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The ''dadao'' () was a type of Chinese saber (''
The ''dadao'' () was a type of Chinese saber (''dao
The Tao or Dao is the natural way of the universe, primarily as conceived in East Asian philosophy and religion. This seeing of life cannot be grasped as a concept. Rather, it is seen through actual living experience of one's everyday being. T ...
'') of the late Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...
which remained in use as a civilian and military sword through the end of World War 2
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilisin ...
. The term refers to a whole family of swords, which can vary in blade, guard, and grip configurations. Common elements include a grip long enough to accommodate 2 hands, but with a relatively short and wide blade. Ring pommels are very common, but not exclusively used at the end of the grip. Blade profiles often flare towards the foible
This is a glossary of terms used in fencing.
A
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and may have a clipped tip.
Origin of name
The term dadao has been in use since at least theMing dynasty
The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
, where it was originally used to refer to large polearm mounted sabres. Although similar short and wide bladed dao are seen in Ming era artwork, the form of sword known today as dadao dating to the late Qing and the early 19th century. The term Kan Dao (砍刀, lit. Chopping knife) was also used to refer to these heavy bladed dao.
Use
The dadao is a hand-and-a-half sword, in that it can accommodate two handed use, but is still nimble enough for single handed use. Its clipped tip allows for stabbing actions while the broad thin blade allow it to excel at powerful sweeping cuts. During the early 20th century the dadao was popular both with martial arts schools, militias, and the military. In the opening engagements with the Japanese during World War 2, soldiers armed with dadao famously defended Beijing in the Marco Polo bridge incident. Although writers during the 1930s do lay out specifications for a sword with a 23 inch blade, 3 inched clip back, and a weight of 3.5 lbs, decentralized production resulted in incredibly varied designs; even military examples show tremendous variety in styles of sword compared to other military pattern blades.See also
*Dao (Chinese sword)
''Dao'' (pronunciation: , English approximation: , Chinese language, Chinese: 刀; pinyin: ''dāo''; jyutping: ''dou1'') are single-edged Chinese swords, primarily used for slashing and chopping. They can be straight or curved. The most common ...
* Oxtail Dao
*Yanmaodao
The ''yanlingdao'' () or ''yanmaodao'' () is a type of ''dao'' used as a standard military weapon during the Ming dynasty and middle Qing dynasty (1368–1800). The blade is straight until the curve begins around the center of percussion along ...
*Liuyedao
The ''liuyedao'' or "willow-leaf saber" is a type of ''dao'' that was commonly used as a military sidearm for both cavalry and infantry during the Ming and Qing dynasties. A descendant of the earlier Mongol sabre the liuyedao remained the ...
*The Sword March
"The Sword March" is a Chinese patriotic song first sung in the Republic of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War (World War II) after the Japanese invasion of 1937. It is also known in Chinese by its first line, ''Dàdāo xiàng guǐzi ...
References
{{Reflist Chinese swords