Comments on: Buying a taiji sword, pt. 2

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:24:28 +0000

As for your concerns with the sword not being entirely sharp – a Tai Chi sword is not a broadsword and is not meant for hacking and slashing. Traditionally it is a weapon of finesse and precision – never utilizing force-against-force (as in all traditional kung-fu), the tip does all the damage. If you try to wield a Tai Chi sword in a “sword fight” and slam it into another sword, it is not going to stand its own ground. You are typically deflecting blows and parrying, cutting your opponent to ribbons with small and precise cuts and stabs in vital points, all with the tip (think along the lines of fencing but much more lethal). If you study the Yang family forms, you will see how all the movements incorporate this way of thinking.
Good luck in your training.

By: Evgeny

Evgeny — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:10:32 +0000

I have a question, guys!
Liked the review, but as nice as the sound is, I am more interestedin the flexiblity of the jian.
I am looking for one for my Tai Chi. And I want it to be as Yin as possible, i.e. soft. I can not find anywhere anybody mention the flexibility.
Any comments anyone?
Sent me an e-mail at etkolev@prodigy.net.
Thank you.

By: Hansen

Hansen — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:47:34 +0000

Folks, You are paying too much for a sword. Way too much. The very excellent taiji swords in China sell retail for ~200RMB. That’s between $30 and $35.

Don’t get ripped off just because you are a foreigner.

By: Satsuki Shizuka

Satsuki Shizuka — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:45:26 +0000

Hi;

Just wondering – how different is ths Hsu sword from the CAS Hanwei Practical Tai Chi sword? Judging from the design dates, I’d say that the Hsu design was just a minor variant/knockoff of the Pr.TC sword, but there are subtleties that a JPG just can’t deliver.

Ever tried one of the other swords before, and how different is it?

Juni, owner of a Hanwei Pract. TC sword
Toronto

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:45:38 +0000

I have been studying sword for 4 years and am lucky to have an exellent teacher. I happened to see the Adam Hsu sword when a fellow student purchased one. I started of with one of the “fake” swords.It was all I could afford at the time, I am definitley saving up to obtain a Adam Hsu sword.
In reference to MA Miller, I find that books alone are hard to learn from.
I was surprised to find that by Googling Tai Chi sword, there are sights that show demonstrations and on line classes. It may not be the ultimate learning experience, but it could help you out until you locate a teacher.
(its also easy to develop bad habits since there is no instant feedback)

Thanks for the opportunity to express my opinion,
Susan
Chicago

By: MA Miller

MA Miller — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:51:06 +0000

Hi ,
I stumbled on this by accident while trying to learn more about Jian swords and learning the techniques. Now I have very little experiense with swords. I own several or diffrent kinds. I’ve always hace a fascination with the sword since I saw somw old japanesse films. But the japanesse sword(which I own several) Never did mesh well with me. But while watching the show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In the 3rd season one of the main characters learns the way of the sword which funnily enough was the Jian and I think a off take on the Yang style. Well needless to say I was entranced. Now I know it was just a Tv show and an animated one at that. I have to say Iam really interested in learning it. Now I went online and did some research. But I just don’t know where to begin or what would be a good sword to buy or what books I need to buy to study. Oh and theres no way I can actually find someone to train me as Iam in northern Japan and in the Military so I cann’t just up and leave. But Iam a dedicated individual. And when I say I want to learn something I put alot of hard work into it. So If any of you could help me out with this I wiould appreciate it. Thank you

Sincerly,

MASA Miller, Clinton S.
U.S. Navy

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 19:01:20 +0000

hello,

I am looking for a good tai chi sword for a long time also – I like the Adam Hsu sword too but am also concerned about the downward hilt design and the side holds (thumb and index fingers) that are sometimes required in the form. Where do you hold the sword in these side holds – on the backward pointing “knobs” or the actual guard leading to the “knobs and last not least how comfortable and functional is this hold compared to the traditional “lionhead” guard. Thanks for your reply – looking forward to hearing from you.

By: Formosa Neijia - Exploring Taiwan’s Internal Martial Arts » Fake swords: don’t be a victim

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 02:06:44 +0000

[...] I understand that people want this stuff and that good swords are hard to find, but people who call themselves martial artists need to put a little more effort into their education. It’s much better to buy a modern reproduction IMO than it is to buy an obvious fake to train with. Some modern reproductions like the Adam Hsu jian that I reviewed are specifically designed for practice and will hold up a lot better than these fakes. [...]

By: chessman71

chessman71 — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 00:43:40 +0000

Peter,
Thanks for the comment and welcome to the blog! For the price that I was able to pay, the Adam Hsu jian came the closest to an authentic jian as far as handling goes IMO. But then my opinion is based on limited experience with only a few blades. The closest thing I could find to a so-called true jian was some of the handmade blades here in Taiwan, but the price was a bit beyond my reach and I wasn’t in love with how they handled anyway.

I found one jian that matched the description of yours from your website, that’s why I mentioned it. But I couldn’t tell if it was the one you make or not. Are your swords available in Taiwan?

In the end, I figured I would be just as satisfied with the Adam Hsu jian. I’m happy so far.

By: Peter Dekker

Peter Dekker — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:18:50 +0000

Hi,

First of all, thanks for mentioning my site on your log, and posting the picture I made of this sword!

About the sound that the Adam Hsu jian makes, all good jian have that. It’s a result of the shape of the cross section that the cheapest ones just don’t have. All decent swords do. Although I understand you’re happy with the Adam Hsu jian, I should comment that it’s not a very historically accurate design. This is also the reason why I don’t let myself in with all the Hanwei types of swords.

I own a number of antique jian, and stick with jian that came close to these. Because who knows better how swords should be made, than the people who fought wars with them? For that reason, I can’t stress enough how important it is for all sword makers to stay close to historical designs. Especially because the masters that formed the style also used Qing era swords, and so the art was formed for them. The tendency to light swords came in the 1950’s when the communist party wanted to reform martial arts to make them less dangerous.

Good luck with your training! Hope you don’t take this wrongly, it’s just my view I wanted to express.

-Peter