Chinese Dao Sword

Dao are single-edged Chinese swords used primarily for cutting and chopping. The most common form is also known as a Chinese sword, although those with a wider blade are sometimes called a Chinese sword.

In China, Dao is considered one of the four traditional weapons, along with the Gun (staff or stick), Qiang (spear) and Jian (double-edged sword), this called the "General of Weapon". The word Dao can be used for any single-edged weapon and usually refers to knives, so the term is sometimes translated as knifes or big knife (swords). However, in Chinese martial arts and military contexts larger "sword" versions of the Dao are usually provided.

Although Dao’s have varied greatly over the centuries, most Ming and later one-handed Dao’s and modern swords based on them share several common characteristics. Dao blades are moderately curved and single-edged, though often sharpened a few inches from the trailing edge; the moderate curve allows them to be reasonably efficient in terms of thrust. Handles are sometimes angled, curving in the opposite direction of the blade, which improves control for certain cuts and jobs.

The string is usually wrapped over the wood of the handle. The hilts can also be pierced like a Jian (straight bladed Chinese sword) to add a string, although modern show swords often have tassels or scarves. Shields are usually disc-shaped and often cup-shaped. This was to prevent rainwater from entering the scabbard and to prevent blood from dripping down the handle, making it difficult to grip. Sometimes the guards are thinner pieces of metal with an s-curve, the lower part of the curve protects the wearer's knuckles, very rarely they can be like Jian’s. Other variations on the basic pattern include Ba Gua Dao and Pu Dao.

 

1. Zhi Bei Dao (Bronze Dao)

The earliest Dao’s date back to Bronze Age China during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) and are known as Zhi Bei Dao (straight back knives). As the name indicates, these were straight or slightly curved single-edged weapons. These weapons were originally made of bronze from iron or steel in the late Warring States period, when metallurgical knowledge had advanced enough to control the carbon content.

Bronze Zhi Bei Dao

Originally a less common military weapon than Jian (straight sword), the Chinese double blade, Dao became popular with cavalry during the Han Dynasty due to its durability, excellent cutting edge, and relative ease of use. It was generally said that it takes a week to master a Dao sword, a month to master a Qiang (spear), and a year to master a Jian (straight sword).

Shortly thereafter, Dao’s began to be issued to the infantry and the replacement of the Jian as standard equipment began. The Dao of the late Han dynasty had round handles and ring handles and ranged in length from 85 to 114 centimeters. These weapons were used with rectangular shields. 

By the end of the Three Kingdoms period, the single-edge Dao had almost completely replaced Jian on the battlefield. Henceforth, the Jian became known as a self-defense weapon of the educated aristocratic class, worn as part of court dress.

 

2. Han Dynasty Dao Sword

"Han" was a royal surname, as well as the name given to that particular era of Chinese history. The Han dynasty began in 206 BC. - 220 AD During this time, there were many changes in blacksmithing techniques, as well as in various metals such as bronze, iron and carbon steel.

Han Dynasty Dao Sword; artifact (top), replica (bottom)

Early Chinese blacksmiths were pioneers, making some of the best steel hands in the world in their day. This kind of sword was made in the early stages, about two thousand years of steel sword forging history. The Dao of the late Han dynasty had round handles and ring handles and ranged in length from 85 to 114 centimeters. These weapons were used with rectangular shields

 

3. Zhanmadao

The Zhanmadao was a single-edged Chinese cavalry sword. It originated during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) and was particularly common in Song China (960-1279).

Zhanmaodao

Zhanmadao is a sword with one long broad blade and a long handle, suitable for two-handed use. It was used as an anti-cavalry weapon by Emperor Cheng of Han and was made to cut through the legs of a horse. It is mentioned in the 1072 military manual "Wu Jing Zong Yao". It featured prominently in the campaigns against the Jin army from 1129 to 1141.

Zhanmadao blade was originally straight, but after contact with Mongol army (Yuan Dynasty) the blade became more curved. Surviving examples include a sword that may be similar in construction to the Nagamaki (from Japan); it had a 37cm long wrapped handle, making it easy to pick up with two hands. The blade was 114 centimeters long and very straight, but slightly curved in the last half. The Zhanmadao may also have been the inspiration for the Japanese zanbatō; both are written with the same characters and are said to have been used to kill horse and rider at the same time.

Japanese Zanbato

Possible variants of these swords were; the Changdao; the Wodao; and the Miaodao.

a. Changdao

The Changdao was a single bladed Chinese long sword. The term Changdao translates as "long sword", "sword save" or "long-handled sword". During the Ming Dynasty, Changdao was often used as a general term for two-handed swords. Tang Dynasty sources describe the Changdao as being identical to the Modao, but unlike the Changdao, the modao may have been a double-edged weapon.

