# The Meaning of Keumgang and Taebaek Poomsae



## puunui (Jan 19, 2011)

Both Keumgang and Taebaek are mountains in Korea (more accurately 
Keumgang  Mountain is located in the Taebaek mountain range, in North 
Korea), but each  involve different philosophical meanings and 
emphasize different things for  the 2nd and 3rd Dan students who should 
be learning them.

The 1975  Taekwondo poomsae textbook describes Keumgang as
follows: "The Korean people  have named the most beautiful
mountain in the Korean peninsula Kuemgang-san  which is located
in the Taebaek range of mountain, call diamond the hardest  known
substance, Keumgang-seok. Accordingly, 'Keumgang' in Taekwondo
means  movement based on spiritual strength that is as beautiful and
majestic as the  Diamond Mountains and hard and adamant as the
diamond."

The new  Kukkiwon Textbook describes Keumgang as follows:
"Keumgang (meaning diamond)  has the significance of 'hardness'
and 'ponderosity'. The mt. Keumgang on the  Korean peninsula,
which is regarded as the center of national spirit, and the  'Keumgang
Yoksa' (Keumgang warrior) as named by Buddha, who represents
a  mightest warrior, are the background denominating this poomsae. . .
The  movements should be powerful and well-balanced so as to befit
a black  belter's dignity."

Keumgang is supposed to be learned at the 2nd Dan  level, and the focus 
of the 2nd Dan is or should be to make their techniques  strong, solid, 
and powerful. These are the qualities stressed in the  Keumgang 
poomsae. It is these qualities that differentiate a 3rd Dan from  lower 
ranks, and once these qualities are achieved, then the 2nd Dan is  
ready for promotion to 3rd Dan.

The Taebaek poomsae focuses on an  entirely different lesson. The 1975 
Taekwondo poomsae textbook describes  Taebaek as follows:
"The mythological story about the founding of Korea says  that about
four thousand and three hundred years ago, the legendary  Dangoon
founded the nation for the first time in Taebaek, present-day  Mount
Baekdoo. Mount Baekdoo is the loftiest and grandest mountain  in
Korea. As may be understood, Poomse 'Taebaek' has it basic
principles  of movement from the word Taebaek with the meaning of
light and being looked  upon as sacred by the Korean people. Mount
Baekdoo is regarded as the symbol  of Korea. Therefore, every motion of 
Poomse 'Taebaek' should be displayed  not only precisely and nimbly but 
also with rigor and a determined  will."

The new Kukkiwon Textbook describes Taebaek as  follows:
"Taebaek is the name of a mountain with the meaning  of'bright
mountain', where Tangun, the founder of the nation of Korean  people,
reined the country, and the bright mountain symbolizes sacredness  of
soul and Tangun's thought of 'hongik ingan' (humanitarian  ideal)."

Taebaek's techniques are a close relative of the Palgwe series,  most
specifically, Palgwe 4 and 5, so much so that some of us joke  that
Taebaek should actually be named "Palgwe 9 Jang". This is again not an  
accident, since the focus of the 3rd Dan is or should be going over 
his  or her basics once again, clarifying and sharpening the movements 
while  adding speed to them. This goes with the original philosophy of 
developing  technique or form first (in Koryo and the guep level 
poomse), then power (in  Keumgang) before speed (in Taebaek). And of 
course the way to develop speed  is through thorough knowledge and 
practice of the basics, which is what  Taebaek is all about.

The thing that distinguishes a 4th Dan from a 3rd  Dan is or should
be the depth of knowledge with regard to the basics, as well  as
speed. When a 3rd Dan has acquired these qualities, then he or she
is  ready for 4th Dan promotion.

The nine Kukkiwon yudanja poomsae are  divided up into groups of
three. Each group of three is developed around one  of the three main
areas of study for a martial artist, which is the body, the  mind and
the spirit. Additionally, these three groups can be associated  with
Koguryo, Paekjae and Shilla, the original Three Kingdoms.

The  first three yudanja poomsae are centered around the body or the
physical  development of a student. Similarly, Koguryo (or Koryo) in
North Korea is  distinguished by its great natural beauty, abundance
of raw materials for  building (i.e., iron ore, etc.) as well as its
location for Korea's greatest  mountains. The symbolism of the 
mountains in the first three yudanja poomsae  has extra meaning in that 
it marks the climb of a martial artist's journey  up through the 
physical levels of his art.

The second group of three  is focused on mental development, while
the last three are concerned mainly  with spiritual development.

In my opinion, studying the philosophy behind  each of the poomsae
gives additional insight into not only the poomsae  themselves, but also
into the process of developing through the dan ranks.  This is why I am
against the concept of skip dans, because if one does not  spend time 
at each rank, then the student fails to appreciate the lessons to  be 
learned the different dan levels.

Failing to see the philosophy  behind each of the poomsae also robs
the student and/or the instructor of an  opportunity to see what the
pioneers felt was important at each level. The  pioneers were wise men 
who knew what they were doing, because they  themselves went
through the very process that they describe for us in the  poomsae. Even 
if you do not practice the poomsae themselves, you can still get  the 
lessons of the poomsae if you focus on the philosophy of each  one,
taught at the correct level.

The poomsae are sign posts on your  martial arts journey, defining each 
step, which I believe is a unique  characteristic of the Kukkiwon
poomsae. No other style outlines so clearly  through its poomsae, the
path which we are supposed to take.


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## puunui (Apr 11, 2011)

Here are the explanations of Keumgang and Taebaek, in case you're still looking for them.


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## miguksaram (Apr 11, 2011)

puunui said:


> Here are the explanations of Keumgang and Taebaek, in case you're still looking for them.



Thank your for this posting.  I have never been a fan of the Keumgang poomsae, but knowing more about its background makes me appreciate the poomsae a lot more.


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## dancingalone (May 11, 2012)

bump.  worth reading again.


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## Tenchi (May 14, 2012)

Great reading. I was already familiar with the general meaning of those two Poomsae, but not in such detail. I didn't even know the Yudanja Poomsae were divided in groups and that they even posed meaning while grouped. Thank you a lot for the information. Could you do the same for the other Poomsae as well?


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## andyjeffries (May 14, 2012)

Tenchi said:


> Great reading. I was already familiar with the general meaning of those two Poomsae, but not in such detail. I didn't even know the Yudanja Poomsae were divided in groups and that they even posed meaning while grouped. Thank you a lot for the information. Could you do the same for the other Poomsae as well?



The information is already out there.  I reformatted the whole series from mailing list posts to a PDF (with permission):

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/478290/Taekwondo Black Belt Poomsae.pdf


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## Daniel Sullivan (May 14, 2012)

dancingalone said:


> bump.  worth reading again.


I had missed this post.  Thanks!


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