Korean swords have a long history little known to the world. Since 600 BC, Stone swords were used in prehistoric times throughout the Korean peninsula. Specimens of the Ring pommel sable （環頭太刀) date from the three kingdoms era, where as many as 20 skilled craftsmen worked together to make cutting weapons. Centuries: 8th century BC - 7th century BC - 6th century BC Decades: 650s BC 640s BC 630s BC 620s BC 610s BC - 600s BC - 590s BC 580s BC 570s BC 560s BC 550s BC Events and Trends Fall of the Assyrian Empire and Rise of Babylon 609 BC _ King Josiah... The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. ... The Three Kingdoms of Korea were Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE. The Three Kingdoms period in Korea is usually considered to run from the 1st century BCE until Sillas triumph over Goguryeo in 668...

This article describes the kinds of swords made by Koreans from early times to contemporary Korean swordmakers, as well as giving notable events in Korean swordmaking history, with a brief introduction to armor and Korean knives given greater definition elsewhere. Readers are directed to Korean swordsmanship for more specifics on Korean sword technique and practice. 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. ... Korean knives are a sub-division of Korean swords in that both have been used or are used for martial purposes, and as well in the martial arts. ... The technique of Korean swordsmanship is relatively obscure to the west, but for martial arts masters of the east has regained its reputation from modern swordsman and martial arts masters. ...

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

Hwanghae (Hwanghae-do) was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty, and one of the thirteen provinces of Korea during the Japanese Colonial Period. ... Gangwon (Gangwon-do) is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. ... Gyeonggi is the most populous province in South Korea. ... North Gyeongsang is a province in eastern South Korea. ... South Gyeongsang is a province in the southeast of South Korea. ...

Three Kingdoms period swords

Long swords were used by commanders, and cavalry, but rarely, as at this time land warfare consisted most often of spears and bowmen on foot, and mounted archers on horseback using a two-handed bow. Swords used at this time were used for shock attacks and for heavy static close in fighting rather than fast slashing methods. Blades were heavy, mostly of iron, and pommels were often knobbed and used as balances or for very close-in work, as maces.

Short swords may have been used in follow-up attacks, as short sword carriers were more heavily armoured, and had less speed of advance.

Many swords from Japan were gifted to Korea during the annual trade missions, as well as brought by Japanese who settled in Korea hoo hoo YEAh

Goryeo Period swords

Goryeo period exported the most swords in trade missions. The state of Goryeo ruled Korea from the fall of Silla in 935 until the founding of Joseon in 1392. ...

Joseon dynasty swords

Despite founding and continued by a family of generals, the Yi family, the Confucian culture of this period placed more emphasis on intellectual and practical achievement in the sciences and arts and agriculture, than martial practices.

While the Yi dynasty was begun and continued by Yi generals, the yangban class of Confucian scholars did not pursue swordsmanship as the Japanese samurai. They were used purely for defensive purposes, and not worn in daily life, as in keeping with the Confucian ideals of the Joseon dynasty. Swords were secondary weapons in the battle, with the mainly used weapons being bows and firearms. Actual sword battles were rare. As Koreans were superstitious about sharp-edged objects, the art of the sword did not take root in Korea as it did in Japan. Joseon or Chosun (Korean: 조선; Hanja: 朝鮮; Revised: Joseon; McCune-Reischauer: Chosŏn; Chinese: Cháoxiǎn; Japanese: Chōsen) is a name for Korea, as used in the following cases: As part of the name of several ancient kingdoms (including Gojoseon, Gija Joseon, and Wiman Joseon); During most of the Joseon...

Swords under occupied Korea, 1890s to 1945

After the Japanese occupation of Korea over the decades between 1890 and 1910, with the August 1, 1907 disbanding of the Korean army, and Korea under the control of Japanese police, The "firearms and explosives control" law by the Japanese occupiers was passed in August of 1907 by Japanese military and police law. After that, sword ownership in Korea has been restricted.

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.

Types of Korean swords

Historically there are about fifteen kinds of Korean swords some more well known, other lesser known.

