The Jian- Elegant Weapon of the Chinese Hero



Of all the weapons that I have collected, this one was the last. Liking Ninjutsu and the weapons that I have seen in many Ninja movies- the Jian or Chinese Straight Sword was not high on my list of weapons to get.

Besides- if there was a sword to get the Japanese Katana would be the ultimate sword to have, right?

Right...?

As it would happen, though- after finishing high school I have developed an increasing love for Kung Fu and Chinese martial arts movies.

I am running the risk of seriously digressing here and we have not yet even started, but, let me say this-

My boss at the time- Mrs Ku- opened my eyes to a whole new world of martial arts movies when she showed me this movie called the Duel.



You might not know this, but among martial arts movies in China- the Jian has a whole genre (or maybe sub-genre) of movies dedicated to it. The most famous movie in this genre is definitely Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon that I have seen 20 times so far.





Related image

Needless to say- soon after watching the first sword movie- I wanted a Jian.

Also- the strong Wudang reference in Crouching Tiger had me even more interested in Taijiquan than I already was, but...

Let's stick to the topic...



The Jian is a stabbing weapon. That is what most Kung Fu writers will tell you. When you actually start learning the techniques, though, you find that it has a fair amount of parries and slashes as well.

I regard swords to be part of a group of weapons that I call "final" weapons because any time that you are faced with a person holding such a weapon can be your last.

Movies and television have shown us really nice, long choreographed sword fights, but in reality either combatant can die within a second or less.

Sure- you might not die immediately, but fighting with a stab wound is not something that I would willingly do.

I know how to parry with the straight sword. I just don't think you should fall too deeply in love with the idea of parrying with a sword. Last sword that I have parried had sliced across my fingers, making a huge mess.

If you have to parry, though, the rigid half closest to the handle is what you want to use.

I really don't know why, but most (not all) jian are made to be flexible and the half closest to the tip is usually soft and bendy. You would not want that to have any contact with the other guy's weapon.

Soft or not, however, I have found that this blade can cut like a helicopter's rotor blade if it is swung fast enough.

If there is one thing that a sword fight teaches us it is:

"DON'T WASTE TIME"

Indecision kills.

Being a weapon that mainly uses straight, direct thrusts, it also teaches you to go for an opening as soon as it presents itself. There is no time for flowery swinging and twirling motions. Just put the sharp end into the other guy as soon as you get the chance!

Apart from these brutal lessons the Jian still symbolises the beauty of Chinese warrior ethics and I often feel reminded of chivalry and heroism whenever I hold this weapon.

Join me next week when I talk about the Japanese sword.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blindfold training

Image
Now here's something I have not yet written about. :D I have been interested in the Zen side of Japanese martial arts since the age of 16. It was about at this age when I began with Qigong as well. As a young karateka back then I did not have the confidence, strength or aggression of my classmates and looking back- I think it was a good thing. Because of that classes scared me. Now- had it not been to exposure to the mental training techniques provided to me by Zen- I would not have seen this hostile dojo environment as the ideal testing grounds for the things I have read. This is one major factor to which I attribute my development as a martial artist. One very important training tool that has always served me well and that continues to do so to this dat is Zen Meditation. This, in itself, has provided me with a number of benefits about which I can write in detail. One of those- was the development of intuition and sensory acuity. It is actually wonderfu
Read more

Tai Chi Movement #3- Wave Hands like Clouds

Image
I have just started searching for examples of this movement on the internet and realised that among all the people doing Tai Chi out there I might just be the only one who would apply Cloud Hands the way I do. I have found different variations of the movement itself as well. This makes my writing about my version and its application a bit unfair as you will be missing out on some really elaborate applications. Now- how I always did this movement is starting from a posture like the Lute Playing posture like the picture below- or the Spread Wings posture like this: From either one of these ready postures I then rotate my front foot and let my body follow while my leading hand makes contact with an imaginary thrust and I then complete the rotation by passing the attack while I guide its force past me with minimal effort and my free hand follows the blocking hand to wind up for an outward strike. When the rotation and step is complete I shift weight
Read more

Learning a Martial Art- some basic guidelines

Image
I think we have by now come across a couple of people who are studying some martial art or the other on their own. Back when I tried doing it at the age of 10 I used a book and later more books followed. Well- even after I did join an actual dojo more books followed even then... People are quick to say that you can't learn a martial art from a book. That is understandable. I for one know that you can't work as a lawyer if you have only gotten your law degree. In fact- few people feel as incompetent as a bright graduate starting out as a candidate at a law firm. The main reason why martial arts can't be learnt by reading alone is that experience plays a large part in developing the skills that any martial art has to offer. Knowledge is not enough. Nonetheless- self study is possible. We may argue about to which extent, but the history of Chinese and Japanese martial arts feature instances where people studied a scroll or a f
Read more