I was wondering about Grand Masters. Who decides who is a 9th dan. What is the criteria.What is on their 9th dan grading. I`d love to know what techniques they have to do, My instructor has told me some of the stuff for 3rd dan grading & thats impressive stuff, I cant imagine what you would be capable of as a 9th dan. dan
Yeah I think once it gets up to those high grades, they're awarded more for dedication and political reasons than for actual fighting ability.
We have to crack open eggs whilst only using our left nostril. Then, we must spar with in-line skates on....bugger hard. Cheers, DH PS, I failed my 9th dan test 'cause I can't skate...but I was awarded the "Gold Buckle" certificate (as shown, no less!).
Within the ITA, you only test up to 5th. Anything afterwards is honorary. I have no idea of the criteria though.
i would like to know that ...my teacher is a 5th and i have asked him a similar question and he was rather vague.
Within ITF, you're graded on technical skills until you reach 7th Dan. Then, you're officially recognised as Sahyun (Master). 8th Dan is decided by the 9th Dans, I've been told, and as far as I know, all current ITF 9th Dans (Grandmasters/Sasung) were appointed by General Choi himself. I'm not sure if that's true though. I have no idea how it works for the WTF/Kukkiwon.
"I cant imagine what you would be capable of as a 9th dan." -danthemanuk Paying someone tons of money for the title maybe?????
I asked my instructor who is a 5th Dan. His response is that anything over 5th is primarily given in return for what you have given and returned to the sport. He said the "test" is a formality and that you test in front of other 9th Dans, a committee, at wherever the location is that your federation is based. Makes you wonder though, who was the "first" 9th Dan.
Good question The first 9th Dans in TKD were probably about my age (31)... or at most in their 40's. Since most of the original "kwan" leaders are near or in their 80's. Sooo.. makes ya wonder.. does it REALLY matter , like i have mentioned before.. most systems were founded by men who were relatively young at the time..
Meh, all Candians can do that. How do you think we get around in the hockey off season! So that must mean I'm a 9th dan . . . oh way I can't do that thingy with my left nostril though.
Believe it or not but in WTF there are 10th dans and they usually test the 9th dans. The information is available on the kukkiwon website if there is further interest in the subect. The 10th dan is normally an honorary rank given to someone who has totally devoted their entire life to Taekwondo.
AS has been said, anything above 5th dan is given based upon contribution to teh school and the art. Withthat said, there are a lot of politics involved, and teh higher the rank the more the politics. As for 10th dan. Originally, you could only receive 10 dan upon death. Otherwise you are assuming you have learned everything, and we all know that is not possible in this life. Historically as Yudanja said there was only 1 - 9th dan per style. The different Kwans all had their leader, and this meant a few 9ths dans. As the kwans started to combine and intermingle, a lot of politics were created, and even more senior ranks were created. In truth, if you reach 5th dan you should be darn proud. Beyond that, well it is just an "atta boy" from the organization.
Unless yer in the ITF. A physical and written test are required up to and including 7th Dan. This includes patterns, self-defense, breaking, advanced kicking/striking techniques.
I was unable to find any referance to this on the KKW site. As far as I know it is a panel of 9th dans that do the testing. For the interestof the rest of posters, this is a link to what is required of the individuals testing for high dan ranks in KKW. High Dan ranks are considered to start from 6th Dan. I believe that once you hit these high dan tests, you must go to the Kukkiwon in Seoul to be tested. Kukkiwon High Dan Test Requirements
For the Kukkiwon, look under dan grading - high dan testing http://www.kukkiwon.or.kr/eng/promotion/simsa0.asp?div=5 For promotion to 9th dan, you must be at least 53 years old (and an 8th dan as of Dec 1993). You need to present a 10 page thesis, do some forms (Illyeo and Jitae/Chunkwan/or Hansoo), and an interview. Breaking and sparring are not required (although they are for 6th and 7th dan tests)
Most Instructors are vauge if they know nothing about the subject... sorry about your spelling and grammer issues
I'm not trying to stir anything up here, but just introducing some historical facts. When the tae kwon do umbrella was formed, all the Kwan leaders were given master ranks of fourth dan and the title of Kwan Jang Nim (head of/master of system). Gen. Choi who was a shotokan first or second dan (he claimed nidan, the Japanese claim he was still shodan), was given the rank of honorary fourth dan, since he was the head of the mlitary kwan. This was later taken away before the coup that resulted in his fall from political power and later exile from Korea. From what I've read by noted (and pretty well unbiased, he tells it like it was whether it works for him or his lineage or not) historian, Dr. Scott Shaw, his honorary rank was removed because Choi tried to pass himself of as a legitimate master and 4th dan. This does not mean in the many decades after this occured that Gen. Choi did not gain considerable experience and that he did not achieve mastery. Nor is it to imply that those who came up under him lack credibility. However, I read a lot of posts from ITF TKD practitioners on this board who seem to believe that the original kwan leaders and their inheritors in Korea have a lesser claim to legitimacy than the politician who used his clout with his military rank and ties to the old gov't of Korea to help unify the kwans. Gen Choi had a great impact and helped to organize and create TKD, but it was more from an administrative and political end than a martial and teachng one. Also, keep in mind that one of the greatest complaints used against the legitimacy of TKD by many Japanese stylists is that the man given credit by many as the founder of TKD was merely a shodan (or nidan) in shotokan when TKD was founded. What if one of the first, or brand new second dans at your school created his own art based on his political connections? Would you feel he was a legitimate master, or later grandmaster? Now at least the other kwan leaders were all higher ranked martial artists and most would consider them at (or at least near) master-level (even their critics). BTW, the use of 4th dan as a lower level master was already used in shotokan and was and still is used in gojo ryu today. This was the basis of master being at 4th dan in TKD originally (and is still used by the WTF). I should mention before I get flamed too much for pointing out historically what happened, keep in mind that though I do have a 5th dan from the WTF (and refused a promotion to 6th and quit the organization), I will be among the first to admit to it's faults and try to distance myself from them. I have at least as many problems with the WTF as I do with the ITF as far as politics and propaganda are concerned. I give respect to my TKD (and hapkido) roots, but I am now a MMA'st and have no real axes to grind one way or another in this matter.
