Eulji Mundeok was a noted military leader of early 7th century Goguryeo, one of
the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Often numbered among the greatest heroes in
Korean military history, he defended Goguryeo against the Sui Chinese.
Background
Mundeok was born in the mid-6th century and died sometime after 618, although
the exact date is unknown. At the time of his birth, the kingdom of Goguryeo had
grown to a powerful and belligerent empire, constantly warring with its
neighbours, Chinese states to its north and west, and its fellow Korean kingdoms
Silla and Baekje to its southeast and southwest respectively.
A unbalance of power was maintained between these Three Kingdoms of Korea,
until outside influence, namely the much larger Tang Dynasty of China, finally
tipped the advantage to Silla. In 589, the Sui Dynasty had reunified China for the
first time since the fall of the Han Dynasty over three centuries before. The Sui
early on launched several large military campaigns against recalcitrant Goguryeo
unwilling to submit to Sui dominance.
in his name is some form of Goguryeo rank or title) was an educated man, skilled
in both "mun" political and the "mu" military sciences. He eventually rose to
become Minister of Goguryeo.
The Battle of Salsu River
After the founding of the Sui dynasty in 589, a precarious peace obtained for
several years between the new Chinese dynasty and Goguryeo. In 597, however,
the Goguryeo king launched raids across the Liao River (the traditional border
with China). In response, the Sui invaded Goguryeo, but the invasion failed as the
invasion force was scattered by a typhoon.
In the early 7th century, however, the new Sui emperor Yangdi learned of secret
Goguryeo correspondence with the Eastern Turkish khanate. Yangdi took a hard
stand and demanded the Goguryeo king come and submit personally to Sui or
face an "imperial tour of his territories". When the Goguryeo king failed to submit
in this fashion, Yangdi prepared for war. He mustered an army of over 1,133,800
troops and more than 2 million auxiliaries and personally led them against
Goguryeo in 612. They quickly overran Goguryeo's border defenses, camped on
the banks of the Liao River and prepared to bridge it. Eulji Mundeok,
commissioned as a Field Marshal, was called upon to assist in the defence of the
nation, and prepared his troops to meet the superior Sui forces with a strategy of
false retreat, deception and attack. After the Sui forces crossed the Liao River, a
small contingent was sent to attack the Goguryeo city of Liaodong, but Field
Marshal Eulji sent Admiral Gang Yi-sik and his forces to meet them there and
drove them out. As the rainy season progressed, the Sui forces launched other
small probing attacks, but held off from making any large moves before the end
of the rainy season. When the rains stopped, Yangdi moved his forces to the
banks of the Yalu River in northwestern Korea and prepared for a major battle.
Fighting only small engagements at times and places of his choosing, he drew
the Sui forces further and further from their supply centers. A Sui advance force
of over 305,000 men was sent to take the city of Pyongyang. After allowing the
force to approach the city, Field Marshall Eulji ambushed it. His forces attacked
from all sides, driving the Sui troops back in utter confusion. His troops pursued
the retreating army, slaughtering them at will; records claim that only 2,700 men
of the massive force returned alive to the main Chinese army. This battle, the
Battle of Salsu, came known as one of the most glorious military triumphs in
Korea's national history. (It was said that Eulji had built a large dam upon the
Salsu river which made the waterbed shallow, and as the Sui troops crossed the
dam was broken down, releasing a huge current of water upon the unsuspecting
troops, thus wiping out nearly the entire fleet with one blow). After the battle,
winter began to set in and the Sui forces, short on provisions, were forced to
return home.
Death
Eulji Mundeok managed to protect Shin Fortress (신성) from a Sui invasion force,
but he died not long after.
The Sui Dynasty was beginning to disintegrate and Yangdi decided that he
urgently needed to expand his empire in order to regain power, but two more
attacks on Goguryeo by Yangdi the following spring met with similar disaster, and
eventually internal rebellion in China forced the Sui to abandon their desire for
Goguryeo. By 618, the relatively short-lived Sui Dynasty was replaced by the
Tang Dynasty. Field Marshal Eulji Mundeok's strategy and leadership had
protected Goguryeo from the Chinese expansion to the Korean peninsula.
