Taegeuk
Taegeuk is the Korean cognate of Taiji, the Taoist concept of yin and yang, from which all is actualized. In South Korea, the Taegeuk symbol is typically portrayed in red (yang, or heaven) and blue (yin, or earth).
The Taegeuk symbol is most prominently displayed on South Korea's national flag, called the Taegeukgi (along with four of the eight Palgwae diagrams). The design of the flag was reportedly suggested by Qing diplomat Ma Jianzhong in 1882.[1] Because of the Taegeuk's association with the national flag, it is often used as a patriotic symbol, as are the colors red and blue.
A popular variant in Korea is the Sam-Taegeuk (三太極), which adds a yellow lobe, representing man, to the red and blue. The Sam-Taegeuk is frequently seen on fans.
Taegeuk (as well as Palgwae) is also a series of Taekwondo forms practiced by Kukkiwon member instructors and their students; see Taeguk (Taekwondo).
In the film Attack the Gas Station!, a character argues that Pepsi is a Korean product because it bears a logo similar to the Taegeuk.
Prior to the end of the 2004 Summer Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee used three Tae-Geuks in its logo. It was replaced with three Agitos. The usage started at the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul, using five Tae-Geuks arranged similarly to the Olympic Rings, with similar coloration.
[edit] Footnote
- ^ History of the South Korean flag at Flags of the World
[edit] See also
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