It is always exciting to embark on a new phase in our study. With weapons, the journey may be new yet feels familiar because we are building on our experience and understanding in bare hand. And when we pick up the T'ai Chi straight double edge sword to commence, we are eager and ready. But where is the beginning in sword training? Is it in learning the opening moves?

According to Christopher Pei of the US Wushu Academy, it is important from the outset, to know and understand something of the origin and development of the Chinese sword. For this places the weapon itself in the greater picture, and provides a clue to the insight and sophistication of those who designed a sword that was both dangerous and delicate, a weapon of ingenuity and refinement.

He said that it is important at the beginning to understand first; the sword's history, and why the weapon is made the way it is, and second; its character. Once you understand this, he explained, you will know how to use it better. "As soon as you hold the sword in your hand it becomes part of you and you become part of the sword. If you don't know anything about the weapon or about your body, you cannot use the sword effectively".

In ancient China, all swords were made of hard metal, similar to the western medieval solid metal sword. In combat, whoever had the bigger, heavier sword, could cause more damage to the opponent. And so the warriors had to be bigger and of course stronger than the other person. And naturally everything had to be developed into the larger size. As the sword became stronger and heavier, armour became heavy accordingly. But then, not everyone is big, not everyone is strong. It took an enormous amount of effort to wield the weapon let alone execute a technique. To the end, battle became prolonged for it would have taken a lot of time to accomplish something.

So it was thought there must be a way to cut the other person without too much trouble, minus all that weight. And so a lighter sword was developed, and this particular sword design remains unchanged after 2000 years. The sword's requirement was that it should be able to stand on its own weight, but be flexible enough for the user to bend it, then right away spring back to its original shape. It had to have both hardness and softness.

The reason the design developed like this, Christopher Pei explained, was so that when the warrior thrust into the opponent's armour, with their hand used to place the sword in a certain way, it would cause the weapon to bend at an angle. In those days the armour plates always had a gap, normally going downward. Once the warrior thrust in with their palm facing up, the sliding up angle would cause the sword to go underneath the opponent's armour plate and up, piercing the body. When the sword is inserted like this and pulled out, it is making a circular motion inside the armour. The person is still fully armed outside but is cut inside.

With the developement of this sword, he said, the technique also changed from the old chopping and slicing type of movements. Sword fighting developed, becoming more and more a matter of skill, precision and swiftness.

There are four basic weapons to study in the Chinese repetoire, and sword is the most difficult to master. "If you learn the four basic weapons (2 short and 2 long), you will know all the others, as they are based on the four basic ones. The four weapons are divided into single cutting edge and double cutting edge. The T'ai Chi sword has a double cutting edge. T'ai Chi saber has a single cutting edge and is easy to study. The long weapons are staff and spear".

The sword, since its introduction 2000 years ago, has a very unique character. The weapon itself is divided into sections and is never used as one full piece. Each section has its own particular function. Certain moves or techniques can only be executed using the tip of the blade or the back end, for example. The first 1/3 of the blade from the tip is extremely sharp on a real sword, and would cut easily just in handling it; compared to the sword we use which is real but not sharpened. Moving down the weapon to the middle section, the blade gets a little bit stronger but is not as razor sharp, yet can still cut. But now you would need more force to cut with this section. The bottom 1/3 is blunt, no sharp edge. To complete the weapon there is a guard, a handle and a butt.

A really good sword will be well balanced close to the guard, he said. "To have a balanced sword, there are several different ways to go about it. The most desirable way is to have a weapon tailor-made specifically for the user. The weight is placed in the guard and also in the handle. It is constantly balanced here to make the circular movements just so big. The users movements are then very subtle, and the rotations thus become faster".

"Another way is to have a sword made with no particular user in mind (the most common way). Usually in a sword like this, the balance point is further up the blade, requiring more energy from the user to rotate the sword. Also with this, you will be using your own energy to balance the weapon".

If you are using a tassel, it can be used to pull the sword down, especially so if the beads are made from something heavy, like brass. "Once you have a tassel, your technique will also change. When you use a sword without a tassel, all your energy is on the blade. With a tassel however, your energy has to extend to that point as well, because this has an effect on the balance of the weapon. If used incorrectly, the tassel will start to twist around your arm and hinder you. Used correctly, the tassel moves clearly, going around the body without tangling itself up. A tassel looks good, but would you take one on to the battlefield? It is up to you. However, your energy will change according to whether you use one or not".

