Questions tagged [jian]
For questions about Chinese straight-sword, "jian" 剑
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Is it normal to use vertical or horizontal simple cuts with wudang swords in fights?
I want to learn how to fight with the straight Chinese sword ( I am not speaking about the art that can be created with that sword with combination of movements, but I am speaking about fights that ...
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Are there reasons one might favor a Ming Guard over a Qing guard on a Chinese straight sword?
Essentially:
Ming era jian have a rounded guard, with the arc towards the wielder's hand:
[
The later, Qing era jian are reversed:
I'm also linking to little Raven for validation because they're ...
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Is it important to train with poorly weighted swords?
Over the years, I've had many swords I've trained on, light and heavy, good quality and poor, well balanced and poorly balanced, steel of different tempers, and wood. I never felt a decently weighted ...
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Why does the offhand extend forward in Chinese straight sword combinations?
Practice forms, which ideally take the fencer through a large set of core techniques, are typically broken up into sections. You see this forward extension of the offhand toward the opponent most ...
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What is the primary technique of Wudang sword?
Wudang sword is famed in China and has been preserved as an extant practice since swordfighting days. But when I watch web videos on the art, I sometimes get unreliable information about what it ...
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Does blade flex have any function beyond durability?
It's well understood that you need some carbon to get well tempered steel, and put flex into the blade for durability. (Brittle swords break easily.)
But is there any use of the flexibility inherent ...
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Unarmed defender disarming an opponent with a straight sword?
Akido has a well known technique of "sword-taking" (太刀取り, tachitori), where an unarmed defender disarms an attacker with a katana. This technique surely has utility against an incompetent ...
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Proper grip for Chinese straight sword (Jian 剑)
This is a basic, but critical question. I've noticed some variation among practitioners.
What is the proper grip for Chinese straight sword?
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Function of tassel in Chinese straight sword?
Back when I started learning Chinese straight sword, tassels were almost universally utilized, but my sense is that in recent years, there has been movement away from using it, partly in service of ...