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Taijiquan (太極拳) saber (刀 dao, sometimes called a “broadsword” and referring to the single edged sword) and sword (劍 jian, double-edged straight sword) have numerous techniques, but many traditions only list their most important thirteen in order to follow the precedent of the weaponless thirteen skills (十三式 shi san shi). This is rather arbitrary and there are many additional techniques that practitioners may be exposed to. Different schools or styles often list different thirteen skills.

This article gives a list of technique terms that I have encountered while studying dao/saber and jian/sword, as well as short explanations for how those techniques are used. Note however that other schools and traditions may use the terms differently than how I understand them. I attempt to provide general descriptions rather than style or form specific examples, but other interpretations may be just as valid.

While many techniques are common to both dao/saber and jian/sword, some are weapon specific. For example, some saber techniques use the dull back of the blade and therefore are not appropriate for the double-edged sword. Both the dao/saber and jian/sword will be referred to generically as swords in this technique list.

Some terms may be use as synonyms, but others may have nuances that differentiate one from another. For example, for the three chops in the title of this article, some schools use pi and kan interchangeably; but I understand these three as follows:
Pi (劈) is like chopping or splitting with an axe where the entire arm is used and the pivoting action is primarily from the shoulder.
Kan (砍) is like chopping with a hatchet where the pivot is primarily from the elbow such that the forearm is used more than the upper arm.
Duo (剁) is more of a mincing chop like when using a cleaver to chop food and where the pivot is primarily from the wrist.

This article is intended to give practitioners, especially those who are fairly new to swordsmanship and who may only know of thirteen techniques, an introduction to various terms that they may encounter. It is not intended to give specific instructions for the various techniques, and practitioners should learn these techniques from their teacher for specific forms that they have learned.

拔 Ba/Pull – To use “stickiness” like suction to “seize” and pull the opponent’s weapon

抱 Bao/Embrace – A defensive move where the wrist holding the sword is quickly moved towards the body and to the free hand which contacts the forearm, wrist, or handle

弸 Beng/Flick – The handle snaps down (“collapses”) to explosively flick the tip up

闭 Bi/Obstruct – A closing motion like shutting something

藏 Cang/Conceal – This is a ready or guard position where the sword is held back but pointing towards the opponent, usually near one’s knee or hip in order to make it less visible to the opponent

缠 Chan/Wrap – A movement around the head or body; sometimes also used for one’s sword spiraling around the opponent’s weapon, or a spiraling block applied to their weapon

刺 Ci/Thrust – A distant extended straight line thrust

切 Che/Slice – Cutting on a tangent

沖 Chong/Thrust – A thrust with a slightly angled up tip

抽 Chou/Extract – To draw out, typically drawing the sword tip across for a short pulling cut

戳 Chou/Poke – A short jab as if to puncture

穿 Chuan/Bore – A thrust used to reverse direction to go to the back of the wielder’s body

錯 Cuo/Saw – Typically a forward push-cut using a sawing or filing motion

带 Dai/Drag – Using one’s sword to pull or lead or carry the opponent’s weapon to the rear

挡 Dang/Block – Using the hand guard to block

點 Dian/Dot – Small point, poke, or peck with the tip (typically downward) using a wrist flick

抖 Duo/Shake – This is a snappy move as in using fajin (發勁 emitting trained power)

剁 Duo/Hack – A short distance mincing chop (like using one’s wrist to chop food with a cleaver)

盖 Gai/Cover – placing the sword on top of the opponent’s weapon and pressing it downwards

格 Ge/Hinder – A soft parrying block with the sword ridge or blade flat while following the direction of movement of the opponent’s weapon, but can also be used in a similar motion to cut the opponent’s wrist

割 Ge/Block – Obstruct to cut off the opponent’s weapon movement typically initiated by turning the body

勾 Gou/Hook – Deflecting the opponent’s weapon by using a motion like hooking and lifting something off of the ground (deflecting with the tip down and back and then circling up

刮 Gua/Shave – Scraping motion typically used to counterattack the opponent’s wrist after evading them with a circular motion

挂 Gua/Lift – Using one’s sword to lift up an opponent’s low attack after circle deflecting backward

刮 Gua/Parry – A scraping parry

掛 Gua/Hang – Like hanging up onto a hook

摜 Guan/Fling – A circling poke

滚 Gun/Roll – Turning parry where the sword turns over as it goes from side to side, rolling one’s sword against the opponent’s weapon

横 Heng/Sideways Cut – A horizontal cut

化 Hua/Remove – A changing deflection

划 Hua/Slice – Like scratching the surface of the target

滑 Hua/Sliding – smoothly slipping upwards along an opponent’s weapon

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Breathe! We have been breathing every day since birth, so it should be easy to breath properly during Taijiquan (太極拳) practice, shouldn’t it? Well, it’s not so simple. Since breathing is an automatic process, most people have not been taught how to breathe, and many individuals have poor breathing habits (e.g., an estimated 30-50% of modern adults breathe excessively through the mouth, especially during the early morning hours).