Legacy
One of the most distinguished military leaders of the Goguryeo period and one of
the most famous figures in ancient Korean history, Eulji's leadership and tactical
acumen was the decisive factor in sparing defeating the Sui invasion. Facing
vastly numerically superior forces, he developed a strategy that allowed him to
secure a decisive victory. Such spectacular tactical success was sufficient to
earn him a permanent place among Korea's most famous leaders. That said, it
was only in the early 20th century that Eulji Mundeok began to acquire the
veneration he enjoys today among Koreans. This reassessment of Mundeok may
have begun with the Korean nationalist historian Sin Chaeho 申采浩 (1880-1936),
who published a biography of Mundeok in 1908 and held him out as an example of
Korea's traditional nationalist spirit at a time when Korea was suffering under the
yoke of Japanese colonization. Eulji Mundeok is still celebrated as a great Korean
hero. One of the most preeminent Korean scholars of the 20th century, Lee Ki-
baik, noted that Mundeok's efforts in halting the Sui attempt at conquest stand as
one of the earliest examples of Korean attempts to fend of foreign domination.
Today a main thoroughfare in downtown Seoul, Euljiro, is named after Eulji
Mundeok. The second highest Military Decoration of South Korea, Field Marshal
Lord Eulji's Order of Military Merit, is also named in his honour. He is featured in
the new Korean SBS drama Yeon Gaesomun which is about the life of powerful
prime minister of the same name.
Eulji Mundeok's literary work, the Eulji Mundeok Hansi, is one of the oldest
surviving poems in Korean literature.
Trivia
One of the annual Combined Forces Command Exercise between South Korea
and the United States is called Ulchi Focus Lens (UFL) in honor of Eulji Mundeok.
Ulchi Focus Lens is a Command Post Exercise (CPX) with the tactical situation
portrayed through the use of computer simulation models and master scenario
events list. Ulchi Focus Lens is the world's largest computerized command and
control exercise. The exercise focuses on how U.S. and South Korean forces
would defend against a North Korean attack.
the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Often numbered among the greatest heroes in
Korean military history, he defended Goguryeo against the Sui Chinese.
Background
Mundeok was born in the mid-6th century and died sometime after 618, although
the exact date is unknown. At the time of his birth, the kingdom of Goguryeo had
grown to a powerful and belligerent empire, constantly warring with its
neighbours, Chinese states to its north and west, and its fellow Korean kingdoms
Silla and Baekje to its southeast and southwest respectively.
A unbalance of power was maintained between these Three Kingdoms of Korea,
until outside influence, namely the much larger Tang Dynasty of China, finally
tipped the advantage to Silla. In 589, the Sui Dynasty had reunified China for the
first time since the fall of the Han Dynasty over three centuries before. The Sui
early on launched several large military campaigns against recalcitrant Goguryeo
unwilling to submit to Sui dominance.
in his name is some form of Goguryeo rank or title) was an educated man, skilled
in both "mun" political and the "mu" military sciences. He eventually rose to
become Minister of Goguryeo.
The Battle of Salsu River
After the founding of the Sui dynasty in 589, a precarious peace obtained for
several years between the new Chinese dynasty and Goguryeo. In 597, however,
the Goguryeo king launched raids across the Liao River (the traditional border
with China). In response, the Sui invaded Goguryeo, but the invasion failed as the
invasion force was scattered by a typhoon.
In the early 7th century, however, the new Sui emperor Yangdi learned of secret
Goguryeo correspondence with the Eastern Turkish khanate. Yangdi took a hard
stand and demanded the Goguryeo king come and submit personally to Sui or
face an "imperial tour of his territories". When the Goguryeo king failed to submit
in this fashion, Yangdi prepared for war. He mustered an army of over 1,133,800
troops and more than 2 million auxiliaries and personally led them against
Goguryeo in 612. They quickly overran Goguryeo's border defenses, camped on
the banks of the Liao River and prepared to bridge it. Eulji Mundeok,
commissioned as a Field Marshal, was called upon to assist in the defence of the
nation, and prepared his troops to meet the superior Sui forces with a strategy of
false retreat, deception and attack. After the Sui forces crossed the Liao River, a
small contingent was sent to attack the Goguryeo city of Liaodong, but Field
Marshal Eulji sent Admiral Gang Yi-sik and his forces to meet them there and
drove them out. As the rainy season progressed, the Sui forces launched other
small probing attacks, but held off from making any large moves before the end
of the rainy season. When the rains stopped, Yangdi moved his forces to the
banks of the Yalu River in northwestern Korea and prepared for a major battle.
