Hankumdo
Encyclopedia
Hankumdo is a Korean sword-art where the basic techniques are based on the letters of the Korean alphabet, Hangul
.
, the first plans to teach his sword techniques as a separate art emerged in 1986. Hankumdo was first made public during the 3rd International H.K.D Games in 1997.
Master Myung wanted to develop a sword-art that would be truly Korean and easy to learn by everyone. For Koreans who already know the Korean writing system, the techniques are easy to remember, because the strikes follow the standard way in which you would write the characters with your pen. For foreigners it is usually their first encounter with the Korean writing system. At first hankumdo was introduced as a part of the hankido curriculum under the name hankumdobub (hankumdo techniques), but later Myung Jae Nam decided that it was an art that could stand on its own merits.
They are advised to learn how to write Hangul before starting with the techniques. Because the Korean writing system is fairly easy to learn (within a week you know enough to be able to read the most basic syllables) foreigners can learn the basics of hankumdo usually just as easily as the Korean students. One of the goals of Myung Jae Nam was also to give foreign students a tool to learn the Korean language.
Hankumdo can be interpreted as: The way for the Korean people to learn how to handle the sword.
A number of modern Korean martial arts have been influenced by Japanese styles in the 20th century, while the older arts were influenced by the Chinese, which becomes obvious in the Muyedobotongji
. Myung Jae Nam however wanted to create a true Korean sword art without any foreign influences. Japanese sword arts developed into the art of man-to-man duelling during the peaceful Edo period
and are characterized by a lot of attention to detail under the influence of Zen
Buddhism. Traditional Korean arts never underwent this change and were purely taught to soldiers as a way to fight on the battlefield, although this does not mean that in Japanese arts battlefield techniques are not taught. Battlefield fighting is usually characterized by more flowing and on-going movements. In duel-style fighting a lot of attention is given to the one-strike-one-kill principle, whereas in battlefield-style fighting the emphasis is on keeping the sword in motion and always being ready for the next strike.
To give hankumdo a true Korean edge, master Myung Jae Nam used the Korean alphabet, known as Hangul
, to teach the basic strikes of the art.
. This alphabet consists of 24 characters, 14 consonants (자음) and 10 vowels (모음). Since 1997 there have been several revisions of the techniques. In the earliest version the techniques followed the way you would write the techniques on paper very closely and only four techniques were needed. In the latest revision more techniques were added and the techniques become more elaborate. The way of striking and writing the letters does not always match anymore.
The strikes are being taught from several positions and with several steps, called Ki Bo Haeng (기보행).
The techniques have the same name as the characters followed by the word Begi (베기) which means strike. So the name for the first technique is: Kiyeokbegi (기역베기), because the name for the first character (ㄱ) in the Korean alphabet is Kiyeok (기역).
Several strikes, cuts, thrusts, stabs and blocks are taught to students of hankumdo.
Quite a few changes and additions to the hankumdo curriculum have been made by Ko Ju Sik (고주식), the new technical director of the federation, since then.
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
.
Goal
The goal of hankumdo is to teach people how to defend themselves and at the same time offer them exercises to stay healthy. It also is meant to give practitioners the means to come to a deeper understanding of martial arts principles. It aims to make this easy by using the Korean writing system to systematize the techniques.History
This art was developed by the late Myung Jae NamMyung Jae Nam
Myung Jae Nam or Jae-Nam Myong was a Korean Hapkido practitioner who founded two martial art styles; Hankido and Hankumdo.-Life:Myung Jae Nam was born in Jeollanam-do province but lived in Incheon for most of his life....
, the first plans to teach his sword techniques as a separate art emerged in 1986. Hankumdo was first made public during the 3rd International H.K.D Games in 1997.
Master Myung wanted to develop a sword-art that would be truly Korean and easy to learn by everyone. For Koreans who already know the Korean writing system, the techniques are easy to remember, because the strikes follow the standard way in which you would write the characters with your pen. For foreigners it is usually their first encounter with the Korean writing system. At first hankumdo was introduced as a part of the hankido curriculum under the name hankumdobub (hankumdo techniques), but later Myung Jae Nam decided that it was an art that could stand on its own merits.
They are advised to learn how to write Hangul before starting with the techniques. Because the Korean writing system is fairly easy to learn (within a week you know enough to be able to read the most basic syllables) foreigners can learn the basics of hankumdo usually just as easily as the Korean students. One of the goals of Myung Jae Nam was also to give foreign students a tool to learn the Korean language.
Meaning
The word hankumdo actually consists of three different words:- Han (한 / 韓): Korea, Korean culture and mentality (see Names of KoreaNames of KoreaThere are various names of Korea in use today, derived from ancient kingdoms and dynasties. The modern English name Korea is an exonym derived from the Goryeo period and is used by both North Korea and South Korea in international contexts...
). - Kum (검 / 劍): Sword
- Do (도 / 道): The way
Hankumdo can be interpreted as: The way for the Korean people to learn how to handle the sword.
Style
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...
. Myung Jae Nam however wanted to create a true Korean sword art without any foreign influences. Japanese sword arts developed into the art of man-to-man duelling during the peaceful Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
and are characterized by a lot of attention to detail under the influence of Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
Buddhism. Traditional Korean arts never underwent this change and were purely taught to soldiers as a way to fight on the battlefield, although this does not mean that in Japanese arts battlefield techniques are not taught. Battlefield fighting is usually characterized by more flowing and on-going movements. In duel-style fighting a lot of attention is given to the one-strike-one-kill principle, whereas in battlefield-style fighting the emphasis is on keeping the sword in motion and always being ready for the next strike.
To give hankumdo a true Korean edge, master Myung Jae Nam used the Korean alphabet, known as Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
, to teach the basic strikes of the art.
Techniques
The basis for all hankumdo techniques comes from the letters of the Korean alphabet, HangulHangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
. This alphabet consists of 24 characters, 14 consonants (자음) and 10 vowels (모음). Since 1997 there have been several revisions of the techniques. In the earliest version the techniques followed the way you would write the techniques on paper very closely and only four techniques were needed. In the latest revision more techniques were added and the techniques become more elaborate. The way of striking and writing the letters does not always match anymore.
The strikes are being taught from several positions and with several steps, called Ki Bo Haeng (기보행).
The techniques have the same name as the characters followed by the word Begi (베기) which means strike. So the name for the first technique is: Kiyeokbegi (기역베기), because the name for the first character (ㄱ) in the Korean alphabet is Kiyeok (기역).
Several strikes, cuts, thrusts, stabs and blocks are taught to students of hankumdo.
Development
After Myung Jae Nam's death in 1999, the development of hankumdo is overseen by the Jaenam Musul Won FoundationQuite a few changes and additions to the hankumdo curriculum have been made by Ko Ju Sik (고주식), the new technical director of the federation, since then.
External links
- International H.K.D. Federation Headquarters (Korean)
- International H.K.D. Federation Australia
- Incheon H.K.D. Organization (Korean)
- The Netherlands H.K.D. Federation
- Ji Yong Kwan
- Sang Moo Kwan
- U.S. Hankumdo Association - Mu Gong Kwan
- Semokwan Brasil - Confederação Brasileira de Hapkido-Hankido-Hankumdo