There are many different ways that we naturally breathe, depending on the particular situations and our emotional states. There are also special breathing practices that can be used to enhance certain circumstances or produce certain effects.

We breathe differently when we are calm as opposed to being under stress, when we laugh or cry, when we yell or sneeze, etc. Stress breathing, which typically involves shallower, upper chest level breaths, often leads to shortness of breath. This can lead to quickly tiring due to insufficient oxygen, and people under these conditions are often told to take a deep breath to counteract the adverse effects of this inefficient, shallow way of breathing. Taking a deep breath can often also be calming.

The deep breath comes primarily from the movement of the diaphragm and is also called “abdominal breathing” because the abdomen visibly moves out on the inhalation and in on the exhalation. Chest breathing is shallow, using primarily the intercostal muscles of the ribcage, and the abdominal movements are less pronounced. For Taijiquan, “diaphragmatic” or “abdominal” breathing is typically taught.

Some practitioners unconsciously hold their breath when they are concentrating intently on difficult sequences, or when in tense situations while interacting with others. This can lead to hypoxia (insufficient oxygen) and should be avoided if one is aware of doing this. But for the most part our bodies naturally regulate our breathing depending upon the activities that we are engaged in. But we can also consciously control our breathing.

There seems to be no consensus about breathing in Taijiquan, with some teachers advocating letting the breathing come naturally, others advocating strictly coordinating the breathing with movements in the form sequence and others advocating “reverse” breathing or other specialized breathing methods. Reverse breathing, in a highly simplified description, would be having the abdomen go inward while inhaling, and outward while exhaling; the “opposite” of “normal” abdominal/diaphragmatic breathing.

Since different traditions use different breathing methods, I will not advocate for one being right and others wrong. Instead, I will present information from my perspective, and let readers decide for themselves. Sometimes the breathing method for beginners differs from what would be practiced after gaining experience. Sometimes the desired method of breathing depends on one’s goals or intent; whether simply for ease during gentle exercise, for energy cultivation, or for fighting, etc. This article will discuss natural diaphragmatic (abdominal) breathing, coordinated breathing, and reverse breathing.

If practicing primarily for health (calmness, reduced stress, etc.), then however your breathing naturally happens is probably sufficient. For beginners this is also probably the best approach since focusing on the breath can distract one’s attention from other aspects of the art that are being learned. Even so, the use of diaphragmatic/abdominal breathing is likely best. It is also typically recommended that practitioners should have the tip of their tongue lightly touching the roof of the mouth behind the teeth (on the hard pallet).

Even if one is not taught that the tongue connects the Ren Mai and Du Mai (任脈 conception and 督脈 governing meridians) for the microcosmic circulation of energy, this tongue placement also promotes saliva production. Saliva has been shown to promote healthy mouths and digestion. Most schools probably also practice microcosmic circulation, if not specifically during Taijiquan then at least as supplemental qigong (氣功 breath work) exercises.

Different qigong practices can have different breathing requirements; for example, regulating the length of the in-breath relative to the out-breath, sometimes holding the breath or “swallowing” it, breathing in and out through the nose only or alternating between inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, normal vs. reverse breathing, etc. Unless practitioners use Taijiquan for a specific qigong practice, many of the possible variations will not be encountered, and therefore I will not detail them in this article.

Natural abdominal/diaphragmatic breathing and breathing through the nose is probably sufficient for students during solo forms. Breathing through the nose is thought to be healthier than through the mouth due to the filtering, moistening and warming that occurs, and it allows one to maintain the tongue touching the roof of the mouth. For normal circumstances, this natural breathing is sufficient. More information on the benefits from nose breathing (including 10-20% more oxygen uptake) can be found in a review article by Dr. Alan Ruth here: http://hdl.handle.net/10147/559021

Qigong breathing, of whatever method, can be considered as specialized breathing. An analogy would be breathing for freediving (diving underwater without supplemental oxygen) where the needs require special techniques to optimize one’s existing oxygen supply. Freedivers prepare their bodies for extended periods underwater by inducing both natural physiological responses (e.g., triggering the mammalian diving reflex) as well as methods to purge the lungs of as much carbon dioxide as possible, etc.

