Core Activities

Jianshu

Jian or sword has the following components: blade, guard, handle. The blade is double-edged, and tip of the blade is the jianfeng.

Jian, or sword is a light weapon and easy to carry. Due to its lightness, the straight sword is a graceful weapon with smooth and fast movements. A lot of flexibility is needed in order to perform this weapon well, as compared to the easier and deadlier Dao. The Jian is difficult to use primarily because its effectiveness in combat depends on penetrating the opponent’s defence using finesse and agility rather than pure strength. Unlike the Dao, which could simply be swung strongly in order to break through an opponent’s defence, the Jian, much like a rapier, requires the opponent to find an opening and land a blow.

The techniques of Jian include sword thrust out, sword hack diagonally, sword upward parry – make circles, sword upper cut- low to high, cloud sword – above head, sword slicing – half circles at waist, sword twisting thrust – small circles at tip, sword over head block, sword touching-chicken pecks rice, sword tilting- cut to wrist- sword moves up, sword piercing, sword figure 8 inside/outside – reverse, sword cut- stops
strikes cut, transfer sword- hand at wrist, peel with sword.