Ranking systems in Taekwondo are as numerous and varied as the organisations that oversee it. Traditional belt structure is used as a guideline for organisations to decide whether or not they want to use more gups than the normal nine, or fewer. They use different coloured belts, and some use stripes to distinguish between ranks of the same colour. The term “Gup” or “Geup” means “degree”. According to the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) there are 10 Gups, working backwards from 10 to 1, starting with a white belt and ending with a red-black belt. The term “Dan” means, “Phase”. There are 9 Dans, starting with the first and ending with the ninth, all represented by a black belt.
Songahm Taekwondo uses belts to reflect the level of competence and inner journey of each member. To advance to another belt colour is seen as an achievement worthy of great respect. Moving forward in rank isn’t simply a matter of time spent practicing. It requires a demonstration in proficiency regarding the current belt’s techniques, which include basic moves, sparring and forms.
The white belt represents purity and, as new students have no knowledge of Taekwondo, it also represents a clean slate. The Songahm Organisation uses the following idiom to explain the white belt, “As with the pine tree, the seed must now be planted and nourished to develop strong roots.” According to the Korean Martial Arts Academy (KMAA) the white belt is on the 9th Gup.
The Orange belt, 8th Gup, shows the development and growth of the student’s mind in much the same way as the seasons change in autumn. At least that is the interpretation of the KMAA. The Songahm view the orange belt as the rising of the sun, a metaphor describing how the student appreciates the beauty before him, but doesn’t fully recognise the power.
The KMAA view the yellow belt, 7th Gup, as signifying the earth; a foundation of Taekwondo basics on which more advanced knowledge can grow. They use the analogy of a seed expanding its roots into the earth as it begins to grow. The Songahm have a similar outlook, as they view the yellow belt as a “seed beginning to see the sunlight”. Students gain an understanding of the basic concepts of Taekwondo and are ready to build on that knowledge.
The Songahm have a Camouflage belt, which the KMAA don't have. This belt means that the student has now realised his or her place in the largest martial art in the world and must prepare him or herself to advance in rank.
The Green belt is common to both organisations and is considered to be the 6th Gup. Green traditionally represents growth and has the same meaning in Taekwondo, as the student develops and grows in strength.
According to the KMAA the 5th Gup, or Purple belt represents the changing sky at dawn. The student experiences new changes as he or she prepares to make the transition from an Intermediate student to Advanced. The Songahm, however, view the Purple belt as a mountain that must be overcome. As the student advances, and the techniques, forms and sparring become more technical, the ensuing difficulties must be overcome.
The Blue belt, 4th Gup, has similar connotations for both organisations. Blue encourages students to reach for the sky and press onward towards the ultimate destination in Taekwondo: the coveted Black belt.
It is at this point that the two organisations diverge and follow separate paths. For the KMAA the next step is the 3rd Gup, which is the Red belt. Red means danger and serves as a warning to students to balance their skills with wisdom and control. Songahm has a Brown belt that shows the student has mastered the basics and is well settled in the rhythm and culture of Taekwondo.
The organisations alternate the colours, with KMAA moving onto a Brown belt and Songahm onto a Red one. The KMAA Brown belt is the 2nd Gup and demonstrates that the student’s techniques are maturing and becoming more advanced. The Songahm Red belt represents the setting sun and means that the first phase of growth is coming to an end. They believe that while physical skill has been achieved, the student must still master physical and mental discipline.
The next belts are similar to both organisations again as they both represent the dawning of a new day with Red/Black belts, 1st Dan. The student’s new phase in training concentrates on the skills, mental and physical, that he or she will need as a black belt.
The Black belt incorporates the 1st to the 4th Dans. It signifies maturity and dignity and means that the basic curriculum has been covered and the student is ready to learn the true art of Taekwondo.
As we can see, there is more to the ranking system in Taekwondo than merely aiming for coloured belts. There is a certain level of spirituality that accompanies each stage of advancement. Taekwondo professes to be a peaceful and holistic martial art; it’s not simply a wham, bam, knock the spit out of you because I can sport. It teaches unity, generosity and respect of all living things. Students need to be able to prove their worthiness in these aspects in addition to their physical skills, before they can claim to be worthy of the belts they wear.
By Sandy Cosser
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Significance of belts in Taekwondo
