Why is the Chinese sword guard designed this way, what is the technique for how to take advantage of it. Here I'll talk about the movement mechanics of its design. Little raven studio link: www.little-raven.com
Excellent lesson. Thank you. As a kid we all used kendo swords. As a young man I practiced HEMA/rapier. Lately I've realized jian is best, for me anyway. The most optimal sword design.
Excellent videos! I have always been interested in learning Chinese fencing as an art, and I have seen very few clear videos on some topics that are clearly explained on your channel! Thank you very much!
Nice collection of tools I'll study your teachings to advanced my own knowledge I am grateful to you for your time and effort for creating this content
Good video. I would also point out that the guard shape is well suited (based on the shape of the hand holding the jian) to allow greater surface contact with the hand which is very beneficial in thrusting strikes. Greater surface contact with the hand allows for greater transference of force from the arm through the hand to jian (which then means greater penetrative force to an opponent). Also, that same amount of contact helps keep the hand from slipping on grip when the thrust meets resistance (shield, armor or bone). And the pommel is also nicely shaped to allow the hand to retain its grip when reversing the thrust if the blade is bound up in its target - that shield, armor or bone. Good video breaking down the finger grip issues.
Hey awesome and super interesting video thanks. I would like to point out that same triangle was used on many European swords most notably the Scottish 2 handed Claymore and one handed swords like Arming swords. Also the cut you were showing is doing the same in European rapier, Side sword and longsword and modern Olympic sabre. It's super cool seeing the reasoning behind a design from a living art compare to the guesses of hema rediscovering a lost art. Have you considered that the brass guards found on most jian would be super easy to pronounce by casting them and that easy of production may have increased the longevity of the design ?
Another great video. I've been highly interested in ordering a jian from LK Chen, but have felt a bit reluctant as all my training comes from the medieval German longsword tradition whose techniques are quite different from Chinese swordsmanship. I've been looking around online but haven't been able to find much in the way of explaining techniques with the jian. In your opinion, what would be the best way I could go about learning how to properly use these kinds of swords (apart from your videos, of course!)?
Anything I say over a youtube comment would be inadequate in answering this briefly. In short 1) be very aware of the historical and contextual differences between Chinese vs. Other weapons in usage and design, 2) Always spar a resisting opponent. if you are looking for instructions near you, these are the 2 good criteria to keep in mind.
I find your approach of explaining it soberly with a mechanical advantage fascinating and would like to clearly thank you for your factual approach. Many thanks also for the effort you put into the video. However, I would like to disagree with you on the content: Your explanation does show how to hold the sword correctly and also how well it fits in the hand. But it does not explain why one did not simply make the guards 5 cm longer each... I have numerous (European) swords at home and each of your movements can be easily reproduced with any of these swords. I would even argue that the movements of the sword in European martial arts and Chinese martial arts are not that different. I can't prove it, but I suspect a much simpler explanation: namely, that the Jian was often used in a military context in combination with a shield. Also, European swords that were used with shields generally lack a large guard (e.g., Gladius or Viking swords). Even though the Jian was also used in a civilian context, its origin and therefore its design lies in the military environment. Best regards and thanks for your video :)
Nice video explaining your technique! Personally I am not brave enough to talk about how to grip a jian online because it can get controversial lol. I do have one question though, how would you modify your grip for different sword guards such as the one on the Gale Wind on your wall?
Oh, and I would actually be interested in the history of the tassels and how they are used. I have a tassel, but I see many people practicing without. Is that because the sword is balanced differently or is that a different style? 🙏🏻
Hmmm but European swordsmanship has both of the same techniques and also has the same points of contact. Sure, the guard can get in the way sometimes but I have found that most beginners overcome that after a month of practice. I used to bruise my arm and hit my head all the time with the large guard, but now I can't even remember the last time it happened. The European explanation for the large guard is the prevalence of binding and winding in European techniques. As far as I know, that's not prevalent in Chinese swordsmanship, so the lack of binding and winding seems like a much more likely explanation. Have you found with a European arming sword before? It is only possible to compare them if you have wielded both
You only explained one part of the characters and functions of the type of sword guards for Taiji, Wudang or contemporary martial arts performance swords. This "triangular" or “元宝 （Chinese silver or gold ingots)" shaped sword guard has other purposes as well. For example you can't really do sword spins or “腕剑花” with most other types of sword guards.
![The Chinese jian sword guard and how to hold it [Sword Basics]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