Since the top 1/3 is so sharp, it is weak, and the tip is never used for blocking. All blocking is done from the base. If the tip was used for blocking, you would already be cut by the other person. Thrusting forward has to be in the tip.

Keeping these things in mind will help your technique become more precise, he said. "Remember, in history, the other person is wearing full armour and openings are very few. There are very few windows of opportunity. So with the opponent you cut them very quickly and precisely. T'ai Chi Sword follows Taoist philosophy: not to brutalize, more to hinder the opponent".

"And also, you do not want the opponent to know what you will do. You must be unpredictable. In some of the moves, (Yang Style 'swallow swoops over the water') the other person will not see the weapon coming until it is too late. In 'cat seizes the rat' (Yang Style), as you walk forward, your blade is pointing up, down, up, down, throat, knee, throat, knee. It is intimidating for the opponent, not knowing what you will do or where you will strike. They are trying to decide which one is the real attack. And when you step with your feet rooted for the final strike, and with your sword pointing up, it appears you will attack high. So they prepare to raise their weapon. But as soon as they do that, your body and sword change and line up to strike low (the knee)".

"In sword you do not move at the same pace throughout. You have slow, fast, you have high, low, you have short and very long range. In some techniques, when you are moving forward the other person is retreating, so you need to be long range. For their retreating steps will not be small! To strike you will need to thrust long range. And the way you grip the handle will be changing constantly. So your grip on the sword must be relaxed, in order to adjust swiftly according to the technique. In 'block and sweep' (Yang Style), use the sword to lead the opponent while your body sets up the attack. Your arms neutralize while your legs attack forward. The blade is doing all the work but the entire body is used to create the energy. The blade cannot stop. It has to hit the body in a continuous move". Christopher Pei emphasises the importance of establishing the correct path. It is a major key in moving to higher levels of skill. Anyone can learn two or three forms yet never understand the correct path in any of them. It is easy to learn a sword form as the moves are simple to pick up. But it is harder to know the correct path of the energy.

"In 'Poking the grass to seek the snake' (Yang Style), line up elbow and knee. To first neutralize, use the elbow and wrist to pull the sword back in a spiral motion, with the sword tip the same height as the solar plexus, then step out and strike, using the body weight to extend. All the while the tip is constantly pointing at the target, unstoppable. This move is also called 'Dragon walking’ and when the dragon walks nothing can stop it. Body movement and blade must become one, even though the blade is doing all the work. The body is the master, and has to give complete support. You have to use your legs, by staying down. If you keep coming up, you lose your momentum and it is then only your arms waving around, no connected energy. So footwork is crucial in setting up the momentum. Move lightly, very fast. Remember the small windows of opportunity. You see the opening, go in fast, cut, then withdraw".

There is a certain magic in the names and therein lies a clue to the intent, the usage and energy. We need to work on the minutiae to establish the correct frame, but not overly focus on the details, for we will easily get bogged down. The whole orchestra of requirements needs to move with agility and spirit, inate power, flexibility, yet absolute control. It is a serious business yet there is a sense of the playful aspect. As a child did you ever play touch tag?, remember where you had to run in there, touch the other person lightly and very quickly, then make your escape completely unscathed.

He briefly explained the 5 levels of T'ai Chi study. "First, we begin by learning the movements; getting the body correct, getting the frame correct. Secondly, we begin to develop Chi, our body is becoming more correct and our Chi is getting stronger. Third, we work on understanding the energies - What type of energy is it? Fourth, only when you understand what type of energy it is, can you move to this level of studying the technique, the usage, and there are many ways to execute the technique. Level five is the highest level and is about understanding the energy changes. When levels one to four are integrated, you will not have to look for this one. You will be there without even knowing it, and at this time you will have become very high level".

In training, he said, it is very difficult to get everything in one go. "It is a process of co-ordinating something that is going on in your mind and expressing it out using your body. That really takes much effort and concentration. Most important, is that the idea is correct. Sometimes, remembering the fine detail can get a bit overdone and you might concentrate on this too much, forgetting the enjoyment and why you are involved". So right from the start, it is helpful to have a goal, an idea, 'this is what I am moving towards'. From the moment you begin, the refinement process never stops.

All material © Tai Chi Alliance 2001