Patterns & Theory

AIMAA Patterns

Ch'on-Ji & Study Guide For Yellow Belt

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.

Tan-Gun & Study Guide For Orange Belt

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

To-San & Study Guide For Green Belt

To-San is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Ch'ang-Ho who devoted his entire life to furthering the education of Korea and its independence movement.

Won-Hyo & Study Guide For Blue Belt

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

Yul-Kok & Study Guide For Purple Belt

Yul-Kok is the pseudonym of a great philosopher and scholar Yil (1536-1584), nicknamed the 'Confucius of Korea'.  The 38 movements refer to his birthplace on the 38th latitude, and the diagram represents 'scholar'.

Chung-Gun & Study Guide For Brown Belt

Is named after the patriot An Chang-Gun who assinated Hiro Bumo Ito, the first Japenese governor-general of Korea, known as the man who played the leading part of the Korea-Japan merger.  There aer 32 moevements in this pattern to represent Mr An's age when he wasa exectued in Lui-Shung prison in 1910.

Toi-Gye

Is the pen name of the noted scholar Yi Hwang (16th century A.D.), an authority on neo-confucianism.  The 37 moevements of the pattern refer to his birhtplace on the 37th latitude, and the diagram represents  'scholar'.

Hwa-Rang

Is named afrter the Hwa-Rang youth group which originated in the Silla Dynasty about 1350 years ago.  This group eventually became the actual driving force for the unification of the three kingdoms of Korea.

Chung-Mu

Was the given name to the great Admiral Yi Sun-Sin of the Yi Dynasty,  He was reputed to have invented the first armoured battleship, Kobukson, which was the precursor of the present day submarine in 1592 A.D.  Unjustly imprisioned and sentenced to death, he was pardoned by the King and assigned to battle as a soldier.  The reason this pattern ends with a left hand attack is to symbolise his regrettable death in battle at age 54, having no chance to show his great potential.

Kwang-Gae

Is named after the famous Kwang-Gae - T'o Wang, the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty who regained all lost territories including the greater part of Manchuria.  The diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory.  The 39 movements refer to his reign of 39 years.

Po-Un

Is the pseudonym of the 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 May 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.

Gae-Baek

Is named after Gae-Baek, a great general in the Pakche Dynasty (660 A.D).  The diagram represents his severe and strict military discipline.

Yoo-Sin

Is named after Kim Yoo-Sin, the great general of the Silla Dynasty who was instrumental in uniting the three kingdoms of Korea.  The 68 moevements refer to the last 2 digits of the year 668 A.D., the year of the unification of the whole of Korea.

Chung-Jang

Was the given name to the great general Kim Dok-Ryong of the Yi Dynasty about 400 years ago.  This particular pattern ends with a left hand attack which signifies that he died in prison at the age of 27 on a false charge which made him unable to demonstrate his full capability.

Ul-Chi

Is named after the great general Ul-Chi Mun-Dok of the Koguryo Dynasty from the 7th century A.D.  The diagram represents his surname.

Sam-Il

Denoted as the first of March.  It is the historical date when the indepence movement of Korea was started in 1919.  The 33 moevements of this pattern stand for the 33 patriots who plannce the indepenence movement.

Ko-Dang

Is the pseudonym of the patriot Cho Man-Sik who dedicated his life to the independence movement and the education of Korea.  The 39 movements if this pattern show the number of times of his imprisonment as well as the location of his birthplace in the 39 latitude.

Choi-Yong

Is named after the famous general Choi-Yong whow as the premier and commander in chief of the armed forces toward the end of the Koryo Dynasty (14th century).  Although he was executed on a false charge by one of his subordinate commanders, General Yi Song-Gye, who became the First King of the Dynasty, he was very popular and greatly respected patriotism and honest poverty.