The most intriguing weapon Cheong encountered during today’s lesson was a simple bamboo stalk. Not even a bamboo spear, just raw bamboo. This weapon, called nangseon (낭선), was crafted by merely sharpening the tip of a bamboo stalk, leaving its branches intact.

Surprisingly, it had been widely used in ancient times as a primitive weapon, and even today, the nation’s military held it in high regard.

Its leaves obscured the enemy’s view while its branches blocked incoming attacks, making it a seamless blend of offense and defense. A minor downside, though, was that even for the one wielding it, the …