Within any given taekwondo school, most uniforms are identical except for the belts. A taekwondo belt reveals the experience and skill level of the martial artist. It is worn at all times at the taekwondo school for everyone to see. Taekwondo belts are a reward for hard work and dedication. Earning them requires study, time and practice. Elaborate ceremonies often accompany the awarding of higher belts to acknowledge the accomplishment.
History
The taekwondo belt system was borrowed from Japanese karate. Karate borrowed it from Japanese judo, which borrowed it from Japanese school athletics. They awarded different colored belts to signify accomplishments in the late 19th century. Early belt systems contained just three to five belts with white being the lowest and black the highest. The number of belts grew over time. Each taekwondo school uses its own system. Some now have nine belts or more.
Beginners
Taekwondo belt ranks increase as the color of the belt darkens. The first belt of a new taekwondo student is always white. This represents innocence and purity. Yellow and orange belts are awarded next. These represent change like the changing colors of leaves in the fall. Some taekwondo schools rank yellow higher while others prefer orange.
Intermediate
Darker colored belts represent intermediate students. Most taekwondo schools use green, blue and purple belts in varying order. Green represents growth, like green plants. Blue represents openness, like the blue sky. Purple represents the changing color of the sky at dawn.
Advanced
Advanced students wear the darkest colored belts as they prepare for their black belt. Some taekwondo schools use brown as their highest student rank while others use red. Brown represents maturing or the Earth. Red represents blood or a warning of hardship to come. Taekwondo instructors wear black belts that are void of color.
Stripes
Many taekwondo schools utilize a system of stripes to represent intermediate steps between belts. These stripes are often different colored pieces of tape wrapped around the end of the belt to signify the learning of different new skills. A full compliment of stripes are often required before promotion to the next belt level. Taekwondo instructors often embroider stripes onto their black belts to signify their "dan" or degree. They add one stripe for each degree.
Masters
A fifth dan black belt is considered a master of taekwondo. Some taekwondo masters wear a special black belt with a horizontal red stripe through the middle. These are reserved for masters only.
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