Sunmudo (/, literally ''the way of war of the Seon'') is a Korean Buddhist martial art based on
Seon (also spelled Sun or
Zen
Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
), which was revived during the 1970s and 1980s. The formal name of Sunmudo is ''Bulgyo Geumgang Yeong Gwan'' (
Hangul
The Korean alphabet is the modern writing system for the Korean language. In North Korea, the alphabet is known as (), and in South Korea, it is known as (). The letters for the five basic consonants reflect the shape of the speech organs ...
: 불교금강영관
Hanja
Hanja (; ), alternatively spelled Hancha, are Chinese characters used to write the Korean language. After characters were introduced to Korea to write Literary Chinese, they were adapted to write Korean as early as the Gojoseon period.
() ...
: 佛敎金剛靈觀). The name Sunmudo was given to this martial art in 1984 by the Buddhist monk Jeog Un (적운 스님).
[Yeom Chang-hyeon (2007-07-19) (염창현) (in Korean]
고수를 찾아서 <9> 골굴사 선무도 적운 스님 Finding masters <9>, Monk Jeogun at Golgulsa temple
Kookje Sinmun
In earlier times Korean Buddhist monks were encouraged to practice Zen martial arts as a way of dynamic meditation. In the 16th century, Korean monks used swords, knives, spears and throwing stars to help repel a Japanese invasion. However, the temple of the Korean monks was burned by retreating troops in revenge. In the 1930s and 1940s, a rebuilt Beomeosa temple became center for the monks' underground resistance to Japanese occupation.
[Fighting Monks' new master shares martial arts style with the worl]
LA Times, 26/Dec/2011 However, the martial art of Sunmudo had been neglected since the 19th century. At
Beomeosa temple located in
Busan
Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...
, Monk Yang-ik revived the art by systematizing the techniques. Monk Jeogun worked on its popularization during the 1970s. These days training is offered to non-Buddhists and laypersons at
Golgulsa temple in Korea, and other places around the world as well.
See also
*
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, they ...
*
Korean martial arts
Korean martial arts ( or ) are fighting practices and methods which have their place in the history of Korea but have been adapted for use by both military and non-military personnel as a method of personal growth or recreation. The history of ...
References
Buddhism in Korea
Korean martial arts
Buddhist martial arts
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