Weapons in TSD

[kwanjang]

OOPS. You been a bad boy again Bruce Seriously, I have a very similar program. We teach the short staff, then the middle staff, and sword comes only after folks know how to deal with something in their hands other than their fork Seems like Mr. Park had some "different ideas" about Korean swords, names of weapons, and the Japanese connection. I thought since you are a bit more into the Japanese aspects, you could offer some guidance. The folks on budoseek must have gotten a chuckle out of my post when I suggested you fill him in on things. Oh well, I've had egg on my face before

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Rudy:

I don't know that I mind Joon Park speaking out on his views, but I get concerned when he makes statements that are at odds with the facts. Were I able to get on to the E-BUDO Net I would cut&paste my posts from there and save myself a bit of typing. Failing that there are a couple of things we need to remember about Korean weapons work.

1.) The Korean culture only rarely in its history supported a standing military and then only for domestic security and not for use as an agency for international policy. The army was constructed around a cadre of professionals who over saw periodic training of corvee or "conscripts" in much the same way as we Americans have our National Guard with their monthly meetings.

2.) The Korean weapons may have been borrowed from other cultures, but the Koreans usually put their own spin on things. For instance there are at least 5 sword architectures recognized in Korean martial science and while manuals such as the MYTBTJ provided minimal standards of technique and usage (including construction) this doesn't mean that the Koreans didn't develop unique techniques inaddition to what they were "officially" suppose to know for combat. This brings us to the last point.

3.) While it IS true that "Gum-do" and "Ken-do" use the same Chinese characters, not ALL Gum-do practitioners follow the material laid down by the Japanese. In fact, the Japanese kendo uses only the first 5 Bup or methods (K. O-Bup) while traditional Korean sword goes on to utilize an additional 17 to 21 Bup that the Japanese Kendoist does not. It has become a growing tendency of practitioners who follow older Korean sword methods to identify what they do as "Gum Bup" (lit. "sword method") in much the same manner as Japanese practioners of older forms call their material "ken-jutsu". I am VERY concerned that with time and apathy on the part of many KMA practitioners that the sword methods historically practiced in Korean martial practice will fall to the side and only the simple sport applications of the Kendoist will remain. I think this would be a terrible loss for the KMA culture. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce
3rd, Hwa Rang Kum Bup

 

[kwanjang]

Hello Bruce:
Like you, I encourage discussion and open minded views. I just hate to see folks make really strong statements that are not necessarily true or may have duplicate meanings in different cultures... especially when it concerns martial art history

 

[saja]

Moo D,
We teach the royle court weapons from Korea, Long Staff, Knife, Cane, Rope, Fighting Fan, and Sword. I did not use korean terminology because some of the others that do not study the Korean Art may not understand. In Class we use Korean terminology for all weapons.

Tang Soo!