Taegeuk 1-Jang corresponds with 건 Geon (天), the first trigram of Palgwae which represents the sky and light, embodying the concept of birth and beginnings — the root of all things. Geon refers to 양 Yang in the relative action of 음 Eum and 양 Yang (陰 Yin and 陽 Yang) in Taegeuk. It represents the energy that marks the beginning of all things. In addition, since Geon corresponds with the head in the human body, it implies the correct understanding of Taekwondo’s basic movements and the acquisition of skills through the first Poomsae practice.
“Taegeuk 1-Jang is the first stage of Poomsae practice involving basic moves and how to connect attack and defense based on basic techniques. At this stage, the practitioner learns how to attack or block with straight or bent arms and connect the techniques by combining 앞 차기 Ap Chagi (Front Kick) and 지르기 Jireugi (Punching). This is a cognitive stage where shifting the weight and changing direction are difficult because the coordination of hands and feet, moving the center of gravity, and understanding the correct movement require a lot of practice.”
