Masutatsu Oyama
| Mas Oyama | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Choi Yeong-eui July 27, 1923 Gimje, Jeollabuk-do, Korea |
| Died | April 26, 1994 (aged 70) Tokyo, Japan |
| Style | Kyokushin karate |
| Teacher(s) | Gōgen Yamaguchi |
| Rank | 10th Dan Black Belt in Kyokushin Karate 4th Dan Black Belt in Shotokan 7th Dan Black Belt in Gōjū-ryū Karate 4th Dan Black Belt in Kosen Judo |
| Spouse | Chiyako Oyama (1926–1994), Sun-ho Hong |
| Notable students | Shokei Matsui, Steve Arneil, Hideyuki Ashihara, Sonny Chiba, Tae Hong Choi, Bobby Lowe, Akira Masuda, Kenji Midori, Tadashi Nakamura, Terutomo Yamazaki, Katsuaki Satō, Jōkō Ninomiya, Nicholas Pettas, Dolph Lundgren |
Masutatsu Oyama (大山 倍達 Ōyama Masutatsu?, born Choi Yeong-eui (Hangul: 최영의 Hanja: 崔永宜); July 27, 1923 – April 26, 1994), more commonly known as Mas Oyama, was a karate master who founded Kyokushin Karate, considered the first and most influential style of full contact karate. A Zainichi Korean, he spent most of his life living in Japan and acquired Japanese citizenship in 1964. He was an alumnus of Waseda University.
Oyama was born as Choi Young-Eui (최영의) in Gimje, South Korea, during Japanese occupation. At a young age he was sent to Manchuria, Northeast China to live on his sister's farm. Oyama began studying Chinese martial arts at age 9 from a Chinese farmer who was working on the farm. His family name was Li and Oyama said he was his very first teacher. The story of the young Oyama's life is written in his earlier books.
In March 1938, Oyama left for Japan following his brother who enrolled in the Yamanashi Aviation School Imperial Japanese Army aviation school. Sometime during his time in Japan, Choi Young-Eui chose his Japanese name, Oyama Masutatsu (大山 倍達), which is a transliteration of 'Baedal' (倍達). 'Baedal' was an ancient Korean kingdom known in Japan during Oyama's time as "Ancient Joseon".
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