Dealing With Horizontal Cuts

[Scott M. Rodell]

This is one a copied over from the Chinese Swords & Swordsmanship Forum at www.swordforum.com, the treat is Jian "Blocking".



The question posted by Timothy W. was:

I understand that there aren't technically any blocks in Jian combat and that you defend yourself by deflecting your opponents weapon. According to Mr. Rodell's book this is done with the flat of the blade. My question is on how to actually do these deflections. I can see for vertical attacks (sword coming straight down) this would be a simple matter of pushing your opponent's sword to one side (and probably sidestepping). This however doesn't work so well with horizontal attacks (sword coming across). I've heard mention of pushing the sword down but this seems slow to me. It would probably work well in a one on one but if you had multiple opponents I don't think you'd last very long.

If someone could describe how do carry out these (and other) deflections it would be very much appreciated.



My response is below...

[Scott M. Rodell]

There are two manners in which you can deal horizontal cuts. Which you chose to employ, which will put you in the more advantageous position, depends on how your opposite is cutting. If he is attempting to deliver a very powerful cut, that is going to travel past your center, from one side to the other, simply step back & let it pass without engaging your opposite's blade at all. Its important that you step back just enough that your opposite just misses you so that you can quickly step in just as he passes you for your counter thrust. Do not take a full step back or you will not be able to step back forward quickly enough & in fact your opposite might be able to more easily continue forward. In this case he might just plain overwhelm you. This is one way a determined beginner can beat an 'expert' player.



Since you have a copy of my book, "Chinese Swordsmanship" see pages 97 & 98 for one example of what I'm speaking of above. I've used this effectively many times when faced with a determined beginner who has decided that just once they're going to get me & comes at me swinging wildly.



The second method for dealing with horizontal cuts is employed when your opposite is cutting with less power & more control. That is he is cutting so that if you use the method of dealing with his attack I just described above, his weapon will be pointing at your center when he has finished his cut, not off to the side. (This is generally a better way to perform horizontal cuts because it does not create opening for you opposite to exploit). If your opposite is cutting in this manner, the you can control their weapon & create an opening into which to counter thrust by deflecting with the flat of your blade. Don't confuse this with blocking. The difference is in how you engage your opposite's weapon. If you simple place your jian in the way of his cut, then it will be nothing more than a static block. It might save you for the moment, but it could also lead to you being knocked a bit off balance & your opposite can also easily flow with a second cut. At the moment of contact your jian should be moving, circling toward the rear, in this way the force of your opposite's blow is not blocked but redirected to your rear. At that moment he must regain control of his weapon & in that split second, you can counter with a quick thrust. If you were moving instead of being stopped in a static block, its not difficult to continue into a counter-thrust from this deflection.



Press down, ya in Mandarin, is only used in response to thrusts.

[Linda Heenan]

I read that thread on SFI and had questions. The first of your counters is easy to understand and I tried it this morning - it works. Could we please have a little more detail on the second one. I'm picturing the deflection with your blade angled down and the circling back part clockwise at your left. But this would make pi a natural follow on to my beginners mind. Ahhh ... scratch that .... the blade is angled up, not down. And the circle is anticlockwise at your right, making the thrust a better counter. Is that right?

[Scott M. Rodell]

There's been more discussion at SFI, anyone reading this thread might like to also to read that thread.

... the blade is angled up, not down. And the circle is anticlockwise at your right, making the thrust a better counter. Is that right?

Turning your waist to the left, while circling your jian upward to deflect, your tip would most likely be slightly up as you've said, the easiest cut to use from here is to just continue turning your jian anticlockwise for a liao cut. Liao is usually pretty easy to see coming because it is such a big cut. But it's also powerful so your duifang typically takes a quick jump back so he doesn't catch it between the legs or under his arm. In doing this he also typically leaves himself wide open for the time of that jump back. So be prepared to quickly follow your liao cut with another cut, such as ci or zha to keep your advantage at the least or hit at best.

[Linda Heenan]

Thank you, Laoshi, those are very nice combinations and I've been practising them for the last couple of days. Just one more little question. On the Applications DVD in Section 2 Application 2, you show a recovery from zha with a kick as the sword circles back around. I've been finishing both the liao to zha and the liao to ci that way for balance. Is that okay, or is there something better to do?

[Scott M. Rodell]

...On the Applications DVD in Section 2 Application 2, you show a recovery from zha with a kick as the sword circles back around. I've been finishing both the liao to zha and the liao to ci that way for balance. ...is there something better to do?

Whether you use the kick or not depends on whether you are employing the full out stretched position when you zha or ci, where your body comes to parallel with the ground or remain in the body upright position (see page 127 in "Chinese Swordsmanship" for an example of a liao followed by a zha where the body remains upright). You only need to use the kick when using the powerful upward beating tiao coming out of the out stretched position.



Note that the out stretched zha or ci should only be employed when your duifang is really moving back quickly & will not be able to quickly change direction & come back at you.