Kwang-Gae

The story of Kwang-Gae

Expander of the Territory
Kwang-Gae (374–413) was the 19th king of the Koguryo Dynasty (37 BCE - 668 CE), the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the first millennium. Kwang-Gae was bold and ambitious as a young man, acceding to the throne at the age of 17 and ruling the kingdom for the next twenty-two years. As king, he undertook the great task of expanding the territory of Koguryo, conquering much of the Chinese-held lands of Manchuria.

Under the rule of Kwang-Gae, Koguryo once again became a major power of East Asia, having enjoyed a similar status in the 2nd century. At the time of Kwang-Gae’s death at age 39 in 413 CE, Koguryo controlled all of the territory between the Amur and Han Rivers (including two thirds of modern-day Korea, parts of Manchuria, as well as some of the Russian Maritime province and Inner Mongolia). A dominating imperial presence, Koguryo continued to expand its domain over the next 200 years, his successors pursuing Kwang-Gae’s legacy. A Korean nation had never before and has never since ruled such a vast territory.

In 399, Koguryo’s south-eastern neighbour, Silla, sought protection from Kwang-Gae against raids by its western neighbour, Paekche. In response, Kwang-Gae’s troops captured the Paekche capital in present-day Seoul and subjugated the Paekche state. Many consider this loose union under Koguryo to have been the only true unification of the Three Kingdoms.

Kwang-Gae's accomplishments are recorded on the Kwang-Gae-T’o Stele, located at the site of his tomb in Ji'an on the Amnok River border between China and North Korea. It was erected in 414 by King Jang-su as a memorial to his deceased father. It is one of the major primary sources of information on the history and mythology of Koguryo and supplies invaluable historical detail on Kwang-Gae’s reign. The largest engraved stele in the world, it is carved out of a single mass of granite, stands nearly seven metres tall and has a girth of almost four metres. The inscription is written exclusively in classical Chinese and contains 1802 characters.

The stele has also become a focal point of varying national rivalries in East Asia, manifested in the differing interpretations of the stele's inscription and the place of the kingdom of Koguryo in modern historical narratives.

The pattern diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory. The 39 movements refer to the first two figures of 391, the year that Kwang-Gae came to the throne. They may also refer to his age when he died.

The ready stance (a parallel stance with a heaven hand) is said to signify Kwang-Gae the warrior-king standing amidst his army. Imagine him with his army on either side of him, facing an enemy. He surveys the weather conditions and the position of the sun to determine if they are favourable to his army. He then breaks his hands apart in a circular motion signalling his army to attack from those flanks.

KWANG-GAE
Movements - 39
Ready Posture - PARALLEL STANCE WITH A HEAVEN HAND

1. Bring the left foot to the right to form a closed ready stance B, bringing the hands together in a circular motion.
2. Move the left foot to D, forming a left walking stance toward D while executing an upset punch to D with the right fist.
Perform in a slow motion.
3. Move the right foot to D, forming a right walking stance toward D while executing an upset punch to D with the left fist.
Perform in slow motion.
4. Move the left foot to the side front of the right foot, and then move the right foot to D, forming a right walking stance toward D, at the same time executing a high hooking block to D with the right palm.
5. Move the right foot to C in a sliding motion to form a right L-stance to D, at the same time executing a low guarding block to D with a knife-hand.
6. Move the right foot to the side front of the left foot and then move the left foot to D, forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a high hooking block to D with the left palm.
7. Move the left foot to C in a sliding motion forming a left L-stance toward D while executing a low guarding block to D with a knife-hand.
8. Move the left foot to D, forming a right rear foot stance toward D while executing a high guarding block to D with a knife-hand.
9. Move the right foot to D, forming a left rear foot stance toward D while executing a high guarding block to D with a knife-hand.
10. Move the left foot to the side front of the right foot and then turn anti-clockwise, pivoting with the left foot, to form a left walking stance toward C while executing an upward block to C with the right palm.
Perform in a slow motion.
11. Move the right foot to C, forming a right walking stance toward C while executing an upward block to C with the left palm.
Perform in a slow motion.
12. Execute a low front block with the right knife-hand in a circular motion, hitting the left palm while bringing the left foot to the right foot to form a closed stance toward C.
13. Execute a pressing kick to E with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in movement 12.
14. Execute a middle side piercing kick to E with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in movement 13.
Perform 13 and 14 in a consecutive kick.
15. Lower the left foot to E, forming a right L-stance toward E while executing a high inward strike to E with the right knife-hand and bringing the left side fist in front of the right shoulder.
16. Execute a downward strike to E with the left side fist while forming a closed stance toward C, pulling the left foot to the right foot.
17. Execute a pressing kick to F with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in movement 16.
18. Execute a middle side piercing kick to F with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in movement 17.
Perform 17 and 18 in a consecutive kick.
19. Lower the right foot to F, forming a left L-stance toward F while executing a high inward strike to F with the knife-hand and bringing the right side fist in front of the left shoulder.
20. Execute a downward strike to F with the right side fist while forming a closed stance toward C, pulling the right foot to the left foot.
21. Move the left foot to C, forming a left low stance toward C while executing a pressing block with the right palm.
Perform in slow motion.
22. Move the right foot to C, forming a right low stance toward C while executing a pressing block with the left palm.
Perform in a slow motion.
23. Move the right foot to D in a stamping motion to form a sitting stance toward F while executing a high side strike to D with the right back fist. <ki-hap>
24. Execute a middle block to D with the right double forearm while forming a right walking stance toward D, pivoting with the left foot.
25. Execute a low block to D with the left forearm while shifting to C, maintaining a right walking stance toward D, keeping the position of the right hand as it was in movement 24.
26. Execute a high thrust to D with the right flat fingertip while forming a right low stance toward D, slipping the right foot to D.
Perform in slow motion.
27. Move the left foot on line CD in a stamping motion to form a sitting stance to F while executing a high side strike to C with the left back fist. <ki-hap>
28. Execute a middle block to C with the left double forearm while forming a left walking stance toward C, pivoting with the left foot.
29. Execute a low reverse block to C with the right forearm while shifting to D, maintaining a left walking stance toward C, keeping the position of the left hand as it was in movement 28.
30. Execute a high thrust to C with the left flat fingertip while forming a left low stance toward C, slipping the left foot to C.
31. Move the right foot to C in a stamping motion, forming a right walking stance toward C while executing a high vertical punch to C with a twin fist.
32. Move the left foot to A in a stamping motion, forming a left walking stance toward A while executing an upset punch to A with a twin fist.
33. Execute a middle front snap kick to A with the right foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in movement 32.
34. Lower the right foot to the left foot, move the left foot to A to form a left L-stance to B while executing a middle knife-hand guarding block to B.
35. Move the left foot to B, forming a left walking stance toward B while executing a high punch to B with the left fist.
36. Move the right foot to B in stamping motion, forming a right walking stance toward B while executing an upset punch to B with a twin fist.
37. Execute a middle front snap kick to B with the left foot, keeping the position of the hands as they were in movement 36.
38. Lower the left foot to the right foot, move the right foot to B to form a right L-stance to A, executing a middle knife-hand guarding block to A.
39. Move the right foot to A, forming a right walking stance toward A while executing a high punch to A with the right fist.
END: Bring the left foot back to a ready posture.

Home

About

Services

Menu

Contact