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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2009 21:06:55 GMT
This just a what the heck type poll. Personally, I prefer the dao as it just feels the most natural to me, but that's just me.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2009 21:16:37 GMT
I confess that the various types of dao do have their attractions, but I remain a fan of the jian in all its variations.
That would explain why I own one.... ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2009 0:49:49 GMT
My favorite is Da Dao but I only have seven of them ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2009 2:49:48 GMT
Although jians are typically prettier, the feel of a dao is second to none.
Also, the fact that I've been taught times more dao forms than jian, probably makes me a bit biased.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2009 3:10:06 GMT
While I love the dao, and would like to learn a simple dao form one of these days, I'm a jian man all the way. Even my latest teacher said I was more suited to that weapon just from the way I move. Plus, I'm just more comfortable with it's cut and thrust style of usage. It figures I'd be drawn to the weapon that's harder to use.
So yeah, I vote for the jian. Besides, they are simply beautiful weapons. But dao are great weapons too, and they are beautiful in their own right.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2009 3:33:19 GMT
As I learned them:
Jian, Dao, Miaodao
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 11:55:12 GMT
I do believe my love for the dao stems from having previous experience using a machete as a weapon. Since I was already accustomed to using a chopper that's why the Dao felt more natural to me. However, I like the Jian forms better as they have a bit more relaxed flow than the sabre form I know.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 16:15:57 GMT
The jian, typically a long handled jian with a shorter blade, not quite a Shuangshou more like a bastard jian. The dao is a nice blade and extremely powerful but I prefer grace over power and the jian is the ultimate graceful weapon. I knew a guy who could fight with a jian in one hand and a dao in the other. Now many people who probably yeah, and? Lots of people can fight with two weapons. The thing about fighting with a jian and a dao at the same time is that it is counter intuitive, it takes a great deal of co-ordination, improvisation and pure bloody mindedness because the techniques are worlds apart for the two weapons.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 19:39:23 GMT
The thing about fighting with a jian and a dao at the same time is that it is counter intuitive, it takes a great deal of co-ordination, improvisation and pure bloody mindedness because the techniques are worlds apart for the two weapons. I will agree with the statement about the techniques for the two being worlds apart. I would love to see a vid of someone using the two paired with each other. Though which would be the dominant hand weapon? The Jian needs the extra coordination of the dominant hand but the Dao would require the dominant hand force more than the Jian. Than again, I was thinking of trying to begin using the 9 section whip as an off-hand weapon to my Dao, but I'm afraid of all the training bruises, LOL. |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 22:50:38 GMT
The thing about fighting with a jian and a dao at the same time is that it is counter intuitive, it takes a great deal of co-ordination, improvisation and pure bloody mindedness because the techniques are worlds apart for the two weapons. I will agree with the statement about the techniques for the two being worlds apart. I would love to see a vid of someone using the two paired with each other. Though which would be the dominant hand weapon? The Jian needs the extra coordination of the dominant hand but the Dao would require the dominant hand force more than the Jian. Than again, I was thinking of trying to begin using the 9 section whip as an off-hand weapon to my Dao, but I'm afraid of all the training bruises, LOL. While it's rare to see forms using both a jian and a dao, they do exist. here's an example: plumpub.com/sales/dvd/dvdcoll_CLF.htmJust scroll down and you'll see one called Yin Yang Saber & Sword. I haven't seen it in action, but apparently it utilizes both weapons correctly. I might pick it the dvd up just to see what it looks like, since I can't seem to find this form or any like it begin performed on Youtube. |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 23:54:13 GMT
Good luck finding anything like that on you tube, But I may have to add that DVD to my wishlist. It's interesting in the description that it does ascribe the Jian to the left (Yin) hand and the Dao to the right (Yang) hand. Though that does lead to the question, would the Yin and Yang hands be switched for a left-handed person? I still think the nine section whip, rope dart (shortened slightly), or meteor hammer (also slightly shortened) would make a kick arse off hand weapon, but I've got a long way to go before I get to the point I feel comfortable doing that.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2009 0:47:20 GMT
The dao is always wielded in the dominant hand because they are all about power and strength, the jian is used in the off hand because the off hand can be extremely graceful but does not need the driving power offered by the dominant hand.
