Dao (Chinese sword)
Dao | ||
---|---|---|
Hanyu Pinyin dāo | | |
Wade–Giles | tao1 | |
IPA | [táʊ] | |
Yue: Cantonese | ||
Yale Romanization | dou1 | |
IPA | [tou˥] |
Dao (pronunciation: (double-edged sword), called in this group "The General of Weapons".
Name
In
General characteristics
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2020) |
While dao have varied greatly over the centuries, most single-handed dao of the
Other variations to the basic pattern include the large
Early history
The earliest dao date from the
By the end of the
Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties
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.[6]
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Recent history
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2020) |
The dadao was used by some Chinese
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
Nandao
The nandao or "southern broadsword" is a modern innovation used for contemporary wushu practice.
In contemporary wushu
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:
- Chán Tóu (Broadsword Twining)
- Guǒ Nǎo,(Wrapping with the Broadsword)
- Pī Dāo (Broadsword Chop)
- Zhā Dāo (Broadsword Thrust)
- Zhǎn Dāo (Broadsword Hack)
- Guà Dāo (Broadsword Hooking Parry)
- Yún Dāo (Broadsword Cloud Waving)
- Bèi Huā Dāo (Broadsword Wrist Figure 8 Behind the Back).
Only the Chán Tóu and Guǒ Nǎo 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
- Chinese swords
- Dha (sword)
- Sabre
- Jian
Citations
- ^ Tom 2001, p. 207
- ^ Graff 2002, p. 41
- ^ Lorge 2011, pp. 69–70.
- ^ Lorge 2011, p. 78.
- ^ Lorge 2011, pp. 83–84.
- ^ Lorge 2011, p. 103.
- ^ 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
- ^ 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
- Graff, David A. (2002), Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300–900, London: ISBN 0-415-23955-9
- Grancsay, Stephen (1930), "Two Chinese Swords", The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, 25 (9): 194–196, 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: 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, 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
- Sword with Scabbard - 17th century example - Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Saber (Peidao) with Scabbard – 18th or 19th-century example – Metropolitan Museum of Art