Most people think they know what respect is. But knowing the word and knowing how to actually live it are two very different things. Grandmaster Lee created the Code of Respect to bridge that gap — teaching students not just what respect means, but exactly how to show it, and why doing so makes their own life better.
At Sun Lee Taekwondo, respect is not a rule posted on the wall. It is a practice — something students work at in every class, every belt level, every year. The Code of Respect is one of the most important Mat Chat lessons in our entire curriculum, and it comes directly from Grandmaster Lee's decades of teaching character through martial arts.
The Code is built around four relationships that shape every student's daily life. Together, they form a complete picture of what it means to be a respectful person — at home, at school, and in the world.
A Mat Chat is a character lesson that takes place at the end of every Sun Lee Taekwondo class. Students sit together on the mat and have a real conversation about a value — what it means, how to apply it, and why it matters. Learn more in our article: What Is a Mat Chat? →
THE FOUR CODES OF RESPECT
Grandmaster Lee structured the Code of Respect around four areas — each one answering the same three questions: What does respect mean here? How do you show it? And why should you do it?
The way you show self-respect is by taking care of yourself. For kids, that means brushing your teeth, taking a shower or bath, eating healthy foods, and exercising. These aren't just chores — they are acts of respect toward yourself. Every time you choose to take care of your body, you are telling yourself: I matter.
Why: You only have one body, and you must take care of the one you get. Think of your body like a car. If you don't properly fuel it and maintain it, it's going to break down. Our bodies are the same way.
The number one way to show respect to your parents is by listening to them. When they ask you to do something, do it the first time — not the second or third time after they've had to repeat themselves. That sounds easy. The hard part is doing it when you don't feel like it. When that happens, try to change your tune. Remind yourself of everything your parents have done for you and continue to do for you every single day.
Why: Your parents love you. They want what is best for you, no matter what. Whenever you don't feel like listening, try saying to yourself: "I really don't feel like doing that right now — but I will do it anyway, because I love them."
People learn by listening, reading, and doing. What makes learning easier is having a teacher. Your teachers have dedicated their careers to helping the next generation learn something valuable. For that reason alone, they deserve your respect. The best way to show it is simple: pay attention. Be quiet when they are teaching. Answer only when it is appropriate. Give them your focus.
Why: When you show respect by paying attention, something happens — you actually learn. Respect for your teachers is one of the most practical investments you can make in your own future.
Our community is made up of the people and the places around us. You show respect to the people in your community by being kind to them — greeting others, saying please and thank you, holding the door. You show respect to the places in your community by picking up after yourself. Put your trash in a bin. And if you see trash on the ground, consider picking that up too.
Why: We all want to live in a nice, clean community where people treat each other well. Nobody wants to live in a dirty place where everyone is mean. The community you want to live in starts with the way you treat it.
WHY RESPECT STARTS WITH YOU
Grandmaster Lee begins the Code of Respect with Code #1 — Respect Yourself — for a reason. It is the foundation everything else is built on. A student who doesn't respect themselves will struggle to genuinely respect their parents, their teachers, or their community. Self-respect isn't arrogance. It's the quiet conviction that you are worth taking care of.
This is why Taekwondo training and the physical discipline of the dojang are so connected to character. Every time a student pushes through a hard drill, shows up on time, or earns a belt they worked months for — they are practicing self-respect. The mat teaches it before the words do.
"Respect is not something you demand from others. It is something you demonstrate — first to yourself, then to the people around you, and then to the world you live in." — Grandmaster Lee, Sun Lee Taekwondo
HOW THIS IS TAUGHT IN CLASS
The Code of Respect isn't a lecture students sit through once and forget. At Sun Lee Taekwondo, it is woven into the Mat Chat curriculum across belt levels, revisited as students grow older and their understanding deepens.
A six-year-old learning Code #1 — Respect Yourself — talks about brushing teeth and eating vegetables. A fifteen-year-old revisiting the same code talks about protecting their mental health, setting personal standards, and making choices that reflect who they want to become. The code is the same. The conversation grows with the student.
And just like every Mat Chat lesson, students are ultimately required to bring a personal story — a real moment from their own life where they showed respect — to their belt promotion test. Because at Sun Lee Taekwondo, the goal has never been students who can recite the Code of Respect. It's students who live it.
"We don't just want kids who know the four codes. We want kids who go home and do the dishes without being asked — and understand why that matters. That's what the Code of Respect is really teaching."
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