Chinese Martial Arts Swords

The deadliest of Chinese weapons........
The Chinese dao will chop you into pieces. The term “dao” commonly refers to the Chinese sabre or broadsword, but means literally "knife". There have been many incarnations of this Chinese martial arts sword throughout the long span of Chinese history. Dao actually refers to a list of sabers that share some general similarities. They are often curved, broad, single-edged large knives that will kill you, and make a mess doing it.

Types of Dao
(pictures below)

1. Liuyedao (Willow leaf Sword/Knife/Saber)
2. Yanmaodao (Goose Quill Sword/Knife/Saber)
3. Dadao (Big Sword/Knife/Saber)
4. Niuweidao (Oxtail Sword/Knife/Saber)
5. Changdao (Long Sword/Knife/Saber)
6. Zhanmadao (Horse Chopping Sword/Knife/Saber)
7. Miaodao (Corn Leaf Sword/Knife/Saber)
8. Nandao (Southern Sword/Knife/Saber)
9. Piandao (slicing Sword/Knife/Saber)
10. Kwandao (after General Kwan)

#1. The Liuyedao (Willow Leaf Sabers/Knives)

Liuyedaos were primarily used during the Ming and Qing Dynasties 1368-1911. We now classify them based on some commonalities. They all have a slight curve throughout the length of their blades. There are, however, a range of curvatures inherent within the population of what we consider Willow leaf sabers. They weren't, of course, all developed with a strict standards guideline to adhere to. This can cause a bit of confusion when differentiating a Willow leaf Saber from a Goose quill saber (discussed below).

The general moderate curve of the Liuyedao blade enables the martial artist to cut or slice efficiently, but it is also a fairly precise thrusting instrument. A greater curve of the blade, such as that of the Piandao, would detract a great deal from the swords ability to thrust precisely.

some characteristics:The hilt of the liuyedao can be straight or curved. Most have a backedge, but some do not.

The Liuyedao, was heavily used by military as well as civilian peoples. It was the most popular martial arts sword of its time, and became a standard for calvalry, infantry, as well as civilian martial arts practitioners.

#2. The Yanmaodao (Goosequill Saber)

The yanmaodao was a Chinese martial arts sword used during the Ming and middle Qing Dynasties (1368-1800).The blade is straight until the curve begins around the center of percussion along the last 1/4 or so of the blade approaching the tip. The center of percussion is the point on the blade with the least vibration on hard contact, the spot on the blade that transmits the most power to the target in a hard chop. This type of sword seems to have lost its popularity with military and martial arts practitioners alike by the end of the 18th century.

Yanmaodao almost invariably have straight grips, although downward-curved handles are depicted in Ming artwork. During the last century of Qing rule, curved grips became far more prevalent than straight.

Some characteristics:

A. The back or spine of the blade sweeps up slightly to form the point.

B. Back edge: There is USUALLY though not always a subsidiary edge, on the spine running about 1/4 way back from the tip. This backedge (sometimes called "false" edge) varies from blunt to fairly sharp, though in no way as keen as the cutting edge itself.

C. Surface features: Yanmaodao blades can have a plain wedge-section without channels or grooves. They can also be cut with one or more grooves, which serve to lighten the blade while maintaining a certain level of rigidity.

This martial arts sword exhibits the beginning of actual curve in the blade. Earliest surviving specimens date from the Ming Dynasty. Later examples are rare.

!!!!?!??What's The Difference!!!!?!??
How The *&$% Do I Tell Which Witch is Which!??!

It may be difficult to differentiate the two blade types. Occasionally, a sword looks "goosey" but the curve in the edge may start a bit further back than the 1/4-of-length rule of thumb dictates. Sometimes, a yanmaodao that has seen extensive sharpening from the center of percussion towards the tip will give this appearance, because more metal has been removed in the area.On other occasions, it may well be an exception. After all, many martial arts swords were made to order, and the odd in-between shapes do appear once in awhile.

#3. The Dadao (Big Knife)

The dadao is also known as the Chinese great sword. It is a two handed weapon (often called a hand-and-a-half sword) that is really intimidating. Dadao have blades that range between 2-3 feet becoming more broad toward the tip. Some were made for military use, but they were most commonly associated with civilian militias or revolutionaries. The forward weight and balance of the dadao give it considerable slashing and chopping power, and make it an effective close combat weapon.

This great martial arts sword was used during the 1930's in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The dadao was reportedly so effective that it could cut off the heads of Japanese soldiers with a single swipe.

Note:
The dadao also saw continued use during the Ming dynasty.

#4. The Niuweidao (The Oxtail Saber)

The niuweidao is a heavy bladed weapon with a characteristic flaring tip that originated in the late Qing dynasty in the early 1800s . This is the weapon that is generally referred to as the "Chinese Broadsword". Interestingly enough, it was never used in any military, but was solely used by civilians. Its appearance in movies as a weapon of military forces is inaccurate. It is also commonly mislabeled as the Willow Leaf Saber. This is the weapon most people think of when they think of Chinese martial arts swords.

This blade was very popular. In fact, the earlier willow leaf and goose quill dao were almost completely replaced by the oxtail saber. Martial artists love this sword for the destructive power, and the general ease of wielding it. It is the most dangerous weapon in Chinese martial arts.

This is a clip from an instructional Chinese martial arts swords video with Sifu Gerald Hunsucker of the Bak Shaolin Eagle Claw Institute in Portland Oregon.

#5. The Changdao (Long Knife)

The Changdao was a type of anti cavalry sword used in China during the Ming dynasty. The blade greatly resembles a Japanese Odachi, which was a field sword designed to take down horses. This weapon was adopted by General Qi Jiguang, who studied and modified it for his troops to use circa 1560.

