Taegeuk Sam Jang

Taegek Sam Jang is the third of eight taekwondo forms practiced by the Kukkiwon and the World Taekwondo Federation. A form, or poomsae, is a choreographed pattern of defense-and-attack motions. Taegeuk Sam Jang is often practiced by students of Kukkiwon/WTF-style taekwondo with rank of 6th geup. Sixth geup students of Kukkiwon/WTF-style taekwondo practice this form in order to advance to the next rank.

Etymology

[FIle:Taegeuk.svg|thumb|The taegeuk symbol]
The word taegeuk refers to the universe from which all things and values are derived. It is also the symbol that makes up the center of the flag of South Korea and the source for its name, taegeukgi. The taegeuk is commonly associated with Korean Taoism philosophical values as well as Korean shamanism.
The word sam is the number 3 in the Sino-Korean numbering system. The word jang translates roughly as "chapter" or "part". Taegeuk Sam Jang translates as "Part 3 of the Taegeuk".

Symbolism

The floor pattern of each taegeuk poomsae is three parallel lines. On each line, a 180 degree turn is performed.

If the turn is performed by pivoting in-place, the line is considered to be a broken line.
If the turn is performed by moving the lead foot to the rear, the line is considered to be a solid line.

The floor pattern of each taegeuk poomsae then represents three broken or solid lines, called trigrams or gwae. Each trigram corresponds to a natural element.

乾 Qián ☰	兌 Duì ☱	離 Lí ☲	震 Zhèn ☳	巽 Xùn ☴	坎 Kǎn ☵	艮 Gèn ☶	坤 Kūn ☷
Heaven/Sky	Lake/Marsh	Fire	Thunder	Wind	Water	Mountain	Earth
天 Tiān	澤 Zé	火 Huǒ	雷 Léi	風 Fēng	水 Shuǐ	山 Shān	地 Dì
Gun	Tae	Yi	Jin	Seon	Gam	Gan	Gon

The first and last turns of Taegeuk Sam Jang are performed by moving the lead foot. The middle turn is performed by pivoting in-place. This indicates that the associated trigram is a solid line, a broken line, and a solid line; this is the trigram for fire. The Kukkiwon teaches that this poomsae should be performed with energy, like a fire.

Techniques

This poomsae builds up on the two prior forms and introduces "knife hand" techniques, specifically:

neck-high knifehand strike
knifehand outward block

In addition, this form introduces the first combinations involving three techniques:

a front kick followed by a double-punch
a low block, kick, punch combination

Development

During the 1920s and 1930s many of the pioneers of taekwondo studied karate or Chinese martial arts in which forms practice is seen as an essential element of the martial art. When these pioneers returned to Korea after the Japanese occupation, they incorporated forms practice into their teaching. During the 1960s there were several efforts among these pioneers to unify their styles of martial art and create a consolidated set of forms. In 1965 the Korea Taekwondo Association appointed a committee of representatives from six of the Nine Kwans to develop the forms for what is now called Kukkiwon- or WTF-style taekwondo. The committee consisted of:

In 1967, this committee introduced the Palgwae and Yudanja forms. In 1971 two additional kwans joined the committee:

This expanded committee went on to develop the Taegeuk forms.