The Korean bow (Korean: 각궁, Gak-gung hanja: 角弓 or horn bow) is a water buffalo horn-based compound reflex bow that was standardized centuries ago from a variety of similar weapons in earlier applications. Due to its long use by Koreans, it is also known as the Guk Gung (Korean: 국궁 hanja: 國弓 or national bow). The Korean bow uses a thumb trigger, and therefore the use of a thumb ring is common. The Korean thumb ring is somewhat different from the Manchu, Mongolian, or Turkish thumb ring in that it comes in two styles: male and female.
Male thumb rings are shaped with a small protrusion that protrudes so that the bowstring can hook behind it (similar to a release aid), while the female thumb ring simply covers the front joint of the thumb. Furthermore, the arrow is placed on the right side of the bow, unlike the Western bow, where the arrow is placed on the left side.
Gungsul, Korean: 궁술, Hanja: 弓 術, sometimes romanized as Goong Sool, literally means "bowmanship" or "bowmanship." It is also known as traditional Korean archery. Gungdo, Korean: 궁도, Hanja: 弓 道, is another nickname for traditional Korean archery as used by Koreans.
Story
The reflex bow was the primary weapon used by Koreans in wars with Chinese dynasties and nomadic peoples, recorded from the 1st century BC onward. Legend says that the first king and founder of Goguryeo, Go Jumong, was a master archer and could kill five birds with one arrow. Bak Hyeokgeose, the first king of Silla, was also said to have been a skilled archer. The ancient Chinese gave the people of the northeast (Eastern Siberia, Manchuria, and the Korean Peninsula) the name Dongyi (東夷) (Eastern Part of the Four Barbarians (四夷)), the latter character (夷) being a combination of the two characters for "great" (大) and "bow" (弓).
However, the word 夷 was first used in Chinese history and refers to the people south of the Yellow River over 5,000 years ago. Later, when the Yi (夷) joined the tribes of Hua Xia [華夏], 夷 meant outsider (foreigner) or extermination. At this time, Dongyi referred to Manchurians, Tungus tribes, Koreans, and Japanese as "outsiders from the East."
Yi Seonggye, the founding king of Joseon, was known to be a master archer. In a battle against Japanese pirates, Seonggye, assisted by Yi Bangsil, killed the young samurai commander "Agibaldo" with two consecutive arrows, one piercing his helmet and the second entering his mouth. In his letter to General Choi Young, Seonggye cites as one of five reasons not to invade Ming China that during the monsoon season, the glue holding the assembled bow together weakens, reducing the bow's effectiveness.
With the founding of the Joseon Dynasty, the compound bow remained the mainstay of the Joseon military. Archery was the primary martial event, tested during the military portion of the annual service examination from 1392 to 1894. Under Joseon, archery reached its peak, leading to the invention of pyeonjeon, which saw great service in 1592 and against the Japanese Manchus in the early 1600s.
Until the Imjin Wars, archery was the primary long-range weapon system. During these wars, the tactical superiority of the matchlock arquebus became apparent, despite its slow rate of fire and vulnerability to wet weather. However, it was the gakgung, dubbed the "half bow" by the Japanese, that stopped the Japanese in their tracks at both the Battle of Haengju and the Battle of Ulsan. Although Joseon adopted the arquebus during the Imjin War, the gakgung retained its important position in the military until the reforms of 1894. Under King Hyojong's military reforms, attempts were made to revive archery as an important element of the military. It was also practiced for pleasure and health, and many young men—including the king—and some women spent their leisure time practicing it.
Transition to recreational sports
In 1899, the visiting Prince Henry of Prussia expressed his astonishment to Emperor Gojong at a traditional archery demonstration. Coming from a militarized Prussian culture, the prince sought demonstrations of Korean martial arts, and archery was the most impressive among the arts demonstrated. He was familiar with Turkish and Hungarian archery in Europe, which was similar to Korean archery. Prince Henry proposed making the art a national sport. Persuaded by the prince, the emperor decreed that "the people should enjoy archery to develop their physical strength" and founded an archery club.
During the subsequent standardization of Korean archery, the type of bow and arrow, as well as the target range, were standardized. Traditional Korean archery now uses a specific type of compound bow, bamboo arrows, and a standard target at a standard distance of 120 bo (approximately 145 m). Korean archery as a sport developed under the Japanese occupation. The textbook "Joseon eui Goongdo" was published in 1920.
Tradition says that a renowned general of the Joseon Dynasty settled in Yeocheon City about 300 years ago and passed on his expertise and knowledge. "Today, it is estimated that bowyers from Yecheon and the surrounding area produce approximately 70% of Korea's traditional horn composite bows... Yecheon has produced numerous Olympic medalists and world champion archers."
Construction and competition
The Gakgung is a highly reflective version of the classic Eurasian composite bow. The core is made of bamboo with sinew backing to prevent bow breakage and provide pulling power to the limbs. Oak is used on the handle. Water buffalo horn is placed on the belly. This combination of horn pushing out from the belly and sinew pulling out from the back is the bow's defining strength. The siyahs, the stiffened outer ends of the limbs, are made of either mulberry or black locust and are V-spliced onto the bamboo. The glue is made of isinglass. A special birch bark imported from northeast China is placed over the sinew backing. It is soaked in seawater for about a year. It is applied to the back with diluted rubber cement (using benzene as the solvent).
Draw weights vary, but most are over 20 kilograms. The cost of this type of bow is in the $800 range. A similar modern version made of laminated fiberglass costs $200 to $300. For most competitions, any bow with carbon fiber arrows can be used, but for national competitions, only composite bows and bamboo arrows are permitted. Korean archers have also been very successful in Olympic and other competitions with more modern bow types.
The Sukgung, a type of crossbow, and the Gak-Gung are small but very powerful bows. A Sukgung can shoot up to 400 m (440 yards), while a Gak-Gung can shoot up to 350 m (380 yards).
The art of making traditional Korean bows was designated as an important intangible cultural asset in 1971.
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