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Chinese Swordsmanship
Chinese swordsmanship encompasses a variety of sword fighting styles native to China. No Chinese system teaches swordsmanship exclusively (as is the case with modern sports such as fencing or kendo), but many eclectic schools of Chinese martial arts include instruction for using one or two-handed versions of the single-edged sword (dao) and the double-edged sword (jian). Many Chinese martial arts styles teach swordsmanship. Wudang Sword is an umbrella term for all sword styles taught in the Wudang chuan family of martial arts. Taijijian is the swordsmanship taught within Taijiquan. Shuangdao () is the Chinese term for the wielding of two dao simultaneously. History Warring State Period Sword was firstly practiced by Wu and Yue nations, approximately at 50 cm length. Laozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher during the warring state period, quoted that "道可道非常道，名可名非常名。", meaning that the ways which could be told are not the true ways, names wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swordsmanship
Swordsmanship or sword fighting refers to the skills and techniques used in combat and training with any type of sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to any martial art involving the use of a sword. The formation of the English word "swordsman" is parallel to the Latin word '' gladiator'', a term for the professional fighters who fought against each other and a variety of other foes for the entertainment of spectators in the Roman Empire. The word ''gladiator'' itself comes from the Latin word ''gladius'', which is a type of sword. European swordsmanship Classical history The Roman legionaries and other forces of the Roman military, until the 2nd century A.D., used the gladius as a short thrusting sword effectively with the ''scutum'', a type of shield, in battle. According to Vegetius the Romans mainly used underhanded stabs and thrusts because one thrust into the gut would kill an en ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Swords
Historically, Chinese swords are classified into two types, the ''jian'' and the ''Dao (Chinese sword), dao''. A ''Jian'' is a straight, double-edged sword mainly used for stabbing, and has been commonly translated into the English language as a longsword; while a ''dao'' is a single-edged sword (mostly curved from the Song dynasty forward) mainly used for cutting, and has been translated as a saber or a "knife". Bronze ''jian''s appeared during the Western Zhou period, and switched to the more durable wrought iron and steel during the late Warring States period. In modern times, the ceremonial Chinese officer's sword, commissioned officer's sword of the People's Liberation Army Navy, Chinese navy has been patterned after the traditional ''jian'' since 2008. Besides specialty weapons like the butterfly sword, butterfly ''dao'', Chinese swords are usually in length. However, longer swords have been found on occasion. Outside of Ancient China, Chinese swords were also used in Ancie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
German School Of Fencing
The German school of fencing (') is a system of combat taught in the Holy Roman Empire during the Late Medieval, German Renaissance, and Early Modern periods. It is described in the contemporary Fechtbücher ("fencing books") written at the time. The geographical center of this tradition was in what is now Southern Germany including Augsburg, Frankfurt, and Nuremberg. During the period in which it was taught, it was known as the ', or the ''"Art of Fighting"''. The German school of fencing focuses primarily on the use of the two-handed longsword; it also describes the use of many other weapons, including polearms, medieval daggers, messers (with or without a buckler), and the staff, as well as describing mounted combat and unarmed grappling (''ringen''). Most authors of writings on the system are, or claim to be, in the tradition of the 14th-century master Johannes Liechtenauer. The earliest surviving treatise on Liechtenauer's system is a manuscript dated to 1389, known a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French School Of Fencing
The known history of fencing in France begins in the 16th century, with the adoption of Italian styles of fencing. There are medieval predecessors, such as the Burgundian '' Le jeu de la hache'' ("The Play of the Axe") of ca. 1400, but the history of the classical French school begins with the foundation of the ''Académie des Maistres en faits d’armes de l’Académie du Roy'' (also known as the ''École française d’Escrime'') by Charles IX of France in December 1567. One master produced by this school was Henry de Saint-Didier, author of a 1573 treatise titled ''Traicté contenant les secrets du premier livre'' (Treatise containing the secrets of the first book on the single sword), dedicated to Charles IX. Rapier treatises are known from the early seventeenth century, such as François Dancie's ''Discours des armes et methode pour bien tirer de l'espée et poignard'' (c.1610) and ''L'espée de combat'' (1623) and André Desbordes' ''Discours de la théorie et de l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Korean Swordsmanship
Since the 1970s, there has been a revival of traditional or reconstructed methods of swordsmanship (劍術 ''geom sul'', or 劍法 ''geom beop'') based on the Korean sword in the Republic of Korea (Korean '' Bon Kuk Geom Beop'' 본국검법 "National Sword Methods"), supplementing the practice of Kumdo (the Korean adoption of modern Japanese Kendo). There are historical sources on which such reconstructions are based, dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, notably the ''Muyejebo'' (“Martial Arts Illustrations”) of 1610, its 1759 revision '' Muyeshinbo'', supplemented with 12 additional fighting methods by Prince Sado who originated the term '' Sip Pal Ki'' (“Eighteen Fighting Methods”), and the renewed revision of 1790, ''Muyedobotongji''. Korean sword practice entails the study and use of one or more of five sword architectures: the single-handed sabre (''To''); the single-handed sword (''Geom''); the two-handed saber (''Ssangsoodo''); the Spear Sword polearm (''Hyu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Swordsmanship
