What does the typical korean sword look like, I never seen one but im learning a Korean sword form with my katana. I know its straight but I have no idea what it looks like. Thanks
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What does the typical korean sword look like, I never seen one but im learning a Korean sword form with my katana. I know its straight but I have no idea what it looks like. Thanks
Dear SRK85:
There are five different swords used in Korean traditions. The Ye-Do is the architecture most closely associated with the Japanese Katana. In addition there are the Ssang Soo Do, the Je Dok Gum (the straight bladed, single edged sword you mentioned), the Ssang Gum ( which are not unlike the Japanese wakizashi) and two polearms which most would not actually consider swords by the general definitons of the words. In Hapkido, when most teachers speak of Korean sword they are usually speaking to the use of the Ye-Do and often with a heavy emphasis on Japanese tradtions and influences rather than the indigenous Korean traditions or their more Chinese influences. FWIW.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
Most Koreans would not know the answer. Most practice with Japanese style bokken / bokuto - or should that be mokgeom / mokto...
However, I do have a straight mokgeom, and it is also a little longer than the standard bokken.
There really isnt anything that should be called a typical Korean sword. There is a typical Silla Dynasty sword and many, many other kinds of swords used in Korean culture during the last 2K years.
The Korean Royal court martial arts of 16th, 17th and 18th century Korea are documented in the well known Muye Do Bo Tongi. There has been a facsimile reprint of this book available for many years and recently a translation was made available through Turtle Press (ISBN 1 880336 48 0). Several swords are described in this book. There are actually a fair number of antique Korean swords that are held in museums around the world and that have been photgraphed and can be viewed on the net. Search around, you will find a lot of interesting artifacts.
For a brief rundown on the 24 weapons, you can read an article posted at
www.lawrenceks.net
scroll down the left menu to original articles and navigate to that page of the site. I really recommend buying the book, it is softback and very affordable.
Try finding a real sword in a Korean museum though ...
swords were not popular in korea. past korean generals hardly used swords
korean swords are literally exactly the same as chinese swords
There are legend pointed to by many masters that indicate the opposite. Muye Dobo Tonji also seems to be contradictory to your statement. Remember, there was a period in world history where the sword was the predominant weapon.
As far as being identical to the Chinese sword, you should try and be more specific. The Chinese have a variant for all occasions.
Because the Kuk Sool organization uses mostly straight swords (and their first hyung is called Jung Gum Hyung... straight sword form), there is an erroneous belief by many that this means the Korean sword is straight. Not so. The name of the hyung actually refers to how the sword is being used. The second Kuk Sool sword form, Yuk Gum Hyung, is peformed with the sword inverted for close in fighting as opposed to "straight" for longer range fighting. The Kuk Sool "Ssahng Gum" refers to double swords, either long or short. In the old days, Koreans used curved as well as staight blades, and the preference was entirely up to the one who used it.
During certain time periods koreans HAD but not necessarily used the chinese double edged sword (straight, I think its called Lian or something) but many warriors preferred the Kal better than the Gum. Kal is a straight single edged sword and it was single edged because if you wanted to kill somone they would cut with the blade side but it if they wanted the person alive they wit with the backside.
Muye Dobo Tongji was written by a scholar and not a warrior or even somone from the warrior class (remember korea always had a huge class distinction between warriors and scholars). its like reading a book about skiiing written by a football player they have no expertise in the subject.
Let me be more specific korean MILITARY hardly used swords. read about how the koreans fought mongols, swords were not predominant weapons. during the "era of warriors" (Moo Yin Shee Dae) swords were not popular. Most low class warriors used spears. Monk warriors used bo and variants of it. Upper Class warriors used doubles edged axes, maces, mace-like axes, kwando, pudao, and extremely large swords that was not really used for cutting. For example General Yee Sun Shin used a sword that is 72 inches long and weighed 12lbs. Koreans made swords popular because they were vassals under the chinese when they fought with chinese korean hardly used short chinese swords. most people (military) carried it for looks not for uses.
Look at how koreans fought from a non-korean aspect chinese called us Eastern Bowmen in the past because we used archery predominantly not swords. When Tang attacked Korea or Koguryo they attacked with archery and spear type weapons while the more adapt fighters used heavy weapons like kwando there is no account of anyone using swords on the korean side.
Korean people call themselves Hankook Saram right now right? But if you talk to someone in their 80's or older they call themselves Koryo In. At different time periods different things are popular.
It depends on what aspect you look at korean weapons from there has been eras that koreans used swords (weak military) or they did not use swords (strong military)
One more thing Koreans liked to make their own weapons and prided themselves in doing that. Thus weapons vary quite a bit and there is no standard. They also like to pass the sword down into their future generations.
