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Terminology

TANG S00 DO
The name of the art we study. Literally, "The way of the defensive and
offensive hand." "Tang" defensive and offensive. "Soo" hand. "Do" the way.

KWAN JANG (NIM)
Literally translated as "Head Man". Grandmaster Byrne, President and Founder of the American Tang Soo Do Association.

SA BOM (NIM)
Senior Dan Member, 4th degree or above. Title of high respect, indicated by a Midnight Blue Belt with a Red stripe lengthwise through the center. Requires intense training (at least 13 years) and special testing.

KYO SA (NIM)
Certified Teacher or Instructor of Tang Soo Do. Requires special testing for A.T.A. registration.

Commands Used In Training
CHA RYUT Attention SUN BEH Senior member
KUK GI BAY RAY Salute the flag HU BEH Junior member
BA RO Return DAN Degree holder of the
Midnight Blue (Black) Belt
AHN JO Sit KO DAN JA Senior Dan member
MUK NYUM Meditate YU DAN JA Junior Dan member
KYUNG RET Bow GUP Grade holder of a color belt under Midnight Blue
KWAN JANG NIM
KAY KYUNG RET
Bow to Kwan Jang (Nim).
Grandmaster Byrne
KWAN WON Student member
SA BOM NIM KAY KYUNG RET Bow to the Sa Bom Nim CHO BU JA Beginner
KYO SA NIM KAY KYUNG RET Bow to the instructor KO MAP SUM NI DA Thank you
SAHNG HO KWAN E KYUNG RET Bow to your partner CHOON BEE Ready
SHIM SA KWAN NIM
KAY KYUNG RET
Bow to the testing board or judges SHIO Relax (rest)
DO JANG Training hall (gym or Tang Soo Do school) KYO DEH Change position
DO BOK Training uniform TORA Turn
DEE Uniform belt DWEE RO TORA Turn to the rear

 

Flags

T'aeGuk-Ki (the Korean Flag)
Graphic of the Korean Flag

The Korean national flag is called Taegukki and its meaning is very philosophical. The flag symbolizes the origin of all things in the universe, perfect harmony and balance, a continuously moving sphere of infinity, resulting in one. The Flag of the Republic of Korea is a white field dominated in the center by the symbol of Uhm-Yang. This symbol represents the dual nature of the universe and the dual nature of every aspect of life.

The flag consists of three parts: The white background, the red and blue circle in the center and four trigrams, one in each corner of the flag.

The white background of the flag means peace.

Um Yung The upper half of the circle, red, of Taeguk represents Uhm and the lower half circle, blue, represents Yang. The red section represents the active, Fire, Heaven, Father. The blue section represents the passive, Water, Earth Mother.

The symbols, called Kwae, in the four corners (Kun, Kam, Yi, and Kon), represent the principle of movement and harmony. Each Kwae consists of three bars that can be either broken or unbroken bars. A broken bar stands for uhm, an unbroken bar stands for yang.

The four trigrams at the corners also represent the concept of opposites and balance. The trigrams are heaven (upper-left) and at the other corner earth, water (upper-right) and at the other corner fire. Looking at symbols of the trigrams, you can see that they are opposites as well. Three unbroken bars (heaven) vs. three broken bars (earth), etc.

For the Korean people their flag of T'aeGuk-Ki is a source of pride and inspiration. During the Japanese occupation period beginning in 1910 the Korean flag was outlawed in public places and for about thirty five years the T'aeGuk flags were kept hidden until Liberation Day in 1945. The Korean flag has been a symbol of this country's struggle for independence and freedom.

Symbol Korean English
Heaven Kun Heaven
Earth Kon Earth
Fire Yi Fire
Water Kam Water

The American Flag

Graphic of the American Flag

Origin and History of the U.S. Flag

No one knows with absolute certainty who designed the first stars and stripes or who made it. Congressman Francis Hopkinson seems most likely to have designed it, and few historians believe that Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, made the first one.

Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements of the stars and odd proportions, these features being left to the discretion of the flag maker. In general, however, straight rows of stars and proportions similar to those later adopted officially were used. The principal acts affecting the flag of the United States are the following:

Flag Etiquette

STANDARDS of RESPECT

The Flag Code, which formalizes and unifies the traditional ways in which we give respect to the flag, also contains specific instructions on how the flag is not to be used. They are:

Learn more about the American Flag at http://www.usflag.org