Korea's oldest combat techniques text to become national treasure

Pages from "Muyejebo," Korea's oldest text of combat techniques published in 1598 / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration

By Park Ji-won

Korea's oldest-known fighting arts manual, titled "Muyejebo," published in 1598 to train soldiers of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom in armed combat techniques, is among seven cultural heritage items to be newly added to the list of state-recognized treasures, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said Friday.

The CHA said "Muyejebo" is a manual published by Hangyo of Hunryeondogam, Joseon's military training office, under King Seonjo's order following the 1592-98 Japanese invasions of Korea, as a training guide designed for Korea's warriors. The author describes six close-range combat skills and ways to make weapons, many of which were compiled from "Jixiao Xinshu" a military manual of the Chinese Ming Dynasty, with illustrations.

It specifically shows how to make weapons including long staffs, shields, spears and swords and the combat techniques for using them.

First editions were owned by France's University of Languages and Civilizations and Korea's Suwon Hwaseong Museum. Its later woodblock print version, published in 1714, was designated as cultural heritage by the Seoul city government in 2019.

The CHA added that the designation is necessary, as "Muyejebo" inspired other publications during the Joseon era such as "Muyejebo Beonyeoksokjip" (1610), the sequel to "Muyejebo," which was designated as a cultural treasure in 2001.

Cultural heritage items could be designated as treasures for having "important value, such as historic architecture, ancient books and documents, paintings, sculptures, handicrafts, archeological materials and armory," according to the CHA.

Wooden seated Manjusri Bodhisattva of Bohyeon Temple in Gangneung, Gangwon Province / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration

In addition to the manual, the CHA announced the designation of other six treasures: the wooden seated Manjusri Bodhisattva of Bohyeon Temple in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, for its value in preserving the style of statues made between the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods; the stone seated Amitabha Buddha of Ulsan's Sinheung Temple for having the recordings of its move from Pohang to Ulsan; Seoul's Heungcheon Temple's hanging painting of the Buddha triad painted by 17 monk artists which is historic in terms of inspiring the paintings of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province; a commentary book of "Daeseung Gisinnon" (Awakening of Mahayana Faith) belonging to Daegu's Yongmun Temple.

They will undergo further review over the next month, prior to being designated as treasures.

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