Changsub,
I often get fascinated by obscure periods of history and start to
research them.
I got interested in the Imjin War (which is what I've read is the
Japanese name for the invasion of Korea in the 1590s) because of two things. One is
the availabilty of 15mm Korean cavalry and infantry figures from Eureka
miniatures in Australia.
The other is a seven part series on the Korean army by Rob Morgan which
was published in the Arquebusier (a British journal dedicated to the
Renaissance period).
I have collected a list of references on the Imjin War, which is below.
I actually need to add to it, which I will do over the holidays and then I'll
post them to the group's archives.
I did find a reference on the Internet to an upcoming Korean movie about
the Japanese invasion. Here is what the blurb said:
"SOLDIERS OF HEAVEN. ("Cheon-gun") A group of soldiers from North and South
Korea are caught in a timewarp and swept back to 1592 and find themselves in
the middle of the Imjin War. The cast includes Park Jung-hoon, Kim
Seung-woo, Hwang Jeong-min and Kong Hyo-jin. The production company, Sidus,
has budgeted around 8 million dollars on this project which will be filmed
by new director Min Jun-gi. Filming began on July 20 and there is an
estimated release sometime in April 2005."
I just hope it gets released with English subtitles. If it shows a lot
of Korean soldiers I could use it as a painting guide for when I finally buy my
Korean army.
If you know of any other references in English about this war, please let
me know.
I'm especially interested in finding colour illustrations of Korean troops.
I've listed a booklet by the Korean Defense Department below that I would
especially like to get a copy of.
Bob Burke
References for Japanese Invasion of Korea
“The Book of Corrections, Reflections on the National Crisis During the
Japanese Invasion of Korea, 1592-1598”, by Yu Songnyong (translated by Choi
Byonghyon), Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley,
California, 2002.
“In the Field as a Kitten - In the Castle as a Tiger”, by Rob Morgan,
published in various issues of the Arquebusier.
Part 1: “The Signal Gun? A 16th Century Korean Hand Gun”, Vol XXV, #1
Part 2: “The Hand-Bomb”, Vol XXV, #2
Part 3:
Part 4: “The Reclining Moon Knife”, Vol XXVI, #1
Part 5: “Tridents and Long Spears”, Vol XXVI, #2
Part 6: “The Korean Bow”, Vol. XXVI, #3
Part 7: “A Korean Volley Engine”, Vol XXVII, #1
“Korean Weapons and Armour”, by John L. Boots; presented to the Royal
Asiatic Society Korean Branch, Feb 13, 1931.
“Uniforms of the Yi Dynasty Era”, Time Portal Passages, Winter 2003.
“North Korean Archery”, by Douglas Elmy, Journal of the Society of
Archer-Antiquaries, c. 1970 or 72.
OSPREY BOOKS:
“Fighting Ships of the Far East (2), Japan and Korea AD 612-1639”, by
Stephen Turnbull, Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2003.
Plate D shows Korean artillerymen in 1592.
Plate E shows Korean artillerymen, archers, and commander 1592
“Siege Weapons of the Far East (2), AD 960-1644”, by Stephen Turnbull,
Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2002.
Plate B shows wheeled rocket launchers, Korean artillerymen and
commanding officer.
Plate F shows mobile mortar, Korean artillerymen and commanding officer.
“War in Japan 1467-1615”, by Stephen Turnbull, Osprey Publishing Ltd,
2002.
“Ashigaru 1467-1649”, by Stephen Turnbull, Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2001.
STEPHEN TURNBULL:
“Samurai Invasion, Japan’s Korean War 1592-98”, by Stephen Turnbull,
Cassell & Co, 2002.
page 17 shows black and white illustration of Korean officer.
page 19 shows black and white illustration of Korean heavy cavalry with
flail.
page 50 shows Korean infantry attacking the Japanese.
page 51 shows Korean officer in single combat with samurai
page 52 shows Korean heavy and light infantry.
page 89 shows Korean naval gun.
page 97 shows Korea archers and Korean Admiral.
page 109 shows Korean civilians fighting Japanese.
page 111 shows Korean guerrilla leader.
page 112 shows Korean sailors.
page 114 shows Korean guerrillas (infantry).
page 120 shows Korean infantry and mounted officers.
page 121 shows Korean infantry and warrior monks.
page 122 shows Koran infantry.
page 132 shows Korean infantry and Korean general.
page 133 shows Korean guerrillas.
page 149 shows Korean hwach’a (fire wagon). Fired 100 steel tipped
rockets or 200 thin arrows.
page 150 shows Korean infantry.
page 174 shows Korean officer.
page 175 shows Korean foot soldier.
page 176 shows Ming general and troops.
page 194 shows Korean mounted commander and Korean infantry.
page 198 shows Korean guerrillas.
page 277 shows Korean archers (on a ship).
