Traditional Korean weapons?

[MBuzzy]

Can anyone provide a list of any Traditional Korean weapons? I know that swords were used heavily, but what, if any, other weapons were used in Korea?

I am aware of different kinds of staffs, cane, sword, and I've heard of sectional staffs also used. Is anyone more educated in the traditional weapons?

 

[e ship yuk]

The more common weapons seen in Korean schools are staff, short stick (dan bong), cane, and rope or belt. In Hyuk Suh wrote a book called The Fighting Weapons of Korean Martial Arts which had an interesting assortment of weapons taught in Kuk Sul Won - single bladed sword, double bladed sword, two swords, monk's spade, trident, twin knives, staff, fan... that's the ones I can recall.

The book was divided in to sections on the origin of the weapons: essentially peasant weapons, warrior weapons, and royal court weapons, but I don't recall the specifics right off hand, and don't have the book to consult.

A couple of forms are provided - I used a modified version of the Jung gum hyung in a few tournaments - but not many, and I think only for sword and staff.

 

[exile]

Craig—you might take a look at Stanley Henning's 2000 Journal of Asian Martial Arts article, 'Tranditional Korean Martial Arts'. It has some good stuff in it about traditional weapons and their use (mostly originating in Chinese sources, apparently).

 

[MBuzzy]

I'll see if I can track that article down - Do you know of a source to buy the journals when they come out?

I'm very interested in which of the Okinawan weapons made it over to Korea. Kama, Tonfa, Chizikunbo, etc...

 

[exile]

Sorry, I don't know where you can buy it on the newstand (but I've gotten copies at our local Border's, so I know they do show up in bookstore magazine sections.). I've read the articles in the OSU library, which has a set of JAMA going back to the first volume in 1992, I think it was...

 

[Ninjamom]

You can purchase back issues of JAMA from the website of their parent company, Via Media, at http://www.goviamedia.com/

The most useful "snapshot" of martial arts in Korean history is available in the Muye Dobo Tongji, available from Turtle Press here. The book is primarily based on two older Chinese manuals and their earlier Korean revisions, but contains extensive personal notes from the primary author (who studied and practiced the arts with the Chinese soldiers) and extensive historical annotations and background information. The historical notes are very enlightening, because they even include records of martial training halls, establishment of martial education centers, and the hosting/promotion of local and national martial competitions. Notes are also given on the construction of certain weapons, and in some cases (most notably with flails), their uses and contributions to wins and losses in specific battles.

Historically, the primary Korean martial weapon was the bow and arrow. This has the longest unbroken, documented record of use in Korea. Standard form used was (and still is) the 'Mongolian Draw', using a finger ring, or pulling the string like you might pluck a harp string (as opposed to the 'Western Draw' with the arrow's fletched end between the index and long finger and the thumb wrapped to the other side). Still to this day, Korea dominates international competition and Olympic events in archery.

A secondary weapon, unique to Korea in its range of applications, its broad use, and the faith placed in it as a centerpiece in strategy, was the long flail. The was something that looked like a cross between a large mace and a nunchaku on steroids. The primary piece was about 7 to 8 feet long, with a chain or several large links holding it to a smaller section about 1 and a half ft long. It was used on horseback against ground troops, or by defenders on a wall against storming siege troops trying to scale the wall.

Koreans also used swords, spears, and halberd-like weapons of various length, such as the waldo and the hyupdo. For more information on these weapons, search www.swordforum.com for posts by Bruce W Sims, who posts often about them, and seeks to reconstruct their techniques in his Korean sword school at Midwest Hapkido (sword website here - please note the section with pictures of the various weapons, as well).

For some really cool native Korean weaponry (that you won't find in any martial arts class of which I'm aware), google what you can find on the hwacha - a variation of the Chinese arrow cart that allowed the operator to fire up to 200 iron-bar 'fire arrows' at a single shot. This was the 15th century Korean 'Gatling Gun' of archery.

I have seen no documentation or evidence of any use of the traditional Okinawan or Filipino weapons (nunchaku, kama, cane, short stick, double stick) at any time in Korea. These arts seem to be add-ons in schools that wish to make their martial training more rounded. They do not appear to be part of any authentically Korean martial heritage/tradition.

 

[MBuzzy]

You can purchase back issues of JAMA from the website of their parent company, Via Media, at http://www.goviamedia.com/

Excellent, thank you! I will definately check it out!

The most useful "snapshot" of martial arts in Korean history is available in the Muye Dobo Tongji, available from Turtle Press here. The book is primarily based on two older Chinese manuals and their earlier Korean revisions, but contains extensive personal notes from the primary author (who studied and practiced the arts with the Chinese soldiers) and extensive historical annotations and background information. The historical notes are very enlightening, because they even include records of martial training halls, establishment of martial education centers, and the hosting/promotion of local and national martial competitions. Notes are also given on the construction of certain weapons, and in some cases (most notably with flails), their uses and contributions to wins and losses in specific battles.

Great point - I have read the Sang H. Kim translation of the MDTJ, so I'm relatively familiar with the 24 chapters and the weapons presented there. Primarily swords, mounted techniques, and some of the flails and spears that you mentioned.

