The Sky Piercer Sword, wielded by the warrior Lu Bu in the legend of The Three Kingdoms, was said to be able to cut through the sky itself.
Think of all the legendary swords in story and film. The blades themselves are central characters with names and special powers – Excalibur in the King Arthur legend, Beowulf’s Hrunting, the Sword of Gryffindor in Harry Potter, Aranrúth and Sting in the Lord of the Rings series.
Yes, perhaps it is a vice. We have an infatuation with sharp, pointy things.
Swords in the Chinese Martial Arts
As students of the martial arts, we are not encouraged to play with weapons until mastering a basic foundation of self defense techniques and traditional forms. The weapon of choice becomes an extension of the warrior’s body and skill.
This is why blades are given such prominence in legend; the weapon is a symbol of various ideals such as bravery, valor, morality, mental state, and the warrior’s skill.
The Chinese broadsword, or Dao, is the essential weapon of Chinese Kung Fu in modern martial arts. The history of the Dao (a broad term for “knife”) roots from China’s Bronze Age. As metal forging evolved, the Dao developed as one of the four traditional weapons of Chinese martial arts.
Although this weapon is one of the least complex to master, it is also one of the most effective for hacking and slashing.
Characterized by its single-edged blade, a Chinese broadsword is heavier and more curved than the original straight-edge swords (jian). It developed as a military weapon for the infantry to be used effectively against armor, and the techniques of broadsword could be learned more quickly for battle than a traditional double-edged straight sword. The term “dao” is often used interchangeably with the sabre, although sabres were used by cavalry on horseback, so they are generally longer.
The niuweidao is the iconic type of dao featured in Chinese and American Kung Fu movies.
Sword Technique
You may not be able to pierce the sky right away, but you can begin your sword technique by strengthening your arms, wrists, and hands with weights and resistance training. You will want to get used to the weight of a metal sword. One exercise is to put a dot (tape, marker, picture…) on a wall, pole, etc. in front of you. Focus on this point as you hold the sword straight out in front of you, circling your arm first one way, then another, in a tiny circle at this point. You can also draw larger circles around this point with the tip of your sword. Practicing this technique will increase strength and precision.
Take a look at one of our instructors demonstrating the Chinese Broadsword form.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGzpWJZBZ5w
To learn more fun history and weapons techniques, join us in the martial arts community at sammabenevolentsociety.org.
#swords #dao #martialarts #chinesebroadsword #thursdaytechnique
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