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Thread: the origin of the big ass chinese dao

  1. #1
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    the origin of the big ass chinese dao

    people often say that the big ass oversized chinese dao is for decoration and opera, and wikipedia says it is never found in the military and is a civilian weapon because it is heavy and unwieldy.

    i was doing some reading and found out the origin of the big ass dao. it comes from the song dynasty at the time of heavy infantry and cataphracts. song dynasty infantry wore up to 70 pound armor and bowmen wore 50 pound armor. jin cataphracts wore up to 100 pound double triple layer lamenar armor. during that time mongol heavy cavalry were descrbied by persians to take over 50 arrows to the body and suffer minor injuries.

    the big ass dao was not a cheap low quality weapon due to its dumb shape but it was actually a high quality sword. the shape is for breaking through armor like the guan dao. the decoration is also related to guan dao.

    the shape of the big ass dao was called "sturgeon sword" or fish head sword or big hand sword. the shape also resembles flame of a dragon's breath, and the sword guard often has a dragons mouth. this is similar to guan dao.

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  2. #2
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    http://img0.itiexue.net/1217/12170892.jpgName:  12170892.jpg
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    dug up remains of a jin cataphract soldier.
    Last edited by bawang; 07-01-2014 at 08:54 AM.

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  3. #3
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    Bawang, great find. What's name of the sword in Chinese?
    "I'm a highly ranked officer of his tong. HE is the Dragon Head. our BOSS. our LEADER. the Mountain Lord." - hskwarrior

  4. #4
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    The use of the Da Dao is well documented by the military in the Ming, Qing and Republican eras
    Very interesting article here (warning, contains photos of beheadings)
    http://chinesemartialstudies.com/2012/11/26/693/
    "The man who stands for nothing is likely to fall for anything"
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Gash View Post
    The use of the Da Dao is well documented by the military in the Ming, Qing and Republican eras
    Very interesting article here (warning, contains photos of beheadings)
    http://chinesemartialstudies.com/2012/11/26/693/
    your own article says ming depiction is fiction and qing dynasty is only civilians. the photo i showed is from jin dynasty 900 years ago. people often critisize the big ass dao for being unwieldy and say military couldnt have used it. its original purpose was to chop through triple layer laminar armor of mongols and jurchens. during this period song army created heavier and heavier weapons because of invention out of desperation(ribbed d1ldo mace, phoenix head axe etc) until firearms was created.

    Quote Originally Posted by pazman View Post
    Bawang, great find. What's name of the sword in Chinese?
    yu tou dao/shou dao/hu tou dao
    Last edited by bawang; 07-05-2014 at 08:12 AM.

    Honorary African American
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