I have seen no documentation or evidence of any use of the traditional Okinawan or Filipino weapons (nunchaku, kama, cane, short stick, double stick) at any time in Korea. These arts seem to be add-ons in schools that wish to make their martial training more rounded. They do not appear to be part of any authentically Korean martial heritage/tradition.

This is kind of what I'm trying to get to - are all of these weapons just american additions or is there any historical basis. It seems that going by the MDTJ, you're correct....but the most influential time period for many of the Korean Martial Arts was the Korean occupation, so I wonder how many of the Japanese weapons made the migration during that time? If any....I mean, there are definately words for, and references to things like nunchuku, kama, all lengths of staff, tonfa, etc, but those could all be very recent additions.

 

[Errant108]

The ssang gon, nunchaku, exploded in Korea with Bruce Lee, just like everywhere else, and was primarily the weapon of gang members.

Sickle weapons were used by Buddhist monks during the Imjin wars.

Tonfa are not Okinawan in origin as properly assumed, but are actually Chinese, as are sai, and nunchaku.

 

[granfire]

Does Archery count?

The horn bow is unique to Korea, compared to the traditional Japanese long bow, but it, like so many other things, has it's origin in China, it was described as 'Mongolian' actually....

 

[tellner]

The compound horse bow - often made with horn - has been ubiquitous among Asian horse nomads for at least two thousand years. It was spread from Turkey to Korea and all points in between over the centuries. There's no way it can be considered a uniquely Korean weapon. Any claims that it originated on the peninsula must be greeted with the most extreme skepticism.

Weapons like the sai, as far as I can remember, are first recorded in India. Don't know where they first originated.

The sickle and the flail including the long-handled flail have been used as weapons since the Neolithic. Europe had its version of the staff-length flail. The earliest Egyptian swords were sickle-shaped and sharpened on the inside curve. Where you have grain you have sickles and flails. Where you have those someone will get the idea of using them to cut and crush people instead of grass. Let's just call it parallel evolution.

 

[SageGhost83]

A lot of the weapons that are featured in Korean arts today are imports and additions such as nunchaku and sai. I am not sure where the cane fits into the picture, and to the best of my knowledge, the staff/spear and the bow and arrow were the two most prominent weapons on the Korean peninsula. The sword seemed to recieve a lot of attention in the MDT, too. I believe that the MDT has illustrations of several different types of spears that were trained and used by the Musa. I would think that since Korea looked up to China and imported a large amount of culture from China then their traditional weapons were variations of Chinese weapons and their use had a very Chinese flavor to them. Just a thought.

 

[SageGhost83]

For some really cool native Korean weaponry (that you won't find in any martial arts class of which I'm aware), google what you can find on the hwacha - a variation of the Chinese arrow cart that allowed the operator to fire up to 200 iron-bar 'fire arrows' at a single shot. This was the 15th century Korean 'Gatling Gun' of archery.

Ah yes, the Hwacha. So many people say that it is a strictly Korean invention, but it is nice to see someone who recognizes that it is based on an earlier Chinese weapon. Would the Geobukseon count as a "weapon"? It was very instrumental in Admiral Yi's victories over the Japanese navy.

 

[Brad Dunne]

The most lethal traditional Korean weapon would be......................

A jug of 6 month old kimchi and whatever it was that they tried to pass off as beer!..........

You better know which way the wind is blowing........:EG::jaw-dropping:

 

[MBuzzy]

The most lethal traditional Korean weapon would be......................

A jug of 6 month old kimchi and whatever it was that they tried to pass off as beer!..........

You better know which way the wind is blowing........:EG::jaw-dropping:

Hey, be kind...OB and Hite are AWESOME beers! AND, most Kimchi is aged 6 months....so we can just change that to say a jar of ANY Kimchi.

Unless you run into a Korean or someone like me who loves Kimchi.

 

[SageGhost83]

Hey, be kind...OB and Hite are AWESOME beers! AND, most Kimchi is aged 6 months....so we can just change that to say a jar of ANY Kimchi.

Unless you run into a Korean or someone like me who loves Kimchi.

OMG you love kimchi, too!? I was raised on the stuff. My father served over in Korea and brought it back when I was a kid. It became a mainstay in the ole' kitchen cabinet ever since. I love the sweet kimchi, but if I am feeling daring, then I will eat the spicy kimchi. I love making my friends eat spicy kimchi - seeing their eyes water is priceless!

 

[MBuzzy]

OMG you love kimchi, too!? I was raised on the stuff. My father served over in Korea and brought it back when I was a kid. It became a mainstay in the ole' kitchen cabinet ever since. I love the sweet kimchi, but if I am feeling daring, then I will eat the spicy kimchi. I love making my friends eat spicy kimchi - seeing their eyes water is priceless!

I lived there for a year. There really isn't a way to go there and at least learn to stand it. There are actually thousands of varieties of Kimchi....we just generalize and refer to the cabbage kimchi most of the time. Most homes in Korea actually have a separate Kimchi fridge because of the horrible smell. My personal favorite is Oimoochim, which is actually spicy cucumber, but it is make with gochukaro, which is Kimchi pepper powder.