Wales & West Tae Kwon-Do : Pattern : Yong-Gae

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Yong-Gae
Yong-Gae is named after a famous general during the Koguryo Dynasty, Yon Gae Somoon.

The 49 movements refer to the last two figures of 649 A.D., when he forced the Tang Dynasty to quit Korea after destroying nearly 300,000 of their troops at Ansi Sung.

Number of movements:	49
Starting position:	Warrior ready stance 'A' (Moosa Chunbi Sogi 'A') on X facing towards D.
Slide to C to form a right L-stance toward D while executing a low guarding block to D with a reverse knife-hand. Perform in a circular motion Execute a high punch to D with the right long fist while forming a left walking stance toward D pivoting with the left foot. Perform in slow motion Slide to C forming a left L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm Execute a middle outward strike to D with the right knife-hand while flying to D and then land to D forming a left L-stance toward D with the right knife-hand extended to D Shift to C maintaining a left L-stance toward D while executing a checking block to D with an X-fist Execute a high outward cross-cut to D with the right flat finger tip while forming a right walking stance toward D, slipping the right foot Execute a downward thrust with the right straight elbow while forming a left rear foot stance toward D, pulling the right foot Jump to D forming a left X-stance toward AD while executing a high side strike to D with the left back fist Move the right foot to C to form a left walking stance toward D while executing a low outward block to D with the right knife-hand Move the right foot on line AB to form a parallel stance toward D while executing a middle hooking block to D with the left palm Execute a middle punch to D with the right fist while maintaining a parallel stance toward D Slide to C forming a left L-stance toward D while executing a low guarding block to D with a reverse knife-hand. Perform in a circular motion Execute a high punch to D with the left long fist while forming a right walking stance toward D, pivoting with the right foot. Perform in slow motion Slide to C forming a right L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm Execute a middle outward strike to D with the left knife-hand while flying to D and then land to D forming a right L-stance toward D with the left knife-hand extended to D Shift to C maintaining a right L-stance toward D while executing a checking block to D with an X-fist Execute a high outward cross-cut to D with the left flat finger tip while forming a left walking stance toward D, slipping the left foot Execute a downward thrust with the left straight elbow while forming a right rear foot stance toward D, pulling the left foot Jump to D forming a right X-stance toward BD while executing a high side strike to D with the right back fist Move the left foot to C to form a right walking stance toward D while executing a low outward block to D with the left knife-hand Move the left foot on line AB to form a parallel stance toward D while executing a middle hooking block to D with the right palm Execute a middle punch to D with the left fist while maintaining a parallel stance toward D Move the right foot to A to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a W-shape block with the reverse knife-hand Cross the left foot over the right foot to form a right X-stance toward D while executing a horizontal thrust with a twin elbow Move the right foot to A forming a sitting stance toward D while executing a checking block to D with a twin straight forearm Cross the left foot over the right foot to form a right X-stance toward D while executing an upward punch with the right fist, pulling the left side fist in front of the right shoulder Execute a high reverse hooking kick to B with the right foot Lower the right foot to B and then execute a high side piercing kick to B with the left foot pulling both hands in front of the chest while turning clockwise Lower the left foot to B in a jumping motion to form a left X-stance toward BD while executing a downward strike to B with the left backfist Move the left foot to B to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a W-shape block with the reverse knife-hand Cross the right foot over the left foot to form a left X-stance toward D while executing a horizontal thrust with a twin elbow Move the left foot to B forming a sitting stance toward D while executing a checking block to D with a twin straight forearm Cross the right foot over the left foot to form a left X-stance toward D while executing an upward punch with the left fist, pulling the right side fist in front of the left shoulder Execute a high reverse hooking kick to A with the left foot Lower the left foot to A and then execute a high side piercing kick to A with the right foot pulling both hands in front of the chest while turning counter clockwise Lower the right foot to A in a jumping motion to form a right X-stance toward AD while executing a downward strike to A with the right backfist Move the left foot to C forming a left L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm Move the left foot to D turning counter clockwise to form a left rear foot stance toward C while executing a waist block to C with the right inner forearm Move the right foot to C slightly and then the left foot to D in a stamping motion to form a right L-stance toward D while executing a high outward strike to D with the left knife-hand Shift to C maintaining a right L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm Move the right foot to D turning clockwise to form a right rear foot stance toward C while executing a waist block to C with the left inner forearm Move the left foot to C slightly and then the right foot to D in a stamping motion to form a left L-stance toward D while executing a high outward strike to D with the right knife-hand Move the right foot to C turning counter clockwise to form a right L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with the forearm Jump to execute a mid-air kick to D with the right foot while spinning clockwise and then land to D to form a left L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with a knife-hand Jump to execute a mid-air kick to D with the left foot while spinning counter clockwise and then land to D to form a right L-stance toward D while executing a middle guarding block to D with a knife-hand Execute a low inward block to D with the right reverse knife-hand pulling the left side fist in front of the right shoulder while forming a left walking stance toward D, slipping the right foot to C Slide to C to form a left L-stance toward D while thrusting to C with the left side elbow Execute a low inward block to D with the left reverse knife-hand pulling the right side fist in front of the left shoulder while forming a right walking stance toward D, slipping the left foot to C Slide to C forming a right L-stance toward D while thrusting to C with the right side elbow
When finished:	Bring the right foot back to a ready posture.

Yong-Gae has been one of the most — if not THE most — controversial figures in Korean history. The many controversies surrounding him revolve around two issues: his character and his role in the fall of Goguryeo. First, in terms of his character, later Confucian scholars have mercilessly criticized him for the coup and the regicide that brought him to power. In their eyes, he was a disloyal subject who sought personal power above all else. In particular, extant Tang and Silla sources have consistently portrayed Yong-Gae as a brutal and arrogant dictator. According to their testimony, for instance, Yong-Gae carried five swords at a time, and would have men prostrate themselves so that he might use their backs to mount or dismount his horse. Yong-Gae's modern defenders, however, dismiss these Tang and Silla sources as biased calumnies of enemy historians. Moreover, they argue that his subsequent single-mindedness and success in defending Goguryeo testifies to his genuine patriotism (though Taizong's first invasion was provoked by Yong-Gae's attacks on Silla, and subsequent attacks were possibly due to Taizong and his son's personal hatred for Yong-Gae). Second, in terms of his role in the downfall of Gogureyo, Yong-Gae's detractors blame him for needlessly provoking the Tang to attack Goguryeo and thereby ensuring its downfall. They point out that, while Goguryeo remained a formidable regional power before Yong-Gae assumed power, it was completely destroyed by Silla and Tang within a short time of his death. They also point out that the population of Gogureyo decreased dramatically during his rule, and that much of the economy was destroyed due to constant wars with Tang China and the Silla Kingdom. Yong-Gae's defenders rejoin by claiming that the Tang would have invaded Goguryeo, regardless of Goguryeo's attitude towards Tang. They add that continuing to appease the Tang--as King Yongnyu had done--was tantamount to Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler. For many modern Korean nationalist historians, Yong-Gae is a symbol of that magic historical juncture where the pinnacle of Korean history and its Chinese counterpart violently collided and the Koreans unambiguously triumphed over the Chinese. It is no wonder in this age of renascent conflict between South Korea and China over the historical ownership of part of Manchuria, Yong-Gae has undegone a dramatic rehabilitation, and he is for the first time (by a large number of South Koreans - most of them descendants of the people of Silla), the greatest hero in their history.