Song, Duk Soon (1851A.D. – 1922A.D.)

Grand Master Song, Duk Soon, the founder of the official OHTC organization, was born in 1851. He was highly respected as a renowned doctor of Eastern Medicine, a philosopher of Sunglie-hak, a martial artist -- Grand Master of both Soo Bak Ki (now known as Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, and Moo Sa Sool) and Wu Shu (now known as Shaolin Chuan and Tai Chi Chuan) -- and as the official founder of OHTC.

As Grand Master Song, Si Yeol's version of Sunglie-hak is the philosophical foundation for the OHTC system, he is considered the philosophical father of OHTC. Grand Master Song, Duk Soon took Grand Master Song, Si Yeol's Sunglie-hak, combined it with the pure forms of Soo Bak Ki and Wu Shu in a systemized fashion, and thus created the official and complete OHTC system.

Late in Grand Master Song, Duk Soon's life, the Japanese invaded and occupied Korea. Despite his advancing age, he enters the struggle as a leader in the Korean resistance. The Japanese could not capture Song, Duk Soon, however, because of his incredible skills: more specifically, it was his mastery of Chook Ji Bub, "the flying art" -- which enabled a person run and jump using the same energy as walking -- that kept him safe.

During the Japanese occupation, one of Song's, Duk Soon closest resistance members turned him over to the Japanese, and he was executed. The man who turned him over became a high level Japanese official. However, the Koreans killed him when the Japanese occupation was overthrown. 

Grand Master Song, Duk Soon lived in both China and Korea; often times he traveled back and forth between both them.  It is Grandmaster Song, Duk Soon who, through his travels, is responsible for maintaining the pure forms of Tai Chi Chuan and Shaolin Chuan within the OHTC organization.

Grand Master Song, Duk Soon would teach his family traditions to his son and disciples privately, including the skill of Chook Ji Bub. Grandmaster Song, Duk Soon passed on his full knowledge and skill to the next Grand Master of OHTC, his son Song, Keum Sool.

Song, Keum Sool (1882A.D. – 1966A.D.)

Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool was born before the time of the Japanese occupation of Korea.  His father was Grand Master Song, Duk Soon.  In the early years of his life, Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool joined his father in the mountains to fight against the Japanese occupation of Korea.  It was Song, Keum Sool who was the last practitioner of the skill of Chook Ji Bub, "the flying art."  These skills were lost during the revolutionary times and struggles.  It was the skill of Chook Ji Bub that made it almost impossible for the Japanese occupying forces to catch Grandmaster Song, Duk Soon and his son Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool.  They were both famous Doctors of Eastern Medicine.

Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool passed his teachings on to his son Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo, and also to his grandson Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik who is the current leader of OHTC. 

Song, Jung Soo (1917A.D. – 1996A.D.)  

Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo was the son of Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool.  Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo was sixteen years old when he traveled to Japan to study and research martial arts.  It was in Japan he lived for 5 years before returning to Korea where he met and married his wife.  After they married, they left Korea and settled in Manjoo (Beijing), China.  It was here that Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo lived and furthered his study of Chinese martial arts for about 15 years.  After this time, Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo moved back to Korea.  

All the styles he studied and mastered, he did not mention even to his son Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik, as he was a very humble man.  A couple of years later the Korean War broke. During the war, he did not belong to either military, North or South, because he was a nonpartisan man.

After the Korean War was over, he settled in Seoul, Korea and began to situate his life just like everyone else after the war in Korea. Several years later, he began to teach and to share with other people his martial art which he gained from his father and from his own dedication. He never believed in politics, therefore, he was never involved in the reformation of the martial arts. He insisted on maintaining the traditional martial arts. In 1967, Grand Master Song, Jung Soo inherited the OHTC system from his father, Grand Master Song, Keum Sool.

 Song, Kyong Sik (1950A.D. – Present)

Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik was born 1950 in Seoul, Korea and is the current leader of the OHTC.  He is the son of Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo.  His family lineage is traced back within the Song family to Grandmaster Song, Siyeol.  It is this line of Grandmasters that have continued to pass the OHTC teachings and philosophies.

At the age of five Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik started his formal training under his grandfather Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool.  Grandmaster Song, Keum Sool took his grandson the mountains for seven years to live and train in order to be the bearer of the martial arts family tradition.  Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik was taught many areas of study including eastern medicine, meditation, ki gong exercises and philosophy from his grandfather.  At the age of eight, Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik moved back with his parents to live permanently and his grandfather also moved in to live with the family.  It was here that Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik continued his training under his grandfather as well as his father Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo.  

In 1981, Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik moved to the United States.  In 1983, Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo transferred the OHTC system to Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik as chairman.  After the unfortunate passing of Grandmaster Song, Jung Soo, Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik became the acting president of OHTC. 

 Today, Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik continues to teach and pass down the OHTC teachings to select students.  Grandmaster Song's American name is Edward Song.  Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik exemplifies the honor and tradition that embodies OHTC.  He is a living example for his students as well as the public.  It is through Grandmaster Song, Kyong Sik that the teachings of OHTC are kept alive, as well as the goal of spreading teachings that help ALL people develop a sincere and serious life.