Yang’s Martial Arts School Named Lansdale Borough Business of the Month for September

Dan Sokil | The Reporter•

Master Bong Pil Yang of North Wales poses with an award from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office at his martial arts studio in North Wale

September’s Business of the Month winner in Lansdale is a longtime community fixture, who’s made an even bigger impact since a recent move back into the borough.

Yang’s Martial Arts School and Grand Master Bong Pil Yang were honored by councilman Mark Ladley with the award.

"Tonight, I am here to honor a business started by a man who many of you may be familiar with — someone who is well known in the Lansdale area, throughout North Penn, the county, the state and beyond,” Ladley said.

"For more than 44 years, Grand Master Bong Pil Yang has taught traditional Korean martial arts in the area, serving as a mentor and a teacher to hundreds of students,” he said.

Originally from South Korea, Yang arrived in the greater Philadelphia area in November 1978, and opened a martial arts studio on Broad Street in Lansdale, before a move to Main Street in North Wales in the mid-1990s. That school relocated back to Lansdale in August 2021, and Ladley called it "one of the region’s premier martial arts establishments,” while showing slides of students in classes, practicing their martial arts moves.

"It is where students practice the art of Sun Moo Do, which combines the arts of Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, Kung Jung Moo Sul, Gumdo, Meditation and Ki training,” he said.

"Sun Moo Do, isn’t a common term that many Americans know about when they think about the likes of karate, judo, or any other practices that have taken foothold in this country since their proliferation more than thirty or forty years ago. Yet it bears a rich history,” Ladley said.

Centuries ago, Korean Buddhist monks were encouraged to practice Zen martial arts as a way to meditate in addition to self-defense tactics, Ladley told council, and in the 16th century those monks used swords, knives, spears and throwing stars to help repel an invasion from Japan, but their temple was burned by retreating troops in revenge. Fast forward several centuries, and a rebuilt Beomeosa temple became a center for the monks’ underground resistance to Japanese occupation in the 1930s and ’40s. Until the 1970s, their art was only practiced "by a select few,” but has grown in popularity worldwide since, thanks to teachers like Yang.

"Grand Master Yang has always believed in the balance of martial arts training: The ‘hard’ and the ‘soft’ as well as the spiritual elements of his art. His focus on balance between mind and body ensures that each student becomes a complete person and martial artist,” Ladley said.

Born during the Korean War, Yang’s martial arts training began at age 13 under his first instructor, Master Soon Sik Choi, who instructed Yang in "Kung Jung Mu Sul, the martial art of Korea’s Royal Court military personnel, which favors hapkido tactics, such as joint locks, trips, and throws,” according to the councilman.

Master Bong Pil Yang of Yang’s Martial Arts School in Lansdale receives the borough’s Business of the Month award from councilman Mark Ladley during the Sept. 20, 2023 council meeting. (Credit: Mark Ladley)

"The Art traces its roots to the Yi Dynasty period in Korean history, and focuses on triangular movements and the use of empty hand tactics, as well as proficiency with various tactical weapons,” he said. Training began early in the morning and continued well into the night, and Yang would train alone, focusing on evasion and avoiding kicks and punches as part of his self-defense training, before becoming skilled in sparring and self-defense.

"Later, Master Yang learned more offensive techniques and was presented his 1st Dan at the age of 15. This was a great honor, since only six students out of 150 received their 1st Dan (Black Belt) rank under Master Soon Sik Choi. Later he began teaching classes for Master Choi, where he continued to advance his techniques and impart his knowledge to other students,” Ladley said.

As he expanded his skills, Yang continued to learn from other grand masters, and incorporated techniques using traditional animal forms, such as praying mantis, which help practitioners develop precision, power, focus, and balance. Since arriving in the North Penn area, he’s alsoworked tirelessly to build closer tiesbetween America and South Korea, as what Ladley termed an "unofficial ambassador for our region,” bringingelected officials from eachcountryto the other, andorganizing eventslike the annual"Together in harmony” day celebrating both cultures— he’s alsorecently been namedto Governor Josh Shapiro’s advisory council on Asian American and Pacific Islander Affairs.

Yang was also instrumental indeveloping a lasting memorialto ties between the two nations: "he was adriving force behindtheKorean War memorialthat rests in the Peace Park in Montgomery Township,” Ladley said. That memorial, commemorating the lives lost in the Korean War in the early 1950s, wasdedicated in 2020and will host an event marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the U.S. and South Koreaon October 1.

"Master Yang’s diverse training, and what he offers students at his school, relies on both hard and soft techniques that are practiced and instructed in such a way that brings Eastern and Western philosophies together,” Ladley said.

"His teachings go beyond physical elements of training. They promote meditation, well-being, and harmony throughout our lives. He teaches that martial arts is about being smart, not about fighting,” he said.

Students of all ages are welcome, and Ladley said he’s seen firsthand "how he is able to channel the energy of a room full of children, some as young as the age of five, and positively mentoring them, to the point that the entire room is still for a meditation session.”

"As a father of a five-year-old, and perhaps some of you who are parents can relate to this as well, I can tell you that is a miraculous task,” he said. Councilwoman Mary Fuller said she "recognized a few good-looking children” of council members in the photo montage, and councilwoman Meg Currie Teoh offered one minor correction: "My daughter started when she was only four (years old), and the change in her was pretty impressive. So thank you, Master Yang.”

As he closed his comments, Ladley introduced Yang to council, as the two bowed to each other before the certificate was presented.

"It is important to understand the depth of what Master Yang has to offer, and the uniqueness and exclusivity of his lineage, to fully grasp how amazing his school is. We are lucky to have him in our borough,” Ladley said.

After accepting the award, with a bow and to a round of applause, Yang returned the compliments, saying he was "so honored and happy to be selected.”

"I’ll do my best to continue what we do in the community. Thank you very much,” Yang said.

Yang’s Martial Arts School is located at 200 Pennbrook Parkway in Lansdale; for more information call (215) 661-1884, email [email protected], visitwww.yangsmartialart.comor search for"Yang’s Martial Arts School” on Facebook.

This article appears courtesy of a content share agreement between North Penn Now and The Reporter. To read more stories like this, visit www.thereporteronline.com.