Type of Dao for Tai chi

Discussion of Chinese historical swordsmanship from all styles.

Moderator:Scott M. Rodell

Post Reply
fazhu
Posts:2
Joined:Sun Jul 08, 2012 6:35 pm
Type of Dao for Tai chi

Post by fazhu » Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:11 pm

Is there a certain type of Dao that is designed specifically for Tai Chi forms? I heard or read somewhere that the type (don't know the name) with the ring pommel and "z" guard is a specific Tai Chi dao, lending itself to the techniques of the form. Any replies concerning the type of dao used for Tai Chi would be helpful.
Thanks.

taiwandeutscher
Rank: Chang San feng
Rank: Chang San feng
Posts:83
Joined:Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:26 am
Location:Gaoxiong, Taiwan, R.o.C.

Re: Type of Dao for Tai chi

Post by taiwandeutscher » Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:29 pm

For what I know, that form of the so-called Yang sabre is not even 8o yrs in usage, most probably influenced by western sabre forms.

I have seen many different forms of sabre used in Taijidao: willow leaf, ghost head, song style, even goose quill, all are fine!
hongdaozi

ynze
Rank: Wang Yen-nien
Rank: Wang Yen-nien
Posts:70
Joined:Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:26 pm
Location:The Netherlands

Re: Type of Dao for Tai chi

Post by ynze » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:39 pm

As with the jian, there is no special taiji jian or dao.
I think (but that's just me thinking out loud) if you know which era that particular form was created, then you could have a look at the weapons from that period. For the dao-form laoshi teaches I like the willow leaf. But I've also used my miaodao to walk the form.

Or you could look at the kind of form it is. That is to say a form that was designed for more militia like training you might want to use a military saber. For a form that was clearly made for an individual fighter you might want to use an oxtail. enz

Most important use a saber that suits you.

Scott M. Rodell
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts:1364
Joined:Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:50 pm
Location:Virginia
Contact:

Re: Type of Dao for Tai chi

Post by Scott M. Rodell » Thu Sep 27, 2012 5:32 am

ynze wrote:As with the jian, there is no special taiji jian or dao....
Most important use a saber that suits you.
The short answer is, as with jian, practitioners of taijiquan are simply martial artists. Like all the other martial artists in Qing China, they would have used weapons "off the rack." Certainly when Yang Luchan & his sons were teaching the Shen Ji Ying in Beijing (see: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater), those Bannermen used the sabers they always had, ratehr than develop a new style of dao.

For contemporary practitioners, I have always suggested training with all three major types of dao blades, willow leaf, goose quill & ox tail, as these all handle differently. I would also suggest training with a duandao (short, cutlas length saber), as training with different blade types will inform one's practice in ways that always practicing with one's favorite weapon will not.

Post Reply