Korean sword
Encyclopedia
Korean swords have a long history little known to the world. Stone swords were used in prehistoric times throughout the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
. Specimens of the ring-pommel saber, or hwandudaedo
Hwandudaedo
The Hwandudaedo is a type of ancient Korean sword from the Three Kingdoms of Korea era The Hwandudaedo, a type of Sohwandudaedo, were decorated swords first seen in the south with a folded blade and a ring pommel...
(환두대도) date from the three kingdoms
Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
era, where as many as 20 skilled craftsmen worked together to make cutting weapons.
History
Stone swords from prehistoric times begin the history of Korean blade manufacturing. Prehistoric finds offer suggestions that Korean sword manufacturing may go back as far as 3000 years. These finds span:- Kyunghung Province
- HaejuHaejuHaeju is a city located in South Hwanghae Province near Haeju Bay in North Korea. It is the administrative centre of South Hwanghae Province. As of 2000, the population of the city is estimated to be 236,000. At the beginning of 20th century, it became a strategic port in Sino-Korean trade...
and AnakAnakAccording to the Book of Numbers, during the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites, Anak was a well known figure, and a forefather of the Anakites who have been considered "strong and tall," they were also said to have been a mixed race of giant people, descendants of the Nephilim...
, Hwanghae Province - Yangyang and ChuncheonChuncheonChuncheon is the capital of Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River. There are some large lakes around the city, most notably Lake Soyang and Lake Uiam...
, GangwonGangwon-do (South Korea)Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
Province - Ansun, GyeonggiGyeonggi-doGyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
Province - PuyoPuyoPuyo refers to;* Puyo, Pastaza, the capital of Pastaza, a province in Ecuador* Buyeo , or Puyo, an ancient Korean kingdom* Buyeo County, in South Korea* Puyo , a Japanese manga artist* Puyo Pop/Puyo Puyo, a Japanese video game...
, South ChungcheongChungcheongnam-doChungcheongnam-do or Chungnam is a province in the west of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the south-western half of the former Chungcheong Province and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, thereafter becoming part of South Korea...
Province - AndongAndongAndong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 in October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city...
and GyeongjuGyeongjuGyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
, North Gyeongsang Province - MiryangMiryangMiryang, often spelled Milyang, is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. Neighboring cities include Changnyeong to the west, Cheongdo to the north, Ulsan to the east, and Yangsan, Gimhae, and Changwon to the south. The city bird is the Korean magpie, the city tree is the pine, and the...
, South Gyeongsang Province
Three Kingdoms period (57 BC to 668 AD)
Long swords were used by commanders and cavalry. At this time land warfare consisted mostly of spearmen and bowmen on foot, mounted archers on horseback using two-handed bows, and mounted swordsmen with twin blades. Swords were used for shock attacks, defensive strokes, and for close-in fighting. Blades were heavy as they were made mostly of iron, and pommels were often knobbed and used as balances or for very close-in work.Short swords may have been used in follow-up attacks, as short sword carriers were armoured completely.
Joseon Kingdom
Despite founding and continued by a family of generals, the Yi bloodline, the Korean Confucian culture of this period placed more emphasis on intellectual and practical achievements in the sciences and arts and agriculture rather than on martial practices.While the Joseon Kingdom was begun and continued by generals, the yangban (noble) scholarly class did not pursue swordsmanship, only the military holded swords. Bows, firearms, and cavalry units were valued more than swords as they were the primary weapons used in battle.
Swords were still made continuously for ceremonial and traditional purposes. Of note among these sword types are two series of jingeom (dragon sword) and ingeom (tiger sword), which by tradition could be forged only at certain times. The highest grade of these, sa-ingeom (four tigers sword) and possibly sa-jingeom (four dragons sword, none extant) were reserved for the monarch and could only be made during a window of 2 hours every 12 years. The lower-grade swords - i-jingeom, sam-jingeom, i-ingeom, sam-ingeom (two dragons, three dragons, two tigers, three tigers) - could be made more frequently.
Colonial Korea
Korean swords are very scarce, since most surviving examples were confiscated and destroyed during the colonial period. A systematic attempt was made to collect and destroy all Korean swords, coats of armour, and all Korean martial arts equipment. The entire history of Korean swords and armour was almost lost forever, along with much of Korea's culture and traditions.Republic period
After the liberation of Korea in 1945, ceremonial swords once again began to be made both in the south, and the north, and by the 1960s, sword-making had begun again, but with many traditions and techniques lost.The reconstruction of swordmaking began in the 1950s, and has only by the mid-1990s come back to expert levels comparable to the times before the colonial period.
Sword ownership in Korea is restricted, and there are very few traditional sword collectors today. General/Flag-grade officers are given dress swords upon assuming command in the Republic of Korea (ROK) army. Despite restrictions on sword ownership and a lingering social preference against armed martial arts (dating to the Joseon era), practical sword fighting is enjoying a small revival amongst elite regiments, and fencing is once again attracting interest in Korean universities. Korea fields an Olympic fencing team.