Changdao

Cangdao (left) and Modao (right)

The Changdao appears to have first appeared during the Tang dynasty as the weapon of choice for the vanguard infantry units of the Tang army. It was described as having a total length of seven feet, consisting of a three-foot-long, single-edged blade and a four-foot-long staff handle. Because of its considerable length and size, it became one of the hallmarks of Tang's elite infantry, often used at the head of an army against enemy formations.

b. Wodao

Wodao is a Chinese sword from the Ming Dynasty. It is usually long and slender, but heavy, with a curved back and a sharp blade. It is a variant of Zhanmadao with a shape resembling of Japanese Tachi or Odachi. Extant examples have a handle approximately 25.5 cm long and a slightly curved blade 80 cm long.

Wodao (Two from Bottom) resembling of Japanese Tachi (top)

In Chinese, “wo” refer to Japan and “wodao” meaning Japanese Sword. The term "wodao" sometimes refers to Japanese swords, but it mostly refers to similar swords developed in China, referring to Japanese swords. The Chinese wodao was developed from a Japanese sword used by wokou pirates, a mixed group of Japanese and Chinese who repeatedly raided the Chinese coast. Ming Dynasty general Qi Jiguang (1528-1588) studied wokou tactics and Japanese swords to repel wokou pirates. General Qi also wrote a military book called Jixiao Xinshu, which detailed the use of wodao among other things. He also included the wodao branch in his army along with other weapons. Another Ming general, Li Chengxun, in his 1588 revised edition of the Jixiao Xinshu, quoted General Qi as saying that the long sword (probably referring to the ōdachi and tachi) was introduced to China during the wokou invasion of the Ming dynasty.

Wodao (bottom) resembling of Japanese Odachi (top)

The Chinese martial art of wodao is believed to be a combination of medieval Japanese sword fighting styles and traditional Chinese two-handed weapon techniques. The term wodao was used in China until the Qing dynasty, as reflected in several Chinese novels of the time.

c. Miaodao

The Miaodao is a Chinese two-handed dao or Republican-era saber with a narrow blade, a long handle, and an overall length of 1.2 meters (47 inches) or more. The name means "Against sable", probably referring to the resemblance between the weapon and the newly sprouted plant. An early reference in Jin Yiming's Single Defense-Saber links the miaodao with the Qing-era wodao and mentions both one-handed and two-handed versions of "Miaodao", suggesting that the name originally only described the form, without its meaning. size Although the miaodao is a new weapon, the name was used for several earlier Chinese long swords such as the Zhanmadao and Changdao. Along with the Dadao, some Chinese soldiers used the miaodao during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Miaodao

Although miaodao is rarely practiced in modern Chinese martial arts, some Piguaquan and Tongbeiquan (in the Guo Changsheng lineage) and xingyiquan schools practice the weapon. It is also often mistakenly claimed that the miaodao was one of the weapons taught at the Nanjing Central Military Academy. the weapon in question was actually a European-style officer's sword, although some later schools may have used Miaodao techniques in that form.

Miaodao, "miao" should not be confused with the Miao ethnic group, which is not related to this weapon.

 

4. Tang Heng Dao

Tang Heng Dao is a single handed straight Dao featuring a scabbard with two-point suspension system influenced by the Sasanian swords.  The two-point suspension system allows the Dao to be used in a more or less horizontal position (Heng).

Tang Heng Dao; artifact (top), replica (bottom)

Tang Heng Dao was used in battle both on foot and on horseback. Tang Heng Dao was compact, lightweight, and was the standard regulation side arm for conscripts, elite troops, commanding officers and imperial guards. 

Tang Heng Dao was expensive to make and each piece worth about one month's salary of a junior level government official.  As an expensive military resource, Tang Heng Dao was forbidden to be used as funeral goods.  Therefore, very few exhibited specimens have been found today. Fortunately, Tang Heng Dao was pursued by the Japanese delegates and sent back to Japan as treasures for the royal court and those few rare Tang Heng Dao samples are preserved in Nara today.

 

5. Yanmaodao

Yanmaodao or “feather goose sword” is a type of Dao used as a common military weapon during the Ming Dynasty and Middle Qing Dynasty (1368-1800). Blade design originally from Zhi Bei Dao, but after seeing curved Mongolian swords (during Yuan Dynasty era), the blade becomes curved near the tip (about the last 1/4 of the blade to the point).

Yanmaodao

The center of impact is the point of the blade that experiences the least amount of vibration on hard contact, the point of the blade that transmits the greatest force to the target during a hard impact. It allows striking attacks and general manipulation similar to Jian Swords, but retains much of Dao strengths in slashing and slashing. This type of sword seems to have fallen out of favor in both martial arts and martial arts by the end of the 18th century. Yanmaodao almost always have straight handles, although Ming works have downward-curving handles. In the last century of the Qing dynasty, curved handles became much more common than straight ones.

 

6. Liuyedao

Liuyedao, or willow leaf sword, is a type of Dao used as a military sidearm for both cavalry and infantry during Ming and Qing dynasties.

Liuyedao

A descendant of the earlier Mongol Saber, the liuyedao remained the most popular type of one-handed sword during the Ming dynasty, replacing the military role of Jian Sword. Many Chinese martial arts schools originally trained with this weapon.  This weapon has a moderate curve along the length of the blade. This reduces thrust (although quite effective) and increases the power of cuts and slashes. The handles are usually straight, but from the 18th century they can also be curved downwards. It weighs two to three pounds and is 36 to 39 inches long. Many examples often have a decorated collar at the throat of the blade called a tunkou, stylistic remnants of earlier Mongolian designs.

