These were originally fashioned of bronze, but as metallurgy developed and harder metals were available, they grew in size and use. The Zhi Bei Dao, a one-handed, single-edged Dao sword that originated in the 15th century BC, is one of the oldest known Dao swords. Zhibei Dao The first types of bronze Dao’s came from ancient times – Credits: Wiki Media It was used in combat, dual-wielded and primarily as a slashing weapon. It was mostly a defensive tool used by civilians or local town militias because it could be carried in one scabbard. This sword was cheap to produce and could have a steel blade, making it battle ready. It is similar to the Pai Dao sword, influenced by western culture in Hong Kong. It came about at the end of the Ming Dynasty and saw a lot of use during the Qing Dynasty. The Butterfly sword, sometimes called Hudiedao, is the most popular Chinese short sword, which ranges around 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) long and is most often used in the martial art Wing Chun and seen all over modern media. Butterfly Sword Two one-handed short swords equal very fast strikes – Credits: Mandarin Mansion It is a very popular training weapon to use in Chinese wushu or kung fu and equally effective in battle thanks to its unorthodox fighting stance that could disarm opponents. Hook Sword The unorthodox-looking Hook Sword – Credits: Mandarin MansionĪlthough the Hook sword is usually much longer than 23 inches (60 cm) long, Shaolin monks used shorter versions to defend themselves from danger. For example, the Longquan sword evolved into a bigger and more popular type of Jian, especially during the Han Dynasty with its high-quality Han Jian. As metallurgy advanced, the bronze sword was replaced with iron and steel.
Historically, it was mostly used for ceremonial purposes as it can be highly ornamented. It is a double-edged bladed weapon with a sharp pointy tip that might be one of the earlier types of Jian as they can be made out of bronze and possibly evolved from the Chinese dagger. The Duan Jian is a short Chinese Jian sword, usually 15 to 20 inches (40 to 50 cm) long. Duan Jian A bronze short Duan Jian that served as a ceremonial piece – Credits: Saint Louis Art Museum In this article, we will cover the Chinese short swords, which are generally shorter than 23 inches (60 cm), and explain their history, use, and importance in Chinese history. Short Chinese swords might not be used for warfare today, but they are more popular than long Chinese swords in various Chinese martial arts. Contrary to that belief, no matter their size, short swords are equally deadly when put into the hands of a trained swordsman. A popular opinion today is that the bigger the sword, the more effective it can be. China is the birthplace of many different types of swords that can range even as short as 15 to as long as 78 inches (40 to 200 cm) long.
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