Patterns>Chang-hon pattern set>Gae-baek

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Gae-baek

Intro

General Gae-baek was in charge of the Korean army near the end of the Paekche Dynasty. Little is known about his personal life, including the year and location of his birth.

Pattern history

Gae-baek in battle

In 655 CE, Paekche and Koryo joined forces to attack Silla, but they were eventually driven back when Silla received aid from Tang Dynasty in China. In 660 CE, Paekche was invaded by a force of 50,000 from Silla, supported by 144,000 Tang soldiers. In response to the invasion, General Gae-baek organized 5,000 soldiers of the highest morale and courage to resist the attack.

Gae-baek knew before he set out that his army was outnumbered and that their efforts would be futile, but he did not hesitate to try to defend his country, reportedly stating "I would rather die than be a slave of the enemy." Before going into battle, Gae-baek killed his wife and family to prevent them from falling into the hands of opposing forces and to prevent the thought of them influencing his actions or causing him to falter in battle.

Initially, Gae-baek’s forces won four small battles, but then he was forced to move his forces to block the advance of General Kim Yu-shin on the Paekche capital, Buyeo. The two generals met on the plains of Hwangsan Field in present-day Hamyang near Chiri Mountain. Gae-baek's forces fought bravely but they were outnumbered ten to one and, in the end, Gae-baek was killed (20 August 660 CE) and his army was annihilated. The Paekche Dynasty was finally destroyed after 678 years of rule.

Gae-baek's legacy

As Neo-Confucian philosophy became more influential in the later Korean Dynasties, Gae-baek was recognized by historians and scholars as exemplifying the Confucian ideals of patriotism and devotion to his king and was praised as such. Although not much else is known about Gae-baek's life, his actions leading up to his last battle are well known to many Koreans and he is still recognized for his loyalty to his country and his bravery.

Pattern movements

Number of movements: 44

Diagram of movements

The vertical line ( | ) of the diagram represents Kae-baek's severe and strict military discipline.

Pattern performance

There are numerous videos and explanations of the pattern movements available on the internet that show how to perform the pattern in the way preferred by your instructor, school, or organization. The following is an example of the ITF way to perform the pattern.

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