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Wushu - Weapons -
Jian Shu
| The
straightsword is also known as the 'female sword'. It is one of the most
graceful weapons used in wushu. In China it is the weapon with the most legends
being told about it. In wushu competition the straightsword is being used in the
'hard' and in the 'soft' style. In the 'hard' style it's called 'Jianshu', which
means 'Straightsword Play'.
Jian is a double-edged straight
sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. |
Historical one-handed
versions have blades varying from 0.45 to 0.8 meter (17.7 to 31.5 inches) in
length. The weight of an average sword of 0.7 meter (28 inch) blade-length would
be in a range of approximately 700 to 900 g (1.5 to 2 pounds). There are also
larger two-handed versions used for training by many styles of Chinese martial
arts.
The jian is very often the weapon of
the hero in Chinese wuxia or martial arts movies. For example, the possession
and use of a specific fictional jian, the Green Destiny, played a major role in
the popular movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In folklore, it is known as
"The Gentleman of Weapons" and is considered one of the four major
weapons, along with the staff, saber, and the spear.
Click on the pictures to enlarge...
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