Chang Hon Tuls philosophical explanations

[MaverickZ]

太極/태극/Taegeuk refers to the the swirled circle, which in Korean culture is divided into red and blue halves. It symbolizes the Supreme Ultimate, the two extremes. It only refers to the circle, not the circle surrounded by the 8 trigrams. The circle by itself is called the 太極圖/태극도/Taegeukdo, the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate. In Mandarin, Taegeuk is pronounced Taiji, as in Taijiquan.

The circle surrounded by the 8 trigrams is called the 八卦圖/팔괘도/Palgwaedo. Palgwaedo means the Diagram of the Eight Symbols. Gwae does not mean "eternity". The Eight Symbols are each three sets of lines, some solid, some separated. In keeping with the concept of Cheonji-in, the top line is Heaven, the second line in man, the third line is earth, because man is between the heavens and the earth. Palgwae is pronounced Bagua in Mandarin, as in Baguazhang.



松巖/송암/Songam means Pine Cliff. 菴/암/Am is the character for a Buddhist hermitage, not a temple, and is not the character used in the name of this style of Taegwondo. Comparisons to temples and or Buddhism are completely inaccurate.

The usage of 松/송/Song is notable, since it traces directly back to Taegwondo's progenitor, Shotokan Karatedo. Shotokan is written 松濤館, which is written 송도관 in Hangul and pronounced Songdogwan in Korean. Shoto translates as Pine Wave. This helps illustrate the roots of Taegwondo in Shotokan Karatedo.

The poetic image thus portrayed through these characters is that of a pine tree, growing a top of cliff face, a common site in the mountains of Korea.

You are truly a font of information. Spewing your knowledge all over everyone's heads, faces, and minds. But, like someone completely new to industry, most people will just let this information fall on their face and leave it there. Whereas those truly experienced will swallow and absorb every drop .

[brihno360]

that's gross man.

[doofaloofa]

I took this from a different forum. It is attributed to Master Gwen Hall's conversations with Gen. Ch

"Notice the logical sequence.

Chon-Ji denotes Heaven and Earth. Humans aspire to reach heaven and must begin their journey on Earth.
Dan-Gun represented the beginning of a culture.
Do-San represents the education of a people.

This, so far we have moved form the creation of human history to the birth of a culture to the education of a culture.

Won-Yo represents the introduction of spirituality.
Yul-Gok--following the establishment of spirituality, we have the establishment of philosophy.
Joon-Gun--every civilization gets conquered and has a hero emerge, and so this pattern represents the conquering of a civilization and the emergence of a hero toward freedom.
Toi-Gye--once the culture re-emerges, changes are made the cultural philosophy to prevent subjugation.
Wha-Rang--represents the the emergence of a military to protect the re-established culture.
Choong-Moo represents victories in protecting the people."

Has anyone ever heard of this before and does anyone have an explanation for the rest of the tuls?

Is this symbolism not standard TKD teaching?

In my school, we need to learn these philosophical explanations as we learn the pattern.

They are also mentioned in the film, The Foot Fist Way, which made me think they were pretty mainstream

[Lonestar]

I know in my school we were required to memorize the definitions of each forms name. It wasn't anything philosophical, more historical just who the people were and such. Although he did teach Chon-ji as meaning "Heaven and earth" and thus the beginning of all things, so it is the beginning of our journey in TKD.

[doofaloofa]

We are taught (in Chon-ji) That the low blocks represent heaven and the mid blocks earth

[chrisrivera77]

You can find the meaning of the Chang Hon Tuls in the Encyclopedia of Taekwon Do by General Choi. All of their meanings are listed in there.

[Earl Weiss]

We are taught (in Chon-ji) That the low blocks represent heaven and the mid blocks earth

This makes sense because / why? It would be more logiocal for the low outer forearm blocks (being closer to the floor in a downward fashion) to represent earth, and the middle inner forearm blocks which are higher and pointing upward to represent heaven.

[Miguksaram]

You are truly a font of information. Spewing your knowledge all over everyone's heads, faces, and minds. But, like someone completely new to industry, most people will just let this information fall on their face and leave it there. Whereas those truly experienced will swallow and absorb every drop .

Why do I suddenly feel sticky and a need for a cigarette?