The Office of Martial Arts Guards () was a division of the Military Training Command, who served as guards for King Seonjo during the Imjin War. It was an organization composed of skilled martial artists who were responsible for guarding the five grand palaces and providing close protection to the king. The officers belonging to the office were specially referred to as Martial Arts Special Guards () or simply Martial Guards (). It was also known as the military officials ().
The establishment process of the Office of Martial Arts Guards is detailed in King Sunjo of Joseon's work called Pure Study Records (). After the end of the Japanese invasion of Korea, a specialized organization called the Martial Arts Office was established to provide exclusive protection to the king. The Office of Martial Arts Guards selected exceptional individuals with outstanding martial arts skills from the military training center () and served as the king's bodyguards. In 1894, the Martial Arts Department disbanded after the Gabo Reforms and the Eulmi Incident as part of the military reforms leading to the establishment of the Imperial Korean Armed Forces.
In 1630 (the 8th year of King Injo's reign), the Martial Arts Department was established with a staff of 30 people and was placed under the supervision of the Military Training Command (). Personnel were selected from the equestrian training (), infantry (), and specialized troops ().
In 1781 (5th year of King Jeongjo's reign), the 102 members of Martial Arts Department were divided into two units to guard the royal palaces: left () and right (), with each section consisting of 1 leader () and five subordinates (). Each subordinate had ten people, so one subordinate had nine people, and one leader commanded five subordinate. When there was training, a chief of training () was appointed by the head () to lead the training.
By 1802 (2nd year of King Sunjo's reign), the department had a total of 198 personnel selected from the Hun'gukma (), Bogun (), and Byeolgigun () units.
The military personnel of the Martial Arts Department were called the Martial Arts Special Guards (). It is said that the title of Martial Arts Special Guards was bestowed upon the ten training officers who accompanied King Seonjo during the Imjin War and returned with him to Hanyang, acknowledging their efforts. Then it was given to the 30 soldiers from the Military Training Division who guarded King Seonjo, and this title continued with the establishment of the Martial Arts Department in 1630. They guarded the palace gates and the king's residence, surrounding the king's carriage during royal processions. When guarding the palaces, one person stood at each of the left and right gates, and two people stood at the rear gate.
The Martial Arts Special Guards were selected from the Special Core Army () of the Military Training Command (). The Martial Arts Special Guards consisted of skilled individuals with strong physical abilities and proficiency in techniques among the cavalry, infantry, and their affiliated personnel. They were constantly engaged in learning martial skills. At times, they were also dispatched as martial arts instructors to the Military Training Agency, Capital Garrison (), Royal Guards Command (), and the Command of the Northern Approaches ().
The composition of the Martial Arts Department consisted of the Chief Martial Arts Office (Muyecheong Daeryeong Mugam (무ìÂÂì² ëÂÂë ¹ 무갠(æ¦èÂÂ廳徠令æ¦ç£) consisted of 46 members, while the Deputy chief martial arts office (Muyecheong Gadaeryeong Mugam (무ìÂÂì² ê°ÂëÂÂë ¹ 무갠(æ¦èÂÂ廳åÂÂ徠令æ¦ç£) had 40 members serving as guards (Siwi (ìÂÂìÂÂ, ä¾Âè¡Â). The remaining 87 members of the Gate Martial Arts Office (Munmu Muyecheong Mugam (문무무ìÂÂ철무갠(éÂÂæ¦èÂÂ廳æ¦ç£) stood guard at various palace gates. The Men and women martial arts office (ë¨ì¬무ìÂÂì²Â) had 19 personnel, the Old and New martial arts office (구ÃÂÂ무ìÂÂì²Â) had four personnel, and the Firearm martial arts office (ÃÂÂë³Â무ìÂÂì²Â) had two personnel.
During the Joseon era, the area of Namsan's Bokrok (present-day Yejang-dong and Jangchung-dong) was entirely military camps. The current Hanok Village was the headquarters of the Eoyeongcheong (ì´ìÂÂì²Â), and Jangchungdan Park was the headquarters of the Geumwiyeong (ê¸ÂìÂÂìÂÂ), known as the "18 Martial Arts Acres" (ìÂÂÃÂÂ기ð). The Martial Arts Special Guards military personnel trained at Bipajeong (currently Dongguk University) in spring, summer, and autumn, and at Hadogam (currently Dongdaemun History & Culture Park) during winter. They ensured the continuity of their lineage by enlisting their own sons in the Dae-nyeon-gun from an early age, allowing them to learn the Muyesinbo. Learning the Muyesinbo was considered impossible without starting martial arts training at a young age. (Currently, the Muyesinbo are designated as a separate category known as "Traditional Military Training" (ì Âõ군ìÂÂ무ìÂÂ) and have been designated as the 51st Seoul Intangible Cultural Property. The textbook, "Muyedobotongji," was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register by North Korea in 2017.)
Martial Arts Department soldiers wore green iron helmets and purple hoods, but their attire changed to red following the simplification of clothing on April 4, 1778. The 문무ìÂÂì² (gate martial arts office) wore red-colored clothing with yellow straw hats (éì´Â립) and tiger beards attached to their caps.
An excerpt from the first article of the Joseon Dynasty Annals for the second year of King Jeongjo, April 4 describes the uniform requirements for the Martial Arts Special Guards.
Furthermore, the military manuscript called "Man-gi Yoram" from 1808 provides a more detailed description of the attire of the Martial Arts Special Guards.
The Chief Martial Arts Office and the Deputy Chief Martial Arts Office wore red military uniforms and carried swords while serving as guards. The remaining 87 members of the Gate Martial Arts Office (문무ìÂÂì² ( Munmu Muyecheong Mugam (éÂÂæ¦èÂÂ廳æ¦ç£)) wore red-colored Hongcheolik and yellow Hwangchorip hats (é»ÂèÂÂ笠), with tiger beards attached to their caps, and the red cheollik (ì² ë¦Â, a type of traditional Korean garment).
The Men and women martial arts office, Old and new martial arts office, and Firearm martial arts office wore black-colored military uniforms. During guard duties, they wore the same uniforms as the gate martial arts office which were multicolored.
After the prohibition on wearing civilian clothing in 1883, all Martial Arts Special Guards were required to wear standard traditional military uniforms.
The Gate martial arts office stood guard at various palace gates, wielding spears and swords. According to the Man-gi Yoram, 58 members wielded muskets (ì¡°ì´Â), 29 members wielded Samreungjang (ä¸Âç¨ÂæÂÂ), a three-sided cudgel used for striking offenders, while standing guard at the palace gates, and one-third of the members carried bows (ì¼ë¦ÂìÂÂ¥). The four superior heads (ìÂÂëÂÂ) carried a halberd (ÃÂÂë¬, è«é¸) and stood at the left, right, and rear gates without having swords. They were identifiable by their distinctive attire, which included red iron helmets, yellow chest plates, and swords known as yodo.
The Martial Arts Special Guards were proficient in the Muyesinbo, with the native sword (bongukgeom, 본êµÂê²Â) and crescent moon blade (woldo, ìÂÂëÂÂ) which were considered the most important techniques. During the royal procession (ëÂÂì¡°ÃÂÂ), when the royal guards (ê°Âì¬) were in charge of protection, those who carried the straight sword (ëÂ¥ìÂÂ¥) would switch to staff (ìÂÂì Â) or red rattan staff (주ë±ìÂÂ¥). When performing royal processions outside the capital, the chief of training (ÃÂÂìÂÂë³Âê°Â) from both sides would wear military uniforms and carry swords.
In 1883, after Joseon opened their doors, they were equipped with modern rifles and hwando (swords).