Kwoon or Club?

A martial arts academy (kwoon or dojo) is not a sports club. An academy is place where special training takes place, and one where it is considered an honour to be a member.

In both Chinese and Japanese martial arts, the kwoon (third tone) (Mandarin guàn) or dojo are sacred places of learning. The guàn in Mandarin can mean both a temple or a place of learning. In Cantonese, kwoon has a more generic meanings, including a place of learning, but given the history of Chinese martial arts, one can be sure that is has the same connotations as guàn. In Japanese, kwoon is directly translated as kan (literally meaning house). For example, in honour of their Sensei, the students of the founder of Japanese karate, Gichin Funakoshi, created a sign reading Shoto-kan which was placed above the entrance of the hall where Funakoshi taught. Many people translate kan as club, thinking that Shoto-kan means Shoto’s club. Even so, in karate and judo, the actual hall itself where training takes place is always called the dojo. The dojo, In Japanese martial arts, literally means “Way Place” or a place for learning the Way (Dào in Mandarin). And learning the Way was considered something one’s mother would have been proud of (much like becoming a doctor)

It is clear therefore that membership of any martial arts academy, school, kwoon or dojo should not be compared to that of the gym or soccer club and should be treated as such.

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