Tenets of Tae Kwon Do

What Are the Tenets of Tae Kwon Do?

The tenets of Tae Kwon Do are often given in a list of five: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit.

Courtesy (Ye Ui): Tae Kwon Do students should attempt to be polite to one another and to respect others. Students should address instructors as “Sir” or “Ma’am”. Turning up early or on time for classes is also an aspect of courtesy.

Integrity (Yom Chi): One who has integrity is able to define what is right or wrong and have the conscience, if wrong, to feel guilt. Tae Kwon Do students should strive to be honest and to live by moral principles.

Perseverance (In Nae): Perseverance means having patience. One of the most important secrets of becoming a leader in Tae Kwon Do is to overcome every difficulty by perseverance. Confucius said, “One who is impatient in trivial matters can seldom achieve success in matters of great importance.”

Self-Control (Guk Gi): Without self-control, a Tae Kwon Do student is just like any fighter in the street. Loss of self-control is disastrous both in sparring and personal affairs. “The term of stronger is the person who wins over oneself rather than someone else”– Lao Tzu.

Indomitable Spirit (Baekjul Boolgool): A true student of Tae Kwon Do will never give up– not even when faced with insurmountable odds. The most difficult goals can be achieved with indomitable spirit.