Hansu

Quick Facts

About the kata

Hansu is a poomsae that the Taekwondo Compendium assigns to the 8th dan test. According to it, the name denotes great water, a spring that nourishes all living things, standing behind it are birth and the growth of life, tolerance and adaptability. The poomsae's line follows the Chinese character 水, water. British Taekwondo's competition rules count 27 movements and advise practicing them softly like water, yet continuously like drops merging into the ocean. The Taekwondo Compendium puts it differently: every movement has the power to accumulate, not to spend. The kihap, per the same source, sounds twice, each time on a stamp combined with a forward backfist strike. Among the new techniques, British Taekwondo lists an opening inner-knifehand block to the middle section, a strike with both hammer fists to the sides, an inner-forearm block to a low target, and a geumgang knifehand block; among stances, moa seogi with feet together is added. The Taekwondo Compendium also lists it with a one-sided mountain block, the crane stance hakdari seogi, and the back cross stance kkoa seogi.

The kata in different styles

Meaning of the name

British Taekwondo's rules analyze the first syllable of the name: han, they say, carries several meanings - a country's name, quantity, size, equality, length, and heaven. Water, in their reading, is the source that sustains life and lets all creatures grow, and so Hansu symbolizes both strength and weakness, generosity and harmony. The English Wikipedia derives the poomsae from water's fluidity, which adapts easily in nature. The Compendium wants firmness to join softness in it as in a flow of water, with control of speed in rhythm and tempo, and discipline.

Creator and history

According to Doug Cook (YMAA), Hansu, spelled by him as Hansom, already belonged to the first set of master poomsae, created alongside the Palgwae series between 1965 and 1967, and unlike the original Koryo, it is still recognized today by the Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo. The Compendium places the origin of the master forms in 1967. We have not found a later revision of Hansu, such as Koryo underwent, in the sources.

In competition

World Taekwondo's competition rules, in force since 30 September 2024, place Hansu among the compulsory poomsae only in the oldest categories, starting with the 51-60 age category, for individuals, pairs, and teams alike. Younger age categories do not include it among the compulsory forms.

Competition status

• Taekwondo WT (Olympic) – WT Taekwondo — Compulsory routine · Veterans · team events too · valid from 9/30/2024 ↗

In grading syllabi

• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 8th dan
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 9th dan