Jiu Huan Dao
Rigid blade on high-quality steel, superbly handcrafted.
Sabers of this shape, destined to counter the better weapons of the Mongol army, appear for the first time at the end of the Song dynasty [960 -1279], and soon were adopted by the Shaolin system. These arms arrived to Southern China carried by emigrated Shaolin monks, by the 17th-18th century.
This variant, the "Nine ring great broadsword", become an emblematic weapon of the Cantonese Ng Ga Kuen [Five Families Fist] traditional martial arts.
The loose rings in the back of the back of the Jiu Huan Dao blade store the energy of the blade when it starts swinging, and give it back when it the reachs the target, thus increasing the strength of the blow. The same physical principle has been recently used in the advanced "Kinetic energy" tennis rackets, whose frame is hollow and filled with loosely packed metal beads.
The Chinese much experimented with such weapons; many traditional spearheads are large & hollow, many performers fill them partially with metal beads. Lose rings are also seen in the handles of other Southern China civilian weapons. The Jiu Huan Dao rings also prevent the attacker's blade of sliding along the defender's blade before striking [a basic Chinese fencing tactic]. It is alwasy said that the noise produced by the rings may destabilize the opponent.
In the Chinese culture, nine is an auspicious number, sugesting long-lasting wellness, and harmony. Is also a symbol of the Emperor, whose robes often had nine dragons embroidered. Besides, the auspicious dragon of the Chinese mythology breds bearing nine dragon kits.
Technical information:
- Thick and rigid blade
- semi-sharpened blade
- Blade length : 68cm
- Overall length : 103cm
- Blade width: 56mm - 125mm
- Average weight: 2050g
