Tae kwon do, just like many other martial arts, has a variety of rankings. And like other martial arts, each skill level is represented by a colored belt. However, the belt colors in tae kwon do are not arbitrarily assigned to each rank. Each belt color has a unique symbolism attached to it that is meant to metaphorically represent the skills of the student who possesses it.
White
The white belt is the color of a beginner in tae kwon do. The color white is used to symbolize the beginner's purity and innocence because he has no knowledge of the discipline.
Yellow
The yellow belt is the color of someone who has only been studying tae kwon do for a short time. The color yellow is used to symbolize the rising sun, which is metaphorical for a student who has just begun to learn the discipline.
Orange
The orange belt symbolizes the orange color of the sky shortly after the sun has risen. It represents a student who is starting to become familiar with tae kwon do techniques.
Green
The green belt represents a student whose skills are now visible to others. The color green is used to symbolize growth, as in a plant sprouting from the soil.
Blue/Purple
The blue belt represents a tae kwon do student who is becoming advanced in her skills. Blue symbolizes the color of the sky, which is used as a metaphor for other students striving to be like one who has a blue belt, the same way growing plants reach toward the sky. Depending on the school, a student may also have to progress from blue to purple before moving to brown. In this case, purple symbolizes the changing of the sky from day to night.
Brown
The brown belt represents a student who is close to becoming a master. She is physically and mentally strong, like the ground, which is what the color brown symbolizes.
Red
Red is used to symbolize blood, which is believed to be the essence of life. The red belt represents an advanced student of tae kwon do who has demonstrated not only skill, but also honor and maturity.
Black
In modern science, black is the absence of all color and light, but in tae kwon do black symbolizes the merging of all colors. The black belt represents a student who has risen to the level of master by combining everything he has been taught along the way. Depending on the school, a black belt might also include a stripe of another color. This is nothing more than preference, however.
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