The earliest written account of these sword methods is found in the encyclopedic work "Army Account of Military Arts and Science" (), written in 1629 by Mao Yuan-I. In his work Mao, identifies Korean fencing () as a series of sword methods originating from the area of Korea. These methods, identified only as "Native Sword Methods" ("Bon Kuk Geom Beop" - 본국검법) had, according to Mao, been brought to China during a time when Chinese sword work had declined and were ascribed to about the 9th century.