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The article “5 Life Problems Solved With Tai Chi” is reprinted on Slanted Flying website with the permission of the author Sam Langley from his personal Blog.

There’s no such thing as a cure-all and if you’re looking for increased wealth or a new relationship then Tai Chi might not help you. But what it will do is profoundly change you as a human being. There are so many ways in which Tai Chi helps you that they could fill a very thick book but here are 5.

Stressed

Stress and anxiety can be very unpleasant to experience. You feel restless and out of control. Tai Chi practice teaches you to relax. The more you do it the deeper you can relax. The mind and the body are intrinsically connected and so the more you’re able to relax your muscles the calmer your mind will become.

In Tai Chi, we practice relaxing whilst moving, holding postures and during partner work. We are training ourselves to maintain a deep level of calmness no matter what happens.

In 2018 there was a study comparing Tai Chi with more traditional forms of exercise for stress reduction. The study concluded that Tai Chi may be superior to normal exercise in this respect. There are other studies showing that Tai Chi reduces stress but more need to be done because anecdotally there is a lot of evidence.

I see how effective Tai Chi is in reducing stress every week in my classes. In the beginning, some people are very tense. After a few classes, they seem more relaxed and at ease. After a few months, they are noticeably much calmer.

Tired

If you’re constantly tired, feeling sluggish and lacking energy then Tai Chi will help enormously. After your first session, you’ll feel something change. A friend of mine likened it to plugging yourself into the mains! By improving your posture and learning to relax you will improve your circulation and your breathing.The better your posture and the better you’re breathing the more energy you’ll have. Tai Chi really strengthens the legs which improves blood circulation and your general sense of wellness.

A study conducted in 2017 showed that Tai Chi was more effective than conventional therapy for treating fatigue.

I know people that have used Tai Chi to overcome Chronic fatigue and I myself find that the more I practice, the more energy I seem to have.

Can’t sleep

In my experience, you’ll never sleep as deeply as you do after a long Tai Chi session. Because Tai Chi is so good at tackling stress and anxiety it results in you sleeping better. Exercise, in general, is probably good at combating insomnia but when you combine exercise with relaxation and meditation, as Tai Chi does, then the results are even more powerful.

Subjects in a 2011 study reported that Tai Chi made significant improvements in their sleep. The study concluded that Tai Chi was an effective nonpharmacological approach for sleep complaints.

Lacking confidence

As your body becomes stronger and your mind gets calmer it only seems natural that you will feel more confident. Tai Chi gives you balance, both physically and emotionally as depicted in the Tai Chi symbol (yin yang). I’ve seen shy, meek students gradually transform as they get stronger.

As a martial art, Tai Chi eventually gives you the ability to hold your ground. When someone pushes, you won’t move. This ability can only be achieved through relaxation and is nothing to do with brute force. Once you can hold your own space you won’t feel so fragile or defensive around other people because you’ll have a tangible measure of your own power.

Physical problems

Tai Chi is well known for it’s ability to heal. When nothing else works Tai Chi often can. I know people that have healed their backs, recovered from injuries and rehabilitated themselves after strokes with just Tai Chi.

Back issues are very prevalent in the modern world due to too much sitting and increasingly poor posture. People fork out hundreds of pounds to chiropractors for a momentary fix when they could be learning how to help themselves.

When you improve your posture and your body awareness you will also address your physical issues. Tai Chi works in a very different way to most forms of exercise. By becoming straighter, more relaxed and learning to move in a coherent way you start to develop internal strength. Your internal connective tissue (known as the fascia) is vitally important to your physical well being and Tai Chi is one of the few forms of exercise that strengthen it.

There are numerous studies showing that Tai Chi is effective in treating back pain, stroke rehabilitation, balance, arthritis, osteoporosis, hypertension and much more besides.

In Conclusion

There probably isn’t a panacea for all of life’s problems but Tai Chi comes pretty close!

The saber/dao (刀, sometimes called a “broadsword” and refers to a single edged sword), one of the classical short weapons of Taijiquan (太極拳), is not as commonly practiced as the sword/jian (劍, double-edged straight sword). There are several reasons for this. In Chinese culture the saber is supposed to have the quality of an enraged tiger charging down a mountain, but this fierce unyielding directness does not easily fit the calm yielding circularity associated with Taijiquan.

When correlated with the wuxing (五行 five phases), the saber is associated with metal and would traditionally be the first weapon learned since earth – correlating with the barehanded practice – produces metal. Saber techniques are considered the foundation for short weapons, and therefore the saber would be learned prior to other short weapons like the jian/sword.

