Kumdo in Korea

This soldierly art proficiency grow psycheal manner back 2000 years ago at the time of the early troika Kingdoms period Shilla, Plahae, and Koryo. In those times, vane bearing is a route of life, they find out every rules religiously and conduct their daily lives with strictly disciplined and moral manners. Through the use of stigma the above dynasties bedevil expanded their individual territories especially during the 7th to 15th century. Specifically, the Palhae Dynasty was found and ruled by the ex-Koguryo warrior clique after the fall of Koguryo in 668 A.D.After the fall of the unified trinity Kingdoms, the warrior class was just limited to state military who refined and highly-developed the art under the name of Ghihuck-Gum. In 1896, Ghihuck-Gum was chosen to be the compulsory training requirement for the newly founded police academy. From there on, Kumdo, the modern jointure of the art of the sword and the way of righteousness from the Taoist philosophy, was dev eloped to be practiced by some as a sport and by others as a means of character development or phantasmal refinement (U.S. Hwa Rang Kwan, 2006).In the 20th century, Kumdo used the bamboo sword and lightweight outfit used in Japanese Kendo. The population of people studying this technique grows very fast as the availability of the practice armor and sword made Kumdo flooded the market. It made the technique more commonplace.What is KumdoKumdo means sword way. It is the Korean counterpart of Japanese Kendo. The current technique uses juk do(4 split bamboo sword) and the ho goo(the head and body gear), which began in eighteenth century.With juk do and ho goo the art of Kum Do took a impress turn in its style. Allowing more experimentation without injury, the style became more impressive by allowing stronger and deadlier blow without a recallable and extensive swing of the sword. The shew form that combines of the inner strength (much signified by a wawl from within ki), the ab solute and unbounded swing of the sword(kum), and use of matchlesss commence back and body(chae) was recently perfected.This is known as ki-kum-chae. Thus in tournaments one does non receive a point, although striking the opponent successfully, if the blow is not accompanied by all lead components of ki-kum-chae.(Chang, 2006)The purpose of Kumdo can be summarized asMental and Physical Discipline purposeual Discipline and awaken Improved Technique Through PracticeDiscipline Based Upon the Spirit of Hwarang (Hwarang Ogae) Kundo practioners wear the alike uniform as those who practice Kendo. But there are many who are willing to use or straggle the uniform including the color and accessories. In Korea, practioner wear black trim and band on theur hakama instead of blue and this became popular in many dojos almost the world.Like Kendo, Kundo has also 10 forms, removing sonkyo bow and using Korean names and terminologies instead. Kumdo practitioners can compete in kendo tournam ents. There are a organic of 400,000 practioners of Kumdo in Korea alone and is ranked as second most popular martial arts in Korea, next to Taekwondo.Origin Of KumdoThis technique originated in Korea but these art was admitted to be a direct interpretation of its Japanese counterpart Kendo (Ken means sword and do means way) In fact, some of the early founders of this technique says that there is totally no residual between the two form of art. It should be understand that these similarities in technique in the two techniques can be rooted to the history of Korea.The disintegration of Japan to all the documents and historical artifacts of Korea including all the written documents about Korean Martial Arts have made it difficult for the Korean people and martial arts practioners to trace the original techniques of the Korean sword that originated way back in 4th century. It is said to be composed of xxv poses and postures that would result in the immediate defeat of the opponent. Kumdo as an Art barely like any other martial arts techniques, Kumdo can be considered as an art because it has a very rich and deeply rooted technique that was developed because of the interesting classical traditional, religions, philosophies and meditation techniques from Korea.A martial art like Kumdo is an art but not an art form. It is a skill acquired by experience, study and observation. Also, it is something that can be enjoy and embark of any people from all walks of life. But again, it is, first and foremost, an art of ego defense. Although there are people that are motivated to study this because of the self-protection benefit of the technique but to appreciate the beauty and art that is inextricably intertwined in this (Orlando, 1997)It is an art because it has so many different artistic aspects. exclusively like dances, it has timing and rhythm. It has movements that can be used in dancing. mediocre like in painting where artist mixed colors to produced art, it is the same thing with Kumdo, it is an infusion of classical traditional, religions, philosophies and meditation techniques.Spiritual Aspect of KumdoKumdo has three level of mastery and one of them is the spiritual alignment of a person. infra this the limitations of physical body and soul merges through meditation techniques. The mind is hush through the refined focus and the sword is used solely as a tool to link the body and the mind with the infinite. (Shaw, 2000)It brings peace of mind and self-confidence and a disciplined and healthy mind. Through training, a person will have an honest self-examination or spiritual awakening.rank System and Ability LevelRanking in KumdoKyu from 10 to 1 jukyu, kukyu, hachikyu, nanakyu, rokyu, gokyu,yonkyu, sankyu, nikkyu, ikkyu. Dan from 1 to 9 shodan, nidan, sandan, yondan, godan, rokudan,nanadan, hachidan, kudan. Teaching certificates from lowest to highest renshi, kyoshi, hanshi. The older schools (koryu) did not have dan ranks they are a m oderninvention. Instead, they used certificates ofmerit. There is virtually no calibration or commonality.Two common termsare menkyo-kaiden, referring tograduates, and kirigami for a first rank. Many ryu consider the ranks aslevels of initiation which have noparallel to dan and kyu. Still others broke the ranks down simply as studentand teacher, of possibly various levels.There are three levels in Kumdo1.Physical achievement The students becomes expert in the physical aspect of the art. These include understanding right(a) sword etiquette, mastery of the stances, and proper techniques in drawing and moving with the sword.2.Mental controller The second level witnesses the Kumdo practitioner beginning to rise above the butt techniques of the sword. The Kumdo technician no massiveer needs to contemplate whether or not he is in the correct stance or unsheathing the sword efficiently. Through long periods of practice, all movements have become natural and there is no gratuitous th ought given to them (Shaw, 2000)3.Spiritual Alignment in this level the practitioner suss out to make his physical body and mind work as one through the use of meditation technique.ReferencesChang, Soon (2006) What is Kumdo?. U.S Hwa Rang Kwan. Retrieved on December 17, 2006 http//www.kumdo.com.Shaw, Scott (2000) Kumdo the Korean Art of Sword. Retrieved on December 17, 2006. http//www.scottshaw.com/kumdo.htmlOrlando, Bob (1997) Martial Arts the States A Western Approach to Eastern Arts. California. Frog Ltd.