Pattern Meanings

Pattern – Chon-Ji

Moves – 19

Meaning – Chon-Ji literally means ‘Heaven and Earth’. It is, in the orient, interpreted as the creation of the world or the beginning of human history. Therefore, it is the initial pattern played by the beginner. This pattern consists of two similar parts: one to represent Heaven, the other the Earth.

Pattern – Dan-Gun

Moves – 21

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

Pattern – Do-San

Moves – 24

Meaning – Do-San is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-Ho (1876 to 1938), who devoted his entire life to furthering the education of Korea and its Independent Movement.

Pattern – Won-Hyo

Moves – 28

Meaning – Won-Hyo was the noted monk who introduced Buddhism to the Silla Dynasty in the year 686 AD

Pattern – Yul-Gok

Moves – 38

Meaning – Yul-Gok is the pseudonym of the great philosopher and scholar Yi I (1536 to     1584 AD) nicknamed the ‘Confucius of Korea’. The 38 movements refer to his birthplace on the 38o latitude and the diagram (±) represents the scholar.

Pattern – Joong-Gun

Moves – 32

Meaning – Joong-Gun is named after the patriot Ahn Joong-Gun who assassinated Hiro Bumi Ito, the first Japanese governor-general of Korea, known as the man who played the leading part in the Korea-Japan merger. The 32 movements of this pattern represent Mr Ahn’s age when he was executed in the Lui-Shung prison (1910)

Pattern – Toi-Gye

Moves – 37

Meaning – Toi-Gye is the penname of the noted scholar Yi Hwang (16th Century AD), an authority on Neo-Confucianism. The 37 movements refer to his birthplace on the 37-degree latitude and the diagram (±) represents the scholar.

Pattern – Hwa-Rang

Moves – 29

Meaning – Hwa-Rang is named after the Hwa-Rang youth group, which originated in the Silla Dynasty during the early 7th Century AD. This group eventually became the actual driving force towards the unification of the three kingdoms of Korea.
The 29 movements refer to the 29th Infantry Division, where Tae Kwon-Do developed into maturity.

Pattern – Choong-Moo

Moves – 30

Meaning – Choong-Moo was the given name of the great admiral Yi Sun-Sin of the Yi Dynasty. He was reputed to have invented the first armoured battleship, nicknamed Kobukson, which was the precursor to the present day submarine, in the year 1592 AD. The reason why this pattern ends with a left hand attack is to symbolise his regrettable death, having had no chance to show his unrestrained potentiality, checked by the forced reservation of his loyalty to his King.