The martial art of Hwa Rang Do was named after a buddhist elite youth order of the Silla kingdom during the Three-Kingdoms period in what is now South Korea.
These individuals were selected exclusively from the royal family and aristocracy and led members of the broader public who were described as Nangdo (Rang-do: 낭도; 郎徒).
In 1942, their father worked out a deal with a monk who was locally known as Suahm Dosa to educate his sons in traditional Korean cultural training.
Suahm Dosa claimed to practice within a tradition that had its roots with the ancient Hwarang, which he called Um-Yang Kwon (음양권; 陰陽拳).
There, they met a martial artist named Choi Yong-sool, a practitioner of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu and who is recognized as the father of modern Hapkido.
[3] Through the 1970s and 1980s, Hwa Rang Do grew throughout California and the adjacent states as well as making its mark on the international martial art scene.
Notable names included Graciela Casillas, who trained in Hwa Rang Do for a short while and who later through her involvement with Kempo-Karate, became the first female World Champion of professional full-contact Karate.
Henry Taejoon Lee was also involved with expanding Hwa Rang Do in college clubs throughout southern California by establishing the Intercollegiate Hwarang Society.
In the 1990s, Hwa Rang Do schools, while continuing to grow in the United States and the South-East Pacific, began to expand throughout Europe.
[7] It was also in 1990 that the World Hwa Rang Do Association introduced an introductory program to help new students learn and develop their skills in a more sport-like atmosphere.
Once a student has a Black belt, they receive an honorary Yellow sash in the color ranks of Hwa Rang Do.
[9] Depending on the school, Hwa Rang Do academies and clubs will either stay truer to the traditional aspects of the art, focusing more on the core material and traditional self-defense or they will embrace the expanded application programs and work to grow their skills within a competitive sport environment.
“Our desire to expand our humanitarian work around the globe led to the change,” said Grandmaster Taejoon Lee, President of the World Hwa Rang Do Association.
The Hwarang O Gye is rooted in the ancient warrior code originally developed by a Buddhist monk known as Won Gwang Beop Sa in the Three Kingdoms period.
This code included loyalty to one's Lord, piety to your parents, trust among friends, courage in battle, and discrimination in killing.
[12] Because of the changes in political structures in both Korea and the Americas, Joo Bang Lee updated the English translation to reflect modern society.
[8] In addition to the Maeng Se, the Mul Sul practices of Hwa Rang Do follow what is known as the Seven Principles of Training.
These meditative practices are seen as ways for practitioners to break past their perceived limitations and perform extraordinary feats!
[4] In addition to these, practitioners of Hwa Rang Do take advantage of the various sparring systems to truly test their skills in a dynamic and non-staged environment.
In addition to coming to a deeper understanding of Hwa Rang Do's Maeng Se, there are traditionally 13 sub-categories of Sin Gong which include learning basic Asian emergency medical practices, methods of hermitage, methods of concealment as well as studying Asian models of psychology and philosophy.
[8] Unlike many other martial arts, Hwa Rang Do, with the Tae Soo Do introductory program, has three levels of training.
The material at each sash at this point can vary greatly, but will at least consist of an open hand long form and various sets of defensive techniques.
The passive meditation practices are developed to help practitioners focus the mind, cultivate stillness, and help relax the body.
Whether an individual club or academy offers such training though depends on the Head Instructor and whether they are certified to teach such practices.