Northern Shaolin refers to the external (as opposed to internal) martial arts of Northern China referring to those
styles from the Northern Shaolin Monastery in Henan. Northern styles feature deeply extended postures connected
by quick fluid transitions, able to quickly change the direction and exhibit a distinctively different flavor from the
martial arts practiced in the South; places more focus on legwork, kicking and acrobatics. The influence of Northern
styles can be found in traditional Korean martial arts and their emphasis on high-level kicks.
Shōtōkan (松濤館, Shōtōkan) is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–
1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin Funakoshi was born in Okinawa and is widely
credited with popularizing “karate do” through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the
development of university karate clubs.
Shudokan (修道館, Shūdōkan), literally “the hall for the study of the way of karate,” is a Japanese school of karate
developed by Kanken Toyama (1888 – 1966). It was the total headquarters of Japan Karate Federation (old).
Characteristics of Shudokan karate include large circular motions with an emphasis on covering and its own unique
kata.
Kong Soo Do (공수도) is a name used to refer to Korean martial arts derived from Karate, that was used by couple
of the original kwans before the unification and creation Taekwondo as the universal striking art of Korea. As with
Tang Soo Do[1], the name Kong Soo Do is composed of the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese characters for
“karate-do”, meaning “empty-hand way” in English.
Soo Bahk Do (수박도) is a martial art founded and taught by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee, his successor Hwang
Hyun Chul, known as H.C. Hwang, and instructors who are certified by member organizations of the World Moo
Duk Kwan, Inc. This martial art was originally the ancient martial art of Korea. Hwang Kee created Moo Duk
Kwan with influence from “Soo Bahk Do.”
Taekwondo, Tae Kwon Do or Taekwon-Do is a Korean martial art, characterized by its emphasis on head-
height kicks, jumping spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques.
Tang Soo Do is both a hard and soft style deriving its hardness from the styles of Soo Bahk Do and Tae Kyun and
its soft flowing movements from Northern and Southern Styles of Kung-Fu. Tang Soo Do is sixty percent Soo Bahk
Do, thirty percent Northern Kung Fu and ten percent Southern Kung Fu. The style gets its arts of self-defense from
Soo Bahk Do and Tae Kyun, its fighting principles from Northern and Southern Chinese Kung-Fu, and its “moral
guidelines” such as philosophy from the Tao, Lao Tzu, and Confucious.
The style was created as a traditional style, meaning that the training is primarily directed towards the practice of
self-defense, as opposed to its younger sister style of Tae Kwon Do that was created as a sport with its training
primarily directed towards competition. Tang Soo Do practitioners strive to always better themselves both outside
(physically) and inside (spiritually).