Translated the word "Tang" represents the Tang Dynasty of China, roughly 517-907 AD, which shared a cultural background with Korea. "Soo" can be translated to mean hand, but could also mean fist, punch, strike or defense. "Do" translates to The Way or art. Given these meanings Tang Soo Do is roughly translated to mean "Art of the knife hand."
There is evidence that the earliest roots of Tang Soo Do can be dated back to the period known as the Three Kingdoms, the Koguryo about 37 BC in northern Korea, the Silla dynasty about 57 BC in the southeast, and the Paekche dynasty in 18 BC. There were a series of long wars in 668 AD in which the Silla dynasty prevailed and united all of the three kingdoms into a single political entity. Needless to say, at this time martial arts were developed and used in warfare. The Silla dynasty was known for its support and development of these martial arts, which might very well have contributed to their success. A group of young men in the upper classes, known as the "Hwa Rang Dan," were instrumental in developing these arts. These supporters supplied a great many leaders in that Dynasty and were pivotal in the unification of the whole of Korea and the founding of the new Silla Dynasty (668 AD - 935 AD). The practitioners of Tang Soo Do can trace their spiritual and physical backgrounds to the "Hwa Rang Dan."
The Silla kingdom in 918 AD was defeated by warlord Wang Kun and a new kingdom was formed named "Koryo." After lasting 475 years it was succeeded by a new kingdom, the "Yi" Dynasty, in 1392 AD which survived almost 500 years. Tang Soo Do continued to be a strong part of the military training during this period, but Tang Soo Do also became quite integrated into the general populace. At that time Tang Soo Do was referred to as Kwon Bop, Tae Kyun, Soo Bahk and other similar names. An interesting note is that Tae Kyun is not related to today's modern Tae Kwon Do, but is an ancient art which used the legs and feet. Many scholars contend that Tae Kyun was not a true martial art because it lacked any type of mental discipline.
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