Great River was founded in 1984 by a circle of serious Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) practitioners. For nearly three decades, the center has been focused on presenting the complete art, in all its aspects from the meditative to the martial. As such, Great River offers classes in the complete system from proper body mechanics and qi (chi) development learned through form work, interactive training in push hands, real self-defense practiced through full-contact sanshou, and strength training via traditional weapons as well as historical swordplay.
For more information on traditional Manchu archery, visit: facebook.com/groups/manchuarchery
I was a great time, the camaraderie and sportsmanship between all the competitor was wonderful. And the local students did a fantastic job running things. We'll be doing it all again next year, over in the UK, and very likely one here in the US.
Excellent video. Thanks. I myself have fallen hook line and sinker to the dojo lore. I have a number of Taiji and Wudang swords. Very light very flexible, POB right in front of the hilt with a front facing hand guard. I have another sword heavy maybe 1.5kg POB 75/100mm from the hilt with a hand guard facing back. I find it jerks when I swing it and the guard digs into my hand. I guess I just need to learn how to use it.
Fascinating stuff. As a note, European (Italian) swordsmanship includes an occasional stamp called an appel. It's used for s few things, including testing weight distribution. But it's also used to startle opponents and make feints more convincing. Not too argue with you, but I'm willing to believe the stamp in the form might actually be useful to scare opponents.
Thanks for the thought. The Chinese term "Duifang" is not the same concept, intent as opponent. It can be literally translated as "opposite direction." The idea is that there isn't an opponent, there isn't an enemy, or partner. These all have connotations and emotions attached to them. There is simply an action from the the direction opposite one that you move with.
Jians in the Ming/Qing style just does not look as elegant and pretty as the they were in Han dynasty. Don’t know why taste changed in like a bad way in later periods. The fittings developed lately were all bulky and weird in my opinion. But some say they handle well which I’m not sure if that has anything to do with the aesthetics.
I'd be hard pressed to find a sword on earth that looks a good to my eye as a Qing dynasty jian, but a Han dynasty jian would be very high up on the list as well.
How sweet is that. Agree about the tip. It looks rounded like a recent repair following a loss of material. My fav jian has a much finer tip. Loads of character when it has a good shape there. Overall nice piece, Master Rodell.
A nice blade, love the idea of that locking mechanism. The tip would make me a little nuts but an interesting blade none the less. Thank you Rodell Laoshi for the video/information. Have a great one.
Theoretically, could fix that tip to leaf-shape sharp in an hour on sandpaper or stone. Locking latch is pretty useful. Have accidentally dumped a jian in a snowy salty parking lot, and that was not a good time.
藍翎侍衛 confused for a long time about what “lanlinshiwei” is........ Blue Feather Guard，the fourth rank among the Qing emperor's personal retinue bodyguards，established at 90men.Selected through martial arts examination as an officer candidate. Han Chinese is a language based on ideograms, which is difficult to distinguish using pronunciation alone. the releaser，called 綳簧（benhuang），A device that often appears in the oral stories of Chinese street performers, but in fact should not have appeared until after the Ming Dynasty, because the ability to produce this elastic metal was not previously available. unfortunately there are currently no extant or unearthed specimens in China.
Metal scabbards are more common on military issued swords throughout history. They hold up a lot better than wood, but they do have a tendency to dull the blade more. Another benefit is that they don't have problems with moisture, for instance swelling due to humidity causing the blade to stick.
Why in the world are all you guys locking the string like that.....I don't believe such a lock has sufficient strength ....having a thumb position below the middle knuckle of the middle finger
This is the manner used in Manchu Archery, it can be found in many period illustrations. Manchu Bannermen employed this technique with the thumb ring went shooting heavy war bows.
I like the analogy of the air-painter. Must be nice having that bamboo at the ready on the property. For bottles, it's a similar thing where some are very easy, but some types can be much harder (thin regular waterbottle vs thicker vitamin water bottle etc).
Bamboo is a great practice target. We planted it in the Wuguan's garden 20 some years ago, so there's plenty to train on each spring. If you plant bamboo, just be warned that it can get away and take over. Cutting it back regularly helps control it.
@@mugenGRTC Thanks. My winter is -30C at peak, so never seen it grow. I've heard of folks using poplar or maple saplings instead. I prefer 5/8" oak dowels wrapped in mat or newspaper and soaked. Thanks and enjoyable vid
some of them probably had European made sabre blades because during the early modern era blades manufactured in Germany were exported and can sold to various parts of the globe where they were hilted locally
Hello Mr Rodell, I noticed that the husho has a hole/opening next to the central rectangular section. This is seen on Japanese tsuba so that a kozuka or a kogai that is sitting on the side of the saya can be pulled out through the tsuba. I am not very familiar with Chinese swords. Did they also have things like small knives embedded into the side of the sheath? If not do you think this hole could simply be from emulating the Japanese or just for decoration? I’d like to know your thoughts
Chinese swords don’t have the small knives on the side of the scabbard the way Japanese do. These holes were added when this guard was adapted to use on a katana.
That's a really nice artifact, and your presentation was fascinating. Qilin are one of my favouirite mythological creatures! Is the smaller aperture to the side of the main one for a kozuka (小柄 xiaobing)? If so, would the original Chinese sword have had that, or was it modified when it was refitted for use with a katana? It looks a bit like the qilin on that side had his back removed to make room for it.
Gorgeous husho! Thanks so much for going into the detail of the creature which I easily would have overlooked as a dragon. These katana mounted guards certainly can be interesting between those made in Japan, and China, and if they made specifically for export or retrofitted!
If you are interested in learning how to properly wield a Sword, jion the Online Academy, and join in the regular in-person Seminars- www.chineseswordacademy.com/
'Don't pick a weapon because it feels good to you.' That is, in truth, what choosing your weapon should be. To choose the weapon that feels good to you.
In actual practice, 'the Jian seems akin to either the primary thrust of European rapier or cuts of later English backsword of Silver.' Here in these forms it seems as though partially based on the Byzantine one-handed sword. The Ming-Dao sword is more akin to the German messer, the falchion.'
Actually, if you look carefully, you will see that Rodell laoshi moves sideways to his left and that after he cuts the arrow the pieces hit the target behind where he was standing.
So far, out of all the bladed weapons i have seen...this is one that appears most to my liking. Mind you I haven't tried it out myself to see if the weight would be a negative.
