dre
Im in no way properly qualified to answer this to the level that you appear to be asking for but im studying a lot of Chinese sword play now so ill try and give you an idea based on the internal martial arts which i study.
For a start many things are proberly VERY similar to western bladework. After all there are only so many ways you can swing a sword. What really becomes different is in mindsets and powergeneration. Both are tricky subjects to touch on.
I will only speak on the stuff ive personaly learned and its only my experiences i dont intend to speak for other CMA stylists.
My blade work is based around two main blades the Dao or Chinese broadsword which is a single bladed single handed curved sword. The next blade is a gim which is single handed double bladed strait sword.
The Broadsword.
This weapon is used with usualy a slicing hacking mentality, the blade is kept in almost constant momentum and the force is generated by the whole body using fairly basic momentum, although you can of course become more technical.
Due to the back of the blade being blunt you can also use the back to either generate more power using your body or also better control using your hand. This weapon is usualy the prefered blade for battle field skills. This is due to many reasons but the most obvious are the ease of learning to use it (at a basic level just swing) and also becouse the blade is curved it will slice though and not stick within the body like a strait sword will (unless your trained to cut with one). The added weight of the blade and the fact its so wide also mean its very strong and 'can' be used for attacking even light armour.
The Straitsword.
This is my prefered weapon, the use is VERY similar to western fencing with the only real execption being that becuse the whole blade is shapened you can also utalise light nicks and cuts. The wrists are kept totaly loose and even the grip on the sword is very light. Done well the blade appears to float in the air with the user almost looking like there simply hanging on for the ride, many intwining and spirialing stabs and pokes are utalised.
This blade is strictly a dueling weapon and is at best poor for battlefield or armourmed attackers.
There are many types of light circling movements and the majority of attacks are light nicks aimed at either the hands or major atterys. The mindset is very light and based on much more technicality than the broadsword. Becouse the blade is nowhere near as strong as a broadsword large scale hacks also become much less of a good idea.
Usualy fighting with gims is based much more on stabbing and poking with the occasional glancing slash.
Anyway im not really at a level to discuss this well but heck i had a go lol
Last edited by jon; 10-13-2002 at 09:26 PM.
Up and down, forward and backward, left and right, its all the same. All of this is done with the mind, not externaly.
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Shaped dragon and looking monkey, sitting tiger and turning eagle.
"I wonder how they would do against jon's no-tension fu. I bet they'd do REALLY WELL."
- Huang Kai Vun