Unity of mind, spirit and power
A kumdo principle: mind (sim), will or spirit (gi) and power (ryeok) must act together at the same instant for an attack to be effective.
How to say it
- Korean
- 심기력일치simgiryeok ilchi
- Spanish
- Unidad de mente, voluntad y fuerza
- English
- Unity of mind, spirit and power
- Japanese
- 心気力一致しんきりょくいっちshin-ki-ryoku itchi
Simgiryeogilchi (심기력일치, 心氣力一致) is a kumdo term meaning roughly "unity of mind, spirit (will) and power". The Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회) glossary defines its three parts as follows:
- Sim (심): perception, judgment and discernment of thought; the static side of the mind.
- Gi (기): will, which acts on the mind's judgment; the dynamic side of the mind.
- Ryeok (력): the force of the body, used to attack and step in with the jukdo (죽도).
The glossary states that an effective attack is possible only when these three act simultaneously and instantaneously.
The Association's introduction to kumdo names this principle, together with gigeomche-ilchi (기검체일치), as part of the harmony of body and mind that kumdo training develops. It lists concentration, patience, decisiveness and composure among the qualities gained.
A Korean grading-exam study page says gigeomche-ilchi is also called simgiryeok-ilchi, and that only a strike in which will, handling of the jukdo and body movement coincide meets the condition for a valid point (hanpan, 한판). The Association's glossary, by contrast, defines the two terms separately.
A Japanese source from the All Japan Kendo Federation credits Chiba Shusaku (1793–1855) with summing up the mental-control principle of earlier sword schools in this phrase. A kendo blog describes it as the highest principle of kendo and breaks it into mental control, handling of the sword and body movement.
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