The Oldest Martial Arts Manual 'Muyejebo' Designated as Treasure

'Treasures Including "Daeseung Gisinnronso Volume Ha" and "Gangjin Muwisa Gamyeok Gyoji"'

The oldest martial arts manual in Korea, Muyejebo, will be managed as a nationally designated treasure. On the 22nd, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced the designation of seven cultural properties as treasures, including Muyejebo, Daeseung Gisinnonso Volume 2, Chojobon Abidarma Daebibasarong Volume 175, Gangjin Muwisa Gamyeok Gyogi, Gangneung Bohyeonsa Wooden Seated Manjusri Bodhisattva Statue, Ulsan Sinheungsa Stone Seated Amitabha Buddha Statue, and Seoul Heungcheonsa Vairocana Buddha Three-Body Hanging Scroll Painting.

Muyejebo is a martial arts technical manual compiled in 1598 (31st year of King Seonjo) by the scholar-official Han Gyo (1556?1627) under royal command. At that time, during the Imjin War (1592) and the Jeongyu War (1597), there was an urgent need for military training, making the publication of a manual essential. Han Gyo referenced the tactics of the Ming army and wrote about the manufacturing methods and training techniques for weapons (club, shield, nangseon spear, long spear, trident spear, long sword). To make it easy for soldiers to understand, he included illustrations along with explanations in Hangul. The first edition exists only at the ?cole fran?aise d'Extr?me-Orient in France and the Hwaseong Museum in Suwon. The designated document is the latter, recognized for its rarity and historical significance. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "Muyejebo greatly influenced later Joseon martial arts manuals such as Muyejebo Beonyeoksokjip (1610) and Muyedobotongji (1790). It is a valuable resource for research on Korean martial arts history, and thus it is necessary to designate it as a treasure for study and preservation."

Daeseung Gisinnonso Volume 2 at Yongmunsa Temple in Daegu is a 33-sheet (Volume 2) woodblock-printed Buddhist scripture produced by the Ganjeong Dogam (Office for Printing Buddhist Scriptures) in 1461 (7th year of King Sejo). The original text, Daeseung Gisinnonso, was authored by the Indian monk Maming. The Chinese translation was done by Jinje of the Liang dynasty (499?569), and the commentary was written by the Tang dynasty monk Beopjang (643?712). In Korea, it was studied as part of the curriculum at specialized Buddhist academies alongside the Diamond Sutra, Yuanjue Sutra, and Neng'en Sutra. The Cultural Heritage Administration noted, "It is an important resource to examine the commentary content and publication aspects of the Joseon edition of Daeseung Gisinnonso, with significant value in Buddhism and bibliography."

Chojobon Abidarma Daebibasarong Volume 175 is part of the early Goryeo Chojodaejanggyeong Buddhist scriptures completed in the 11th century. It is presumed to have been printed from the Chojodaejanggyeong woodblocks that were burned during the Mongol invasion in 1232 (19th year of King Gojong). Abidarma Daebibasarong is a commentary on the Abidarma Baljiron. It explains in detail the theories of the Sarvastivada school (a branch of Theravada Buddhism) and criticizes doctrines that deviate from other sects and the correct path. Later, it was recognized as a treatise systematizing Abhidharma theory. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "It has high historical and cultural value as a primary source for understanding the nature of the Chojodaejanggyeong woodblock creation project, the distribution of scriptures, and as a fundamental resource for woodblock restoration."

Gangjin Muwisa Gamyeok Gyogi is an official royal document ordering exemption from miscellaneous labor at Muwisa Temple in Gangjin by King Sejo. At that time, Joseon issued such documents to exempt or reduce miscellaneous labor at major temples. Similar documents issued around the same time, such as Yechon Yongmunsa Gamyeok Gyogi, Neungseong Ssangbongsa Gamyeok Gyogi, and Cheonan Gwangdeoksa Gamyeok Gyogi, have already been designated as treasures. The Cultural Heritage Administration said, "This early Joseon official document clearly preserves King Sejo’s signature seal (Eoap) and the royal seal 'Simyeongjibo,' making it important for studying the format of royal documents issued in early Joseon." They added, "It also provides insight into King Sejo’s temple policies and perceptions."

Gangneung Bohyeonsa Wooden Seated Manjusri Bodhisattva Statue is estimated to have been created in the late Goryeo to early Joseon period. According to the restoration record found in the abdominal container, the sculptor Seokjun and Won-o restored it in 1599 along with the Manjusri Child Statue at Sangwonsa Temple in Pyeongchang. Although the Bohyeonsa Bodhisattva statue and the Sangwonsa Manjusri Child statue differ significantly in form, the fact that they were restored together in 1599 suggests similar backgrounds in terms of the temples’ character, monk lineage, and patrons. The seated Manjusri Bodhisattva wears a long robe (tonggyeon) covering both shoulders. The posture is slightly leaning forward, with an ornate crown and diadem on the head. The face is slender with deeply carved eyebrow ridges, swollen eyelids, and a high, prominent nose, giving a clear and exotic impression. The full neck and chest and the slender, long hands convey a sense of volume. The natural technique of the robe flowing over the entire body stands out. The Cultural Heritage Administration commented, "The facial features, body proportions, and detailed expressions exhibit sculptural characteristics of the late Goryeo to early Joseon period. It greatly aids research on Buddhist statues from this period, of which few extant works remain."

Ulsan Sinheungsa Stone Seated Amitabha Buddha Statue refers to the principal image among the Amitabha Triad enshrined in the main hall of Sinheungsa Temple. It was carved from a type of steatite (a kind of talc stone) by the 17th-century sculptor Yeongsaek. The Cultural Heritage Administration added, "Yeongsaek became a master sculptor and produced this statue following the Buddha statues at Hoamsa Temple in Yangju." The dedicatory inscription records that the stone was quarried in 1649 in Eocheon (Ocheon-eup, Pohang) and transported by boat to Sinheungsa Temple. The Amitabha Buddha statue is seated in a cross-legged posture with a slightly bowed head and a short neck. The upper body is short, but the legs are spread wide with high knees, conveying a sense of weight in the lower body. The relatively broad face, long eyebrows, small prominent nose, and upward-tilted eyes give a gentle yet distinctive impression.

Seoul Heungcheonsa Vairocana Buddha Three-Body Hanging Scroll Painting is a royal commissioned Buddhist painting created in 1832 (32nd year of King Sunjo) by seventeen painters including the monk-painter Hwadam Sinseon (Hwatan Sinseon). Hwadam Sinseon was a figure who inherited the painting styles of Seoul and Gyeonggi painters such as Sanggyeom, Mingwan, and Yeonheung, who led the Yongjusa Temple paintings in 1790. He is regarded as a representative of the 19th-century Gyeongseong Painting School. A notable feature of this work is its iconography: Buddha and disciples (Kasyapa and Ananda), and attendants (Manjusri and Samantabhadra) are arranged in the upper, middle, and lower sections. The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "It greatly influenced the Vairocana Buddha three-body iconography in Seoul and Gyeonggi from the late 19th to early 20th centuries." They added, "The harmonious and dignified expression of the Buddha, precise and solid brushwork, vivid and bright coloring, and delicate patterns combine to demonstrate an elegant painting style."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.