Haidong Gumdo

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Haidong Gumdo
Hangul:	해동검도
Hanja:	海東劍道
Revised Romanization:	Haedong Geomdo
McCune-Reischauer:	Haedong Kŏmdo

Haidong Gumdo, also spelled Haedong Kumdo, is a name coined around 1982 and used for several Korean martial art organizations that use swords. Spelling varies between certain organizations. Most notable are Haidong Gumdo by the original organization (Daehan Haidong Gumdo Federation) under Kim Jeong-Ho, and Haedong Kumdo by the largest offshoot (Hanguk Haedong Gumdo Federation) under Na Han-Il.

Haidong Gumdo derives its name from Haedong Seongguk Balhae (海東盛國渤海), a name for Balhae, an ancient kingdom in the region of what is today northeastern Korea, northern China, and eastern Siberia.

1 Techniques
2 Legal controversy
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Techniques

Dedicated practitioners of Haidong Gumdo engage in the practice of kibon (basics), pumse (forms), yaksuk daeryun (step sparring), sparring hada (free sparring), jingeom gyeokgeom (sparring with live blades), gigong (energy building exercises) and begi (cutting practice). Basic practice is with the mokgeom (wooden sword).

Sparring practice begins with the jukdo (bamboo sword) and progresses to mokgeom and jingeom. Pumse within Haidong Gumdo were derived from the mechanics of gicheon (a Korean form of martial arts similar to Tai Chi Chuan), and various sword patterns found within the Muye Dobo Tongji (Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts). Baldo and chakgeom forms (drawing and sheathing the sword) were also developed.

While indigenous Korean sword forms are contained in the Bonguk Geombeop (Korean sword method), other geombeop are taught within Haidong Gumdo curricula, including:

쌍수검법 Ssangsu Geombeop (method of using the double handed sword)
심상검법 Simsang Geombeop (method of using strategy and tactics with the sword)
예도검법 Yedo Geombeop (method of the heart of swordsmanship)
제독검법 Jedok Geombeop (Admiral's sword method)
장백검법 Jangbaek Geombeop (the Jangbaek method)
왜검법 Wae Geombeop (Japanese method)
외수검법 Wuisu Geombeop (method of using the sword with one hand)
쌍검검법 Ssanggeom Geombeop (The method of using two swords)

Haidong Gumdo may be generally characterized as exchanging multiple strikes of the sword for one strike of the sword. The one strike concept characterizes the Japanese method. The Japanese ideal of "one strike, one kill" is prevalent in Japanese kendo (kumdo), even today. The merits and limitations of each of the philosophies may be debated endlessly. Probably the best way to characterize the main difference between Japanese Kendo and the Korean Haidong Gumdo styles is through training philosophy:

The Japanese technique primarily focuses on one-versus-one, or individual combat.
The Korean technique primarily focuses on one-versus-many, or battlefield combat.

The essence of Haidong Gumdo is in shimgum, a concept similar to the that of the Spanish duende, as coined by the Spanish poet, García Lorca. Shimgum is the unification of the mind, body and spirit expressing itself through the use of the sword. It implies a technical mastery of the sword, but transcends technical limitations. One can be "technically perfect" but still not achieve shimgum. Shimgum is what makes Haidong Gumdo not only a martial science but also a martial art.

[edit] Legal controversy

A series of legal actions between the two primary Haidong Gumdo organizations has revealed and documented the history of this martial art. These organizations claim that Haidong Gumdo is rooted in the martial traditions of the Samurang, a group of elite warriors originally trained by a master named Seolbong in the ancient Goguryeo Kingdom (modern-day northern Korea). However, written documentation verifying the existence of this class of warriors is lacking, as is any information on what happened to the Samurang or their sword methods after the fall of Goguryeo.

The World Haidong Gumdo Federation claims that Kim Jeong-Ho, president of the Daehan Haidong Gumdo Federation, learned Haidong Gumdo from a master called Jangbaeksan (meaning Mount Baekdu) at Kwanak Mountain. The trials concluded that Haidong Gumdo was created by Kim Jeong-Ho and Na Hanil, both of whom had studied the Korean sword arts of Gicheonmun (under Bak Daeyang) and Simgeomdo (under Kim Changsik), and that the story of Jangbaeksan was a metaphor for this. The pair worked together under the name of the more widely known of their two arts, Simgeomdo. Around 1984 they began teaching their martial art under the name Haidong Gumdo. Haidong Gumdo remained a relatively minor art until 1989 when Na Hanil played the leading character in a Korean TV drama. This helped to promote Haidong Gumdo considerably, but the rapid growth of the organization led to internal strife.