Korean sword

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Three Kingdoms era swords generally have a ring pommel. More elaborate swords hold images of dragons or phoenixes in the ring.

Korean swords have a long history little known to the world. Stone swords were used in prehistoric times throughout the Korean peninsula. Specimens of the ring-pommel saber (環頭太刀) date from the three kingdoms era, where as many as 20 skilled craftsmen worked together to make cutting weapons.

1 History of Korean swords
2 Types of Korean swords
3 Master swordsmen through the ages
4 Schools of swordsmanship
5 Contemporary swordsmiths
6 Swords and armour: changing needs and tactics
7 Contemporary films on Korean swordsmanship
8 Status and social standing
9 Gallery
10 See also
11 References
12 External links

[edit] History of Korean swords

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

Hae Ju and Anak in Hwanghae Province

Yangyang and Choon chun in Gangwon Province

Ansung in Kyung-gi Province

Puyo in south Choonchon Province

Andong and Kyungju in North Gyeongsang Province

Mirang in South Gyeongsang Province

[edit] Three Kingdoms period swords

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.

[edit] Goryeo Period swords

Goryeo period exported the most swords in trade missions.

[edit] Joseon Kingdom swords

Despite founding and continued by a family of generals, the Yi bloodline, the 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 the generals, the yangban (noble) class of Confucian scholars did not pursue swordsmanship. Swords were not carried in the daily life, as in keeping with the Confucian ideals of the Joseon Kingdom. Bows, firearms, and cavalry units were valued more than swords as they were the primary weapons used in battle.

[edit] Swords under occupied Korea, 1910 to 1945

Korean swords are very scarce, since most surviving examples were confiscated and destroyed during the Japanese colonial occupation.^[1]^[2] 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 many of Korea's cultures and traditions.

[edit] Republic period swords

In 1945, with the unconditional surrender of Japan, and the freeing of Korea into allied hands, ceremonial swords once again began to be made both in the south, and the north, and by the 1960s, sword-making had again begun, but with much tradition and techniques lost. Reconstruction of swordmaking began in the 1950s, and has only by the mid 1990s come back to expert levels as before.

Sword ownership in Korea is restricted, and there are very few traditional sword collectors. Generals are given dress swords upon assuming command in the Republic of Korea army. Practical sword fighting is having a small revival amongst elite regiments, and fencing is once again attracting interest in Korean universities. Korea fields an Olympic fencing team.

[edit] Types of Korean swords

Traditionally there are about fifteen types of Korean swords with some better known than others.

Elements of the Korean sword include: gumjip or scabbard, most often of lacquer; hyuljo or blood groove (most genuine Korean swords didn't have a blood groove); hwando magi or collar; ho in or collar; kodungi or hand guard; a ring-design pommel; tassels; a round and wide designed sword guard, or a straight lotus design.^[3]

As well there are practice wooden swords (mokkgum), metal swords (shingum) and practical swords (Jingu); the list would include:

Yedo (예도; 銳刀) This sword is generally a single edged saber ranging from 3 to 4 feet.
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 section 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 Ssanggum'. 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.
Woldo (월도; 月刀) This is a large crescent blade that is a variant of the Kwan Dao (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 feet long and about a foot wide. Literally translated as 'The Great Moon Blade'.
Hyup-do (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.
Jedokgum: 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.
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.^[4]

The In Gum (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.^[4]

Samingeom: Literally translated to 'Three Tiger Sword'.
Eeingeom: Literally translated to 'Two Tiger Sword'.
Chilsunggeom: 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 "Admiral's Sword". They do not literally represent the twin swords of Admiral Yi Sun Shin, but a lot of English speaking translators seem to misunderstand.
Hwando: This is a single edged long sword that was strictly used with one hand.
Seven-Branched Sword: 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.

[edit] Master swordsmen through the ages

General Kim Yushin, was given an engraved sword and sacred books by the gods, and helped to unify Korea under Silla. His most famous son, Kim Wonsul, was a noted swordsman who fought against the Tang Dynasty armies in the late Three Kingdoms period.

[edit] 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 Haedonggumdo 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 Taekkyun or Soobak.

Most traditional and "true" Korean Swordsmanship schools would use the terms "mu sool" meaning technique or "bup" meaning the way; Hence, the term "gumbup" meaning Sword way or 'how to use the sword' in literal translations, or Gumsool 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.

[edit] Contemporary swordsmiths

Hong Seok-hyeon in Paju, Gyeonggi province, makes swords by hand, as he has done for more than 20 years.^[5]
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.^[6]
Kang Cheul Kyu in Pocheon, Kyongki Province.[1]

[edit] Swords and armour: changing needs and tactics

Sword in the Moon

Most Korean armour 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. 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.

[edit] 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 Warrior, 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 to make peace during their wars against the Yuan.

Sword in the Moon, 2003

A Korean production that is a variant of Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War. 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 Sword, 2005
Duelist , 2005

[edit] Status and social standing

During the Joseon 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). [2]