At the time of General Qi, the Changdao had a specified length of 1.95 meters, which rivaled the Japanese odachi in length. Its handle was long, apparently slightly more than one third of its total length, and its curve more shallow than that of Japanese swords. Commanding up to 100,000 troops on the Mongol border, General Qi found this so effective that up to forty percent of his commandos had it as a weapon, and it stayed in service throughout the late Ming dynasty

The changdao replaced the zhanmadao as a "horse slaying" martial arts sword.

#6. The Zhanmadao (Horse Chopping Saber)

The zhanmadao is a two handed weapon originally designed for anti-cavalry use. It dates back to about the Song dynasty (1027). Its handle was aprox. 37 centimeters long, and had a blade about 114 cm long. The blade was straight with a slight curve in the last half.There are few surviving examples.

The zhanmadao was said to be able to kill the horse and the rider in one swing.

#7. The Miaodao (Corn Leaf Saber)

The miaodao is a two-handed dao of the Republican era, with a narrow blade of up to 1.2 meters or more, and a long hilt. The name means "sprout saber", presumably referring to a likeness between the sword and a newly sprouted plant. While the miaodao is a recent weapon, the name has come to be applied to a variety of earlier Chinese long sabers, such as the zhanmadao and changdao. Along with the dadao, The sword was mostly used in military campaign, and is not seen too much in martial arts forms. Miao dao were used by some Chinese troops during the second Sino-Japanese War.

Note:
The large two-handed changdao and zhanmadao were used both against the cavalry of the northern steppes, and against the pirates of the southeast coast. The Zhanmadao would see limited use during the Qing period. The Qing period saw the development of weapons such as the nandao, and the nine ringed broadsword.

#8. The Nandao (Southern Broadsword)

The nandao, of Southern China, resembles a single butterfly knive or sword, but, unlike the butterfly knives, the nandao is larger and usually used as a solo weapon. It has a large metal crossguard useful in deflecting blows and hooking the opponent's weapon. Although the Nandao is single-edged, it has no curve. The sword was specifically designed to optimize power given the southern style movements.

The nandao may date back to the later years of the qing dynasty (1644-1911)

#9. The Piandao (Slashing Saber)

The piandao is a more dramatically curved sword. this weapon bears a strong resemblance to the shamshir and scimitar. A fairly uncommon weapon in the world of civilian martial arts practitioners or military, it was generally used by skirmishers in conjunction with a shield.

This martial arts sword was never as widely used as either the willow leaf or goose quill pattern, it is rare to find examples of the piandao today.

#10. The Guandao or Kwandao (Named After The Famous General)

The Guandao or Kwandao is more of a type of Chinese pole weapon than a type of Chinese martial arts sword. It is still used in some forms of Chinese Martial Arts. It is properly called a yan yue dao ("reclining moon blade"). The guan dao was invented by the famous general Guan Yu during the early 3rd century, and bares his name. A very versatile weapon, it could be used from horseback, and also by infantry. Guan Yu's original, the “Green Dragon Crescent Blade”, weighed between 45 and 90 kg; It was a very big weapon for a very big man. The modern guan dao, used by martial arts enthusiasts, usually weighs between 2 and 10 kg, and is a more plain and less ornate Chinese weapon resembling the pudao (long-handled sabre or horsecutter sabre) and consists of a heavy blade mounted atop a 5-6 foot long wooden or metal pole with a pointed metal counter weight on the opposite end. The blade resembles a Chinese Sabre. The weapon is comparable to the Japanese Naginata or Bisento. Often the edge will taper to a point on the top for thrusting. The reverse has a spike used for hooking and dismounting victims.

Historical guan dao, for the most part, were largely used by Chinese military officers. Being significantly large in size and mass, made it inconvenient for civilian martial arts use.

Due to the exclusive and expensive nature of the guan dao, it became a symbol of military rank, and is often well decorated.

More On Martial Arts Swords

The Gentlemen AKA The Chinese Jian

purchase chinese martial arts swords for cheap

The jian (commonly referred to as a tai chi sword, which isn't really very accurate) is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. Versions vary from one handed to two handed weapons. The Jian is an elegant martial arts weapon, quite beautiful in the hands of a skilled technicians. This sword is one of my favorite Chinese weapons.

In folklore, this martial arts sword is known as "The Gentleman of Weapons" and is considered one of the four major weapons,

A guard or hilt protects the hand from an opposing blade. The shape of the guard can be described as short wings pointing either forward or backward depending on the era and region of manufacture. A minority of jian featured the disc-shaped guards associated with dao. A handle behind the guard can accommodate the grip of both hands or one hand plus two or three fingers of the other hand. Grips are usually of fluted wood or covered in rayskin, with a minority being wrapped with cord.

The end of the handle was finished with a pommel for balance, to prevent the handle from sliding through the hand if the hand's grip should be loosened, and for striking or trapping the opponent as opportunity required — such as in "withdrawing" techniques. The pommel was historically peened onto the tang of the blade; thereby holding together as one solid unit the blade, guard, handle, and pommel. Most jian of the last century or so are assembled with a threaded tang onto which the pommel or pommel-nut is screwed.

It is quite common to see a jian used in a tai chi class, or other chinese martial art. The jian are often mislabled tai chi swords as a result. Actually, the jian is used in many chinese martial arts systems, and would better be labled a chinese martial arts sword.

The martial arts sword smiths of China are often credited with the forging technologies that traveled to Korea and Japan to allow sword smiths there to create such weapons as the katana. These technologies include folding, inserted alloys, and differential hardening of the edge.

Phony jian (artificially aged and misrepresented as original antiques) are commonly sold to tourists and collectors who cannot distinguish them from true antiques. Before you purchase a martial arts sword, do your research. You don't want to drop a wad on a crappy reproduction.