Elements of the Korean sword include: gumjip or scabbard, most often of lacquer; hyuljo or blood groove; hwando magi or collar; ho in or collar; kodungior hand guard; gummagi or, gumjaroo or ,

As well there are: practice wooden swords or mok guem, steel swords shin guem and other 20th century innovations.

The list would include:

• Ye do(鋭刀) sword is curved, single edged, a two-handed sabre similar to those used in China in the Ming through Chi'ing dynasties.
• Kum(剣) sword is wide-bladed, heavy, and long.
• Haidong jingum(海東剣) sword are heavy swords, and can be used to cut bamboo, mats or even tree branches.
• Jingum a less noble sword similar to the above.
• samgakdo( 三角刀) sword. The samgakdo, also known as triangular sword, is designed for jipdan or mat cutting practice and should NEVER be used on hard targets such as bamboo.
• Ssang Soo Do(双手刀) is a Two-handed sword from China..
• Ssang Do(双剣) are a kind of long knife or knives.
• Samjeongdo(三正刀) the sword given to newly promoted Korean military generals each year by the Ministry of National Defense.
• Wol-do(月刀) is a polearm Zhanmadao from China.
• Hyup-do(侠刀) is again a variant polearm.

• For martial arts students learning sword forms or gumpup practice wood swords or moggum are most often used; then those made out of carbonized bamboo or juk-to; lastly compression sponge, single or double-edged, with or without blood grooves. Combinations of sword and knife fighting would use plastic blades.

A two-handed sword, used as a general term, is any large sword that requires two hands to use. ... The zhanmadao (斬馬刀) (zhǎn mǎ dāo) was a Chinese sword of the Song Dynasty. ...

Master swordsman through the ages

• General Kim Yu-Shin, was given an engraved sword and sacred books by the gods, and helped to unify Korea under Silla. His most famous son, Won Sullong, was a noted swordsman who fought against the Tang Dynasty armies in the late Three Kingdoms period.
• Myung Duk Suh, the descendant of present Grandmaster Suh In Hyuk, was one of the last instructors of the Korean Royal Court army. His grandson founded the Kuk Sool Won martial arts school. Kuk Sool Won website

Kim Yu-shin (595-673) was a general in 7th-century Silla. ... Unified Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla after 668. ... Silla (also denoted as Shilla) was one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea. ... Also the name of a rock band. ... The Three Kingdoms of Korea were Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE. The Three Kingdoms period in Korea is usually considered to run from the 1st century BCE until Sillas triumph over Goguryeo in 668... Kuk Sool Wonâ„¢ (National Martial Arts Association) is a systematic study of all of the traditional fighting systems, which together comprise the martial arts history of the Korean Peninsula. ...

Schools of swordsmanship

As indicated, swordsmanship was practiced by the yangban scholars who made up the leadership of the Korean military, historically, but done individually with no over-all schools, as in keeping with the natural approach to fighting in Korean defense work. It can be said that there were 24 fighting postures in training, and tae-kwan do styles, and hapkido styles were used in swordplay as it was not a pure but a mixed form.

The use of the word do in reference to Korean swordsmanship indicates it is a way of life compared to the suffix dool which means a technique. Many schools existed, however the leading document that the past has given us is Mu Yei Tobo Tongji or "Illustrated Comprehensive Martial Arts Manual" of Master Lee Do'k Mu, as ordered by King Jeong-jo published in 1795. The work is an updated variant on the much older Chinese manual by General Qi Ji-Huang, called Ji Xiao Xin Shu or "New book of Practical Tactics" first published in 1567, and incorporating early ideas as well. Both of these works are now available in English translations.

Master swordmakers

Contemporary swordmakers

• Hong Seok-hyeon in Paju, Gyeonggi province, makes swords by hand, as he has done for more than 20 years.

Swords and armour: changing needs and tactics

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, 2003, 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. Historically accurate swords and recreated battle scenes done with precision.

Glossary of Korean sword terms into English

• Parts of a sword
• Surface finish
• Metal alloys
• Inlays
• Carving techniques
• Artist's names

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• Korean art
• Hwandudaedo