An Interview with Supreme Grandmaster Dr. Joo Bang Lee
Dr. Lee is known throughout the world as the founder and foremost
authority on Hwa Rang Do, a wonderfully - balanced Korean original Martial Art
/ Healing art. We were happily rewarded with this interview, conducted by Master
Henry Lee, Hwa Rang Do Supreme Grandmaster Dr. Lee's oldest son. Master Lee
is head of the Sulsa Task Force, which offers special instructions to elite
law-enforcement and military units. We thank Dr. Lee for sharing his time with
us, and trust our readers will both enjoy and learn from this gifted man's insights
on what a knife is and isn't.
FK: How do you view the knife as a combat weapon?
Lee: Among the 108 different weapons found in Hwa Rang Do (HRD), the knife and
sword are the most fundamental weapons in developing basic forms and movements.
The knife would seem to be the easier to learn; however, it's not. A knife requires
more intricate movements, as well as learning to use both hands. As the hand
with the knife moves to slice, stab, or tear, the other hand must move to block,
parry,and/or grab. The knife is the most practical weapon for the modern day
warrior as well as civilians. For the warrior it is both a weapon and a tool.
For the civilian, it is something easily accessible as it is kept in nearly
every home. 
FK: What is the most important aspect in knife training?
Lee: The mental development and the control of human emotions. A knife is only
an object, like a paint brush without a painter; it can only come to life in
the hands of a master or artist. Therefore, it is not the knife which combats
an opponent, it is the person holding the knife. The greatest emotion to control
is fear. The mind must learn to appease this monster, to tame it so that its
energy can be redirected to accentuate the your level of awareness and strenght.
Clarity in thought creates clarity in action.
FK: How does one go about gaining control of her or his emotions?
Lee: First, you must become confident in your skill level. This means countless
hours of practicing the movements, so they become second nature. Furthermore,
as the painter paints with a brush in order to create, the knife practitioner
must practice with a live blade in order to understand its capabilities. This
furthers the state of mental acuteness and instills greater respect for the
weapon itsself.
FK: What kind of knife do you prefer for combat?
Lee: Both the double-edged and single-edged knives serve particular purposes.
The double-edged variety are more of an offensive knife as they can be used
for multi-directional cuts. The single-edged knife is more effective as a defensive
weapon, which can be used in a reverse grip with the dull edge against the forearm
for blocking. I feel a guard is necessary for two reasons. One, it will provide
protection against injury. Two, it will offer protection should the point or
edge encounter a hard surface which might deflect, or cause one to lose momentary
control over the weapon. One should choose the knife which is most comfortable
to the practitioner. However, you should also practice with as many different
knives as possible before selecting your favorite. 
FK: Which do you favor as the most effective knife grip?
Lee: The reverse grip seems to be most practical as well as most powerful. The
forward grip is good for thrusting, like a fencer does, or for slashing from
side to side. The one benefit of the forward grip is reach. One can lunge a
great distance and penetrate the opponent's defensive perimeter. On the other
hand, the reverse grip conceals the weapon along forearm until it is ready to
be used. The stab becomes more powerful as it is accentuated by the force created
by the hammering motion, a swing downward with great centrifugal force. From
the reverse grip one can cut and stab with great power and ease. I suggest learning
to use both grips to your advantage. This ability is first learned in knife
familiarization.
FK: Michael Echanis is a widely-known personality, primarily
through articles in Soldier of Fortune Magazine and through his books
on Hwa Rang Do. How did you come about training him and why was he chosen to
implement Hwa Rang Do in the U.S. military? 
Lee: Echanis first came to me looking for the wrong things. He was all pride
and ambition, wanting to learn how to become invincible. I saw he had the burning
desire necessary to overcome any obstacle to his goal. So I first cured his
leg, which could not be used due to its severe wounding in Vietnam. After he
healed, he learned the power of healing and became more appreciative of life.
This instilled in him the humility necessary to be a warrior with character,
for humanity, and not against it.
I realized Mike would be the best candidate to spread Hwa Rang Do in the military,
which I had always wanted to do since coming to States. I trained him specifically
in the way of Am ja (Art of the Shadows) and Un Ship Bop (Method of Invisibility)
which was all the training necessary to become Sulsa (Korean version of the
Japanese ninja, the Sulsa was around 1000 years before the art of Ninjitsu was
founded in Japan). When Echanis had reached a proficient level , he contacted
a friend in the Green Berets and I gave permission for him to develop a program
for their instructors.
I had hoped Michael could maintained Hwa Rang Do in the military where it would
have served the greatest needs, but he was to die in 1978 while training special
forces soldiers in Nicaragua. I have lost a great student and a good son. There
is no one to replace him and I still hope to find someone who can keep the Hwa
Rang Do spirit alive in the military.
FK:
What exactly is a Sulsa and how do you become one?
Lee: Sulsa literally means technique-man, or technician. It was a title given
to special agents of the kingdom of Silla, one of the three kingdoms in the
present Korean Penisula, about 1800 years ago. All of the Sulsa were Hwa Rang
Do warriors who were hand-picked and trained in the art of espionage, then sent
to neighboring kingdoms for intelligence gathering and other covert operations.
Today, I teach the special techniques of Un Shin Bop and Am ja to a select group
of my personal best instructors. They, in turn, teach different law-enforcement
agencies as well as special units of the military. We offer a taste of Sulsa
through an outdoor training camp. Subjects covered include cover, stealth, and
camouflage, sentry removal, land traversing, knife defense, and hand-to-hand
combat.
FK: If there is any one thing you would stress about being the
warrior, what would it be?
Lee: That is simple. Character. Understadning the fragility of life and the
imperfections of humanity. A true warrior must strive for peace, not for war;
abolish chaos and restore order; eliminate injustice and rekindle compassion.
As it is in this case, the knife used by a mother in the kitchen can create
delicious meals, but in the hands of psychotic killer it can brutally take a
human life. It is most important that practitioner of the combative arts take
moral responsibility for his actions. This is by far the most crucial aspect
of becoming a true warrior. One must always rememebr that a warrior is first
and foremost a human being ...and then a soldier.
