Single-edged Chinese sword primarily used for slashing and chopping
This article is about the Chinese sword. For the Indian sword, see
Dao (Naga sword)
.
Dao
|
---|
|
A Chinese
dao
and scabbard of the 18th century
|
Chinese
| 刀
|
---|
Literal meaning
| (single-edged)
sword
weapon with a single-edged blade
knife
|
---|
|
|
Dao
(
pronunciation:
[tá?]
,
English approximation:
dow
,
Chinese
: 刀;
pinyin
:
d?o
;
jyutping
:
dou1
) are single-edged
Chinese swords
, primarily used for slashing and chopping. They can be straight or curved. The most common form is also known as the Chinese
sabre
, although those with wider blades are sometimes referred to as Chinese
broadswords
. In China, the dao is considered one of the four traditional weapons, along with the
gun
(stick or staff),
qiang
(spear), and the
jian
(double-edged sword), called in this group "
The General of Weapons
".
Name
[
edit
]
In
Chinese
, the word
刀
can be applied to
any
weapon with a single-edged blade and usually refers to
knives
. Because of this, the term is sometimes translated as
knife
or
sword-knife
.
Nonetheless, within
Chinese martial arts
and in military contexts, the larger "sword" versions of the
dao
are usually intended.
[
citation needed
]
General characteristics
[
edit
]
While dao have varied greatly over the centuries, most single-handed dao of the
Ming
period and later and the modern swords based on them share several characteristics. Dao blades are moderately curved and single-edged, though often with a few inches of the back edge sharpened; the moderate curve allows them to be reasonably effective in the thrust.
Hilts
are sometimes canted, curving in the opposite direction of the blade, which improves handling in some forms of cuts and thrusts. The cord is usually wrapped over the wood of the handle. Hilts may also be pierced like those of
jian
(straight-bladed Chinese sword) for the addition of
lanyards
. However, modern swords for performances will often have tassels or scarves instead. Guards are typically disc-shaped and often cupped. This was to prevent rainwater from getting into the sheath and blood dripping down to the handle, making it more difficult to grip. Sometimes guards are thinner pieces of metal with an s-curve, the lower limb of the curve protecting the user's knuckles; very rarely, they may have guards like those of the
jian
.
Other variations to the basic pattern include the large
bagua dao
and the long handled
pudao
.
Early history
[
edit
]
The earliest dao date from the
Shang Dynasty
in China's
Bronze Age
, and are known as
zhibeidao
(直背刀) ? straight-backed knives. As the name implies, these were straight-bladed or slightly curved weapons with a single edge. Originally bronze, these weapons were made of iron or steel by the time of the late
Warring States
period as metallurgical knowledge became sufficiently advanced to control the carbon content. Originally less common as a military weapon than the
jian
? the straight, double-edged blade of China ? the dao became popular with
cavalry
during the
Han dynasty
due to its sturdiness, superiority as a chopping weapon, and relative ease of use ? it was generally said that it takes a week to attain competence with a dao/saber, a month to attain competence with a
qiang
/spear, and a year to attain competence with a
jian
/straight sword. Soon after dao began to be issued to infantry, beginning the replacement of the
jian
as a standard-issue weapon.
[1]
[2]
Late Han dynasty dao had round grips and ring-shaped pommels, and ranged between 85 and 114 centimeters in length. These weapons were used alongside rectangular shields.
By the end of the
Three Kingdoms period
, the single-edged
dao
had almost completely replaced the
jian
on the battlefield.
The
jian
subsequently became known as a weapon of self-defense for the scholarly aristocratic class, worn as part of court dress.
Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties
[
edit
]
As in the preceding dynasties,
Tang dynasty
dao
were straight along the entire length of the blade. Single-handed
peidao
("belt
dao
") were the most common sidearm in the Tang dynasty. These became known as
hengdao
("horizontal
dao
" or "cross
dao
") from the preceding
Sui dynasty
onward. Two-handed
changdao
("long
dao
") or
modao
were also used in the Tang, with some units specializing in their use.
During the
Song dynasty
, one form of infantry dao was the
shoudao
, a chopping weapon with a clip point. While some illustrations show them as straight, the 11th century Song military encyclopedia the
Wujing Zongyao
depicts them with curved blades ? possibly an influence from the
steppe
tribes of
Central Asia
, who would conquer parts of China during the Song period. Also dating from the Song are the
falchion
-like
dadao
,
[7]
the long, two-handed
zhanmadao
,
[8]
and the long-handled, similarly two-handed
buzhandao
(步戰刀).
Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties
[
edit
]
With the
Mongol
invasion of China in the early 13th century and the formation of the
Yuan dynasty
, the curved steppe saber became a greater influence on Chinese sword designs. Sabers had been used by
Turkic
,
Tungusic
, and other steppe peoples of
Central Asia
since at least the 8th century CE. It was a favored weapon among the Mongol aristocracy. Its effectiveness for mounted warfare and popularity among soldiers throughout the Mongol empire had lasting effects.
[9]
In China, Mongol influence lasted long after the collapse of the Yuan dynasty at the hands of the
Ming
, continuing through both the Ming and the
Qing
dynasties, furthering the popularity of the dao and spawning a variety of new blades. Blades with greater curvature became popular, and these new styles are collectively referred to as
peidao
(佩刀).
[note 1]
During the mid-Ming, these new sabers would completely replace the
jian
as a military-issue weapon.
[10]
The four main types of
peidao
are:
[11]
[12]
Yanmaodao
[
edit
]
The
yanmaodao
or "goose-quill saber" is largely straight like the earlier
zhibeidao
, with a curve appearing at the
center of percussion
near the blade's tip. This allows for thrusting attacks and overall handling similar to that of the
jian
while preserving much of the dao's strengths in cutting and slashing.
[13]
Liuyedao
[
edit
]
The
liuyedao
or "willow leaf saber" is the most common form of Chinese saber. It first appeared during the Ming dynasty and features a moderate curve along the length of the blade. This weapon became the standard sidearm for cavalry and infantry, replacing the
yanmaodao
, and is the sort of saber used by many schools of
Chinese martial arts
.
[14]
Piandao
[
edit
]
The
piandao
or "slashing saber" is a deeply curved dao meant for slashing and draw-cutting. This weapon bears a strong resemblance to the shamshir and scimitar. Skirmishers generally used it in conjunction with a
shield
.
[15]
Niuweidao
[
edit
]
The
niuweidao
or "oxtail saber" is a heavy-bladed weapon with a characteristic flaring tip. It is the archetypal "Chinese broadsword" of kung fu movies today. It was first recorded in the early 19th century (the latter half of the
Qing dynasty
) and only as a civilian weapon: there is no record of it being issued to troops, and it does not appear in any listing of official weaponry. Its appearance in movies and modern literature is thus often
anachronistic
.
[16]
[17]
Other types
[
edit
]
Besides these four major types of dao, the
duandao
or "short dao" was also used, this being a compact weapon generally in the shape of a
liuyedao
.
[18]
The
dadao
saw continued use, and during the Ming dynasty the large two-handed
changdao
and
zhanmadao
were used both against the cavalry of the northern steppes and the
wokou
(
pirates
) of the southeast coast; these latter weapons (sometimes under different names) would continue to see limited use during the Qing period.
[19]
Also, during the Qing, there appeared weapons such as the
nandao
, regional variants in the name or shape of some of the above dao, and more obscure variants such as the "nine ringed broadsword", these last likely invented for street demonstrations and theatrical performances rather than for use as weapons. The word
dao
is also used in the names of several polearms that feature a single-edged blade, such as the
pudao
and
guandao
.
The Chinese
spear
and dao (
liuyedao
and
yanmaodao
) were commonly issued to infantry due to the expense of and relatively greater amount of training required for the effective use of the Chinese straight sword, or
jian
. Dao can often be depicted in period artwork worn by officers and infantry.
During the Yuan dynasty and after, some aesthetic features of
Persian
,
Indian
, and
Turkish
swords would appear on dao. These could include intricate carvings on the blade and "rolling pearls": small metal balls that would roll along
fuller
-like grooves in the blade.
[20]
Recent history
[
edit
]
The
dadao
was used by some Chinese
militia
units against Japanese invaders in the
Second Sino-Japanese War
, occasioning "
The Sword March
". The
miaodao
, a descendant of the
changdao
, also saw use. These were used during planned ambushes on Japanese troops because the Chinese military and patriotic resistance groups often had a shortage of firearms.