Sorry I wrote a lot
Good information. I still disagree... the Kwando is considered a sword, or a knife... remember it is the Knife of General Kwan, the Chinese patron saint of martial art.
Remember too that there was a period of history when bladed weapons such as swords and knives were all that was available. The other weapons you cited were all later inventions.
Some historians talk about famous Korean sword makers, in fact, there are even rumors that Japanese sword makers modeled the Katana after them.
So, it appears that there are at least some people who think the sword was a major weapon in old Korea. Alas, we all know that historical accounts such as this are hard to prove one way or the other.
For myself, I look at it in a very simple way. If Japanese warriors and Chinese warriors invaded Korea and used swords, I find it VERY hard to believe that Koreans did not begin using them (if they did not have them first to begin with). It just does not make sense, and when we look at ANY other warring groups, we can see that those wo do not have a certain weapon would soon copy it if it was deemed useful. If your very life depends on having at least equal weapons, I dare say no group would be stupid enough NOT to copy it. Just look how hard it is for us to keep nukes out of the hands of others.:)
Kodanjaclay:
Kwando u speak of is Chung Ryoung Un Wol Do
Korea goes by blade type
Kal = single edge blunt backside
Gum = Double sided blade
Do = Wide Blade
by your interpretation an axe can be sword as well since it has a handle and bladed edge.
Timmerman:
Your argument is that more damage the better with your nuke analogy and that is correct thus it makes since that larger weapons were favored.
I forgot to add about that katana thing this is what I read that it came from China because Chinese Ninja's created this short single edge stabbing swords and Japanese assassins copied them and created a bit longer version to pierce armors of samurai warlords and samurai created a similar weapon after that which was slightly curved because ninjas used their sword to stab from the back unlike a samurai who cuts from the front (I dont know if this is true since japanese Kendo & Iaido lovers freak out when I say that they have their own little story)
Isn't gum do the art of Korean Swordmanship?
Actually I meant that warriors tend to want to have equal weapons in order to stand a better chance of surviving combat. Hence a tendency for the "have nots" to copy any useful weapon. I consider the sword a useful weapon just based on the fact that almost all warriors of old had one type or other. If it were NOT useful, I assume they would not have been so popular in just about every country that carried on war. Sorry for not being clear on that. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by infiniomega
no man gumdo is kendo its JAPANESE!! no matter what anyone says gumdo is japanese as they come. why do you think they wear hakamas???? koreans never wore that. japanese believe their sword was wide and called it a Do but in korea that would not be called a Do it is a Kal but they just accepted the japanese name for it. There is no such thing as korean GUMDO. korea's old sword forms are classified as Gum Sool
Yep, but it also has some variations on that name.Quote:
Originally Posted by SRK85
Oh now i understand what you mean.
Here is the deal Sword is very light and can be easily used to protect oneself from bandits more on a one on one basis people were not at war 247 right? It was more for personal protection. Large weapons useful for knocking down horses or heavy cavalry. If you had a dinky swory and came at you swinging a big ass axe i doubt you would stand there. Because the weight of heavier weapon would be difficult to block. look at even european warfare only the knights carried swords most of the armies were filled with spear holders.
Sorry, but most Korean martial artists refer to the sword as Gum and the art as Do (as in Hap Ki "Do"). Hence, we can pretty much assume they mean "the way of the sword". We do Gum Do as part of our art, and we do not wear Hakama. Gum Sool means Sword Technique, so it means pretty much the same as Gum Do. Others may even call is Gum Bup (Sword Principle). All the same to the average guy training with the sword.Quote:
Originally Posted by infiniomega
Bruce, if you are reading this, perhaps you can explain what the Japanese call their swords. I am not as well versed as you might be, but I never hear of any Japanese swordsman calling his sword a Do. In fact, I don't ever recall seeing a WIDE Japanese sword that might resemble the Kal. :bow:
japanese word for kendo is literally translated to gumdo old korean styles were called gum sool and they do use gum bup. when you ask a korean person if they study gumdo and if they say yes it means kendo not anything of korean origin. Gumdo is a general term the DO at the end of this does not mean sword its way.
Gum is used interchangeably in korea with Kal.
your not understanding me. DO is a korean word in chinese it is called DAO in korean the japanese refer to their sword as DO or if translated they call it a DO. Do is in chinese and w/o the meaning words before the word Do can mean several things the writing for Do as in way is one word and Do for blade is one word.
i just found this out because of a relative visted us today and she lived through the japanese occupation and speaks japanese. she said that japanese swords in general were called Nippon Ddo (shorter D sound than korean meaning japanese sword) also the ones that samurais or military used were referred to as Goont Ddo.
so i guess it is similar to korean
Another interesting fact Katana supposedly was small knives used to cut fruit.