Philosophy

The Hwa Rang Do Meng Sae

Hwa Rang Do attempts to teach moral principles in additional to physical techniques, out of a belief that those who receive martial arts training must also be taught to use their skills responsibly. The foundation of Hwa Rang Do's code of behavior is the Meng Sae, which is composed of five rules and nine philosophical principles.Hwa Rang Do O Kae (Five Rules of Hwa Rang Do) Romanized Chinese number Aphorism TransliterationIl Sa Kun E Choong Loyalty to one's countryE Sa Chin E Hyo Loyalty to one's parents and teachersSam Kyo Woo E Shin Trust and brotherhood among friendsSa Im Jeon Moo Tae Courage never to retreat in the face of the enemyOh Sal Saeng Yoo Teak Justice never to take a life without a causeHwa Rang Do Kyo Hoon (nine virtues) Korean EnglishIn HumanityOui JusticeYea CourtesyJi WisdomShin TrustSun GoodnessDuk VirtueChoong LoyaltyYong Courage

Meaning of Hwa Rang Do

Hwa = Flower

Rang = Man

Do = Way

The common English translations are "The Way of the Flowering Manhood" or "The Way of the Flowering Knights." The "Man" idea in this title refers to an ideal man: one of honor, strength, responsibility, and virtue. The reason for the word "Flower" is to state that just as a flower grows and then blooms, so should a man grow and then bloom into something beautiful. Also, just as a flower is beautiful just by being, so too should a man be honorable, loyal, strong, and virtuous by simply existing, without having to try to be any of these things. Obviously, since it is in the name of the Art, this idea is central to all aspects of Hwarangdo: one should be without needing to try to be. By this concept a practitioner is taught to be humble, strong, and honorable.

Pe SASO