Do-San is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Ch'ang Ho (1876-1938) who devoted his life to furthering the education of Korea and it's independance movement.

The 24 movements in this pattern represent his life, which he devoted to his country. Ahn Chang Ho's philosophy was "Practice with diligence." He did not believe in pretension when dealing with others. The basis of this philosophy, later in 1913, became the core of "Hong Sadan" or the society for raising gentlemen.

The occupation by the Japanese of the Korean peninsula during the 20th century began in 1903 or 1904 and extended to 1945. Many Koreans fled to the United States and other countries at the onset. Ahn Chang-Ho came to the United States in 1903, along with Rhee Syngman. Rhee Syngman was to become the first president of North Korea in 1945, after its division as a spoil of World War II.

Ahn Chang-Ho returned to Korea in 1907 to establish the Sinminhoe (New People's Society), a secret independence group in Pyong-An Province. This group was dedicated in promoting the recovery of Korean independence through nationalism, education, business and culture. In 1911 the Japanese passed the Education Act and began to close Korean schools. By 1914 all Koreans were attending Japanese schools. In order to do so, they had to abandon using their Korean language and their Korean birth-names, and use instead the Japanese language and Japanese names. They were taught that they were the under-society to Japanese people, whose purpose was to serve their Japanese superior masters.

In 1919 Rhee Syngman and Ahn Chang-Ho set up a provisional governement in exile in Shanghai in which they drew up a Democratic Constitution that provided for a freely elected president and legislature. In 1922, Ahn Chang-Ho headed a historical commission to compile all materials related to Korea, especially concerning the facts concerning the Japanese occupation.

Korean culture owes much to Ahn Chang-Ho. His dedication to the education of the Korean people and to the protection of its culture was vital at a time when the purpose of the Japanese occupation was attempting to eradicate the Korean culture and its independence.

http://www.ahnchangho.or.kr/edefault.asp
Website For Dosan (Ahn Chang Ho)

Dosan arose from humble beginnings. He was born in Dorong-som Chil-li Chori-myun Gangseo-gun in the South Pyeongan Province on November 9, 1878 as the third son of a farmer, Ahn Heong-kook and a home maker (known as Hwang ). Dosan recognized the changes in the worldwide trends at his young age and had a great vision to save and modernize his motherland.

<1897> At the young age of 19, Dosan was involved in the activities of the Korean independence association . As the political and social movements of the Club failed, Dosan set out to focus on improving education and industry. As part of his effort, Dosan established a co-educational elementary school called Cheomjin (Gradual) and started reclamation of wastelands.

<1902> At 24, Dosan went to America with his wife, Lee Hye-ryon to continue his studies with the intentions of becoming an educator someday. Shocked by miserable lives of Korean Americans, Dosan instead concentrate on enlightening and promoting unity among them. Dosan founded the Korean Fellowship Society, which later developed into the stronger the Kongnip Hyeophoe, or Cooperative Association.

<1907> At 29, Dosan returned to Korea with visions and began immediately organizing a secret organization known as Sinminhoe, or the New People's Society. Later, Dosan founded Daesung School and his own companies aimed at empowering Korea with economic independence. He established the Cheongnyeon Haguhae, or Young students Association for the first time of its kind and toured the nation to deliver his enlightening and innovative speeches.

<1910> As Korea was on the verge of collapse, 32-year-old Dosan sought political asylum in America through China and Europe. He then made his full efforts to develop the Korean National Association. At the same time, Dosan founded Heungsadan, or Young Korean Academy and helped to incorporate a business enterprise, the North American Business Corporation.

<1919> Dosan went to China in the wake of the March First Independence Movement. He was dedicated to establishing and developing the Shanghai Provisional Government through the National Representatives Conference. Dosan also led YKA movements in China as well as in Korea.

<1926> Dosan returned to China after staying at America for one and a half years. Dosan played a leading role in the Koeran Independence Party Movement to enhance cooperation among activists. He then established the Great Public Spiritism, or the Korean Independence Party and the Model Community. The purpose was to provide the Provisional Korean Government with a political organization, thereby creating a united front for the nationalist movement.

<1932> After the assassination attempts by the Korean patriot Yoon Bong-gil in Shanghai, Japanese police officers rounded up Korean independence activists. Dosan , at 54, was arrested and detained for his alleged collusion with the incident . He was repatriated to Seoul, Korea and sentenced to four years in imprisonment. He was paroled after serving two years in prison. Later, Dosan stayed at Songtae village in Daebo Mt. preparing for the day of Independence.

<1938> At 60, Dosan was arrested again by Japanese authorities for the Tonguhoe incident. Due to severe illness, he was released on bail and transferred to the Kyungsung University hospital. He passed away there on March 10.

On the Day of the March First Independence Movement, the Korean government granted a decoration to late Dosan Ahn Chang-ho for his patriotic contributions.

