The Tai Chi Healthways Discussion Board Forum Index The Tai Chi Healthways Discussion Board
Click here to return to the main Tai Chi Healthways site.
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups    RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Welcome
Welcome to The Tai Chi Healthways Discussion Board.

Click here to return to the main site.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple, and absolutely free, so please, join our community today!

Butterfly Swords

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Tai Chi Healthways Discussion Board Forum Index -> Improving Your Tai Chi Practice
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
zhong



Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:51 pm    Post subject: Butterfly Swords Reply with quote

I read somewhere that Butterfly Swords are not a Chinese weapon; but they are used by Lau Gar and Wing Chun. What do people think? Are they defensive or only offensive?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Maria



Joined: 03 Jan 2008
Posts: 164

PostPosted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have read in wikipedia that butterfly swords are sometimes called buterfly knives in english, but there is a confusion with the philippino balisong, also called butterfly knive :

see here :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_sword
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_knife
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ducksoup



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 13
Location: Italy - Prato

PostPosted: Wed May 28, 2008 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've find this.....maybe it could be usefully 4 u

The Butterfly Sword
The butterfly sword is a weapon used primarily by martial artists of southern China. The blade length of the weapon is equal to the fist and the forearm, and a guard is fixed to its hilt to protect the hand. The special length of the blade is designed to allow for better maneuvering. For instance, if the blade is longer than the length of the fist and the arm, it could not be able to be rotated inside the arms. However, the shape of the butterfly sword and the way of its use differs in northern China. With the northern Chinese butterfly sword, the footwork of the user in kicking is stressed; but the butterfly swords in southern China are used chiefly in close-quarter fighting because of their short length, with emphasis placed on precision and the coordination of both swords at the same time. One modern adept of hung gar style, Wong Fei Hung, was especially noted for his skill with this weapon.

Wing Chun Eight Slash Butterfly Swords
Wing Chun eight slash butterfly swords are also called Wing Chun bart jarm dao. The name bart jarm dao was derived from the initial intention of the originator who designed the striking technique mainly aiming for the wrist, elbow, knee and ankle. The purpose was to main the opponent rather than to kill since the wing chun bart jarm dao was originated from the Shaolin temple and used by the monks and nuns of the temple in their travels. They frequently carried sums of money donated by their worshippers. Often they would be met by bandits who intended to rob them. The monks were prepared for this, and they were equipped with butterfly swords hidden in the side of their boots. When they were confronted by the bandits, they would pull out the swords to defend themselves. Since their religion did not allow them to slaughter anyone, their initial target was to maim their opponents on the wrists, knees and ankles.

In the Ching Dynasty (A.D. 1644-1911), China was ruled by the Manchu invaders. It was a time when 90 percent of the Chinese, the Hons, were ruled by the ten percent minority, the Manchus.

When all weapons were outlawed by the Manchu Government, the Manchus gained full control of China. They enforced many unjust laws on the Hons. For instance, all the female Hon infants were made to bind their feet so that when they grew up they would be restricted in their movement and they would have to be dependent upon their parents or their husband. They restricted the work opportunity of the Hons. The Hons were unable to hold office in the government higher than a certain level. They placed heavy tax burdens on the country so that they could have complete economic control of the Hon people. Kung Fu training was also banned for the Hon people.

However, the Manchu Government adopted the Hon culture. They respected the Shaolin Temple as a Buddhist sanctuary. The Hons began training a revolutionary army in the art of kung fu, using the Shaolin temple as the secret training place. In the traditional Shaolin system it would take 15 to 20 years to train a kung fu master. The need to develop a new and more effective style of kung fu became critical when some of the existing kung fu masters surrendered to work for the Manchu Government. Five of the Shaolin grandmasters planned to develop a new form, one which would have a shorter training time and would be more effective than all the other systems developed before. The five teachers met to discuss the merits of each of their particular systems of kung fu and chose the most efficient training method from each system. They developed the principle and the training program of wing chun that would take only five years to master. They called this system Wing Chun, its name meaning "hope for the future." However, before this new system could be put into practice, the Shaolin temple was raided and burned by the Manchus. Ng Mui, a nun, was the only survivor of the original group of five. She passed her knowledge onto a young orphan girl whom she named Wing Chun.

Along with the development of the wing chun system, the butterfly sword (bart jarm dao), was chosen as the only weapon in the wing chun system because the length of the bart jarm dao made it easy to conceal. It could be used as a extension of the arms, and they were the most deadly and effective weapons of all. This was because the bart jarm dao system emphasized the training of coordinating the two swords, the training of the eyes, wrist and footwork. The principle was based on the fact that every defense was accompanied by a counter attack, and every attack was accompanied by a trapping, parrying or immobilizing move of the other sword. Plus, it was designed to use the ingenuity of the wing chun footwork to its fullest extent, making it the champion of all weapons.

taken from:
http://www.cheungswingchun.ashop.com.au/g/937/butterfly-swords.html

_________________
:: Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife ::
Groucho Marx
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Tai Chi Healthways Discussion Board Forum Index -> Improving Your Tai Chi Practice All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Community Chest


Powered by phpBB
Hosted by FreeForums.org