In the earliest days of Chinese Swordsmanship, both the straight bladed Jian and single edged Dao were wielded on the battlefield.
However, over the following millennium, the double edged Jian, with it’s ability to cut and thrust equally well, and the adaptability provided by its lively balance, evolved in the direction of a dueling weapon.
The Dao, or Chinese Saber, on the hand, maintained its role as primarily a military weapon. This saber when through a variety of blade design changes, but was always generally somewhat heavier than the Jian. This was an important distinction, as the additional weight provided for a more robust cut. Something that was important when facing armored opponents on a battlefield.
By the Song dynasty, Dao were also generally curved. This curvature provided for a greater cutting efficiency as well as great stress on the target as less blade was in contact with the target’s surface during the cut.
By the Ming dynasty this distinction between the Jian as a Dueling weapon and the Dao as a primarily soldier sword, was solidified. By the end of the Ming, period arts shows only officers and official carrying Jian. Though these Jian were certainly functional weapons, they were mostly carried as symbols of the Officers station.
In general, looking at Dao verses Jian forms, one notes that the Chinese Saber forms tend to be more linear, employ few if any thrusts, and employ large deflecting movements followed by heavy cuts. Each of these characteristics is indicative of the weapon’s battlefield use.
For example, men fighting in battle are arrayed shoulder to shoulder. They don’t have room to. Move sideways, or on angles. If they did, they would be stepping in front of a comrade’s weapon. Daofa rarely makes use of thrust as the curve blade makes it difficult to put the tip on target. And powerful cuts are need to cause damage through armor, often budging the enemy rather than cutting. In short, the circumstances of their use, namely battle between armies, required this methodology. Considering how different this situation is in comparison to duels between unarmored individuals it is easy to see how Daofa evolved in a different direction that the more adaptive Jian.
Having laid out these neat categories, the straight forward, power oriented Military method of Daofa and the adaptive, lively stepping, cut and thrust of Jianfa, it is also essential to note that while these categories clarify our understanding of these arts, things are rarely so 100% uncomplicated. Yes, military saber work is more linear, etcetera. However, moving into the Qing dynasty, we see a mixing of methodologies. Dao forms develop that are adjusting to the ever changing world. With the growing use of matchlock muskets for example, armor disappears from the battleground. Obviously that means that no longer does every Dao cut need to hit like a sledge hammer. Also as the dynasty settles down into ruling having conquered the Ming, solders are more likely on patrol than in a large scale battle. Sword tactic are thus freer as there is more room to move in street combat that there is on the battle front. Dao forms respond, incorporating diagonal moves and spins. And so the neat lines get blurred.
Considering this long evolution of the Dao and its use from the early Bronze Age through to the later Qing, many changes can be observed. This includes the final phase where Daofa incorporates many characteristics that would classically be ascribed to Jianfa. Does this translate to Daofa and Jianfa have become the same? No.
First, it must be realized that while some systems of Daofa adapted to the new conditions of the later Qing, others did not, retaining their essential nature. And second, even those Dao systems that did incorporate Jianfa inspired tactics, still retain their essential nature in their hard hitting, aggressively forward stepping and the core cutting method being power oriented.
And so, while the neat categories of Daofa and Jianfa presented here might not perfectly describe every system of Daofa, this clarity is important, even essential to an elemental understanding of each.
Without the special “flavor,” the unique qualities of each is lost. Leaving us with a homogenized, diminished versions of swordplay that rob the practitioner of possibilities, insights, and tactics.