[
citation needed
]
Most
Chinese martial arts
schools still train extensively with the dao, seeing it as a powerful conditioning tool and a versatile weapon, with self-defense techniques transferable to similarly sized objects more commonly found in the modern world, such as
canes
,
baseball
or
cricket bats
, for example. Some schools teach double sword
shuangdao
雙
刀
, forms and fencing, one dao for each hand.
[
citation needed
]
One measure of the proper length of the sword should be from the hilt in your hand, the tip of the blade at the brow, and, in some schools, the shoulder height. Alternatively, the sword's length should be from the middle of the throat along the size of the outstretched arm. There are also significantly larger versions of dao used for training in some
Baguazhang
and
Taijiquan
schools.
[
citation needed
]
Nandao
[
edit
]
The
nandao
or "southern broadsword" is a modern innovation used for
contemporary wushu
practice.
In contemporary wushu
[
edit
]
Daoshu
refers to the competitive event in modern
wushu
taolu where athletes utilize a dao in a routine. It was one of the four main weapon events implemented at the
1st World Wushu Championships
due to its popularity.
[21]
The dao itself, consists of a thin blade that makes noise when stabbing or cutting techniques are used. Over time, the edge has become more flimsy to create more noise, the sword has become lighter to allow for faster handling, and the flag of the broadsword has become smaller to become less of a distraction. The IWUF has also created three standardized routines for competition and an elementary practice. The first compulsory routine was produced and recorded by Zhao Changjun in 1989.
Daoshu routines in international competitions require certain sword techniques, including:
- Chan Tou (Broadsword Twining)
- Gu? N?o,(Wrapping with the Broadsword)
- P? D?o (Broadsword Chop)
- Zh? D?o (Broadsword Thrust)
- Zh?n D?o (Broadsword Hack)
- Gua D?o (Broadsword Hooking Parry)
- Yun D?o (Broadsword Cloud Waving)
- Bei Hu? D?o (Broadsword Wrist Figure 8 Behind the Back).
Only the Chan Tou and Gu? N?o techniques have deduction content (code 62) where the back of the blade has to be kept close to the body. Daoshu routines have been judged with the degree of difficulty criteria at the
World Wushu Championships
since 2005.
See also
[
edit
]
Citations
[
edit
]
- ^
Tom 2001
, p. 207
- ^
Graff 2002
, p. 41
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, p. 84
- ^
Hanson 2004
- ^
Tom 2001
, p. 207
- ^
Tom 2001
, pp. 207?209
- ^
Tom 2001
, p. 211
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, p. 76
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, p. 77
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, pp. 77?78
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, p. 78
- ^
Tom 2001
, p. 211
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, pp. 78?79
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, pp. 80, 84
- ^
Tom & Rodell 2005
, p. 85
- ^
Tom 2001
, pp. 209, 218
- ^
"Results"
.
IWUF
. Retrieved
2021-01-09
.
Explanatory notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Literal translation:"Worn-Sabre" or "Carried-Sabre". This is a generic term in Chinese referring to all sabres worn on belt or waist, not merely to denote Turko-Mongol sabers and other curved swords.
General and cited references
[
edit
]
- Graff, David A. (2002),
Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300?900
, London:
Routledge
,
ISBN
0-415-23955-9
- Grancsay, Stephen (1930), "Two Chinese Swords",
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin
,
25
(9): 194?196,
doi
:
10.2307/3255712
,
JSTOR
3255712
- Hanson, Chris (2004),
The Mongol Siege of Xiangyang and Fan-ch'eng and the Song military
, retrieved
August 23,
2014
- Lorge, Peter A. (2011),
Chinese Martial Arts: From Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century
, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press
,
ISBN
978-0-521-87881-4
- Tom, Philip M. W. (2001), "Some Notable Sabers of the Qing Dynasty at the Metropolitan Museum of Art",
Metropolitan Museum Journal
,
36
: 11, 207?222,
doi
:
10.2307/1513063
,
JSTOR
1513063
,
S2CID
191359442
- Tom, Philip M. W.;
Rodell, Scott M.
(February 2005), "An Introduction to Chinese Single-Edged Hilt Weapons (Dao) and Their Use in the Ming and Qing Dynasties",
Kung Fu Tai Chi
: 76?85
- Werner, E. T. C. (1989),
Chinese Weapons
, Singapore: Graham Brash,
ISBN
9971-4-9116-8
External links
[
edit
]
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