This article will examine the single hand saber and not the various two handed or pole arm varieties of dao, or shorter knives. The ox-tail saber (牛尾刀 niuweidao) is the one handed saber [drawing] most commonly thought of today and was probably developed as a folk weapon in the early 1800’s. It has a flared and upward curving tip.

 

 

The military regulation dao most commonly used for Taijiquan were called a goose-quill saber (雁毛刀 yanmaodao) or a gently curved willow-leaf saber (柳葉刀 liuyedao). Both maintain a fairly constant width until reaching the pointed tip [photo]. Some Yang and Wu style schools use the goose-quill saber often modified with an “S-shaped” hand guard and a longer handle (hand and a half) with a ring pommel.

Taiji forms often use the ox-tail and goose-quill (or willow-leaf) sabers almost interchangeably, with different schools using one or the other style saber for nearly identical forms, although there are some differences that affect their usage. The goose-quill saber retains its thrusting ability fairly well even though it has a slight curvature to the blade at the distal third of its length. The curvature and the flared tip of the ox-tail saber make it less suitable for thrusting, and it typically has an angled handle in order to help in retaining some thrusting ability. The decreased thrusting ability of the ox-tail saber is less important against unarmored opponents where powerful chops and slashes can be effectively used.

Ox-tail sabers would traditionally weigh about 1 kg or more (2-3 pounds) and typically be about 30 to 39 inches long. The goose-quill saber of a similar length would traditionally weigh perhaps 25% less than an ox-tail saber. Both would have a balance point about 6-8 inches beyond where the handle meets the hand guard. Both typically have a false back edge on the distal third of the blade (the removal of metal here reduces weight and improves the balance) although this is sometimes sharpened into a true back edge. Fullers (sometimes called “blood grooves”) are commonly used to reduce the blade weight and improve the balance, especially on ox-tail sabers.

If the saber usage is fierce, unyielding and direct, how can practitioners use it in a more internal way that conforms more to Taijiquan’s calm yielding circularity? From a theoretical perspective, metal is represented by a yang line over a yin line, and this implies the ability to change. Actual metal needed to be heated and molded or hammered or otherwise manipulated and changed in order to make useful items. So even though metal is rigid, it can be manipulated and changed.

The usage of the saber in Taijiquan relies on change, beginning with one’s footwork to change angles and manipulate the distance from the opponent. Even though the saber blade is strong, Taiji saber only infrequently uses “hard” blocks against an opponent’s weapon unless the block is against the wooden shaft of a long weapon like a spear. Taiji saber instead typically uses footwork to evade the attack, and the blade typically does not touch an opponent’s saber, or only deflects it with glancing contact or “soft” parries or slides.

When “hard” blocks are needed, the back of the saber is used when possible, or the thicker part of the blade near the hand guard is used. While edge to edge contact is avoided when possible, sometimes it will accidentally happen when attacking with a powerful chop or slash and the momentum of one’s saber cannot be changed to avoid a block from an opponent’s weapon edge.

The momentum of a powerfully swung saber is something that needs to be considered. Fortunately the dull back of the saber allows for several techniques that can be used for control since the non-weapon arm or the body can contact this non-sharp edge. Wrapping and coiling around the head (缠头裹脑 chan tou guo nao) as well as wrapping the body (裹身 guo shen) and “washing” with the saber (洗刀 xi dao) are characteristic movements that can control the momentum of the saber and change directions. One movement should flow into the next.

While the momentum from a powerful sweeping or slashing attack can carry one’s saber to the side and away from an engagement with an opponent, the techniques that bring the saber around the body can bring the saber back into a defensive or offensive position. Additionally, the wielder can spin around after slashing in order to manage the momentum of the saber and to bring it back into action.
These are characteristic ways used to control the momentum of powerful saber techniques. There are other methods which are also used that are beyond the scope of this short article using verbal descriptions, like leading with the pommel into a chop (producing significant forward momentum rather than mainly downward momentum from the chop), etc.

While some schools do not contact the body while performing these movements, practitioners who do contact the body will find that the momentum of the weapon can be controlled by doing so. The momentum in one direction can be stopped by letting the dull back edge contact the body; or power can be added to the technique by using the arm or body for leverage to spring the saber off of, or to push against the dull back edge. Pushing the back edge with the non-weapon hand or arm also allows one to quickly change the saber from a defensive blocking action into an action that angles the tip toward an opponent for counterattacking.

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