Types
Traditionally there are about fifteen types of Korean swords with some better known than others.Elements of the Korean sword include: geomjip or scabbard, most often of lacquer; hyuljo or fuller (most genuine Korean swords didn't have a fuller); hwando magi or collar; ho in or collar; kodeungi or hand guard; a ring-design pommel; tassels; a round and wide designed sword guard, or a straight lotus design.
As well there are practice wooden swords (mokgeom), metal swords (shingeom) and practical swords (Jingeom); the list would include:
- Yedo (예도; 銳刀) This sword is generally a single edged saber ranging from 3 to 4 feet (1.2 m).
- Geom (검; 剣) Literally 'sword'. This term is usually used for double edged swords, but its also used for single edged swords. Today, many people would use the terminology 'kal'.
- Haedong jingeom (해동진검; 海東剣) This literally means 'East Asian Practical Sword'. It is a newly used terminology that is used for today's practical Korean swords.
- Samgakdo (삼각도; 三角刀) The samgakdo, is also a recently used terminology for swords used for mat cutting. The cross sectionCross section (geometry)In geometry, a cross-section is the intersection of a figure in 2-dimensional space with a line, or of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane, etc...
of the sword is triangular in shape; hence the name Samgakdo (which means 3 sided sword). - Ssangdo or Ssanggeom (쌍도; 双刀; 쌍검: 双剣) This literally means "Twin Swords." It can vary from twin long swords or twin short swords. These techniques can also be used on Horseback as 'Masang ssanggeom'. The Korean cavalry was famous for using Twin Sword techniques on horseback, while balancing on the horse with grace.
- Samjeongdo (삼정도; 三正刀) the sword given to newly promoted Korean military generals each year by the Ministry of National Defense.
- WoldoWoldoThe Woldo , was a Korean pole weapon that closely resembled the Chinese guandao , though proportionally smaller. It was so named because of its curved blade...
(월도; 月刀) This is a large crescent blade that is a variant of the Kwan DaoGuan daoA Guan Dao, Kwan Dao, or Kuan Tao is a type of Chinese pole weapon that is currently used in some forms of Chinese martial arts. In Chinese it is properly called a 偃月刀 yan yue dao , the name under which it always appears in texts from the Song to Qing dynasties such as the Wujing Zongyao and...
(官刀) of China. Literally translated as 'Moon Blade'. - Danwoldo: This is an even larger crescent blade that is actually more of a sword than a polearm. About half of the weapon was pure metal and the other half was the handle of the sword. The blade was about 3 foot (0.9144 m) long and about a foot wide. Literally translated as 'The Great Moon Blade'.
- HyeopdoHyeopdoThe Hyeopdo was a pole weapon used in Korea. It is very similar to the Japanese naginata. It was also called micheomdo , which could be translated as 'eyebrow sword' because the curved blade resembled an eyebrow...
(협도; 俠刀) This is also a large crescent blade that is similar to the 'Pudao' but wider and thicker. A tassle attached to the end of the blade. - Jedok geomJedok geomJedok geom or Admiral sword or Commander sword is the name of sword-skill introduced by the Chinese commander Li Rusong who fought during the Imjin waeran on Korea's side against the Japanese. Li Rusong was of Korean descent.-Technique:...
: This sword was used by generals and other high ranking officials of the Korean kingdoms. The sword was usually about 5–6 feet tall and single edged. The sword was also straight and wielded with one or two hands. - Ssangsudo (쌍수도; 双手刀) This is a single edged long sword that varied from 5 to 7 feet (2.1 m). Its name means 'Two-handed sword'
- Sainchamsageom: This sword's name literally means 'Great Four Tiger Sword'. This is a ceremonial sword that is used for demon slaying and Shamanistic rituals. At times, these swords were also used in combat.
The In Geom (Tiger Swords) were usually of the same designs but of different strengths. They were all made according to the Year, Month, Week, Day, or Hour of the Tiger.
- Samingeom: Literally translated to 'Three Tiger Sword'.
- I-ingeom: Literally translated to 'Two Tiger Sword'.
- Chilseonggeom (칠성검; 七星劍) This sword is a single edged or double sword that Buddhist practitioners used. Many of these swords had constellation engravings on the blades (usually the Big Dipper).
- Yongbunggeom: This is a Baekje Kingdom sword. The sword is single edged and straight. There is also a distinctively large ring pommel held on the bottom section of the sword handle.
- Ssangyunggeom: These are two twin swords that is held with one sheath. The sheath is twice as wide because it needs room for the second sword. The sword's length varies from three to four feet. Usually these swords were double edged and made entirely of Iron (including the sheath).
