What Do the Symbols mean on the South Korean flag?

Question

Why is the circle in the middle red and blue? Why are there bars around it and why does it start with three longer bars and gradually changes to six smaller bars on three lines.

Answer 1

The flag of South Korea, or Taegukgi (Although revised official Romanization is Taegeukgi, the word Taegukgi has been used in English-speaking countries historically) has three parts: a white background; a red and blue taegeuk in the center; and four black trigrams, one in each corner of the flag. The flag was designed by Bak Yeong-hyo, the Korean ambassador to Japan. King Gojong proclaimed the Taegeukgi to be the official flag of Korea on 6 March 1883.

The four trigrams originates in the Chinese book I Ching, representing the four Chinese philosophical ideas about the universe: harmony, symmetry, balance, circulation. The general design of the flag also derives from traditional use of the tricolor symbol (red, blue and yellow) by Koreans starting from the early era of Korean history. The white background symbolizes "cleanliness of the people." The taegeuk represents the origin of all things in the universe; holding the two principles of "Eum", the negative aspect rendered in blue, and "Yang", the positive aspect rendered in red, in perfect balance. Together, they represent a continuous movement within infinity, the two merging as one. The four trigrams are:

    * ||| Force (☰; geon (ê±´; ä¹¾) in Korean) = heaven (天), spring (春), east (東), virtue (仁);

    * ¦¦¦ Field (☷; gon (곤; 坤)) = earth (地), summer (夏), west (西), justice (義);

    * |¦| Radiance (☲; ri (리; 離)) = sun (日), autumn (秋), south (南), courtesy (禮);

    * ¦|¦ Gorge (☵; gam (감; 坎)) = moon (月), winter (冬), north (北), knowledge or wisdom (智).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sou...

Answer 2

I used to know for sure, but this is what I remember.

The four sets of bars represent mother, father, daughter and son.

I believe they also represent the compass points:  North south, east and west, and the elements: earth, fire, water, and wind.

The ying yang symbol in the middle represents the variety of life.

I don't remember the colors.

BTW the flag is called "Tae Guki" or great flag.