I've added English subtitles to the Miao Dao segment from a CCTV Martial Arts Documentary. All copyright belongs to CCTV, I'm just sharing the English subtitles. Jack Chen Ancient Chinese Martial Arts Manuals www.ChineseLongsword.com
Been studying Qi Jiguang's manuals for the last couple years, and cutting mats and bamboo with properly weighted miaodao and changdao. Indeed, Chinese Swordmanship is growing rapidly. ⚔
Do you know of any good English translations of his manuals? I've been looking at Chaoxian Shifa and Dandao Faxuan primarily at the current moment, but am lacking anything that I can understand for single-handed, among other things.
@@DarkwarriorJ I don't know of a direct translation atm, but I've been working with my colleague Keith Seeley (Scholar-General), to determine the meanings of the characters and illustrations; Keith has the language and history, whilst my education in both Japanese & Chinese swordsmanship, brought together, we were able to not only identify the instructional character's meanings, but even tested it in the school with live miaodao vs. spear. If/When a translation becomes available, it's definitely something I'll report on my channel. ⚔️
@@saberserpent1134 I'll be looking forward to that! I've been watching some of Scholar-General's stuff; his interpretation of the saber-and-shield as well as the Dandao Faxuan techniques make sense. Looking through Terra Prime Sword Lab's translation of the manual, one thing that struck me was that it lacked obvious offensive initiative-taking methods, leading me to wonder if offensive initiation is meant to be just the counterattack without waiting for the enemy's first response... or if the manual is meant to complement another manual on the Dandao. Certainly, the outro on that manual instructs us to be flexible and adapt the techniques as required! I have been working to decipher Chaoxian Shifa myself, building off Jack Chen and OldSwordPlayer's interpretations. Compared to you and Keith, I'm unqualified - I don't have a martial arts background, and my language and history background consists of readings online + family background. However, I recently had a breakthrough in interpretation which made every technique seemingly work and have a clear purpose vis a vis each other, and I hope to verify it in sparring with my friends once weather permits. The breakthrough insight was thanks to the comments on Yu Dayou's footwork in the Jian Jing in this article link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-19-2037-0_12 . The specific comment was "In a similar vein, Yu Dayou states in Jianjing that when using a hafted weapon, including a long two-handed sword, one should keep “the front leg bent and the left leg extended (Yu).”". I haven't had the opportunity to read a good translation of the Jian Jing and verify this interpretation yet, but it worked very well in utilization. With a strong forward foot weighting in the majority of techniques, the techniques just flow, can be very explosive, and make sense. Biomechanically, it is my current belief that the shuang shou jian of Chaoxian Shifa, and probably the changdao Dandao Faxuan as well, are primarily waist-powered from positions where we pivot around one foot or the other. I don't know if this can help in your own interpretations, or if you've already been operating with this knowledge!
I love it also because it's modern, just like the Dan Pai wudang I have handed down from Li Jinglin, which continued to be refined in each subsequent generation. Where others are exploring the courtly arts of medieval sword "fighting", we practice the real art, which is to say the art as it has been continuously advanced to the present day. We need to step up and start sparring the western swordsmen.
Internet Poet continue your efforts to teach the ancient Chinese swords skills.I believe that with close observation of western sword methods you will be able to adapt to rhythm of western swords. While Perfecting the Ancient Chinese sword skills.Its a step by step body and mind process.Spend time visualizing your methods adapting enough to overcome an opponent with different rhythm and very skillful.Also find an expert in western swordsmanship with good character and Temperament.Slowly have friendly sword sessions.With friendship the door to adapting and taking your skills to a higher level is open without the risk of disaster to yourself or exchanging opponent!Have a great day Sword Master!😊
this is definitely my favorite Chinese weapon besides jian. not only the looks of sword that similar to my favorite Japanese swords, the katana and odachi. but its techniques as well. for jian practitioners, they perform the techniques in calm and gorgeous way. but miao dao. as you see. 2:09, 2:14-2:33 , 2:35, 2:52, 3:05 , 3:50 4:09, 4:29, 4:37-4:57, 5:52-6:20, 6:21 they performed the techniques in aggressive way. you can feels the the seriousness, the fury of practitioners. like their blood are boiling. and ready to stab someone to death. totally badass style!!
They sell miao dao on ebay and etsy and on amazon. Just search high carbon steel and full tang. You’ll need to use mineral oil or choji oil each time you use it, keep it from rusting.
Great video. I'm seeing such ridiculous stuff in HEMA, which is reconstructed from unreliable medieval manuals and only tested against other amateurs reconstructing from unreliable medieval manuals. (Compare to Yu Chenghui. Professional European fight choreographers at last understand the real art, even if their body mechanics are inferior to the Chinese system.) Because most are amateurs, they think about making the strike only, and don't realize that protecting your body with the sword is most important. I was well trained in the Chinese system, and use techniques similar to the teacher in this video. No nonsense, no messing around. Swords are dangerous! (imho, the instructor in this video could take most fencers on the planet with a sturdy rod, just like my teacher. This is the real art.)
Small note: I'm now researching Chinese longsword and finding the observation that basic techniques derive from rod technique to be sound. (This was a subject of the fairly recent film "Sword Identity", starring the only real wudang fencer in movies, Yu Chenghui.) I was able to do spar effectively using longsword techniques with no experience on that weapon. What I did have was training as rigorous and correct as what is shown in this video, over decades with a recognized master.
@@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique Sure, but traditional wudang is far better for multii-opponent (battlefield) and we can teach the body mechanics to anyone. Chinese longsword goes back to at least the Han dynasty, and Yu Chenghui was an celebrated wudang sword master before he reconstructed the Chinese longsword. I don't even knw who the instructor in this vid is, but I know he's the real deal. Guessing Wing Chun based on how he uses his waist. Beginners never realize it's all about the counter, and, when done correctly, you only need to "show" the cut or thrust-there's no question about who would win. Cutting is significantly easier-just practice each one "a thousand thousand times" literally and you don't have to worry about your ability to cut.
Start with this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UE6w3iKRY8g.html Then find a real master and practice for at least 10 years, ~4 hours per day. You will also need extensive 2-person drilling to get used to countering and riposting. Swords are way more dangerous than most people realize, and the teacher here can win again most people in the planet with just a wooden rod against sword.
@@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique I'd also add that what you see in this CCTV video is real, and comes from an extant tradition, and that we've been refining sword technique and advancing the art consistently over the 20th century, with each new generation. What this instructor is showing works *today*, not just in the distant past. This is modern swordplay-no nonsense.
Miaodao is the modern derivation of the Changdao in the past. Miaodao sword is pipe backed type sword which is considerably different from Changdao or Dandao in the past. MIaodao as we know today using Pipe backed type sword was not yet known, the construction of Changdao in the past reflected more of the practical battlefield use. While Miaodao of today is much more modern rather than classical. However the best part of this Miaodao Master is teaching using the blunt non flimsy sword. Using flimsy sword in WUshu world is very bad enough, should stop in order truly practising real classical swordmanship
Actually, having hundreds of millions training hard is how you produce the true outliers. Like everything else, it's a numbers game. How may people played hockey for how many generations to produce Gretzky, Orr and Gordy Howe? How many ballers to produce Michael, Kobe and LeBron? You don't get Bruce Lee & Donnie Yen any other way, and they're just the ones who became most famous. There are plenty of masters who can do it at that level or higher and aren't famous outside of China.
