All styles of Taijiquan (太極拳), at least since the arrival of Yang Luchan (杨露禅) to the imperial palace in Beijing, have included swordsmanship within their teaching curriculum. This is predicated upon the usage of the weapon as an extension of the human body, adhering to a specific framework of principles and methods. This article aims to present a contemporary perspective on sword training within Chinese martial arts styles commonly classified as “internal”, specifically the Wu-Style Taijiquan (吳氏太极拳), outlining clear methods and addressing common misconceptions.
Body and Weapon – An Integrated Functional Unit
The weapons practiced in Wu-Style Taijiquan are the spear or qiang (槍), the broadsword or dao (刀), and the straight sword or jian (劍), and they are learned in this order. The significance of the straight sword in Wu-Style Taijiquan is evident through the existence of five distinct routines: three sets designed to familiarize practitioners with techniques and progressively intricate scenarios, a dual-sword set aimed at enhancing overall ambidexterity, and a sparring set performed in pairs to simulate attack and defense situations. The rich content of Wu-Style Taijiquan sword routines really distinguishes it from other the styles.
The straight sword, in contrast to the broadsword which primarily serves as a slashing or cutting weapon, functions as a thrusting or stabbing instrument. Consequently, its use requires greater precision with agile and delicate technique. For this reason, it is designated as the final weapon to be learned within the system. Weapons play a crucial role in the cultivation of jin (勁 – in this context, a refined force flow), making their training essential for the comprehensive development of Taijiquan skills. This is not only important from a combat perspective but also for learning to integrate an external object into one's body, guiding the sword with the mind, and synchronizing the body's movements with the sword's path.
There are significant differences between the Wu-Style Taijiquan straight sword routines and those of other Taijiquan styles. In addition to the thirteen foundational sword techniques such as pointing (dian 點), thrusting (ci 刺), lifting (ti 提), pressing (ya 壓), etc., the originators of the style have also adapted movements involving holding the sword with both hands, switching the sword between the two hands, various one-legged balances, and more. Nevertheless, while we recognize the distinctiveness and importance of these choreographic elements, this article will primarily focus on aspects related to swordsmanship theory and practicality.
Weapon Morphology Determines Usage
The shape of the weapon is the main aspect that determines the way it is used, other factors could include material, weight, and more. Although there could be variations depending on style and epoch, the straight sword used in Taijiquan practice has a straight blade with cutting edges on both sides of the blade. This weapon is typically divided into two main elements: the sword body (jian shen 劍身) and the sword hilt (jian bing 劍柄). Additionally, the sword body is comprised of three sections: the sword tip (jian jian 劍尖), the central blade (jian ren zhong duan 劍刃中段), and the root (jian gen 劍根). Lastly, the sword hilt includes the handguard (hu shou 護手), the handle (jian ba 劍把), and the pommel (jian shou 劍首). Each of these parts may serve a specific function in attack and defense.
The sword tip is sharp, with both edges designed to cut. Its primary function is to harm an opponent either through thrusts targeting vital points or by delivering controlled slashes to areas such as the arms, legs, tendons, neck, or face. The central blade's primary function is to defend and shield the body from incoming attacks. Furthermore, it can be employed to maintain contact with the opponent's weapon, enabling the anticipation and counteraction of any subsequent movements. The root is the section of the blade next to the handle; it remains unsharpened and is not used for cutting. As the base of the blade, it is the strongest part and can be used to apply pressure on an opponent's weapon to keep it at bay, or to lock it with the handguard. Let's consider the following two scenarios:
The edge of the sword can be seen resting on the opponent's weapon to halt or control it. Here, the force is applied to the weapon rather than directly onto the opponent, and by using the edge instead of the flat part, it prevents slippage and allows for better control. It is important to highlight that the movement is made from the wrist, this allows for greater speed of action and adaptability.
The edge of the sword is aimed at the adversary while the flat parts of both swords remain in contact. Here, the force is directed toward the opponent enabling our weapon to slide over the opponent's sword blade and advance toward it. In this type of action, the wrist typically remains neutral, enabling the force to be transferred primarily from the footwork and stance.