- Bulsaegeom: This sword is pretty similar to the length and design of the Sainchamsagum. The difference is that the sword is made with less complex features.
- Janggeom (장검; 長劍): Literally means "long Sword".
- Hwando (환도): This is a single edged short sword that was strictly used with one hand. This was a common side arm for many soldiers during the Joseon era.
- Unggeom (웅검): This is a single edged long sword that was used with one or two hands. This was another common side arm for many soldiers during the Joseon era.
- Seven-Branched SwordSeven-Branched SwordThe Seven-Branched Sword , also known as the Seven-Pronged Sword, the Seven-Branched Knife, the Seven-Pronged Spear, Nanatsusaya no Tachi in Nihon shoki, Chiljido in Korea is a 74.9 cm long iron sword with six branch-like protrusions along the central blade originally made in Baekje Korea,...
: This sword had seven blades protruding out of it. This was a sword forged in Baekjae in the order of the king. There is a theory that this is a sword that was to be a gift presented to the emperor of Japan. There was no handle found for the blade nor was there a swordsheath found for it while it was being excavated. Other scholars say that this weapon is heavy and it was definitely used with two hands. They say that the sword is extremely sturdy, and because of the protruding blades, it is extremely hard to break. - For martial arts students learning sword forms or Geombeop/Geomsul practice wood swords or mokgeom are most often used; then those made out of carbonized bamboo or Juk-do; lastly compression sponge, single or double-edged, with or without blood grooves. Combinations of sword and knife fighting would use plastic blades.
Master swordsmen
- General Kim YushinKim YushinKim Yushin was a general in 7th-century Silla. He led the unification of the Korean peninsula by Silla under the reign of King Muyeol of Silla and King Munmu of Silla. He is said to have been the great-grandchild of King Guhae of Geumgwan Gaya, the last ruler of the Geumgwan Gaya state...
, was said to have been given an engraved sword and sacred books by the gods, and helped to unify KoreaUnified SillaUnified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
under SillaSillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
. His most famous son, Kim Wonsul, was a noted swordsman who fought against the Tang DynastyTang DynastyThe Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
armies in the late Three KingdomsThree Kingdoms of KoreaThe Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
period.
Schools of swordsmanship
There are a couple of schools that claim that they still hold the techniques of these swords practitioners in the past. Kuksoolwon and Haidong Gumdo claims that the hold the genuine Swords techniques that are written in the Muye Dobo Tongji (The Manual Of Korean Martial arts). It is said that there were 24 fighting postures in training; The Korean practitioners of the past generally used low kicking techniques to distract, dismantle and disable the opponent when holding the sword in one hand and sheath in the other. The kicking techniques were generally from Taekkyeon or SubakSubak
Subak, Subakgi or Yusul is either a specific ancient Korean martial art. Historically this term may have specified the old Korean martial art of taekkyeon.-History:...
.
Most traditional and "true" Korean Swordsmanship schools would use the terms "mu sul" meaning technique or "beop" meaning the way; Hence, the term "geombeop" meaning Sword way or 'how to use the sword' in literal translations, or Geomsul meaning 'Sword technique'. Most Korean martial arts that use the word "Do" or "The Way" are just modernistic schools that rarely have any ties to the past. Many schools existed, however the leading document that the past has given us is Mu Ye dobo Tongji or "Illustrated Comprehensive Martial Arts Manual" of Master Lee Dok Mu, as ordered by King Jeong-jo published in 1795. The book is basically an overall book of the many techniques that were being used at the time.
Contemporary swordsmiths
- Hong Seok-hyeon in Paju, Gyeonggi province, makes swords by hand, as he has done for more than 20 years.
- Lee Sang Seon in Munkyong City, Kyongsangbukdo Province
- Lee Eun-cheul in Yeoju, Kyonggi Province. In addition to being self-taught like other contemporary Korean swordsmiths, he also received training under Aoki Yutaka (青木 豊), a master swordsmith in Okayama Prefecture, Japan to rediscover Korea’s forgotten swordsmithing skills, which were lost near the beginning of the Japanese colonization of Korea.
- Kang Cheul Kyu in Pocheon, Kyongki Province.http://dogum.co.kr/
Swords and armour: changing needs and tactics
Korean armour
Korean armour is the armour used traditionally in ancient times against swords in swordfighting, and as well in other battlefield encounters by Koreans or those fighting in Korea, or Korean fighting overseas...
was based with leather, cloth, and iron. The generals and other high-ranking officials of the Korean kingdoms generally wore plate-mail along with a helmet with a red tassle on the top and there were leather flaps on the sides and back of the helmet that were covered in plate-mail. The armor was usually black, and for the royal courts: gold. There are no real documented gauntlets
Gauntlet (gloves)
Gauntlet is a name for several different styles of glove, particularly those with an extended cuff covering part of the forearm. Gauntlets exist in many forms, ranging from flexible fabric and leather gloves, to mail and fully articulated plate armour....
