Mr Paul Wanklyn 5th Dan

Do-San

Do-San is the pseudonym of the patriot Chang Ho (1878-1938) who devoted his entire life to furthering the education of Korea and it’s independence movement. 24 Movements.

Ahn Chang Ho was born on November 9th 1878 in South Pyeongan Province the son of a farmer. At the age of 11, he attended a local private academy to learn the basic Chinese classics and it was here that he had the vision of saving and modernising his motherland. In 1892, he received confucion teachings by Kim Hyun-Jin and later also became a Christian. It was from this point that he started to create political parties aimed at the improvement of Korea concentrating on Education and Industry. In 1903, Ahn Chang Ho moved to America with his wife and Rhee Syngman (who later became the first President of in 1945 after it’s division from the north as a spoil of World War 2). Whilst on his journey, he took on the pseudonym of “Do-San” which means “Island Mountain” or “Beautiful Mountain” after a short stop on the Hawaiian Islands. Do-San first settled in San Francisco along with many other Korean migrant workers but in 1904, moved on to Riverside in California where he found that Korean families were struggling to find jobs although employment was plentiful. Do-San found that conditions closely reflected that of Korea and that all jobs in the Citrus orchards were controlled by Japanese labour contractors who were preventing the Koreans from working. Because Do-San was trained as a confucion scholar, he carried himself with the distinguished bearing of his noteworthy ancestors, this impressed Mr C E Rumsey, a Californian Citrus Baron who loaned Do-San $1500 to start his own Korean employment agency and build a dormitory to house the workers. Rumsey was so impressed that he asked Do-San to supply his Alta Cresta groves with all the Korean workers in town, Rumsey then also helped to provide housing for the Koreans leading to the first Korean village in Southern California. It was about this time that Do-San formed a political party called “Kongnip Hyeophoe” or “Cooperative Association”. This party would become the basis for the “Korean National Association” which Do-San later led as President and his continued Korean Improvement work helped shape his future as the spiritual leader of the Korean Independence Movement on 1st March 1919. In 1907, Do-San returned to Korea and formed a secret organisation called “Sinminhoe” or “The New Peoples Society”. In 1909, he was arrested by the Japanese because they believed that he was involved in the Assassination of HiroBumi Ito (the first Japanese Governor General of Korea) because the assassin (Ahn Joong-Gun) was a student in Do-San’s “Young Students Association”. Do-San spent 2 months in prison before being released. In all, Do-San was arrested and imprisoned 4 times by the Chinese and Japanese and whilst being interrogated by the Japanese said:

“I have lived so far only to achieve the independence of Korea and I will do so until my last day”.

Do-San played an important part in the “Sam-Il” or “March 1st Movement” in 1919. He set up a provisional Korean government with Rhee Syngman whilst in exile in Shanghai () and was declared Minister for Internal Affairs whilst Rhee Syngman became Acting Prime Minister.

On 10th March 1938, Do-San died at the age of 60 in Kyungsung University Hospital due to ill health, some say that he died of Cancer whilst others say he died after being continually tortured by the Japanese. On the 95th Anniversary of his birth, the Korean Government opened “Do-San Memorial Park” in Soeul where his remains, and that of his wife are laid to rest.

Do-San’s son, Philip Ahn was a well known and respected Hollywood Actor and stared as “Master Kan” in Kung Fu with . Do-San’s daughter, Susan Ann Cuddy was the first Asian woman allowed into the U.S Navy.