Cone Shapes for Attack and Defense
The objective of the sword on a defensive level is to triangulate the attack towards the opponent, normally in front of your body, which creates a cone shape in which most movements are developed. The base of the cone would be the circle created by your outstretched arm rotating from the shoulder 360 degrees up, down and to the sides. The tip of the sword is the tip of the cone that always points at the opponent, while the blade of the sword is the generator that deflects the weapon that enters your space and moves it away from your body. The following image illustrates the defense cone:
On an offensive level, the cone is inverted, with the shoulder or the wrist (depending on whether we articulate the movement from the shoulder or from the wrist) being the tip of the cone while the tip of the sword draws the base of the cone in order to reach the opponent in any part of his body. In this inverted cone situation, with a small gesture at the tip of the cone (shoulder), we achieve a great movement at the base (tip of the sword) which is especially useful for quick attacks or to establish quick defensive contact with the weapon that attacks us. The following image illustrates the offensive cone:
In addition, the grip of the sword can also determine the type of action. In defensive actions, the sword and arm form a 90º angle, which allows us to deflect attacks while keeping our sword pointed at the opponent. In offensive actions, the sword and arm form a 180º angle, which allows us to lengthen the action of the sword and attack any target from very small and fast movements thanks to the opening action of the cone. Of course, you can also use a 90º angle for attacking and a 180º angle for defending, this will always depend on the opponent's actions and your position relative to them, and such actions are not limited to the frontal part of the body. Sword movements can cover all possible openings of the body as if it were a sphere surrounding it, with the shoulder as the center of the sphere. Thus, it is possible to utilize both types of cones at any position on the body.
Wrist Circles to Enhance the Movements
Another important type of sword movement involves making circular motions with the wrist. Besides adopting angles by 90º and 180º, the wrist can also perform circles to better react to incoming forces and facilitate changes in movement more effectively, consequently avoiding static parrying whenever possible, also to avoid damaging the sword. For instance, if a defensive maneuver necessitates retreating with the sword to later advance, completing a circle with the wrist enables a seamless transition without halting the movement or compromising the sword's defensive position. This sequence provides an example of using a wrist circle:
Upon initial contact with an incoming attack, a phase-in maneuver is employed to gain control of the opponent's sword. This is achieved by directing the opponent's sword towards the ground, effectively removing it from the line of attack. Subsequently, the wrist is rotated, altering the point of contact with the sword to facilitate the sliding movement of the blades as the wrist continues its circular motion. This motion culminates in the sword moving forward in a single action to target the opponent's vulnerable areas.
The distinctive mechanics of Wu-Style Taijiquan, including parallel footwork, an inclined upper body, a straight spine, and others, are always present and crucial when practicing barehand routines, pushing hands, or weapon routines, particularly with the straight sword. It is essential to have a good understanding of these mechanics, as well as the implications of the two cones and the wrist circles on all techniques, this will guarantee that the sword movements are purposeful and precise, rather than arbitrary.
Uniting External and Internal Work
In Taijiquan, there are two types of work: external work and internal work. This article focuses on the external method of Taijiquan, which cannot be underestimated. External work focuses on body structure, optimal joint angles, advantageous positions relative to the opponent, and effective defensive parameters – essentially, combat theory. Without it, Taijiquan lacks martial effectiveness and practicality. Internal work, on the other hand, refers to the use of sophisticated body mechanisms that rely more on the use of jin rather than on muscular tensions or on the movements of the various body segments. Internal work aims to achieve the most efficient ways of using the human body.
In Wu-Style Taijiquan, both the internal and external methods begin to be cultivated in unison right from the preparation exercises of the style as well as with the practice of the slow frame routines. Like observing slow-motion movements in a video, such deliberate slow practice can enhance anatomical analysis, facilitate the comprehension of key movement elements, increase familiarity with the trajectories of offensive and defensive actions, how to generate the proper jin from stillness, and contribute to the development of automatic responses, thereby achieving great improvement.
Subsequentially, through the practice of pushing hands, practitioners gain the ability to manage forces by maintaining and adjusting the postures and movements learned in barehand routines. They use waist turns and steps to neutralize forces and coordinate their jin with their partner's jin. Lastly, with the weapon routines, as well as the fast frame routine, the use of jin is noticeably accentuated, enabling practitioners to manage more intricate scenarios, thereby facilitating the comprehensive understanding of Taijiquan's principles of slow practice and fast application, ultimately enhancing one’s combat capabilities.
Taijiquan practitioners must pursue the integration of both external and internal methods into a unified practice. Once this integration is achieved through the repetition and accumulation of correct methods, Taijiquan becomes an extremely sublime martial art. Nevertheless, this is a pursuit that requires serious dedication, sustained effort, and a long-term commitment.
