Compiled By Danny Alberts, III Dan, United States Taekwon-Do Federation, from the following sources:
Mitchell's "History of Taekwon-Do Patterns"
Talk from Master Rhee, Ki Ha in CT in 1999
Talk from his student, Seo, Kung Kuk in 2000
Do-San is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-Ho (1878 - 1938).
The 24 movements represent his entire life which he devoted to furthering education in Korea and the Korean independence movement.
The occupation by the Japanese of the Korean peninsula during the 20th century began in 1903 or 1904 and extended to 1945. Many Koreans fled to the United States and other countries at the onset. Ahn Chang-Ho came to the United States in 1903, along with Rhee Syngman. Rhee Syngman was to become the first president of North Korea in 1945, after its division as a spoil of World War II.
Ahn Chang-Ho returned to Korea in 1907 to establish the Sinminhoe (New People's Society), a secret independence group in Pyong-An Province. This group was dedicated in promoting the recovery of Korean independence through nationalism, education, business and culture.
In 1911 the Japanese passed the Education Act and began to close Korean schools. By 1914 all Koreans were attending Japanese schools. In order to do so, they had to abandon using their Korean language and their Korean birth-names, and instead use the Japanese language and Japanese names. The Koreans had the same conditions imposed on them in order to purchase food from stores.
They were taught that they were the under-class to Japanese people, whose purpose was to serve their superior Japanese masters.
In 1919 Rhee Syngman and Ahn Chang-Ho set up a provisional government in exile in Shanghai in which they drew up a Democratic Constitution hat provided for a freely elected president and legislature.
In 1922, Ahn Chang-Ho headed a historical commission to compile all materials related to Korea, especially concerning the facts concerning the Japanese occupation.
Korean culture owes much to Ahn Chang-Ho. His dedication to the education of the Korean people and to the protection of its culture was vital at a time when the purpose of the Japanese occupation was attemptingto eradicate the Korean culture and its independence.
Even today, school children in Korean learn of this man as part of their Korean history studies.
Related Link: Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Foundation (in Korean)