The Legend of Youn Wha
This is a story, a legend, a myth. Many people consider that arts that claim to be made up of many different arts should be
avoided as they are not true martial arts. The truth is that Grandmaster Han has over 60 years experience in many different
martial arts styles and has extensively developed the Youn Wha Ryu system to what it is today. Parts of it may look like hapkido,
judo, kung fu or jiu-jitsu but it is Youn Wha Ryu plain and simple. The legend is just that, told to Grandmaster Han many many
years ago - fact or fiction it doesn't matter, it is the art and the artists that count!
The Youn Wha Ryu system of martial arts is shrouded in mystery and legend. Grandmaster Han himself has stated that the
actual facts of Youn Wha Ryu's history are unclear. He relates the story told to him by his Youn Wha Ryu master, Sae Chong
Wang.
"Youn Wha was a legendary female martial artist living on a remote island in the Orient. She was a regognized master of
alchemy and a highly skilled martial artist. Her beauty was as legendary as her skill level in the martial arts, and many highly
proficient martial artists in the nations, knowing of her acclaimed beauty and skill, embarked on journeys to see her and train
with her.
To reach her, the martial artists had to defeat and avoid traps that could maim and kill the unwary. It was only the best and the
most highly skilled martial art masters that weathered these pitfalls and were rewarded with the opportunity to view the beautiful
Youn Wha. Unbeknownst to these masters, Youn Wha would use her skills in alchemy to prevent these high level martial
artists from leaving her island, by drugging their food and drink. As she was the only one who had the daily antidote, for the
drug, those who left her fortress did not survive the traps. In this way, she required the masters to write down their secrets so
she could gain the knowledge of their systems and train in the techniques. It is from these writings that the system of Youn Wha
was formed. The Youn Wha system contains all high level techniques from all systems and is unique in that no other system
contains so many high level principles in one training method."
The Youn Wha Ryu, therefore, is an advanced system of fighting techniques from almost every available style of martial art. Due
to its complexity, Grandmaster Han integrated Tae Kwon Do into his teaching system. Tae Kwon Do is considered a basis for
Youn Wha Ryu and it can be learned by nearly anyone. Youn Wha Ryu, however, is extremely complex and requires several
years of basic martial arts training before its concepts can be understood. Training in the Tae Kwon Do system that
Grandmaster Han teaches enables his students to observe the weaknesses of their own personal styles and that of other
martial art systems. Thus, students are well equipped to deal with any fighting method they may encounter.
With Youn Wha, the student is now able to develop a higher degree of timing, speed, balance, control (mental and physical),
and confidence.. It has taken Grandmaster Han a lifetime to develop and perfect this system so that anyone and everyone may
participate. He strongly believes that this system is the best and will continue to grow world wide.
This is a story, a legend, a myth. Many people consider that arts that claim to be made up of many different arts should be
avoided as they are not true martial arts. The truth is that Grandmaster Han has over 60 years experience in many different
martial arts styles and has extensively developed the Youn Wha Ryu system to what it is today. Parts of it may look like hapkido,
judo, kung fu or jiu-jitsu but it is Youn Wha Ryu plain and simple. The legend is just that, told to Grandmaster Han many many
years ago - fact or fiction it doesn't matter, it is the art and the artists that count!
The Youn Wha Ryu system of martial arts is shrouded in mystery and legend. Grandmaster Han himself has stated that the
actual facts of Youn Wha Ryu's history are unclear. He relates the story told to him by his Youn Wha Ryu master, Sae Chong
Wang.
"Youn Wha was a legendary female martial artist living on a remote island in the Orient. She was a regognized master of
alchemy and a highly skilled martial artist. Her beauty was as legendary as her skill level in the martial arts, and many highly
proficient martial artists in the nations, knowing of her acclaimed beauty and skill, embarked on journeys to see her and train
with her.
To reach her, the martial artists had to defeat and avoid traps that could maim and kill the unwary. It was only the best and the
most highly skilled martial art masters that weathered these pitfalls and were rewarded with the opportunity to view the beautiful
Youn Wha. Unbeknownst to these masters, Youn Wha would use her skills in alchemy to prevent these high level martial
artists from leaving her island, by drugging their food and drink. As she was the only one who had the daily antidote, for the
drug, those who left her fortress did not survive the traps. In this way, she required the masters to write down their secrets so
she could gain the knowledge of their systems and train in the techniques. It is from these writings that the system of Youn Wha
was formed. The Youn Wha system contains all high level techniques from all systems and is unique in that no other system
contains so many high level principles in one training method."
The Youn Wha Ryu, therefore, is an advanced system of fighting techniques from almost every available style of martial art. Due
to its complexity, Grandmaster Han integrated Tae Kwon Do into his teaching system. Tae Kwon Do is considered a basis for
Youn Wha Ryu and it can be learned by nearly anyone. Youn Wha Ryu, however, is extremely complex and requires several
years of basic martial arts training before its concepts can be understood. Training in the Tae Kwon Do system that
Grandmaster Han teaches enables his students to observe the weaknesses of their own personal styles and that of other
martial art systems. Thus, students are well equipped to deal with any fighting method they may encounter.