Fighting only small engagements at times and places of his choosing, he drew
the Sui forces further and further from their supply centers. A Sui advance force
of over 305,000 men was sent to take the city of Pyongyang. After allowing the
force to approach the city, Field Marshall Eulji ambushed it. His forces attacked
from all sides, driving the Sui troops back in utter confusion. His troops pursued
the retreating army, slaughtering them at will; records claim that only 2,700 men
of the massive force returned alive to the main Chinese army. This battle, the
Battle of Salsu, came known as one of the most glorious military triumphs in
Korea's national history. (It was said that Eulji had built a large dam upon the
Salsu river which made the waterbed shallow, and as the Sui troops crossed the
dam was broken down, releasing a huge current of water upon the unsuspecting
troops, thus wiping out nearly the entire fleet with one blow). After the battle,
winter began to set in and the Sui forces, short on provisions, were forced to
return home.
Death
Eulji Mundeok managed to protect Shin Fortress (신성) from a Sui invasion force,
but he died not long after.
The Sui Dynasty was beginning to disintegrate and Yangdi decided that he
urgently needed to expand his empire in order to regain power, but two more
attacks on Goguryeo by Yangdi the following spring met with similar disaster, and
eventually internal rebellion in China forced the Sui to abandon their desire for
Goguryeo. By 618, the relatively short-lived Sui Dynasty was replaced by the
Tang Dynasty. Field Marshal Eulji Mundeok's strategy and leadership had
protected Goguryeo from the Chinese expansion to the Korean peninsula.
Legacy
One of the most distinguished military leaders of the Goguryeo period and one of
the most famous figures in ancient Korean history, Eulji's leadership and tactical
acumen was the decisive factor in sparing defeating the Sui invasion. Facing
vastly numerically superior forces, he developed a strategy that allowed him to
secure a decisive victory. Such spectacular tactical success was sufficient to
earn him a permanent place among Korea's most famous leaders. That said, it
was only in the early 20th century that Eulji Mundeok began to acquire the
veneration he enjoys today among Koreans. This reassessment of Mundeok may
have begun with the Korean nationalist historian Sin Chaeho 申采浩 (1880-1936),
who published a biography of Mundeok in 1908 and held him out as an example of
Korea's traditional nationalist spirit at a time when Korea was suffering under the
yoke of Japanese colonization. Eulji Mundeok is still celebrated as a great Korean
hero. One of the most preeminent Korean scholars of the 20th century, Lee Ki-
baik, noted that Mundeok's efforts in halting the Sui attempt at conquest stand as
one of the earliest examples of Korean attempts to fend of foreign domination.
Today a main thoroughfare in downtown Seoul, Euljiro, is named after Eulji
Mundeok. The second highest Military Decoration of South Korea, Field Marshal
Lord Eulji's Order of Military Merit, is also named in his honour. He is featured in
the new Korean SBS drama Yeon Gaesomun which is about the life of powerful
prime minister of the same name.
Eulji Mundeok's literary work, the Eulji Mundeok Hansi, is one of the oldest
surviving poems in Korean literature.
Trivia
One of the annual Combined Forces Command Exercise between South Korea
and the United States is called Ulchi Focus Lens (UFL) in honor of Eulji Mundeok.
Ulchi Focus Lens is a Command Post Exercise (CPX) with the tactical situation
portrayed through the use of computer simulation models and master scenario
events list. Ulchi Focus Lens is the world's largest computerized command and
control exercise. The exercise focuses on how U.S. and South Korean forces
would defend against a North Korean attack.
| IV |
UL-JI
| Movements - 42 Ready Posture - PARALLEL STANCE WITH AN X-BACK HAND Pattern Meaning UL- JI is named after general Ul-Ji Moon Dok who successfully defended Korea against a Tang's invasion force of nearly one million soldiers led by Yang Je in 612 A.D., Ul-Ji employing hit and run guerrilla tactics, was able to decimate a large percentage of the force. The diagram represents his surname. The 42 movements represent the author's age when he designed the pattern. |
Ready Posture - PARALLEL STANCE WITH AN X-BACK HAND
1. Move the left foot to C forming a right walking stance toward D while executing a horizontal strike with
twin side fists.
