Question About Chinese Dao & Huang Fu Book

Sword typology and Edge Weapons forms of the Chinese Empire and related cultures with an emphasis on their relationship to Swordsmanship.

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bond_fan
Rank: Chang San feng
Rank: Chang San feng
Posts:153
Joined:Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:45 am
Location:CA, USA
Question About Chinese Dao & Huang Fu Book

Post by bond_fan » Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:04 pm

Hi All!

I don't know if any forum members can read Chinese, but I was wondering if someone might be able to tell me what Huang Fu is talking about on page 193 of his book, Iron and Steel Swords of China, regarding the dao with the ba qua style guard?

Image

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

bond_fan
Rank: Chang San feng
Rank: Chang San feng
Posts:153
Joined:Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:45 am
Location:CA, USA

Re: Question About Chinese Dao & Huang Fu Book

Post by bond_fan » Mon Dec 10, 2012 1:06 am

Ok guys I e-mailed all my contacts and one of my friends told me her Beijing Mandarin teacher and other friend helped provide the below translations of both swords:

Baqua Dao:

Waist Sword with Inlaid Silver Decoration of Multi-treasure and Bagua in Guard from Early mid-Qing dynasty

This sword is made in the shape of a wild goose feather, with the sword tip in the shape of a baby wild goose feather. It has a thin body with broad blade. The body is flat with no raised spine back. The sword body has four grooves, with two thick and two thin, with one of them dotted with seven holes. The sword guard is in the shape of a bagua, made in iron but inlaid with silver, decorated with delicate and beautiful design of multi-treasure. The pommel and handle were both made in iron. The shield has been missing.

Shape of a wild goose feather; tip in shape of baby wild goose feather; flat with no raised back; with four grooves in the body;
Guard in the shape of a bagua, made in iron but inlaid with silver, delicate and beautiful design of multi-treasure;
Pommel and handle made in iron; shield missing;
Waist sword inlaid with silver decoration of multi-treasure and gagua in guard from Early mid-Qing dynasty.

Goose Plume Dao:

Mid-Early Qing Dynasty ‘Intricate Silver Variegated Decorative Design Eight Trigram Cross-Guard Waist Sabre’
This Sabre is shaped like a ‘Goose Plume Sabre’ with a small ‘Goose Plume Sabre’ head, wide blade, thin body and un-ridged. Four ‘Blood Grooves’ have been opened on the Blade, two thick and two thin. One of the segmented grooves has been dotted in bronze to represent the ‘Big Dipper’ Constellation. The exquisite Eight-Trigram Cross-Guard is meticulously made of Iron and interlocked with intricate silver in Variegated Ripple design. The Pommel and Hilt are made of iron and the scabbard is missing.

1. This Sabre is shaped like a ‘Goose Plume Sabre’ with a small ‘Goose Plume Sabre’ head, wide blade, thin body and un-ridged.
2. The exquisite Eight-Trigram Cross-Guard is meticulously made of Iron and interlocked with intricate silver in Variegated Ripple design.
3. Close up of the Hilt. The Pommel and Hilt are made of iron and the scabbard is missing.
4. Mid-Early Qing Dynasty Intricate Silver Variegated Ripple Eight Trigram Cross-Guard Waist Sabre.

‘Magpie on Branch’ Relief Bronze Decorated Sabre
This Sabre is 69 Centimeter long, 0.7 Centimeter thick. Several ‘Blood Grooves’, both long and short has been opened on both sides of the blade with a thin Fuller running down the middle. The workmanship is careful and neat, the sabre has an easy and graceful poise with supreme weight distribution and hand feel. The scabbard is missing but the hilt is well preserved. The grip is thick and solid, 10 magpies have been relieved on the Pommel, cross-Guard and Grip with breathtaking craftsmanship. This sabre is a showcase of the pinnacle of Chinese civilian sword-making in the Mid-Early Qing Dynasty but could also possibly be an officially crafted sabre.

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