The ancient law in the Orient was similar to the law of Hamurabi, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” and was rigorously enforced even if death was caused accidentally.
In this type of environment, and since the present system of free sparring had no yet been
Developed, it was impossible for a student of the martial arts to practice or test his individual skill of attacks and defense against actual moving opponents.
Individual advancement was certainly hindered until an imaginative practitioner created the first patterns. Patterns are various fundamental movements, most of which represent either attack or defense techniques, set to a fixed or logical sequence.
The students systematically deals with several imaginary opponents under various assumptions, using every available attacking and blocking tool from different directions.
Thus pattern practice enables the students to go through many fundamental movements in series, to develops sparring techniques, improve flexibility of movements, master body shifting, build muscles and breath control, develop fluid and smooth motions, and gain rhythmical movements.
It also enables a student to acquire certain special techniques which cannot be obtained from either fundamental exercises or sparring, In short, a pattern can be compared with a unit tactic or a word, if fundamental series of sparring, power, feats and characteristics beauty.
Though sparring may merely indicate that an opponent is more or less advanced, patterns are a more critical barometer in evaluating an individual's technique.
The nine points to be observed while performing patterns
Accuracy; a pattern should begin and end on the same spot.
Correct posture and facing should be maintained at all times.
The muscles of the body should be tensed and relaxed al the proper moments.
Patterns should be performed in rhythmic movements with an absence of stiffness.
Moves should be accelerated or decelerated according to the instructions in the encyclopedia.
Each pattern should be perfected before going on to the next.
Students should know the purpose of each movement.
Students should perform each move with realism.
Attack and defense techniques should be equally distributed among left and right hands and feet.
The reason for the 24 patterns :
The life of a human being, perhaps 100 years, can be considered as a day when compared with eternity. Therefore, we mortals are no more than simple travelers who pass by the eternal years of an aeon in a day are.
It is evident that no one can live mores than limited amount of time. Nevertheless, most people foolishly enslave themselves to materialism as if they could live for thousands of years. And some people strive to bequeath a good spiritual legacy for coming generations, in this way, gaining immortality. Obviously, the spirit is perpetual while material is not. Therefore, what we can do to leave behind something for the welfare of making is, perhaps, the most important thing in our lives.
“Here I leave Taekwon-do for mankind as a trace of man of the late 20 th century. The 24
patterns represent 24 hours, one day, or all my life”
(Taken of condensed book of Taekwon-do: Art of self defense, General Choi Hong HI. Pag 524)
Chon-Ji
Chon-Ji is the first pattern a student learns at the beginning of his training.
Translated literally from the Korean, Chon-Ji means the heaven and the earth . This pattern reminds us that we human beings are just one element in the universe. Hence the importance of recognizing our place in the universe and living in harmony with the environment and respecting the universal laws such as Ying and Yang.
In the Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do, General Choi describes Chon-Ji in nineteen precisely-detailed steps.
Dan Gun
Dan Gun is the second pattern in the ITF system of patterns. It is named after the holy Dan-Gun who, according to legend, founded Korea in 2333 B.C.
The diagram for Dan Gun evokes the student and the scholar. In the Middle Ages, scholars were the elite of Korean society and were held to a very high standard. Students today would do well to show the same dedication.
Po-Eun
Po-Eun is a more advanced pattern and is introduced at the Black Belt level, 1st degree.
Po-Eun is named for Chong Mong-Chu, a 13th Century Korean poet famous for his poem I would not serve a second master, though I might be crucified a hundred times and who was also a pioneer in the science of physics. General Choi chose this name and the diagram, which signifies unique , to emphasize the importance of loyalty.
