The Korean

Korean language

Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...

 word Bonguk geom refers to both a sword and a sword skill which are said to have originated from the sword skills of the Hwarang

Hwarang

The Hwarang, or "Flower Boys"., were an elite group of male youth in Silla, an ancient Korean kingdom that lasted until the 10th century. There were educational institutions as well as social clubs where members gathered for all aspects of study, originally for arts and culture steeped mainly in...

 from the Silla

Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...

 Dynasty. This is why the sword is also called Silla sword or singeom (신검). The term bonguk geom literally means 'national sword'.

By including this skill in the Muyesinbo

Muyesinbo

The Muyesinbo is Korean martial arts manual published in 1759. The book is a revision of the older Muyejebo and adds twelve methods of both armed and unarmed fighting to the original six which were descbribed in the Muyejebo...

 the Joseon

Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...

 warriors stressed the independent valor of Korean swordsmen. They do this by telling the story of Hwangchang, a boy from Silla, who killed Baekje

Baekje

Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....

's king while performing a sword dance, geommu

Geommu

Geommu is a traditional sword dance practiced in Korea. Geommu is performed with special costume, dance motions, and music. The dance is known for its grace in performance. Extra emphasis is placed on the movement of the costuming, notably the sleeves, in harmony with the movements of the dancer...

, at the court.

Technique

The skill especially stressed the independent valor of Korean swordsmen. It was originated from the sword skills of the Hwarang, the elite paramilitary organization of the Silla Dynasty, hence its other name, "Silla sword," or "sin-gum." Double‐edged swords were presumably used at early stages but the skill had been rearranged to use single‐edged swords by the time it was included in Sibpalki, the 18 essential skills.

Construction

The sword in earlier times bore close resemblance to the double-edged sword of Eastern Han, but the sword and the techniques were later adapted to use single-edged swords by the time the Muyesinbo was written.

Modern Bonguk geom

The name bonguk geom is now widely adapted by contemporary Korean sword styles, like Haidong Gumdo

Haidong Gumdo

Haedong Kumdo, also spelled Haidong Gumdo, is a name coined around 1982 and used for several Korean martial arts organizations that use swords. Spelling varies between certain organizations...

, to give expression to the presumably Korean roots of their art. And doesn't necessarily have a direct connection with the bonguk geom techniques of the Joseon

Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...

 period or even the Sill Dynasty. It is in more traditional styles like Sippalgi that the bonguk geom skills of the Muyesinbo and Muyedobotongji

Muyedobotongji

In 1790, King Jeongjo of Korea commissioned a book called the Muyedobotongji which was an illustrated manual of Korean martial arts. This book, written by Yi Deokmu and Pak Jega , described in detail Korea's martial arts of which an unarmed combat style of kicking and punching is extensively...

are preserved.