Patterns Have Meaning – Do-San

DO-SAN is a very appropriate pattern for a student of Tae Kwon Moo Do to expand their education in martial arts.  

 In Korean the word Dosan” means “Island Mountain”. Dosan is the pseudonym or pen name of the Korean patriot and respected scholar Ahn Chang Ho.  Dosan was born in Korea in 1878. He is one of Korea’s most respected patriotic figures.   From the time Dosan was a teenager he set out to reform the Korean nation. He studied Western Education and became a great leader and educator with a keen vision of modernization. He fought for democracy and independence for Korean people

The 24 movements in the pattern DO-SAN represent 24 hours, one day, or the life of Ahn Chang-Ho.  When performing the pattern, the focus of the student should be on solid (walking and sitting) stances in combination with powerful foundation block, punch and kicking movements.

A student performs this pattern while they are the level of a yellow belt signifying earth, from which a plant sprouts and takes root as the Tae Kwon-Do foundation is being laid.  

Just as the patriot Dosan realized that if he was going to be on his own like an island and had to rise up strong as a mountain to lead Korea to become a modern democratic independent nation, the student of Tae Kwon Moo Do must realize that he or she requires sold foundation movements in order to grow.