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In this article, how martial arts were popularized, and how much the range of people well versed in such arts actually expanded in the 18th century Joseon, are examined. The trends that can be found from the martial arts utilized and educated at the Eoyeong-cheong office during the middle and latter periods of the 18th century, is mainly examined here with a text named 『Eoyeong-cheong Jungsun Deungrok(御營廳中旬謄錄)』. So far, studies which have examined the martial arts of the Joseon dynasty's latter half period merely consulted manuals like 『Muyae Jebo(武藝諸譜)』, 『Muyae Jebo Beonyeok Sokjib(武藝諸譜飜譯續集)』 and 『Muyae Dobo Tongji(武藝圖譜通志)』.

They also tried to rather determine the development process of such arts, skills and techniques. In other words, past studies tended to concentrate upon the task of defining the very trends and currents mirrored in such developments from a broader perspective. On the other hand, there have been less studies dedicated to the task of examining specific issues, such as what kind of martial arts were popularized, or how much they were actually utilized in Joseon, or how much of the standards for martial arts laid down by King Jeongjo/正祖 in 『Muyae Dobo Tongji』 was actually accepted by the general population at the time, and what kind of influences those standards had upon martial arts in general.

So, two things are mostly examined in this article. Around the time of the publication of the 『Muyae Dobo Tongji』, Eoyeong-cheong had already propagated and had been teaching people the so-called 24 Techniques. Yet that fact does not automatically mean that such variety of techniques were being sufficiently known or widely understood and most of all were being effectively used by the people. Among them, types of swords like Yong-geom(用劍). Pyeong-geom(平劍)·Jedok-geom(提督劍) were mostly used, and contrary to the general presumption, there were not many people who passed the 'horseback techniques'(馬上武藝) test. Also, the level of understanding or embracement of such martial arts and techniques varied visibly among soldiers enlisted at the Eoyeong-cheong office, according to the various ranks they held. While among generals(將官) or officers(將校) only few of them were honored or won prizes for martial arts and techniques, many of the soldiers displayed superior skills and won prizes in various areas of known martial arts.

More texts and sources regarding the Joseon dynasty's martial arts should be excavated and utilized, and meticulously examined. That would also considerably help us enhance our own understanding of the 『Muyae Dobo Tongji』.