The Taekwondo patterns (Ch’ang-Hon Tul)

In 1970, 24 patterns were introduced to the international community. A pattern is a set of fundamental movements, mainly defence and attack, set in a logical sequence to deal with one or more imaginary opponents. Patterns are also an indication of a student’s progress, a barometer in evaluating an individual’s technique.

9th Kup Yellow Tag: Chon-Ji (19 movements)

Chon-Ji literally means “the Heaven the Earth”, which in the Orient is interpreted as the creation of the world or the beginning of human history, this is why it is the initial pattern performed by the beginner. This pattern consists of two parts: one to represent the Heaven and the other the Earth.

8th Kup Yellow Belt: Dan-Gun (21 movements)

Dan-Gun is named after the holy Dan-Gun, the legendary founder of Korea in the year 2333 B.C.

7th Kup Green Tag: Do-San (24 movements)

Do-San is the pseudonym of the patriot An Chang Ho (1876-1938) who devoted his entire life to furthering the education of Korea and its independent movement.

6th Kup Green Belt: Won-Hyo (28 movements)

Won-Hyo was the noted monk who introduced Buddhism to the Silla Dynasty in the year 686 A.D.

5th Kup Blue Tag: Yul-Gok (38 movements)

Yul-Gok is the pseudonym of a great philosopher and scholar Yi I (1536-1584) nicknamed “The Confucius of Korea”. The 38 movements refer to his birthplace on 38 latitude and the diagram represents “scholar”.

4th Kup Blue Belt: Joong Gun (32 movements)

Joong-Gun is named after the patriot An Joong Gun who assassinated Hiro Bumi Ito, the first Japanese Resident-General of Korea, known as the man who played the leading part of the Korea – Japan merger. There are 32 movements to represent Mr An’s age when he was executed in Lui Shung prison (1910).

3rd Kup Red Tag: Toi-Gye (37 movements)

Toi-Gye is the pen name of the noted scholar Yi Hwang (16th Century), an authority on Neo-Confucian. The 37 movements of the pattern refer to his birthplace on 37 latitude and the diagram represents “scholar”.

2nd Kup Red Belt: Hwa-Rang (29 movements)

Hwa-Rang is named after the Hwa-Rang youth group, which originated in the Silla Dynasty in the early 7th century. The 29 movements refer to the 29th Infantry Division, where Taekwondo developed into maturity.

1st Kup Black Tag: Choong-Moo (30 movements)

Choong-Moo was the name given to the great Admiral Yi Soon-Sin of the Lee dynasty. He was reputed to have invented the first armoured battleship (Kobukson) in 1592, which is said to be the precursor of the present-day submarine. The reason why this pattern ends with a left-hand attack is to symbolise his regrettable death, having no chance to show his unrestrained potentiality, checked by the forced reservation of his loyalty to the king.

Patterns – Black Belt

1st Degree Black Belt: Kwang-Gae (39 movements)

Kwang-Gye is named after the famous Kwang-Gae-Toh-Wang, the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty, who regained all the lost territories including the greater part of Manchuria. The diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory. The 39 movements refer to the first two figures of 391 A.D., the year he came to the throne.

1st Degree Black Belt: Po-Eun (36 movements)

Po-Eun is the pseudonym of a loyal subject Chong Mong-Chu (1400) who was a famous poet and whose poem “I would not serve a second master though I might be crucified a hundred times” is known to every Korean. He was also a pioneer in the field of physics. The diagram represents his unerring loyalty to the king and country towards the end of the Koryo Dynasty.

1st Degree Black Belt: Ge-Baek (44 movements)

Ge-Baek is named after Ge-Baek, a great general in the Baek Je Dynasty (660 AD). The diagram represents his severe and strict military discipline.