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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.
Guding Dao: A dao wielded by Sun Jian characterized by its wide and sharp blade and the tooth-like serrations on the back of the blade. Bagu Dao : A dao used by Yan Liang was made from the bone of a Hanba, a Chinese mythical monster that brings about drought.
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.
A single edged sword is referred to as a dao. The jian and dao are among the four main weapons taught in the Chinese system, the others being the staff and spear. The order in which these weapons is taught may vary between schools and styles, but the jian is generally taught last among the four.
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.
The Chinese dao (刀 pinyin dāo) is single-edged, sometimes translated as sabre or broadsword, and the jian (劍 or 剑 pinyin jiàn) is double-edged. The zhanmadao (literally "horse chopping sword") is an extremely long, anti-cavalry sword from the Song dynasty era.
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 ]