The Hyeopdo (Modern South Korean pronunciation: /çʌp.do/) was a polearm used in Korea. It was also called ''micheomdo'' (), which could be translated as "eyebrow sword" because the curved blade resembled an eyebrow.
[Ehwa University Press 2008, Sippalgi: Traditional Korean Martial Arts, Dr. B.K. Choi] The first written reference to a hyeopdo is in a Korean martial arts manual from the 17th century called the ''Muyeyebobeon Yeoksokjip'' (무예예보번역속집).
Design
The design varied somewhat between makers, but usually the pole was about long and the blade was about long. The blade is single-edged. It closely resembles the
woldo
The woldo (literally “moon blade”), was a Korean pole weapon that closely resembled the Chinese guandao (also known as ''yanyuedao''), though proportionally smaller. It was so named because of its curved blade. Its use and its methods were d ...
("moon blade"; ) and the Chinese
podao ().
Use
The ''hyeopdo'' was considered an important weapon because of its effectiveness. It was much easier to handle than the bigger and heavier ''woldo''. In the
Muyedobotongji
Commissioned in 1790 by King Jeongjo (r. 1740–1810), the ''Muyedobotongji'' (or ''Muye Dobo Tong Ji''; translating to "Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts")
expanded on the eighteen weapons systems identified in the '' Muyeshinbo' ...
, another martial arts manual, one form for use is given, called ''hyeopdo chongbo'' (협도총보, 挾刀總譜).
See also
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Glaive
A glaive (or glave) is a European polearm, consisting of a single-edged blade on the end of a pole. It is similar to the Japanese naginata, the Chinese guandao, the Korean woldo, and the Russian sovnya.
Overview
Typically, the blade is arou ...
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Guandao
A ''guandao'' is a type of Chinese pole weapon that is used in some forms of Chinese martial arts. In Chinese, it is properly called a yanyuedao (偃月刀; lit. "reclining moon blade"), the name under which it always appears in texts from the ...
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Naginata
The ''naginata'' (, ) is a pole weapon and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (''nihontō''). ''Naginata'' were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei ( ...
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Muyejebo
The ''Muyejebo'' (''Compendium of Several Martial Arts'') is the oldest extant Korean martial arts manual, written during the reign of King Seonjo (d. 1608).
The king died before the compendium was complete, and it was first published, with ...
*''
Muyedobotongji
Commissioned in 1790 by King Jeongjo (r. 1740–1810), the ''Muyedobotongji'' (or ''Muye Dobo Tong Ji''; translating to "Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts")
expanded on the eighteen weapons systems identified in the '' Muyeshinbo' ...
''
References
Traditional Korean weapons
Korean swords
Polearms
{{Polearm-stub