Muyejebo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Muyejebo | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Muyejebo is a Korean martial art manual written during the reign of King Seonjo in 1598.
Contents |
[edit] History
During the Imjin War the Koreans, wondering why the Chinese army was so well trained, heard of with a Chinese training manual called Ji Xiao Xin Shu (Hangul: 기효신서, Hanja: 紀效新書) written by the famous Chinese strategist Qi Jiguang (戚继光). When the Korean king heard about the book he asked the Chinese general Li Rusong to give it to him, Li however refused. To get the book the king sent out some of his men to get the book in secrecy. [1]
King Seonjo also invited Chinese instructors to instruct the Korean army and to explain Chinese warfare methods. This all led to the composition of the Muyejebo by a warrior scholar named Han Gyo (Hangul: 한교, Hanja: 韓嶠).
[edit] Content
The Muyejebo contains chapters about the use of the following weapons:
- Long spear
- Long two handed sword
- Spearheaded cudgel
- Wisteria shield with the throwing spear
- Wisteria shield with waist sword
- Thorny spear
- Three pronged spear
The information about the use of the Wisteria shield with the throwing spear and the waist sword was in one chapter.
[edit] Later editions
The king ordered his officials to add supplemental information to the Muyejebo, he died however before this work got published. His successor, king Gwanghaegun, continued the work of his father which let to the publication of the Muyejebo Seokjib by Choe Gi-nam (Hangul: 최기남, Hanja: 崔起南). Around the time the book was to be published, four volumes of a Japanese martial arts manual were added as well, leading to the compilation of the Muyejebo Beonyeon Seokjib. Of this later version a woodcut edition still exists at the university of Keimyung. [2]
In 1759 the book was again revised and published as the Muyesinbo (Hangul: 무예신보, Hanja: 武藝新譜). Both books, the Muyejebo and the Muyesinbo, formed the basis for the compilation of another, more famous, Korean martial arts manual called the Muyedobotongji (Hangul: 무예도보통지, Hanja: 武藝圖譜通志) which got published in 1791.
[edit] References and further reading
- ^ Kim, Wee-hyun. "Muyedobo T'ongji: Illustrated Survey of the Martial Arts." Korea Journal 26:8 (August 1986): 42-54.
- ^ Site at Keimyung University dealing with the Mu Ye Je Bo Beon Yeon Sok Jib
