Double Handed Broadsword

[Sow Choy]

Thought I would share a story with ya all...

Gene Ching... maybe you should ask the Monkey King about this story... Would be a great article...

In January while in Hong Kong, was there for Grandmaster Poon Sing's 80th B-Day and Grandmaster Chan Sau Chung's Kung Fu banquet and sons wedding. I ran into the Monkey King (Chan Sau Chung) in the hotel... We have been friends since 2000, he was close friends with my sifu Lee Koon Hung, and close now with Sifu Li Siu Hung...

I invited him to dim sum, the next day he shows up alone and i take him out to eat... Well, we spent almost 4 hours just talking... From stories of my sifu in the old days to lots of history, it was definitely an experience I will never forget... His english is improving, but this was a time I was very happy to speak cantonese...

Anyways... He was talking about his sifu, Kwan Tak Hoi, a northern Chinese who I believe was illiterate, he spoke of Kwan Tak Hoi's life, his famous father who was a Pek Kwar master, how the monkey style was passed to Kwan Tak Hoi, and how Kwan Tak Hoi openly taught other sifus many sets at Chin Woo I believe in Shanghai, as well as passing some sets to Lam Jo...

But the stort that interested me most was of Kwan Tak Hoi's involvement in the Sino-Japanese War... Apparently Kwan Tak Hoi favored the Double Handed Broadword since it was easy to carry on your back and the blade flexible enough to wrap around your waist.... Crazy huh???

They would be shooting at the japanese from a far, then run up close and start hacking at each other... After alot of bloodshed, Kwan Tak Hoi came up with an idea of how to kill many Japanese...

He and his fellow soldiers took off their shirts and snuck into the Japanese camp at night time while the Japanese were asleep and it was pitch black. They would use their hands to feel who had a shirt on and the hack them...

After hearing this story and then speaking with Master Chow Keung about it... I asked to learn it... lol!!! Anyways... Was a great story I thought, a moment that the little kid in me was like WHOA!!!

Here are 2 clips of this form passed on from Grandmaster Kwan Tak Hoi, Chan Sau Chung and Chow Keung

Master Chow Keung:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdfiZe6xRr0

Me, Joe Keit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPIDCjh7gwg

Enjoy...

Joe

[iron_silk]

Congratulations on learning the Double Handed Saber!!!


You look great doing it and I am sure many of us on the forum are envious of the opportunity to get to rub elbows with legendary kung fu figures.

I wonder though what is the size and weight of your double handed saber???

length in terms of blade, handle (w/ or w/out ring), and lbs?

My instructor said he may be teaching me the weapon but I have yet to find the proper size at any of my local martial arts supply store.

thanks a lot!

[Sow Choy]

ironsilk...

Thank you...

The one I have was custom built by one of Chow Keungs students in China... I have a sihing that I taught 2, a real one from Hanwei I believe... another from www.MartialArtsmart.com , you see Gene Ching, you should hire me... :P

The one I have I like best, the reason is the handle is longer than both the swords above, the blade is not too long, will have to measure, similar to a horse cutter (daido) or ja ma do... Short enough to pull off your back, or bend the blade around your waist...

I found it weird that the blade could be bent around the waist and concealed as a belt...

If you want, later I can measure and you give you the specifics...

Joe

[iron_silk]

Joe,

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your time in measuring your saber.

Yeah it does seem weird that you can bend the blade around your waist. Have you ever tried with yours??? if you can bend it...would it wobble when you use it? hmmmmm

by the way it's so sweet that you got a custom made one...you can tell the power you got behind the swings!!!

again sorry for asking so much and thank you for your time.

[Sow Choy]

iron silk,

no problem... after all these years, always enjoyed reading ur posts... no sweat... I will have the exact measurements by tomorrow or wed. when I am back at our main school...

But I do recommend either the sword found in www.martialartsmart.com which is alright for practice... or the hanwei... But you may wanna ask ur sifu which is better...

take care...

Joe

[Eddie]

I spend the last 3 weeks training and performing with master chow keung. That guy is amazing. Hes 60 years old, but faster than most people I know. His kung fu is so good, and he is very stong. Threw me around like a rag doll (and I'm pretty heavy and tall).

You're pretty lucky Joe, MAster Chow speaks very highly of you. Soon, you will have an excuse to visit us more often ;)

[jigahus]

That is sick that the sword can wrap around your waist with all that metal. :eek:

[Mano Mano]

One of the few useful dao forms that I’ve seen with practical cut cutting techniques.

[Sow Choy]

Ironsilk...

22" for the blade... 16" for the handle, minus the circular ring...

Thanks again everyone for the comments...

Joe

[iron_silk]

Thanks a lot Joe!!!


Much appreciated!

When you can you should update us more on your experiences with kung fu masters!

[Sow Choy]

Ironsilk,

No problem... I will try and post another story soon, sometimes I forget about them since we get together with alot of other sifus a few times a year...

I liked the Chan Tai San stories, I will try and put a good one up... lol

Eddie...

YOU are very lucky... 3 weeks with Chow Keung, nice... If he does move there, I will have 2 good excuses to go there... You and him... lol!

Glad he speaks highly of me, i love that guy... Let me know what he said... lol

Joe

[Sow Choy]

Another Kwan Tak Hoi story that made me smile...

GM Kwan would walk around Hong Kong with his wallet around his shoulder open for everyone to see... He use to wait by the bus stop with his arm up hanging on to the pole, in a psoition easy for people to snatch his wallet...

When someone would try and take it (which happen several times), GM Kwan would drop his elbow trapping the persons hand and just start walking back to the kung fu school...

The person would try and escape or fight back, but would always end up in the school... Most of the time the robber would get on their knees after knowing who he was or where they were and beg for mercy...

Hahaha...

GM Lee Koon Hung had some stories too about people outside who would make comments or try and bother them... So they would invite them in the school, and teach them some respect... lol! Especially since I believe at the time, according to GM Tai Yim, his school was in a bad part of town, where the police didnt even go...

Joe

[Eddie]

handsome Joe,
Master Chow left back to HK last week Wednesday. I think the chances that he will move here is very big, we also have already discussed business plans for another business together. Franky and I get along very well, and I think we can work well together. I'm pretty exited about it. If all goes well, by next year this time, SA will have our own International Martial Arts MAgazine (not going to say much more than that) :cool: .

anyways, I told Master Chow what you said the last time we spoke, and he just smiled and said youre like his son.

Anyways, I had a very tuff week, hopefully I get to go out tonight. Just got a bunch of new music, and was hoping to get to play around with it this weekend.