Muyejebo
Encyclopedia
The Muyejebo is a Korea
n martial art manual written during the reign of King Seonjo
in 1598.
(Hangul
: 기효신서, Hanja
: 紀效新書) written by a famous Chinese strategist Qi Jiguang
(戚继光). The book was of particular interest to Koreans as it was written by a Chinese strategist and a commander who has successfully defeated a major Japanese pirate force that landed in Southeast coast of China mere decades before the Imjin war. Koreans created their own version of the military training manual based on the Chinese version and called it Muyejebo.
The information about the use of the shield with the throwing spear and the waist sword was in one chapter.
, continued the work of his father which let to the publication of the Muyejebo sokjip (무예제보 속집, 武藝諸譜續集) by Choe Gi-nam (Hangul: 최기남, Hanja: 崔起南). Around the time the book was to be published, four volumes of a Japanese martial arts manual were added as well, leading to the compilation of the Muyejebo Beonyeoksokjip (무예제보번역속집, 武藝諸譜飜譯續集) in 1610. Of this later version a woodcut edition still exists at the university of Keimyung.
In 1759 the book was again revised and published as the Muyesinbo
(Hangul: 무예신보, Hanja: 武藝新譜). Both books, the Muyejebo and the Muyesinbo, formed the basis for the compilation of another, more famous, Korean martial arts manual called the Muyedobotongji
(Hangul: 무예도보통지, Hanja: 武藝圖譜通志) which got published in 1791.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n martial art manual written during the reign of King Seonjo
Seonjo of Joseon
King Seonjo ruled in Korea between 1567 and 1608. He was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. He is known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign, although political chaos and his incompetent leadership during the Japanese invasions of Korea...
in 1598.
History
As the Imjin war dragged on for years, Korea needed a way to effectively train a large number of troops, and the Korean military adopted a training methodology based on a Chinese military manual called Ji Xiao Xin ShuJi Xiao Xin Shu
The book Ji Xiao Xin Shu was written by the Chinese general Qi Jiguang of the Ming Dynasty. The title can be translated as New Book Recording Effective Techniques....
(Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 기효신서, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 紀效新書) written by a famous Chinese strategist Qi Jiguang
Qi Jiguang
Qi Jiguang was a Chinese military general and national hero during the Ming Dynasty. He was best remembered for his courage and leadership in the fight against Japanese pirates along the east coast of China, as well as his reinforcement work on the Great Wall of China.-Early life:Qi Jiguang was...
(戚继光). The book was of particular interest to Koreans as it was written by a Chinese strategist and a commander who has successfully defeated a major Japanese pirate force that landed in Southeast coast of China mere decades before the Imjin war. Koreans created their own version of the military training manual based on the Chinese version and called it Muyejebo.
Content
The Muyejebo contains chapters about the use of the following weapons:- JangchangJangchangThe Jangchang, literally long spear, is a Korean weapon first described in the martial manual Muyejebo from the 16th century. The weapon was preferably made from the yew tree, but other wood could be used as well, like wood from the oaktree and chestnut....
(long spear) - Ssangsudo (long two-handed sword)
- Gonbang (long staff)
- DeungpaeDeungpaeThe Deungpae is a shield made of wisteria and bamboo which was used by the military of the Joseon Dynasty. The earliest Korean description can be found in the Muyejebo.-Use:...
wisteriaWisteriaWisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the eastern United States and to China, Korea, and Japan. Aquarists refer to the species Hygrophila difformis, in the family Acanthaceae, as Water Wisteria...
shield and throwing spear - DeungpaeDeungpaeThe Deungpae is a shield made of wisteria and bamboo which was used by the military of the Joseon Dynasty. The earliest Korean description can be found in the Muyejebo.-Use:...
wisteriaWisteriaWisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the eastern United States and to China, Korea, and Japan. Aquarists refer to the species Hygrophila difformis, in the family Acanthaceae, as Water Wisteria...
shield and waist sword - NangseonNangseonThe nangseon was a branched spear with many thorns attached to the branches. It is also called 'multi tip spear'. The blades could be dipped in poison. The nangseon was a perfect weapon for defense. It would be difficult for the opponent to get near the person holding the nangseon without getting...
(thorny spear) - DangpaDangpaDangpa is the Korean name for a three-pronged spear first described in the Muyejebo, a 16th century martial arts manual from the Joseon Dynasty.-Types:...
(tridentTridentA trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
)
The information about the use of the shield with the throwing spear and the waist sword was in one chapter.
Later editions
The king ordered his officials to add supplemental information to the Muyejebo, he died however before this work got published. His successor, king GwanghaegunGwanghaegun of Joseon
Gwanghaegun or Prince Gwanghae was the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. His personal name was Yi Hon. Since he was deposed in a coup, later official historians did not give him a temple name like Taejo or Sejong...
, continued the work of his father which let to the publication of the Muyejebo sokjip (무예제보 속집, 武藝諸譜續集) by Choe Gi-nam (Hangul: 최기남, Hanja: 崔起南). Around the time the book was to be published, four volumes of a Japanese martial arts manual were added as well, leading to the compilation of the Muyejebo Beonyeoksokjip (무예제보번역속집, 武藝諸譜飜譯續集) in 1610. Of this later version a woodcut edition still exists at the university of Keimyung.
In 1759 the book was again revised and published as the Muyesinbo
Muyesinbo
The Muyesinbo is Korean martial arts manual published in 1759. The book is a revision of the older Muyejebo and adds twelve methods of both armed and unarmed fighting to the original six which were descbribed in the Muyejebo...
(Hangul: 무예신보, Hanja: 武藝新譜). Both books, the Muyejebo and the Muyesinbo, formed the basis for the compilation of another, more famous, Korean martial arts manual called the Muyedobotongji
Muyedobotongji
In 1790, King Jeongjo of Korea commissioned a book called the Muyedobotongji which was an illustrated manual of Korean martial arts. This book, written by Yi Deokmu and Pak Jega , described in detail Korea's martial arts of which an unarmed combat style of kicking and punching is extensively...
(Hangul: 무예도보통지, Hanja: 武藝圖譜通志) which got published in 1791.