With Youn Wha, the student is now able to develop a higher degree of timing, speed, balance, control (mental and physical),
and confidence.. It has taken Grandmaster Han a lifetime to develop and perfect this system so that anyone and everyone may
participate. He strongly believes that this system is the best and will continue to grow world wide.
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| Grandmaster Han's Philosophy "Empty Hands" "I come to you with empty hands. I greet each day with purpose, enthusiasm and with humble thanks. I greet each living being with respect, for having learned to respect myself, there is no fear within me. Because I am in total harmony with myself, I am in harmony with the world around me. Many thousands of years ago my teachers met. They sought meanings for life and studied the lessons it had to offer. The things they learned were shared with a chosen few, at first limited to priests within the Oriental Temples. Each lesson was passed to others...and ultimately to me. These lessons have been proven through constant testing over many centuries. Only those principles which have stood the test of time have been passed on; thus what I have been privileged to learn has been passed not on theory but on constant application. My body is under my control. Countless hours of practice in basic skills have given it strength and vitality. Hours of discipline have developed graceful movement, effortless speed, and devastating power. As my body developed, my mind developed also. There is unity between the two. They are blended as a single unit. Whether my fundamental skills were developed through training in Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, Jujitsu. Akijitsu, Judo, Ninjitsu, or other form of martial arts, my purpose is the same...understansing myself and understanding life. I will achieve the maximum possible with the skills I have been given, for my mind too is under my control. Though I have been privileged to share lessons taught by the greatest teachers in the world, greater lessons still will be taught by life itself. Through life, the meaning of each lesson will be made clear. Each day is an opportunity for greater understanding. Thus, of the principles I have learned, the most important is that there is yet much more to learn. I am a student of life, I am a student of Martial Arts." Grandmaster Han’s Biography Grandmaster Han has stated several times that he is indeed a blessed man. He has had the unique opportunity to train and master several martial arts and was fortunate to train under three famous martial artists of his time. His first teacher was Son Bop Sa. Master Son was a traveling monk who had observed the young Man Han. He then presented himself to the young man's mother and asked permission to take the boy along with him and educate him in meditation and martial arts. Permission was granted and the six-year-old Man went off with the monk to train and learn. Most of the training Grandmaster Han went through was the strengthening and sensitizing of the mind. In other words, he was trained to have a strong "sixth sense" mainly through Zen and other mental activities. His training consisted of focusing the mind through meditation and qigong or breathing exercises. Six years later, the young Han began to long for home and asked his master for permission to go back and see his parents. The monk conceded and let the young man go. It would be the last time he would ever see his master again. The second of his famous instructors was a man known as Byung In Yun. Master Yun taught Grandmaster Han a system called Kong Soo, one that predated Tae Kwon Do. Grandmaster Han began training under Master Yun at the age of 13. At the same time, the young Han met Sae Chong Wang. Master Wang was his Youn Wha instructor. Although the Youn Wha system contains forms, it is mainly a conglomeration of high level fighting techniques from all the martial art systems. During this same time period of middle school and high school, Grandmaster Han also studied Hwarang-do, Kendo, Hapkido, and various weapons. He has attained an 8th dan in Hwarang-do, 7th dan in Kendo, 8th dan in Hapkido, 4th dan in Judo and has trained extensively in 24 different weapons: rope, throwing star, double sticks, short stick, six foot staff, Hapkido cane, tonfa, sai, and others. After leaving high school, Grandmaster Han entered the law program at Kon Kuk University and graduated with his Bachelor's degree. Grandmaster Han is a respected member of the martial arts community and was on the Board of Directors in the Korean Tae Kwon Do Federation in its early days. He helped design the Palgue forms presently used by the World Tae Kwon Do Federation. During his tenure with the Korean Tae Kwon Do Federation, Grandmaster Han was appointed president of the North Province of Seoul. Besides his martial arts credentials, Grandmaster Han served as a Special Tactics Instructor for the Korean Intelligence Agency, teaching martial art techniques to the Korean military. He was also called to train the 7th US Army Infantry Division from 1970 to 1972 in hand to hand combat and served as Close Combat Instructor for the 2nd Army Infantry Division from 1972 to 1976. In 1976, Grandmaster Han and his family made the choice to immigrate to the United States. His first encounter with the U.S. was New Jersey. From there the Han facility moved to Tennessee, Florida, and in 1978, to Dallas, Texas. Grandmaster Han firmly believes that the Youn Wha Ryu is the best system available because of its completeness. He has a dream of reaching the entire world with the Youn Wha system, and through his instructors he hopes to accomplish this. |
| Youn Wha Ryu |
| Grandmaster Man Hee Han |
| Cabot Martial Arts Academy |