Po eun is the second il dan form. It has 36 moves and is named after the poet Chong Mong Chu. It was his pen name he used for some of his poems that highlighted his loyalty to the king.
One of his famous lines, "I would not serve a second master, though I might be crucified a hundred times", is often referenced.
Another king, Yi, tried to recruit Chong to his side. Chong then wrote:
"Even if, I may die, die a hundred times,
Even if my skeleton may become dust and dirt,
And whether my spirit may be there or not,
My single-hearted loyalty to the lord will not change."
Yi realized that he would not be able to get Chong as his minister and therefore chose to have him assasinated. He was killed as he was crossing the Sonjuk Bridge. This has become a symbol of loyalty in Korea.
The form begins with "Heaven Hands" as in form 10, Gwang gae.
[NB video credit to Chloe Orsag]
Notice the form goes in one axis, left and right. It is direct and furious in intensity, ending just as soon as it started. It defends against three sides of attacks: front, left and right. But alas, it does not see the attack that comes from behind and the form ends too soon.
It has similarities to Hwa Rang in its intensity and focused attacks. Po eun highlights rapid combinations against multiple fronts. The form asks us to find power in the stance changes and directed force from the ground. For example, in the double high elbow stroke, the weight of the stance is loaded on the outer foot in order to drive into the low back stance that follows.
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