. The shoulders were covered in plate-mail and there was a large metal breast plate that was covered in smoky designs. In the interior, they usually wore cloth, and for the rest of the uncovered body, they generally wore leather.
The sword was generally held in the hand. There was no real reason to hold it on their sides. However, they did strap it to their back at times when they were riding horses or using other weapons such as spears and bows. The Korean sword was first and foremost one-handed, though for more powerful strikes, two hands were used. The Korean techniques were generally hand and a half.
Contemporary films on Korean swordsmanship
Korean historical action films have elements of swordsmanship within them. Important recent films readily available (and subtitle in Chinese/English) include:- Musa The WarriorMusa (film)Musa , released as both The Warrior and The Ultimate Warrior in English-speaking countries, is a 2001 South Korean epic film directed by Kim Seong-soo, starring Jung Woo-sung, Ahn Sung-ki, Ju Jin-mo and Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi...
, 2001, 130 minutes, joint Korean/Chinese production
Chung Doo-Hong martial arts director. Set in the Goryeo dynasty, during 1375 chronicles General Choi Jung's mission to the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
to make peace during their wars against the Yuan
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
.
- Sword in the MoonSword in the MoonSword in the Moon is a 2003 South Korean film. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...
, 2003
A Korean production that is a variant of Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War
Taegukgi (film)
Taegukgi Hwinallimyo is a 2004 South Korean war film directed by Kang Je-gyu. It tells the story about the effect of the Korean War on two brothers. The film's title is the name of the pre-war Flag of Korea as well as the postwar Flag of South Korea...
. This is set in the Three Kingdoms of Korea period where there were various uprisings in the military and many assassination attempts on the King.
- Shadowless SwordShadowless SwordShadowless Sword is a 2005 South Korean film. A martial arts epic filmed in China, the film follows the exploits of the last prince of the Balhae Kingdom, who hides his identity in a small village until he is called to battle invaders from Khitan...
, 2005 - DuelistDuelist (film)Duelist is a 2005 South Korean martial arts film, directed by Lee Myung-se. The Korean title translates as "The Detective".- Plot :The movie opens with a fish tale narrated by a low-class metalsmith in a tavern in Joseon-era south-western Korea. The scene then cuts to a street circus, in which an...
, 2005
Status and social standing
- During the JoseonJoseon DynastyJoseon , 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, swords also had ranks depending on who wielded them and what their purpose was. The highest ranking of these swords was known as the Byeol-ungeom (별운검: 別雲劍), literally meaning "cloud-splitting sword." Only two such swords existed and were wielded by the King's two bodyguards, who always stood on either side of him and held the nobility title of Un'geom (운검: 雲劍). http://blog.naver.com/medeen44?Redirect=Log&logNo=20029830865
See also
- Korean swordsmanshipKorean swordsmanshipIn Korean martial arts, sword disciplines are known as Gum Sool or Gum Do . The extant schools originate after the end of Japanese occupation and are heavily amalgamated with the modern Japanese schools of Kenjutsu or Kendo.Gekiken, the predeceossor of modern Kendo, was introduced to Korea in...
- Korean knifeKorean knifeKorean knives are a sub-division of Korean swords in that both have been used or are used for martial arts purposes, and as well in the martial arts. This article gives a brief introduction to this interesting field within the greater sphere of Korean martial arts.-Korean knife fighting:If one...
- KumdoKumdoKumdo is a modern martial art descended from kendo, which is practiced in Korea. It is also romanized as kǒmdo, gumdo, or geomdo. The name means "the way of the sword," and is a cognate with the Japanese term. Kumdo is a martial art that has become engrained within Korean culture and society since...
- HwandudaedoHwandudaedoThe Hwandudaedo is a type of ancient Korean sword from the Three Kingdoms of Korea era The Hwandudaedo, a type of Sohwandudaedo, were decorated swords first seen in the south with a folded blade and a ring pommel...
- SaingeomSaingeomThe saingeom is a type of Joseon-era sword from Western Korea fairly common in the Ai-Ching province. It has a 90 centimeter blade, produced primarily by molding rather than hammering....
- Korean spearsKorean spearsOver time various types of Korean spears have evolved, many similar found to weapons found elsewhere in Asia and the world, as much due to a process of convergent evolution as to external influence.-Types of Korean spears:...
External links
- Swords of Korea
- 한국의 칼
- Stone Swords (click on 유물보기 for pictures)
- Bronze Swords (click on 유물보기 for pictures)
- Swords with Ring Pommel (click on 유물보기 for pictures)
- Joseon Period Swords (click on 유물보기 for pictures)
- 전통도검
- Ancient Swords of Korea
- 한국의 칼 특별전 (includes a video of Korean swords)