The Tradition
Origins Of Chun Seung Won

During the Song Dynasty the Song family of ancient China was well known and highly respected in regards to their moral integrity and values. These reputations lead to the influence of martial arts into the Song family traditions. Xu Xuanping was a very well-known practitioner of Chang Quan or "Long Fist". The reputation of the Song family was such that Xu Xuanping passed his knowledge exclusively to the Song family. These teachings were preserved and pass from generation to generation. Song Yuanqiao (1288 - 1370) inherited these Song family traditions and became a disciple of another master. That master was Zhang Sanfeng. Zhang Sanfeng developed an art based of his previous knowledge and skill referred today as Tai Chi Chuan. Song, Yuanqiao was selected by Zhang Sanfeng to preserve the Tai Chi Chuan traditions. Song Yuanqiao wrote a famous Tai Chi manual called "The Origin and Branches of the Song Style Tai Chi Practice". This manual would be used to pass this particular family of Tai Chi down from generation to generation within the Song family. This Southern Group style was called Heaven Earth Style. It is in the history of the Song Dynasty that the Song family of modern day Korea is rooted. In ancient times, there were no hard boundaries between present day China and present day Korea. During these times, the Song family would travel between China and Korea as the present day events influenced.

Korean Joseon Dynasty scholar and Song family member Song, Si-Yeol taught the concepts of Songnihak, "Study of Nature and Principle", to his dedicated disciples. Song, Si-Yeol's teachings promote optimum health through balance of mind and body, as well as through the study of Nature. The life example and teachings of Song, Si-Yeol are the foundation for the Chun Seung traditions passed on today. The next major development in the Song family martial arts traditions was by Grandmaster Song, Duk Soon. Song, Duk Soon lived from 1851 - 1922 and was a famous martial artist as well as doctor of eastern medicine. Grandmaster Song was a practitioner of the Korean martial art Soo Bak Ki, as well as the Chinese arts of Shaolin as passed down from Xu Xuanping and Tai Chi as passed down from Zhang Sanfeng. The integration of the traditional martial arts of Soo Bak Ki, Shaolin and Tai Chi by Song, Duk Soon became the official start of the Song's family martial traditions called Chun Seung. Grandmaster Song, Duk Soon passed all his knowledge to his son Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool who lived from 1882 - 1966. Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool passed his teachings to both his son Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo (1917 - 1996) and his grandson Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik. Grandmaster's American name is Edward K. Song. Grandmaster Song is the embodiment of these teachings and traditions that Chun Seung represents. Chun Seung Won continues to develop, preserve and promote the traditions as an essential resource for total life development.

Chun Seung Lineage

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