Our National Flag, Taegeukgi
On June 6th, Koreans commemorate the Memorial Day to honor the soldiers and civilians who sacrificed their lives for Korea.
They are the brave men and women who gave their lives fighting for freedom and peace.
To remember their sacrifices and to pay respect, many people visit their cemetery.
We also hoist our national flag, Taegeukgi in front of our house.
Taegeukgi is a symbolic icon that represents the values and ideologies of Korea.
Taegeukgi consists of three parts that make up a deep philosophical meaning.
Firstly, its white background signifies peace and purity.
These qualities are highly valued by the Korean people.
Secondly, there are four black trigrams on the corners.
The names of the four trigrams are geon, gon, gam and ri.
Together, they symbolize the harmony of the sky, the earth, the water and the fire.
Finally, the central circle, also called the Taegeuk, represents the philosophy of yin and yang.
The red upper half and the blue lower half mean the two opposing forces, yang and yin, in universe creating a balance.
Putting them all together completes the meaning of Taegeukgi.