is an umbrella term for all ('' ko-budō'') schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration. Some modern styles of kendo and iaido that were established in the 20th century also included modern forms of kenjutsu in their curriculum. Kenjutsu, which originated with the samurai class of feudal Japan, means "methods, techniques, and the art of the Japanese sword". This is opposed to kendo, which means "the way of the sword" and uses a bamboo sword (shinai) and protective armour (bōgu). The exact activities and conventions undertaken when practicing ''kenjutsu'' vary from school to school, where the word school here refers to the practice, methods, ethics, and metaphysics of a given tradition, yet commonly include practice of battlefield techniques without an opponent and techniques whereby two practitioners perform ''kata'' (featuring full contact strikes to the body in some styles and no body contact strikes permitted in others). Althou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eighteen Arms Of Wushu
The Eighteen Arms is a list of the eighteen main weapons of Chinese martial arts. The origin of the list is unclear and there have been disputes as to what the eighteen weapons actually are. However, all lists contain at least one or more of the following weapons: Wuzazu version The ' , written by the Ming-dynasty Fujianese scholar (1567–1624), lists the following: #Axe #Bow and arrow #Crossbow #Dao (Chinese sword) # Greataxe #Hand-to-hand combat #Hoko yari #Ji (halberd) #Jian #Jian (sword breaker) #Whip # Mace # Pick #Qiang (spear) #Rake (tool) #Rope dart #Shield #Trident ''Water Margin'' version The Ming novel ''Water Margin'' lists the following: # Ancient style spear #Axe #Bow and arrow #Chain # Chúi #Club (weapon) #Crossbow #Dagger axe #halberd #Firearm # Greataxe #Jian (sword breaker) # Mace or whip # Pick #Shield #Spear #Sword #Trident Shaolin version #Axe #Broadsword #Cane #Dart #Flute #Fork # Hand Dart #Kwan Dao #Monk's spade #Pen #'' Pu Dao'' #Sickles #Spear # S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nandao
Nandao is a kind of sword that is used mostly in contemporary Chinese wushu exercises and forms. It is the southern variation of the "northern broadsword", or Beidao. Its blade bears some resemblance to the butterfly sword The butterfly sword is a short dao, or single-edged sword, originally from southern China, though it has also seen use in the north. It is thought that butterfly swords date from the early 19th century. Several English language accounts from t ..., also a southern Chinese single-bladed weapon; the main difference is the size, and the fact that the butterfly swords have D-shaped knuckle guards. The main difference with the beidao is that the nandao is mostly used two-handed due to its larger amount of weight, and it has a large metal crossguard useful in deflecting blows and hooking the opponent's weapon; also, although it is single-edged, the nandao is not curved like the northern broadsword. The differentiation between beidao and nandao appear to be ra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Butterfly Sword
The butterfly sword is a short dao, or single-edged sword, originally from southern China, though it has also seen use in the north. It is thought that butterfly swords date from the early 19th century. Several English language accounts from the 1840s describe local militia in Guangdong being trained in the "double swords", short swords with a hook extending from the guard, and fitting into a single scabbard. The blade of a butterfly sword is roughly as long as a human forearm, which allows easy concealment inside loose sleeves or boots, and allows greater maneuverability when spinning and rotating during close-quarters fighting. Butterfly swords are usually wielded in pairs. A pair of swords will often be carried side by side within the same scabbard, so as to give the appearance of a single weapon. The butterfly sword has a small crossguard to protect the hands of the wielder, similar to that of a ''sai'', which can also be used to block or hook an opponent's weapon. In some ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taijiquan
Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. Tai chi has practitioners worldwide from Asia to the Americas. Early practitioners such as Yang Chengfu and Sun Lutang promoted the art for its health benefits beginning in the early 20th century. Its global following may be attributed to overall benefit to personal health. Many forms are practiced, both traditional and modern. Most modern styles trace their development to the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun. All trace their historical origins to Chen Village. Concepts ''Yin'' and ''Yang'' The concept of the ''taiji'' ("Supreme Ultimate"), in contrast with '' wuji'' ("without ultimate"), appears in both Taoist and Confucian philosophy, where it represents the fusion or mother of yin and yang into a single ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, singlestick, appeared in the 1904 Olympics but was dropped after that and is not a part of modern fencing. Fencing was one of the first sports to be played in the Olympics. Based on the traditional skills of swordsmanship, the modern sport arose at the end of the 19th century, with the Italian school having modified the historical European martial art of classical fencing, and the French school later refining the Italian system. There are three forms of modern fencing, each of which uses a different kind of weapon and has different rules; thus the sport itself is divided into three competitive scenes: foil, épée, and sabre. Most competitive fencers choose to specialize in one weapon only. Competitive fencing is one of the five activitie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taijijian
Taijijian () is a straight two-edged sword used in the training of the Chinese martial art Taijiquan. The straight sword, sometimes with a tassel and sometimes not, is used for upper body conditioning and martial training in traditional Taijiquan schools. The different family schools have various warmups, forms and fencing drills for training with the jian. Historical use of jian in Taijiquan The Yang and Wu families were involved in Qing dynasty military officer training, and taught jian technique to their students. Traditional Taijijian forms are rooted in martial application, and are thus originally designed to make use of the weapons available at the time of their development. As there was no historical jian type created specifically for taijiquan, the forms were designed around the use of a functional jian of the day, being of appropriate weight, balance, sharpness and resilience to be effective in armed combat. Modern Wushu A lighter version of the traditional sword an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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