System History

History of Our Martial Arts Systems

The Martial Arts systems we teach at Fighting Arts Dojo are Kempo Moo Duk Kwan, Kempo Tai-Jitsu, Aiki-jujutsu, and a culmination of various grappling arts.

It is important to understand that our Martial Arts systems encompass five different geographic regions: India (Kalaripayat), China (Ch’uan Fa, Shuai Jiao, Chin Na), Japan (Kempo and Tai-Jitsu), Korea (Moo Duk Kwan), and the United States (Kempo Moo Duk Kwan and Kempo Tai-Jitsu). China had a great influence on the Martial Arts in all these regions, which combined their own native arts and ways of self-defense with the Chinese systems. These combined arts became the basis of what we practice today, with Kempo being the foundation.

Kempo evolved from the Chinese Martial Art called Ch’uan Fa, meaning “fist law” or “way of the fist.” The founding roots of Kempo stretch as far back as 520 B.C, when Bodhidharma first taught the monks at Shaolin temple breathing exercises of Hatha Yoga and Martial Arts techniques of Kalaripayat to improve their health. Because Ch’uan Fa itself has gone through so many changes over the years, there is no single system in China today that resembles Kempo.

Japan - Kempo

The introduction of Kempo into Japan and the subsequent origins of Jujutsu are a mystery. One theory holds that in the 17^th century, a Chinese Martial Artist named Chen Yuan Ping taught his techniques to three Ronin, or masterless Samurai, named Fukuno Hichiroemon, Miura Yojiemon, and Isogai Jirozaemon. Between the Sui and Ming dynasties in China (from 581 A.D. to 1644 A.D.), it is considered that many wandering monks brought the practice of Kempo to both Japan and the Okinawan islands. As well, Japanese seekers of Martial Arts techniques traveled to China to learn Kempo – bringing the techniques back home to Japan after years of study.

Great attention was brought to Kempo in the late 1500’s, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful Japanese daimyo or warlord, endeavored to conquer Mandarin China by way of Korea. It is reputed that many Samurai returned from China during and after the war with an extensive knowledge of Ch’uan Fa. During this time, the greatest evolution of Kempo took place. It was modified and included in the arts of Jujutsu and Aiki-Jujutsu, with the striking and kicking techniques influencing Tai-Jitsu.

Japan – Tai-Jitsu

Tai-Jitsu was developed from the Japanese art of Ju-Jitsu, “the gentle way.” During the time of the Samurai in 17^th century Japan, Ryus, or Martial Arts schools, practiced Ju-Jitsu designed to battle opponents who were neither wearing armor nor carrying a sword. Instead, an attacker’s force was turned against them using pinning techniques, joint locks, sweeps, and throws.

Over time, the Ju-Jitsu schools specialized in different self-defense methods, with Tai-Jitsu focusing on joint manipulation, throws, and grappling forms while Kempo stressed striking and kicking techniques called Atemi-waza. Our system unites both of these styles once again as Kempo Tai-Jitsu.

Korea – Moo Duk Kwan

Originally, Korea had developed its own Martial Arts systems, which faded into obscurity. Under Japan’s rule, from 1905 to 1945, all Martial Arts were banned. A young Martial Artist named Hwang Kee, however, had been secretly studying both the traditional Korean art of Taekkyon and Chinese Martial Arts under his teacher Yang Kuk Jin.

After the liberation of Korea in 1945, Hwang Kee created Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, meaning the “School of Martial Virtue,” which was a combination of Korean and Chinese Martial Arts. In 1957, Grand Master Kee was given the Muye Dobo Tongji book of traditional Korean Martial Arts, discovered by a librarian at Korea National Library. From this book, Grand Master Kee incorporated the traditional Korean art of Soo Bahk into his Moo Duk Kwan system. In 1960, Hwang Kee renamed Tang Soo Do to Soo Bahk Do and registered it with the Korean Ministry of Education.

Around 1964, the Korean government moved to unify Moo Duk Kwan with eight other Kwans into one national system called Tae Kwon Do.  When Grand Master Kee refused, political pressure was brought to bear and the art suffered for it. The national system of Moo Duk Kwan became known as Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk Kwan.

United States – Kempo Moo Duk Kwan and Kempo Tai-Jitsu

Grandmaster Russell Kozuki was a famous American pioneer of the Chinese Kempo Tai-Jitsu system. Grandmaster Kozuki passed on his skills to Shidoshi Ed Gross, who was one of only a few Americans authorized by Hwang Kee to represent Moo Duk Kwan in the United States.

Shidoshi Ed Gross combined his many skills and years of training in the arts of Kempo Tai-Jitsu and Karatedo along with the art of Moo Duk Kwan Tae Kwon Do and created the style of Kempo Tae Kwon Do.

Shidoshi Gross trained Hanshi Jerry Mercado for 14 years, awarding Hanshi Mercado with his 3^rd Dan in both Kempo Tai-Jitsu and Kempo Tae Kwon Do. Hanshi Mercado refined the techniques he had learned, adding Aikido, Aiki Jiu-Jitsu, Jiu-Jitsu and other Jiu-Jitsu styles. In 1979, Hanshi Mercado, from this wealth of knowledge and experience, founded his own system – Kempo Moo Duk Kwan – which we instruct at Fighting Arts Dojo.

Hanshi’s system incorporates devastating strikes, kicks, and joint manipulation, locks, throws, Chinese sweeps, and pressure points with an emphasis on footwork and body shifting as applied to practical self-defense. Hanshi Mercado then passed on his knowledge and techniques to Renshi John Zampieron, founder of Fighting Arts Dojo, co-founder of the United Federation of Jiu-Jitsu, and founder of the Gathering of the Masters Seminars.

Renshi Zampieron earned his 5^th Dan in both Kempo Tai-Jitsu and Kempo Moo Duk Kwan under Hanshi Mercado.  Since the Martial Arts is ever growing and evolving, Renshi Zampieron incorporated techniques from Martial Arts styles including Jeet Kun Do, Wing Chun, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, along with various other grappling arts. Renshi Zampieron emphasizes all four ranges of combat in his instruction, including kicking, boxing, trapping and grappling.