Nan Dao

[Ben Gash]

Does anyone know of a traditional form with the Nan Dao? It's clearly a heavy hand-and-a-half sword, and no southern dao form I've seen would work with it.

[joedoe]

Is it broad bladed with rings along the spine?

[Ben Gash]

No, that's a 9 ring big knife. Nan Dao is one of the compulsory nanquan sets. if martial arts mart don't have a picture of one, WLE will. It's like a heavy backsword, with a ring pommel and usually an S shaped guard.

[joedoe]

OK.

[saolim]

We have a set with a similar sword. With nine rings; not the Nan Dao of the compulsory nanquan, but a traditional one.

See attached file

[David Jamieson]

Traditional Yang style uses the weapon you are speaking about.

Look for a video by Wen mei Yu who is a quite famous teacher. She has a complete video for the Yang form of Nan Dao and tehre is also a smattering of writings about it.

A good Yang style instructor would know the form.

cheers

ps. this (http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=www.usawushu.com/shop/weapons/big/nandao.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.usawushu.com/shop/weapons/nandao.html&h=155&w=300&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnan%2Bdao%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr %3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN) is the weapon yes? I know this is a wushu blade and not the real deal, but the shape is the same as what Ben is talking about.

[Ben Gash]

The Wen Mei Yu video is with a Yang style taiji dao, which is more of a scimitar (althought the picture you show is what I mean).

[David Jamieson]

Hi Ben.

The sword use in in Wen Meis videso is called "taichi knife" or broadsword.

I have the video and it is the knife in the pic i just posted. flat single edged large knife.

there are slight variations in blade widths in all classifications, but the nan dao and tai chi knife are different names for the same weapon.

nan dao is basically just southern broadsword and some people refer to darn dao as the nan dao. it's just semantics.

cheers

[Ben Gash]

http://store.yahoo.com/martialartsmart/45-60kk.html This is what is generally referred to as a Taiji Dao (and indeed what is used in the WMY video).
It is a different weapon to the Nan Dao as it is A)substantially thinner, and B)has a curved blade.
As I've already said, this weapon (Nan Dao)is not compatible with Dan Dao forms.

[Ben Gash]

http://www.cfw2.com/product.asp?s=cfw&pf_id=YKN&dept_id=252
Yup, definitely a Taiji Dao, not a Nan Dao (**** Kung Lek, your phenomenal self belief had me doubting myself then :D )

[David Jamieson]

actually Ben, in the video, it is not the same taiji dao as your first link and rather the sword highly resmebles the nan dao i originally posted.

the taichi dao you posted in your first link is not the same style of sword that is used in the video. there is no slight curve to the blade but rather the flat and straight ridge. she is holding it at a blade out angle.

perhaps nan dao is variation of taiji dao? This is more likely the case methinks.

[Ben Gash]

So they put a different sword on the cover than they used in the video? :confused:

[Laughing Cow]

Taiji Straight sword (http://www.pacta.homestead.com/files/Str8_sword.jpg)

taiji broadsword (http://www.pacta.homestead.com/files/Broadsword2.jpg)

Anything like the 2nd sword??

[Ben Gash]

No, that's a Dan Dao. Taiji Dao is a hand and a half scimitar, whereas a dan dao is a single handed tulwar/falchion. Although confusingly my Yang style Dao form is with a Dan Dao. Taiji Dao is really used as a name as it is only used in Taiji.

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Ben, what do you know about tai chi when you are doing southern kung fu? you can't learn both at the same time. don't you agree?

[Ben Gash]

No. I've done yang style Taijiquan for 8 years. Many famous Sifu do both. Kung fu is kung fu. Now go back to sleep Kelvin.

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Ben,

Were you doing the exercise form of Tai Chi as part of a new age group for 8 years. are you a hippy who is still into kung fu from the 70s?

[tnwingtsun]

Heya Ego,what do ya think about Hsing-Yi??

[Brad]

This is the Nan Dao: http://www.usawushu.com/shop/weapons/big/nandao.jpg
:)

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

tnwingtsun,

Of course Hsing I is good. It is northern kung fu. tai chi is probably the weakest of all northern kung fu because its very slow although it is still very good. It's still better than southern kung fu. People who learn northern and southern kung fu probabably don't know what they're doing. They might be silly.

[Ben Gash]

Kelvin, see now what would you be doing posting on a forum at 4am? Oh, wait, no, it's 10pm in AUSTRALIA!