# Communities > Antique Arms & Armour Community > Chinese, South-East Asia (CSEA) >  Characteristics and usage of the Miao Dao

## F.Zara

I am intrigued by this Chinese long sword.

Only facts I know are that is is 40-44 inch long and its history.

How was it used?   
has anyone performed test cutting with it?  
How much does it weights?
How is the geometry (cross section)?
How was it carried given its unusual length?


Thanks guys!

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## Ying Xiong

i'm no expert but i'd use it with one hand and two to make use of each part of the dao. i think its a good thrusting sword because it has only a slight curvature but its quite a long dao and i'm only 1.75m. i really want this dao and i dont know if i could choose only one if i would choose between the zhanma dao, chang dao, or han jian. particularly the zhanma dao and chang dao because jian is used quite differently. i particularly favour thrusting but these two dao arent so curved and the lamination can be quite strong because it is a dao and jian usually uses sanmei lamination from what i've read. for dao i'd really take advantage of the power you can generate with the one edge.

i know scott rodell has reviewed a chang dao from longquan by a smith called zhou zhengwu. i thought it would get a higher rating but it hadnt had that many layers as it could have and i'm not sure of the lamination. i would like to know what aspect of the handling scott rodell would like to see to give it a 10/10.

i dont know how much it weighs but since i'd use two hands i wouldnt mind it being slightly heavier, if it was 1.3-1.5kg i'd be happy but speed is more important that weight because thrusting is more effective than cutting for energy required. but i really want to know what the balance for the control is like but i'd have to physically hold one to know.

if it were me, i'd carry it on the hip. practicality would suggest so but behind the back wouldnt be so good for getting it out quickly. but i would like to compare my thoughts with an expert to gage myself

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## J. Pitts

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HevtHgVJO8E

Here's an example

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## Ynze Waterlander

Hello,

here's a little documentary by Scott Rodell.

http://www.grtc.org/video/longsword.html

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## Ying Xiong

Not bad, the techniques are good. I wonder what wood the practice sabres are made of? I understand its mainly cutting but I also wonder about the thrusting efficiency of the Miao dao as well as Zhanmao dao.

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## Blake Dobe

I'v only been practicing miao dao for a couple of months and im currently doing the third form of four, there is a little thrusting but it is mainly a large slices. as for size my practice sword is 1.3 m long, or 51 inches, my practice sword is made of wood, it's purely a two hander exlcuding your form opening. As for how it was carried I have been told that it varied depending on the length, apparently each soldier was partnered so they could draw their sword from their partners back, as for use i have read it was an anti pirate sword and also an anti cavalry sword but then I have been told it was a peasant weapon as well. And weight at least for me is below 2kg, i think thats about 4lb, any other questions let me know and ill hit up my sifu, while his master is here.

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## Stephen Nicholls

> I'v only been practicing miao dao for a couple of months and im currently doing the third form of four, there is a little thrusting but it is mainly a large slices. as for size my practice sword is 1.3 m long, or 51 inches, my practice sword is made of wood, it's purely a two hander exlcuding your form opening. As for how it was carried I have been told that it varied depending on the length, apparently each soldier was partnered so they could draw their sword from their partners back, as for use i have read it was an anti pirate sword and also an anti cavalry sword but then I have been told it was a peasant weapon as well. And weight at least for me is below 2kg, i think thats about 4lb, any other questions let me know and ill hit up my sifu, while his master is here.


Hi,
I am looking for a Miao Dao training video in English, do you know of one?. I have only been able to find Chinese without subtitles.

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## F. Robert

Hi!

Here is what I found on the miao dao, a long form with the sword quite well done. 

No english translation, but the person showing the form goes slow enough to see well what he is doing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Q9mMa1Gu4

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## V. Tseng

I don't much myself, but it seems the late Sifu Mark Martello had a great interest in the Miao Dao and trained in it quite a bit. It's a bit of a impractical weapon of nowadays, but it was fearsome on the Ming battlefields I'm sure. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3e-...eature=channel

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