On November 10, the Dosan Memorial Park was established to mark the 95th anniversary of Ahn Chang-ho's birth in Shinsa-dong, Seoul. The remains of Dosan along with his wife's were laid to rest in the park.


Dosan's Birth and Growth

Dosan was born in the Island of Bong-sang-do (a.k.a. Dorong Island), Chil-ri, Chori-myon, Gangseo-gun, South Pyongahn-do on November 9, 1878, as the third son of Ahn Heung-kuk, who was a farmer. He began to learn Chinese classics when he was nine years old and also studied Confucianism under the tuition of Kim Hyeon-jin, a Confucius scholar, from when he was fourteen years old until sixteen.
In 1894, when the Far East was drawn into the vortex of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), Dosan came to realize how weak and vulnerable to outsided forces his own nation was and resolved that he would dedicated his whole life to his nation and his compatriots.
The painful realization of his country's powerlessness was transformed into Dosan's personal determination to empower himself by learning about the world outside his immediate surroundings.

In 1895, when he was seventeen years old, Dosan entered Guse hakdang or "Miller's School" and graduated two years later. Then in 1898, he participated together with Phil Dae-uen in establishing the Pyeongyang branch of the Korean independence association(Լءúðüå, Doklibhyubhoe) On July 25 (by the lunar calendar) of the same year, he criticised irregularities and corruption of the government and corrupt public officials and called for reforms in his speech during a special lecture in commemoration of the birth of the Emperor Kwang-mu of Daehan Empire (the name of Korea in those days under the Japanese colonial rule) at Kwaejaetjeong in Pyeongyang.
He thereafter joined the Manmin Kongdonghwoe (People's Cooperation Assembly), an affiliated organization of the Korean independence association and criticised government policies and urged the need for solidarity of the whole people. After the Korean independence association was disbanded, Dosan returned home and established a school in his hometown the Cheomjin School, or Gradual Progress School, the first modern and co-educational private school ever established by a Korean. The name of the school seemed to reflect his political philosophy of evolutionary social changes through education.

After three years of running the Cheomjin School, Dosan turned to the operation of the school over to another person in order to better prepare for his trip to America. He wanted to study in America to prepare himself for an educational career upon returning to his county.
So he planned to go to America with the help of Reverend Miller of Guse hakdang. After holding a wedding with Lee Hye-ryon(her English name was Helen), he finally set out to the United States with his wife in September 1902


Timeline:
1878.11.9 Born in Dorong-sum Chil-li Chori-myun Gangseo-gun in the South Pyeongan
Province as the third son of Ahn Heoug-kuk.
1884 Moves to Kook-soo dang in the South Pyeongan Province.
1889 Ahn, Heoung-kuk passes away.
1890 Moves to Nonam-li Nambusan-myun in Southern Pyeongang ; Attends a local
private academy(Seodang) to learn the basic Chinese classics.
1892 Receives Confucian teachings from Kim Hyun-jin ; comes to know Phil Dae-yeun.
1895 Attends the elementary course of the Miller school ; becomes a christian.
1897 Graduates the Miller school.
1898 Joins the Korean Independence Association(Լءúðüå, Doklibhyubhoe) ; delivers a
speech in Pyeongang.
1899 Founds the Cheomjin School in the South Pyeongan Province;reclaims wastelands.
1902 Weds Lee Hye-ryon; goes to America.
1903 Organizes the San Francisco Fellowship Society ; elected president.
1905 Founds the Kongnip Association, or Cooperative Association ; selected the first
president ; publishes the Gongnip newspaper.
1907 Returns to Korea ; organizes Sinminhoe, or New People's Society, a secret
independence organization.
1908 Establishes Daesung School(ÓÞà÷ùÊÎè) in Pyeongang, Taeguk Publishing company.
1909 Organizes the Cheongnyeon Haguhoe, or Young Students Association ; arrested
after the assassination of the Japanese Resident General, Ito Hirobumi by the
Korean patriot Ahn Joong-gun ; released after two months in prison.
1910.4 Holds the independence Activists Conference in China.
1911 Establishes the Korean village and the military school in North Manchuria and
Vladivostok ; returns to America.
1912 Organizes the Korean National Association (ÓÞùÛìÑÏÐÚÅüå, Deahaningukminhoe) ;
elected president.
1913 Founds Heungsadan or the Young Korean Academy (ýéÞÍÓ¥)
1917 Establishes a North American Industrial Company(ÝÁÚ¸ãùåöñ»ãÒüåÞä), Visits Mexico.
1919 Holds a representative conference of Deahaningukminhoe ; declares a resolution
and declaration ; serves as Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of
the Shanghai Provisional Korean Government ; publishes the Independence
newspaper.
1920 Organizes a provisional committee of Heungsadan
1921 Forms the National Representative Conference in Shanghai.
1922 Directs the establishment of Sooyanghoe and Tonguhoe.
1923 Holds a meeting of the National Representative Conference ; elected as vice
president ; advocates forming an independence alliance ; plans to establish a
¡° Model Community ".
1924 Visits Manchuria ; founds a Dongmyung School (ÔÔÙ¥ùÊêÂ).
1925 Visits America to deliver a speech to Korean Americans.
1926 Returns to China ; prepares for establishing the ¡° Modern Community " in Jilim,
Manchuria.
1927 Arrested during delivering a speech to stress the need of the Independence Party
by Chinese authorities ; released after 20 days.
1930 Organizes the Korean Independent Party in Shanghai, China.
1931 Arrested for the alleged collusion with the assassination attempt
by Yoon Bong-gil ; repatriated to Korea to serve 4 years of imprisonment.
1935 Paroled; tours the nation to deliver speeches; stays at Songtae village in Taeboo
Mt.in the South Pyeongan Province.
1937 Arrested for the "Tongwu" incident ; detained at prison in Seodaemoon ; released
on bail due to severe illness.
1938.3.10 Died at the Kyungsung University hospital ; buried at the Mangwoori Public
Cemetery.
1962 Granted a decoration for patriotic contributions.
1973 Laid to rest in the Dosan Memorial Park.


