Please note that some parts of the patterns below might be different than what you were taught. If you notice any differences, practice the way you were taught.
CHON-JI means literally “the Heaven the 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.
Movements-19
DAN-GUN is named after the holy Dan-Gun, the legendary founder of Korea in the year of 2333 B.C.
Movements-21
DO-SAN is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-Ho (1876-1938). The 24 movements represent his entire life which he devoted to furthering the education of Korea and its independence movement.
Movements-24
WON-HYO was the noted monk who introduced Buddhism to the Silla Dynasty in the year of 686 A.D.
Movements-28
YUL-GOK is the pseudonym of a great philosopher and scholar Yi I (1536-1584) nicknamed the “Confucius of Korea”. The 38 movements of this pattern refer to his birthplace on 38o latitude and the diagram represents “scholar”.
Movements-38
JOONG-GUN is named after the patriot Ahn Joong-Gun who assassinated Hiro-Bumi Ito, the first Japanese governor-general of Korea, known as the man who played the leading part in the Korea- Japan merger. There are 32 movements in this pattern to represent Mr. Ahn’s age when he was executed at Lui-Shung prison (1910).
Movements-32
TOI-GYE is the pen name of the noted scholar Yi Hwang (16th century), an authority on neo-Confucianism. The 37 movements of the pattern refer to his birthplace on 37o latitude, the diagram represents “scholar”.
Movements-37
HWA-RANG is named after the Hwa-Rang youth group which originated in the Silla Dynasty in the early 7th century. The 29 movements refer to the 29th Infantry Division, where Taekwon-Do developed into maturity.
Movements-29
CHOONG-MOO was the name given to the great Admiral Yi Soon-Sin of the Lee Dynasty. He was reputed to have invented the first armoured battleship (Kobukson) in 1592, which is said to be the precursor of the present day submarine. The reason why this pattern ends with a left hand attack is to symbolize his regrettable death, having no chance to show his unrestrained potentiality checked by the forced reservation of his loyalty to the king.
Movements-30
KWANG-GAE Is named after the famous Kwang-Gae-Toh-Wang, the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty, who regained all the lost territories including the greater part of Manchuria. The diagram (+) represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory. The 39 movements refer to the first two figures of 391 A.D., the year he came to the throne.
Movements-39
PO-EUN is the pseudonym of a loyal subject Chong Mong-Chu (1400) who was a famous poet and whose poem “I would not serve a second master though I might 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.
Movements-36
GE-BAEK is named after Ge-Baek, a great general in the Baek Je Dynasty (660 A.D.). The diagram ( | ) represents his severe and strict military discipline.
Movements-44
Patterns (Tul)
Patterns (Tul) are the heart of ITF Taekwon-Do. All ITF Taekwon-Do practitioners demonstrate the 24 Chang Hon patterns the same way. Chang Hon is the pen name of General Choi.
What is the purpose of a pattern?
Patterns are practiced in order for students to train the fundamental movements of their body. Patterns are the foundation of Taekwon-Do and enable the student to develop various techniques like improved mobility and flexibility, improved body shifting, increased muscle tone, enhanced breath control and improved sparring techniques with the blocks, strikes and counters learned. Although free sparring is random and non choreographed and exercised at a much faster pace than patterns, patterns are critical to developing the necessary skills that a Taekwon-Do student needs in order to master sparring with their movements, balance, flexibility and ability to determine which block and counter is appropriate.
Reason for 24 Patterns
There are a total of twenty four patterns in ITF Taekwon-Do.
While ITF Patterns, assembled by the Founder General Choi Hong Hi, are but one of the many components which make up the composition of Taekwon-Do, so many of the technical aspects are contained within them, which makes them of paramount importance in ITF Taekwondo training.
There are 24 patterns in the official ITF “Chang Hon” syllabus, which represents the 24 hours in a day. The names of these patterns refer to events or important people in Korean history. Features of the patterns may also have historical references, such as the number of moves, the diagram, the way the pattern ends etc.
Per General Choi from the Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do:
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 eon in a day. It is evident that no one can live more than a 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 mankind is, perhaps, the most important thing in our lives. Here I leave Taekwon-Do for mankind as a trace of man of the late 20th century. The 24 patterns represent 24 hours, one day, or all my life.
There are also 2 fundamental exercises, named Saju-Jirugi (Four Direction Punch and Saju-Makgi (Four Direction Block). Saju-Jirugi and Saju-Makgi are basic defence exercises taught to beginners of the Taekwon-Do.
Essential Information about Patterns
The following points should be considered while performing patterns:
1. Pattern should begin and end at exactly the same spot. This will indicate the performer's accuracy.
2. Correct posture and facing must be maintained at all times.
3. Muscles of the body should be either tensed or relaxed at the proper critical moments in the exercise.
4. The exercise should be performed in a rhythmic movement with an absence of stiffness.
5. Movement should be accelerated or decelerated at the appropriate times.
6. Each pattern should be perfected before moving to the next .
7. Students should know the purpose of each movement.
8. Students should perform each movement with realism.
9. Attack and defense techniques should be equally distributed among right and left hands and feet.
Most patterns start at the intersection of lines A, B, C, and D. When we are facing front, we are facing D. C is behind us.
