장도 Jang-Do

In Korea, sword and knife making have an extensive history. Though I know next to nothing about them, I became intrigued after hearing the story behind a few artifacts in a museum.

"Jang-do" refers to the ornamental knifes that first appeared during the Chosun dynasty. (Seeing as this dynasty spaned from the late 1300s to the early 1900s, I'm a little lost as to when during this half millennium period they showed up.) Traditionally, they were given as wedding gifts to noblewomen. No bigger than a hand and worn near the heart, they symbolized both rank and the Confucian moral obligation of fidelity. Their purpose, should a a woman be attacked and her honor compromised, was to assist her in suicide.

While I assumed this practice was somewhat archaic, it was actually common post 1905 due to the Japanese occupation. I'm not sure what's more depressing, the obligation women felt to kill themselves after being raped, or the mere fact of their peril from assailants during the countless invasions of Korea throughout history.

This practice strikes me as utterly misogynistic, nevertheless, it gives me new found respect for the toughness of Korean women. I'm pretty sure I'd rather shame my entire family than stab myself with a blade the size of my pinkie.