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The Korean art of swordmanship and sword fighting practiced with the Jukdo, a bamboo sword, and then the Mokgum and Jingum, the wooden sword and the live sword respectively. It is said to be based on GiCheon, an older internal martial art similar to Tai Chi as described in the Myue Bobo Tongji, the ancient book of martial arts.
The system incorporates aspects of Ki Gong the internal energy development exercises, cutting practices, begi, alongside sparring with wooden, bamboo and actual live swords. Noted for its quick fire, rapid succession of cuts and slashes, exercises and public demonstrations often show a practitioner hacking through bamboo or a damp, tightly wound bundle of straw twice or thrice before the target falls. This is particularly difficult because if the cut is not perfect the object will fall on first strike. However, a seasoned practitioner is able to cut straight through the target and leave it standing balanced while he performs a number of other cuts, with the final cut resulting in the object falling to the ground in a number of pieces.
This practice exercise highlights the difference between itself and the Japanese equivalent in as much as Japanese swordmanship tends to focus on the single cut as being the perfect strike prefers combinations of numerical strikes. The difference in the two systems can be traced back to the differing conditions under which the arts were formed.
During the edo period in Japan duels were commonplace amongst warriors and one-on-one. The importance of getting the first strike into the target and cutting would often distinguish winner from loser. In Korea, however, the success of the swordmanship art forms were shaped by battlefield experiences, armies fighting against armies in large groups therefore multiple attacks on multiple opponents who may present themselves in a number of positions around the swordsman had to be trained and drilled to ensure survival and this is reflected in the modern art today.
The ultimate aim of practitioners is to achieve Shim Gum, the unification of mind, body and spirit. This concept differs from sole technical mastery of the sword.
Writer of this article Chris Crudelli is a graduate of Chinese at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University & Beijing Shi Fan University.
He is also a Kung Fu & Taiji Master, Published Author & TV Host best known for his self-penned BBC TV series 'Mind Body Kick Ass Moves' (broadcast in over 180 countries worldwide).