There was an extremely good youtube vid that demonstrated the differences between the dao and the jian but I can never find it, I think it was off of the history channel.
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Post by genocideseth on May 6, 2009 8:06:26 GMT
I love the Jian. The Dao is awesome too, but at this very second I prefer the Jian.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2009 1:26:53 GMT
The dao is always wielded in the dominant hand because they are all about power and strength, the jian is used in the off hand because the off hand can be extremely graceful but does not need the driving power offered by the dominant hand. I find that rather odd. I've never known someone to have a significant difference in strength between the 2 arms, but there is almost always a significant difference in the amount of Control. And since the Jian needs greater control... |
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2009 2:42:40 GMT
I'm not the one who writes the rules, there is always a dominant hand regardless of how ambidextrous you are. The jian needs great control which is absolutely true but the dao needs control and strength. I can't say much about fighting with both at once as I have nowhere near the experience to try that but I can say that it is appropriate to call sword and sabre yin and yang, the sword being the light the sabre being the dark.
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2009 19:20:32 GMT
I am personally fond of the straight blade (jian). My own style is a mixture of tai chi, samurai, fencing, and broad sword... This style would be handy should a person be in combat and become disarmed, and have to use what he could pick up.
There is a problem w/ isolating yourself to one style, a swordsman being just like his blade, without any flexibilty at all, he could break.
My preference, though is definitely the jian, not because of the obviousness of the beautiful artwork that goes into its design, but the universal usefulness of the straight blade. The rapier, the english broadsword, the gim/ jian. If you know how, you can use them all, w/ minimal crossover. However, a blade that is single-edged, being all that you are familiar with, can lead to self-inflicted tragedy should you utilize a two-edged sword.
Again, just my preference and style.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2009 10:00:20 GMT
I practice Taijiquan (Chen, Wu, Sun, and contemporary Yang), Baguazhang (Cheng), and Xingyi (Hebei). I prefer a Jian above all other swords. And when I say jian, I'm really implying a double-edged single-handed sword. I'd be fine with certain rapiers, "longswords", and epees.
I do train with single and double daos and most other chinese weapons, and I really have to say that as far as versatility is concerned, the jian is my favorite. I always feel like I'm relying on intrinsic strengths or compensating for intrinsic weaknesses with other weapons, where a jian just has enough of everything with no blind spots. It's also the easiest to translate across all styles, where other styles typically utilize the same weapon very differently.
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2009 11:42:25 GMT
I find it pretty interesting that nearly the whole debate focuses on jian vs dao. There are so many nice other weapons in the chinese arsenal. Of course the whip (being a "soft weapon", haha) was mentioned, yet it is a hell to use.
But what about the polearms? No pu dao or kwan dao lovers here? Sure I sold my pu dao again, but not because it is a bad weapon but the Hanwai version is just not right for me.
So for the moment I'm going to stick to the Dao (Ox Tail, to be specific), just because it handles like a dream, but I want some butterfly knives and only the future can tell what else.
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2009 19:37:23 GMT
Butterfly Knives were mentioned as they are referred to as butterfly swords in the US. As for other weapons in the Chinese arsenal, they didn't get mentioned in this thread as it was sword specific. I personally am a big fan of the 9-section whip and am trying to learn more about Chinese cane techniques at the moment. Most of the other Chinese weapons get spoken about in different parts of the forum.
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2009 20:11:31 GMT
Dao for me, I have a personnal preference for simple chopping weapons, that require less training than stabbing and fencing weapons (which how I would, in very simple words, describe the jian). I like the vast variety of chinese blade. If I had to be more specific about the type of dao I would take ; I would choose a Miao-dao (long two-handed saber, similar in shape to a katana) or a Qing dao (single-hand saber with a slight curvature). For the jian fans here ... I have plenty of respect for your weapon of choice, I wouldn't like to face a fighter armed with such a fast and vicious blade  |
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