Do Bohk, Belt & Badges

 

The do bohk (suit) is the most important piece of equipment for training in Tang Soo Do.  It consists of a jacket, trouser and a belt (dee). “Do” means way of life, as in Tang Soo Do. “Bohk” means robe or clothes.  

The color is traditionally white, representing purity, sincerity, peace, and initiation.  White is also the most difficult to maintain, and keeping it clean trains us in devotion and sincerity.  A high degree of cleanliness should always be maintained.

 

Please note that the Korean flag (Tae Keuk Ki) badge, sewn on the left arm, has the red (Yang) section on top, and blue (Um) section at the bottom.

 

Belt System

Tang Soo Do has a nine color belt (dee) system of white, orange, green, brown, red, blue, black, black & red stripe (Masters), red & white/red & black blocks (Grandmaster).  

Each beltcolour represents the cycle of the seasons (winter, spring, autumn, summer) and the cycle of life (birth, growth, maturity and recycling after death into new birth).
The highest attainable level in Tang Soo Do is 9thDan. 

This is part of the ancient oriental philosophy that nine is the final number of achievement and ten means perfection.     

 As practitioners of Tang Soo Do we must endeavor to better ourselves but we must also accept our human limitations. The 10th is therefore a symbolic stage, the beginning of a new cycle.