2. Move the right foot to C to form a left walking stance toward D while executing a pressing block with
an X-fist.
3. Execute a rising block with an X-knife-hand while maintaining a left walking stance toward D.
Perform 2 and 3 in a continuous motion.
4. Execute a high front strike to D with the right knife-hand bringing the left palm on the right elbow joint
while maintaining a left walking stance toward D.
5. Move the left foot to C to form a sitting stance toward B while executing a horizontal strike to C with
the left back hand.
6. Execute a middle crescent kick to the left palm with the right foot.
7. Lower the right foot to C, forming a sitting stance toward A while striking the left palm with the right
front elbow.
8. Thrust to B with the left back elbow placing the right side fist on the left fist while maintaining a sitting
stance toward A.
9. Execute a side back strike to B with the right back fist and extending the left arm to the side-downward
while maintaining a sitting stance toward A.
10. Bring the left foot to the right foot, forming a close stance toward D, at the same time thrusting with a
twin side elbow.
11. Cross the left foot to the right foot, forming a close stance toward D while turning the face to A,
Keeping the position of the hands as they were in 10.
Perform in a fast motion.
12. Execute a middle side piercing kick to A with the right foot keeping the position of the hands as they
were in 11.
13. Lower the right foot to A, and then cross the left foot over the right foot, forming a right X-stance
toward D while executing a horizontal thrust with a twin elbow.
14. Move the right foot to A to form the sitting stance toward D while executing a right horizontal punch
to A.
15. Execute a high front strike to D with right knife-hand, bringing the left back hand in front of the
forehead while standing up toward D.
16. Execute a twin knife-hand block to B while forming a right L-stance toward B, pivoting with the right
foot.
17. Jump to execute a mid-air kick to B with the right foot while spinning clockwise.
18. Land to B forming a right walking stance toward B while executing a middle block to B with the right
double forearm.
19. Bring the left foot to the right foot to form a closed ready stance B toward D.
20. Jump to D forming a right X-stance toward BD while executing a high side strike to B with the right
back fist bringing the left finger belly to the right side fist.
21. Move the left foot to C to form a right walking stance toward D while executing a rising block with the
left forearm.
22. Execute a middle front snap kick to D with the left foot keeping the position of the hands as they were
in 21.
23. Lower the left foot to D forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a high punch to D with
the right fist.
24. Move the right foot to D to form a right walking stance toward D while executing a middle thrust to D
with the right straight fingertip.
25. Move the left foot to D turning counter-clockwise to form a sitting stance toward A while executing a
high side strike to D with the left back fist.
26. Move the right foot to F turning counter-clockwise to form a right walking ready stance toward F.
27. Jump to execute a flying high kick to F with the right foot.
28. Land to F to form a right fixed stance toward F while executing a checking block to F with an X-knife
hand.
29. Move the left foot to F forming a right L-stance toward F while executing a pressing block with an
X-fist.
30. Execute a middle side front snap kick to F with the left foot while executing a middle wedging block
with the inner forearm.
31. Lower the left foot to F forming a left walking stance toward F while executing a high vertical punch to
F with a twin fist.
32. Move the right foot to F to form a right fixed stance toward F while executing a middle outward block
with the right knife hand and a middle pushing block with the left palm.
33. Slide to F forming a right L-stance toward F while executing a middle punch to F with the left fist.
34. Move the left foot to the side rear of the right foot and the right foot to E to form a right L-stance
toward F and then jump to E maintaining a right L-stance towards F while executing a middle guarding
block to F with the forearm.
35. Execute a middle turning kick to DF with the right foot.
36. Lower the right foot to F and then execute a middle back piercing kick to F with the left foot.
37. Lower the left foot to F to form a right L-stance toward F while executing a middle guarding block to F
with the forearm.
38. Move the left foot to E forming a left l-stance toward F while executing an upward block to F with the
right palm.
39. Move the right foot to E forming a right walking stance to E while executing a circular block to ED with
the left inner forearm.
40. Execute a circular block to DE with the right inner forearm while forming a right walking stance toward
DF.
41. Move the left foot on line EF to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D
with the left fist.
42. Execute a middle punch to D with the right fist while maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
END: Bring the left foot back to a ready posture.
1. Move the left foot to C forming a right walking stance toward D while executing a horizontal strike with
twin side fists.
