Taekwondo Patterns Overview and Meanings

A Pattern (also known as a Form, Hyung, or Tul) in Taekwondo (also spelled Taekwon‑Do or Tae Kwon Do) is a sequence of movements designed to allow a student to practice various Taekwondo techniques without an actual opponent. The following are some of the patterns in Taekwondo and their meanings.

Chon-Ji:  means literally the "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 the Heaven and the other the Earth.

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

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

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

Yul-Gok:  is the pseudonym of a great philosopher and scholar Yi I (1536 – 1584 A.D.) nicknamed the "Confucius of Korea". The 38 movements of this pattern refer to his birthplace on 38th latitude and the diagram represents "scholar".

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

Toi-Gye:  is the pen name of the noted scholar Yi Hwang (16th century A.D.), an authority on Neo-Confucianism. The 37 movements of the pattern refer to his birthplace on the 37th latitude, the diagram represents "scholar".

Hwa-Rang:  is named after the Hwa-Rang youth group which originated in the Silla Dynasty in the early 7th century. This group eventually became the actual driving force for the unification of the three Kingdoms of Korea.

Choong-Moo:  was the given name to the great Admiral Yi Sun-Sin of the Yi Dynasty. He was reputed to have invented the first armored battleship (Kobukson) which was the precursor of the present day submarine in 1592 A.D. The reason why this pattern ends up with a left hand attack is to symbolize his regrettable death having no chance to show his unrestrained potentiality checked by the forced reservation of his loyalty to the King.

Po-Eun:  is the pseudonym of a loyal subject Chong Mong-Chu (1400 A.D.) 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.

Se-Jong:  is named after King Se-Jong, The Great, who invented the Korean alphabet in the year of 1443 A.D. and who was also a meteorologist. The diagram represents "King" and the 24 movements refer to the 24 letters of the Korean language.

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