Mid-Night Blue Belts

[TSD Y049]

In my Dojang we have a choice of mid-night blue or black, if we choose balck we still have to wear the blue to important/traditional ocasions, such as Testings and demonstrations. If we were the black we have to were black pants also. Anyways, I got off topic, what is the history and importance of mid-night blue? I've heard several diffrent strys for dofferent places but I'm not sure if any are true!

[JaseP]

There are two rationales behind the use of Midnight Blue as opposed to black... (in my dojang, as in my instructors, we wear black trim for training and Midnight blue for formal occasions out of respect for tradition).

1) The use of midnight blue for the Dobahk's trim and midnight blue for the belt harkens back to the Hwa Rang Dan of the 1600s who's uniforms were white with dark blue trim and a blue belt (the belt did not leave ends though, but wrapped entirely around the body).

2) Blue was preferred for the Dan ranks by Hwang Kee because black is a final color, you cannot add any dye to it to make it more of what it is. Blue on the other hand, can be made more deep by adding more pigment. Black is also associated with death in many cultures (not Korean, necessarily, but other cultures around the world).

By the way, the use of black pants is not traditional. Traditionally, Tang Soo Do yu dan jas and ko dan jas alike wear white, like the rest of the class, the only distinguishing feature to the Dan ranks' Dobahks are the belt and trim. The same is true of the gups above 6th gup,... they wear trim of their color (lapel only, not cuffs and bottoms). Again the only distinguishing feature is rank. This holds to the premise that everyone is the same, but for their experience, just as when one bows, in class, senior and junior bow at the same time and in the same way.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but if I were you... if given the option of using blue for formal and black for class, I'd take it (it keeps the Midnight blue nice for formal occasions), except for the fact of the black pants... that rubs me the wrong way, as if the black belts were a better "class" of people... Otherwise, there is no shame in a tattered Dan belt and dobahk, were you to stick with blue trim only... In fact a well worn in blet and uniform is a sign of hard work.

[karatekid1975]

My old TSD school, the dans had a white top with black trim. They had the choice to wear white pants or black pants. Most of them chose black. It's probably not traditional, but I liked how it looked. Maybe it's a girl thing wanting to wear black pants hehehehe

[TSD Y049]

Thanks JaseP, I was thinking about using the blue anyways. Several of the boy dans in my class use black pants so I don't think it's a girl thing!!

[Jinxx0r]

To expand what JaseP said in #2. We also use it to remind us that we're never done/complete. As he said, black is an end color. With midnight blue, you're always reminded that you're trying to obtain perfection but that you never can really reach it. Also for each "degree" (E dan, Sam Dan, etc) the stripes are white. They are white to remind you to have a beginners mind when training (back to your white belt days). In the same note for the gup colors in Soo Bahk Do, all belt stripes are midnight blue... to always remind you of what you're trying to obtain.

In my dojang it's a strict traditional format and there are very specific do bok guidelines for every level.

I think this is a cool concept.

Soo Bahk.

[TSD Y049]

Thanks, I think it's a cool concept to. The stories I have heard are that one night Grand Master Hwang Kee looked up at the sky which was mid-night blue and watched the seven stars.

Another one is that he used it because the Hwa Rang Dan used a uniform with that color trim and belt.

The other one you guys have covered, which is that black is the darkest color possible, which symbolises an ending, but dark blue can be made darker. I belive this one but are either of the other two true?

[Samurai Shotokan]

Pardon My igonrance but whats the difference between a normal blue belt and the Mid night blue aside from the stripes?

[TSD Y049]

The differance between the is that regular blue is bright, mid-night blue is a darker colored blue. What stripes are you talking about?? ??

[Sam]

never knew about the history behind that thanks JaseP

[WesQ]

I think its pretty cool how Hwang Kee kept things traditional. My do bok does have a midnight blue trim, and my belt too. Progression in the ranks I've noticed is a lot slower than at other places. I remember taking Tae Kwon Do at the YMCA when I was a kid. Started with a white belt, a month later... yellow. I remember seeing like 6 year old black belts, crazy. It took me about 5 years to test for my Cho Dan. I find it difficult to explain to other people about why my 'black belt' is midnight blue but yeah, I think it's cool.