenced by Bājíquán).
From 1951 to 1966, the whereabouts and activities of Yoon Byung-In are unknown, as he was reportedly lured to North Korea in August 1950 by his older brother who had aligned with the Communists. In July 1951, reportedly his elective repatriation was prevented by a mob action by North Korean Prisoners of War.
In 1966-mid-1967, he taught Gyuck Sul ("special combat strategy", believed to perhaps be comparable to the Soviet military Systema
) to special forces of the Moran Bong. In late 1967, Master Yoon was reportedly told that he could not teach Gyuck Sul as if it were an international sport, presumably as a reference to international competition for Olympic Games
.
Yoon Byung-In was sent to work in a concrete factory in Cheong-Jin City, where he worked until his death from lung cancer in April, 1983.
Yoon, Byung-In (kneeling, center) with students during special weekend training session (ca. 1947).
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. He was an influential instructor to many current and past Masters and Grandmasters, and himself a master of many styles and studies of Martial Arts.
Life
In his childhood, the parents of Yoon Byung-In suffered under the Japanese occupation of Korea and fled to ManchuriaManchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. After diligent efforts to impress a Mongolian Chuan-fa master, the child Byung-In was permitted to study Chuan Fa or Gung Fu.
Yoon studied Chinese Chuan Fa under the guidance of a Mongolian instructor in Manchuria. Later, Yoon trained Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
at university karate club in Japan with Kanken Tōyama
Kanken Toyama
Kanken Tōyama was a Japanese schoolteacher and karate master, who developed the foundation for the Shūdōkan karate style....
. When he trained Karate in Japan, Japanese karate students pursued the Korean students and beat them up. Angered by the Japanese karate students, Yoon Byung-in sprung into action using Chuan Fa. He skillfully deflected and evaded the karate students’ strikes and kicks to the point that they gave up and ran back to tell their teacher about what happened. Teacher Kanken Tōyama invited Yoon Byung-in to tell him about the skillful non-karate martial art he used against his students. Yoon Byung-in explained to Toyama about his Chuan-fa education in Manchuria. Toyama appreciated the Chuan-fa background since he (Toyama) had studied Chuan-fa in Taiwan for 7 years, previously. They decided to exchange knowledge; Yoon Byung-in would teach Toyama Kanken Chuan Fa and Toyama Kanken would teach Yoon Byung-in his Shudokan
Shudokan
, literally "the hall for the study of the [karate] way," is a school of karate developed by Kanken Toyama . Characteristics of Shudokan karate include large circular motions with an emphasis on covering and its own unique kata....
Ryu
Ryu
* Ryū , a school of thought or discipline ., a book by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa* Ryū , a series by Masao Yajima and Akira Oze* Ryu , a common Korean family name...
Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. Yoon later created his art and called it Kwon Bop Kong Soo Do. Unlike other taekwondo kwans (schools), early Chang Moo Kwan
Chang Moo Kwan
Chang Moo Kwan is a Korean martial arts group was founded by Lee Nam Suk and Kim Soon Bae.- History :At the end of World War II, several Kwans wet set up. In the late 1950s, these Kwans united under the name Tae Soo Do...
was mainly based on Chinese Kung Fu (Chuan Fa). The early Chang Moo Kwan taught Palgi kwon (which influenced by Bājíquán).
From 1951 to 1966, the whereabouts and activities of Yoon Byung-In are unknown, as he was reportedly lured to North Korea in August 1950 by his older brother who had aligned with the Communists. In July 1951, reportedly his elective repatriation was prevented by a mob action by North Korean Prisoners of War.
In 1966-mid-1967, he taught Gyuck Sul ("special combat strategy", believed to perhaps be comparable to the Soviet military Systema
Systema
Systema is a Russian martial art. Training includes: hand to hand combat, grappling, knife fighting and fire arms training as well. Training involves drills and sparring without set kata. It focuses mainly on controlling the six body levers through pressure point application, striking and weapon...
) to special forces of the Moran Bong. In late 1967, Master Yoon was reportedly told that he could not teach Gyuck Sul as if it were an international sport, presumably as a reference to international competition for Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
Yoon Byung-In was sent to work in a concrete factory in Cheong-Jin City, where he worked until his death from lung cancer in April, 1983.
Yoon, Byung-In (kneeling, center) with students during special weekend training session (ca. 1947).