Quotations:-
"Do not lie, even for jokes. Regret losing honesty and integrity if so even in dreams."
to students of Daeseong school , serving as principal

"Without a country, without a house and a person. One can not enjoy his honor when his people are suppressed."
to students of Daeseong school, serving as principal

"Do you love your country? If so, you should have a sound mind. If your people are sick, you should be a doctor. If you can't, you should at least have a sound body and mind."
to students of Daeseong school, serving as principal

"No violence to your compatriots. If you are beaten, bear with it. If you are cursed, bear with it. Just love your brethren."
to members of Young Korean Academy, or Heungsadan

"I have lived so far only to achieve the independence of Korea. And I will do so until my last day."
to Japanese interrogators at prison

"Since every Korean believes the day of independence will come, Korea will be independent. Since every people in the world wants the independence of Korea, Korea will be independent. Since Heaven orders the independence of Korea, Korea will be independent for sure."
to Japanese interrogators at prison

"I sincerely want Japan to be a better country, not to end up with collapse. Suppressing its neighbours in Korea will not be in the Japan's national interests. Rather than making 20 million Koreans who hold a grudge against Japan its people,
it will meet the Japan's interests to have 20 million friends in its neighbourhood. Therefore, the independence of Korea will be not only for peace in Asia but for well-being of Japan."
to Japanese interrogators at prison

"To change every Korean's minds and attitudes, change each individual first. Instead of being changed by others, one should change himself."
advocating changes in people's lives

"It is much easier to defeat millions of enemies than to break off a habit. Therefore, you should make a life-long effort to drop your habits."
advocating changes in people's lives

"If you and I love Korea, we should cooperate one another to change Korea. We should change our educational and religious system, agricultural and business sector, and customs and habits. We should also change our clothing, food, and housing, the rural and urban areas, even our rivers and mountains."
advocating changes in people's lives

"Lack of thoroughness results in the collapse of Korea. It is even difficult to be the best by making all our efforts. Then, how can we make achievements without doing our best? "
supervising the construction of Songtae Mt. Villiage

"Do not be upset over the absence of great person among us. The reason that there is no great leader who will enlighten the nation is that there is no one doing his utmost to be one. Why do you stop regretting and instead study hard?"
to members of the Young Korean Academy

"I ask to you! How many of you have a sense of ownership in Korea? Those who feel responsible for the society they belong to are owners. Others are just visitors. Only owners tend to have responsibility for seeking ways to save their country."
in a letter to compatriots

"Only when Koreans trust one another, they will be able to greet and cooperate one another."
in a letter to compatriots

"Despair equals to death of a youth. If a youth is dead, his people are dead."
in a letter to compatriots

"Peace will come when we can acknowledge that different people have different opinions. We should respect each other's freedom of press and thought. That's the very nature of people in a civilized country."
to members of Young Korean Academy

"Descendants blame ancestors as successors blame predecessors. Everyone just blames others for the unfortunate fate of Korea. Why don't you feel responsible for not achieving the independence yet? Why do you shift the responsibility on the others? Why don¡' you realize you are the responsible one?"
to members of Young Korean Academy

"I strongly believe that power comes from sound personality and solid unity. Therefore, I urge the youth to train and enhance the two important things."
to his comrades

"I believe the truth will be recognized and the justice will be done in the end."
to his comrades

"We should not act like slaves. We are people with freedom. We should just follow our conscience and reason, not any individual or organizations."
to his comrades

"I am a sinner. Though Koreans are so good to me, I do nothing for them. I am a sinner."
Among his remarks

"I do insist that the national capitalism should be based on making my country and people prosperous. And I advocate for the principle of equality in four major areas; people, politics, economy and education."
September 20, 1935