“Samurai, the Way of the Warrior”, by Stephen Turnbull, Osprey
Publishing Ltd, 2003.
page 158 shows a painting from the Namwon Memorial Museum depicting the
fall of the town of Namwon to Japanese troops in 1597. The painting shows
Korean mounted heavy horse archers and other heavy cavalry, and Korean infantry
armed with pole weapons and tridents.
“Samurai Warriors”, by Stephen Turnbull, Blanford Press, 1987.
pages 104-105 show Japanese and Korean infantry (the Koreans are in red
and are armed with flails {fighting sticks} and pole weapons).
BOOKS AND ARTICLES I NEED TO FIND:
Korean Defense Department booklet on history of Korean Army (date
unknown). This booklet is supposedly in both Korean and English and has
illustrations of the Korean army throughout the centuries, including illustrations from
the 16th century.
“Japanese Savagery”, by Stephen Turnbull, Military Illustrated #150.
“The Organization of a Samurai Army. Matsuura Army, 16th and 17th
Centuries, Military Illustrated #91.
“IMJIN WAERAN, Les invasions japonaises en Corée”, Vae Victis #53.
“Late Imperial Chinese Armies 1520-1840”, by Chris Peers, OSPREY’S
Men-At-Arms Series 307.
“Guns, Guts, and Glory: Notes on Military Technology in the Japanese
Invasion of Korea, 1592-1598”, by Kenneth Swope, presented at the New York
Conference on Asian Studies 1592-1598 held Oct. 26-28, 2002, in Saratoga, N.Y. (this
article is being revised and will be published in a future issue of The Jour
nal of Military History).
“Turning the Tide: The Strategic and Psychological Significance of the
Liberation of Pyongyang in 1593”, by Kenneth Swope, published in War &
Society, Vol 21, #2, October 2003 <
warsoc@...>.
This article focuses on the battle that marked the turning point in the
Japanese invasion of Korea, which lasted from 1592-1598. Up to this point the
outgunned Korean defenders had suffered defeat after defeat and been forced to
abandon all of Korea’s major cities and fortresses and seek refuge along the
Chinese border. They requested help from Ming China, Korea’s tributary
overlords and even though a small Ming expeditionary force was defeated in the summer
of 1592, the Ming promised to send more aid. This arrived in early 1593 and
together with Korean troops and volunteers, the Ming overwhelmed the Japanese
with superior firepower and recovered the city of Pyongyang, Korea’s auxiliary
capital. Within months Seoul was also recovered and the Japanese never regained
their early momentum.
“The Three Great Campaigns of the Wanli Emperor: Court, Military, and
Society in Late Sixteenth Century China”, Dissertation by Kenneth Swope,
available from UMI (#3022033).
“Korean Boats & Ships”, by Horace Underwood, Transactions of the Royal
Asiatic Society of Korea, 23 (1934), pp 1-99.
“The Celestial Warriors: A Drama of Military Aid and Corruption in the
Korean War, 1592-98,”, by Nam-lin Hur, in Dimensions of Korea’s Imjin War,
1592-98, ed. The Oriental Institute, University of Oxford, Article is under
revision (currently 47 pp.).
“The International Context of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Invasion of Korea, in
1592: A Clash between Chinese Culturalism and Japanese Militarism,” by
Nam-lin Hur, Korea-Observer 28-4 (Winter 1997), pp. 687-707.
“The Record of the Black Dragon Year (the Japanese Invasion of Korea,
1592 to 1598), by Peter H. Lee, Institute of Korean Culture 2000.
“Size Matters: International Military Technology in Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s
Invasion of Korea, 1592-1598”, presented at the Midwest Conference on Asian
Affairs, October 7, 2000 (unpublished).
Papers presented at the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), March 4-7,
2004, San Diego, CA:
“Gunpowder Technology, Qi Jiguang, and the Japanese Invasion of Korea
(1592-1598), by Kenneth Laichen Sun (California State University, Fullerton).
“Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: Yang Hao and the Siege of
Ulsan, 1597-98”, by Kenneth Swope (Marist College).
revised: 12/8/04
In a message dated 12/8/04 5:01:43 PM,
knorr31@... writes:
<<
Dear Bob:
As I know that you already read an English version of
'book of correction' by Yu who was a prime minister
then, I am wondering what drew your attention to the
Japanese crossing of the Imjin river.
The commander in chief of the Chosun Dynasty was not
competent, who should have held such a high military
command, only thinking about running away. There was
no significant milarty event worthy of a record except
for one incidence when a low rank officer of Chosun
dynasty scrared off some Japanese soldiers who shot
muskets for fun by shooting several arrows across the
river.
I also don't remember seeing any movies on the Imjin
crossing although I was in Korea only until 1998.
Sincerely,
Changsub Lee
---
burker1@... wrote:
> Does anyone know of any Samurai movies about the
> Imjin War, Japan's invasion
> of Korea in the 1590s?
>
> If so, where can I find a copy with English
> subtitles? I live in the US
> (near San Francisco).
>
> Thanks.
>
> Bob Burke
>
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Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 16:07:34 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: [samuraihistory] Movies on Imjin War
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