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The word dao is also used in the names of several polearms that feature a single-edged blade, such as the pudao and guandao. The Chinese spear and dao ( liuyedao and yanmaodao ) were commonly issued to infantry due to the expense of and relatively greater amount of training required for the effective use of the Chinese straight sword, or jian .
Another version of the Five Weapons lists the bow and crossbow as one weapon, the jian and dao as one weapon, in addition to halberd, shield, and armour. [26] The jian was a popular personal weapon during the Han era, and a class of swordsmen emerged who made their living through fencing. Sword fencing was also a popular pastime for aristocrats.
The jian (Mandarin Chinese:, Chinese: 劍, English approximation: / dʒ j ɛ n / jyehn, Cantonese:) is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE, during the Spring and Autumn period, [1] one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.
Niuweidao A Chinese sword shaped like a liuyedao (note: controversial. This knife is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. It should be a niuweidao that is often mistaken for a liuyedao)
Guandao. The Eighteen Arms is a list of the eighteen main weapons of Chinese martial arts.The origin of the list is unclear and there have been disputes as to what the eighteen weapons actually are.
The difference between the two is that zhanmajian is double-edged whereas the zhanmadao is single-edged, which persists with the meaning of jian and dao. Another suggestion is that the zhanmajian was an execution tool used on special occasions rather than a military weapon. [5]
A descendant of the earlier Mongol sabre the liuyedao remained the most popular type of single handed sabre during the Ming dynasty, replacing the role of the jian as a issued weapon in the military. [2] Many schools of Chinese martial arts originally trained with this weapon. [2] This weapon features a moderate curve along the length of the blade.
By the end of the Three Kingdoms, the single edged dao, with its thicker and more durable dull side, had overtaken the straight double-edged jian as the primary close combat weapon. [23] The more expensive, lighter, and less durable jian entered the domain of court dancers, officials, and expert warriors. [ 24 ]