2. Move the right foot to C to form a left walking stance toward D while executing a pressing block with
an X-fist.
3. Execute a rising block with an X-knife-hand while maintaining a left walking stance toward D.
Perform 2 and 3 in a continuous motion.
4. Execute a high front strike to D with the right knife-hand bringing the left palm on the right elbow joint
while maintaining a left walking stance toward D.
5. Move the left foot to C to form a sitting stance toward B while executing a horizontal strike to C with
the left back hand.
6. Execute a middle crescent kick to the left palm with the right foot.
7. Lower the right foot to C, forming a sitting stance toward A while striking the left palm with the right
front elbow.
8. Thrust to B with the left back elbow placing the right side fist on the left fist while maintaining a sitting
stance toward A.
9. Execute a side back strike to B with the right back fist and extending the left arm to the side-downward
while maintaining a sitting stance toward A.
10. Bring the left foot to the right foot, forming a close stance toward D, at the same time thrusting with a
twin side elbow.
11. Cross the left foot to the right foot, forming a close stance toward D while turning the face to A,
Keeping the position of the hands as they were in 10.
Perform in a fast motion.
12. Execute a middle side piercing kick to A with the right foot keeping the position of the hands as they
were in 11.
13. Lower the right foot to A, and then cross the left foot over the right foot, forming a right X-stance
toward D while executing a horizontal thrust with a twin elbow.
14. Move the right foot to A to form the sitting stance toward D while executing a right horizontal punch
to A.
15. Execute a high front strike to D with right knife-hand, bringing the left back hand in front of the
forehead while standing up toward D.
16. Execute a twin knife-hand block to B while forming a right L-stance toward B, pivoting with the right
foot.
17. Jump to execute a mid-air kick to B with the right foot while spinning clockwise.
18. Land to B forming a right walking stance toward B while executing a middle block to B with the right
double forearm.
19. Bring the left foot to the right foot to form a closed ready stance B toward D.
20. Jump to D forming a right X-stance toward BD while executing a high side strike to B with the right
back fist bringing the left finger belly to the right side fist.
21. Move the left foot to C to form a right walking stance toward D while executing a rising block with the
left forearm.
22. Execute a middle front snap kick to D with the left foot keeping the position of the hands as they were
in 21.
23. Lower the left foot to D forming a left walking stance toward D while executing a high punch to D with
the right fist.
24. Move the right foot to D to form a right walking stance toward D while executing a middle thrust to D
with the right straight fingertip.
25. Move the left foot to D turning counter-clockwise to form a sitting stance toward A while executing a
high side strike to D with the left back fist.
26. Move the right foot to F turning counter-clockwise to form a right walking ready stance toward F.
27. Jump to execute a flying high kick to F with the right foot.
28. Land to F to form a right fixed stance toward F while executing a checking block to F with an X-knife
hand.
29. Move the left foot to F forming a right L-stance toward F while executing a pressing block with an
X-fist.
30. Execute a middle side front snap kick to F with the left foot while executing a middle wedging block
with the inner forearm.
31. Lower the left foot to F forming a left walking stance toward F while executing a high vertical punch to
F with a twin fist.
32. Move the right foot to F to form a right fixed stance toward F while executing a middle outward block
with the right knife hand and a middle pushing block with the left palm.
33. Slide to F forming a right L-stance toward F while executing a middle punch to F with the left fist.
34. Move the left foot to the side rear of the right foot and the right foot to E to form a right L-stance
toward F and then jump to E maintaining a right L-stance towards F while executing a middle guarding
block to F with the forearm.
35. Execute a middle turning kick to DF with the right foot.
36. Lower the right foot to F and then execute a middle back piercing kick to F with the left foot.
37. Lower the left foot to F to form a right L-stance toward F while executing a middle guarding block to F
with the forearm.
38. Move the left foot to E forming a left l-stance toward F while executing an upward block to F with the
right palm.
39. Move the right foot to E forming a right walking stance to E while executing a circular block to ED with
the left inner forearm.
40. Execute a circular block to DE with the right inner forearm while forming a right walking stance toward
DF.
41. Move the left foot on line EF to form a sitting stance toward D while executing a middle punch to D
with the left fist.
42. Execute a middle punch to D with the right fist while maintaining a sitting stance toward D.
END: Bring the left foot back to a ready posture.
