History of HAIDONG GUMDO


Haidong Gumdo is the art of the Samurang who were a group of elite warriors in the kingdom of Goguryeo, originating around 300 AD. They were created by General Yu Yu and trained in martial arts, with a heavy emphasis on swordsmanship and the concepts of patriotism, filial piety and respecting the elderly. In the centuries to come, they grew to become an enormously powerful military force, and also served as military advisors when Goguryeo was at its peak. Their era ended around 670 AD, when political changes stripped them of governmental support. Some of them are said to have withdrawn to further their studies at a dojang in the vicinity of the Sam Ji Lake in the Baekdu Mountains, where a master named Sul Bong continued to educate them in the martial arts.

Samurang was a title given only to the best of his pupils and the World Haidong Gumdo Federation thus uses the title in its grading system. Samurang is also the name given to the dojang in each country where the highest ranked master is teaching the martial art (this is usually the first dojang to be established).

The modern and global development of Haidong Gumdo started when Master Kim Jeong Ho received teaching from Master Jang Back San at Chun-in temple in the Kwan-Ak Mountains in 1961.

Haidong Gumdo may be generally characterized as exchanging multiple strikes of the sword for one strike of the sword. The one strike concept characterizes the Japanese method. The Japanese ideal of "one strike, one kill" is prevalent in Japanese kendo (kumdo), even today. The Korean technique primarily focuses on one-versus-many, or battlefield combat.

The essence of Haidong Gumdo is in shimgum. Shimgum is the unification of the mind, body and spirit expressing itself through the use of the sword. It implies a technical mastery of the sword, but transcends technical limitations. One can be "technically perfect" but still not achieve shimgum. One may also be technically imperfect and still achieve shimgum. Shimgum is what makes Haidong Gumdo not only a martial science but also a martial art.

Haidong Gumdo derives its name from Haidong Seongguk Balhae, a name for Balhae, an ancient kingdom in the region of what is today northeastern Korea, northern China, and eastern Siberia.