Taegeuk Chil Jang
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Taegeuk Chil Jang is the seventh of eight taekwondo forms practiced by the Kukkiwon and the World Taekwondo Federation. A form, or poomsae (also romanized as pumsae or poomse), is a choreographed pattern of defense-and-attack motions. Taegeuk Chil Jang is often (but not universally) practiced by students of Kukkiwon/WTF-style taekwondo with rank of 2nd geup. Second geup students of Kukkiwon/WTF-style taekwondo practice this form in order to advance to the next rank (1st geup).
The word taegeuk (Korean: 태극; Hanja: 太極, Korean pronunciation: [tʰɛgɯk̚]) refers to the universe from which all things and values are derived.[1][2] It is also the symbol that makes up the center of the flag of South Korea and the source for its name, taegeukgi (hangul: 태극기, where gi means "flag").[3] The taegeuk is commonly associated with Korean Taoism philosophical values[4] as well as Korean shamanism.[5]
The word chil is the number 7 in the Sino-Korean numbering system. The word jang translates roughly as "chapter" or "part". Taegeuk Chil Jang translates as "Part 7 of the Taegeuk".
Symbolism
The floor pattern (or yeon-mu) of each taegeuk poomsae is three parallel lines. On each line, a 180 degree turn is performed.
- If the turn is performed by pivoting in-place, the line is considered to be a broken line.
- If the turn is performed by moving the lead foot to the rear, the line is considered to be a solid line.
The floor pattern of each taegeuk poomsae then represents three broken or solid lines, called trigrams or gwae (bagua in Chinese). Each trigram (gwae) corresponds to a natural element.
| 乾 Qián ☰ |
兌 Duì ☱ |
離 Lí ☲ |
震 Zhèn ☳ |
巽 Xùn ☴ |
坎 Kǎn ☵ |
艮 Gèn ☶ |
坤 Kūn ☷ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heaven/Sky | Lake/Marsh | Fire | Thunder | Wind | Water | Mountain | Earth |
| 天 Tiān | 澤(泽) Zé | 火 Huǒ | 雷 Léi | 風(风) Fēng | 水 Shuǐ | 山 Shān | 地 Dì |
| Gun | Tae | Yi | Jin | Seon | Gam | Gan | Gon |
The first two turns of Taegeuk Chil Jang are performed by pivoting in-place. The final turn is performed by moving the lead foot. This indicates that the associated trigram is a broken line, a broken line, and a solid line; this is the trigram for mountain ("gan"). The Kukkiwon teaches that this poomsae should be performed with movements that are unyielding and immovable (like a mountain).[6]
Techniques
As an advanced poomsae, this form introduces the student to a large number of new techniques:
- This form begins with a tiger stance. In Korean culture, tigers are associated with life in the mountains; the prominence of the tiger stance in this form is an example of the "mountain" motif being represented in the form's movements.
- Low double knifehand block (also called low augmented knifehand block)
- A palm block and a backfist strike, both performed on a supporting arm
- A scissors block (i.e., simultaneous low block and outside block)
- Shoulder-height opening block
- Strike to the abdomen using the knee
- A hinge-block chamber leading up to a low cross block. This is the first block seen in the Taegeuk poomsae that is not a "deflecting" block. In other words, this block traps an attack rather than deflecting it; this is an example of an "unyielding/immovable" movement in this form.
- Target kick