 

7. Piandao and Dadao

Piandao is a big sword for slashing and cutting. Including a one-handed sword with a large, wide blade. Unusual weapon, usually used by rioters/destroyers (skirmishers) that can destroy shields. The shape of the blade was originally straight but curved after the influence of the Mongolian (Yuan Dynasty) swords.

Piandao

Two-handed Piandao called Dadao. Dadao is also known as ‘The Great Chinese Sword’. Like Piandao, Dadao blade is wide and between two and three feet long. Dadao has a long hilt that is meant for two-handed use although it can still use by one-handed. Dadao generally has a weight-forward balance.

Dadao

Some Dadao were produced for military use, but mostly they were associated with civilian forces or revolutionaries. Although not a particularly sophisticated sword, the weight and balance of the Dadao gave it considerable cutting and chopping power, making it an effective melee weapon for untrained soldiers, but it continued to be used in that role into the 1930s during the Second Sino-Japanese War. During Operation Nekka, the Chinese claim that whenever they got a chance to engage in close combat, Dadao was so deadly that he could easily decapitate Japanese soldiers. The Dadao March, a military marching song, was composed as a rallying cry for Chinese soldiers during the Second Sino-Japanese War to praise the use of Dadao in the fight against invaders.

Piandao and Dadao blade sahapes

 

 

8. Niuweidao

Niuweidao or "oxtail saber" is a heavy bladed weapon with a distinctive sliding point. This sword is also often called Beidao. This sword is used in northern kung fu martial arts and today, it is the archetypal "Chinese Sword" of kung fu movies.

Niuweidao

It was first recorded in the early 1800s (second half of the Qing dynasty) and as a civilian weapon only, there is no record of it being issued to the soldiers, and it is not listed in any official weapon list. Its occurrence in films and contemporary literature is therefore often anachronistic. The larger version is Ba Gua Dao used in the Baguazhang martial art.

 

9. Nandao

Nandao is a type of sword that is mostly used in modern Chinese wushu exercises and forms. This is the Northern Broadsword or the southern variant of Beidao.

Nandao

Its blade is somewhat similar to a butterfly sword, which is also a single-edged weapon of southern China; The main difference is the size and that Butterfly Swords have D-shaped knuckles. The main difference from the beidao is that the Nandao is mostly used with two hands due to its heavier weight, and has a large metal cross guard useful for stopping blows and hooking an opponent's weapon; although the Nandao is single-edged, it is not curved like the northern broadsword.

 

10. Jiu Huan Dao (The Nine Ring Great Broadsword)

This version of The Nine Ring Great Sword becomes the symbolic weapon of Cantonese Ng Ga Kuen (Five Family Fist) traditional martial arts. The loose rings on the back of the Jiu Huan Dao blade store the blade's energy as it swings and release it back when it reaches the target, increasing the force of the strike.

Jiu Huan Dao

The same physical principle has recently been used in advanced kinetic energy tennis rackets, the hollow body of which is filled with loosely packed metal beads. The Chinese experimented a lot with such weapons; many traditional spearheads are large and hollow; many performers partially fill them with metal beads. Rings can also be seen on the handles of other civilian weapons in southern China. Jiu Huan Dao rings also prevent the attacker's blade from sliding past the defender's blade before striking (Chinese Fencing Tactics). It is always said that tire noise can throw an opponent off balance. Nine is an auspicious number in Chinese culture, suggesting long-term prosperity and harmony. It is also a symbol of the emperor, whose robes were often embroidered with nine dragons. In addition, The Lucky Dragon of Chinese mythology grows up carrying nine dragon packs.

 

11. Butterfly sword

The butterfly sword is a short dao or single-edged sword that originated in southern China, although it was also used in the north. Butterfly swords probably date back to the early 19th century. Several English reports from the 1840s describe the local militia in Guangdong as being trained to use "double sabers", or short swords with a hook that protrudes from the guard and fits into a box.

Butterfly Sword

The blade of the butterfly sword is roughly the length of a human forearm, which allows for easy concealment inside open sleeves or boots, and allows for better maneuverability when twisting and turning in close combat. Butterfly swords are usually used in pairs. A pair of swords are often carried side by side in the same scabbard to make them appear as a single weapon.

The butterfly sword has a small cross guard to protect the user's hands, similar to a bread, which can also be used to block or hook an opponent's weapon. In some versions, the cross guard is extended to create a second handle. In this position, the swords can be swung similar to a pair of Tonfa. They can also be used as brass handles if non-lethal use of the weapon is desired. 

Traditionally, the blade of a butterfly sword is only sharpened from half of its edge, from the middle of the blade to the tip; it can be seen in all the old Qing dynasty samples. The blade is blunted down the middle so it can be used for non-lethal strikes and blocking without damaging the sharpened edge. Butterflies were usually commissioned for individual martial arts, not mass-produced, so each set of swords is different, but the average blade today is about 11 1⁄2 inches long with a 6-inch hilt.