Art of the Jian - Trans: Scott M. Rodell

莊子曰：

夫為劍者，示之以虛，

開之以利，後之以發，

先之以至。

Zhuangzi Wrote,

"The art of the jian is to deliberately expose a weakness, 

giving the enemy the impression they have the opportunity to attack.

Your hand moves after the enemy, but your jian strikes first.”

-trans. Scott M. Rodell

Found HERE 

Chinese Sword Length - Trans: Scott M. Rodell

一寸長， 一寸強
一寸小， 一寸巧
一寸短，一寸險
~古人說

Yīcùn cháng, yīcùn qiáng
yīcùn xiǎo, yīcùn qiǎo
yīcùn duǎn, yīcùn xiǎn
~Gǔrén shuō

One inch longer, one inch stronger
One inch smaller, one inch (more) skillful
One inch shorter, one inch closer
~ an old Chinese saying

This is an old martial saying that seems to originate at least in part with General Qi Jiguang who wrote, “Short weapons cannot intercept long weapons, one inch longer is one inch stronger (Duǎn bù jiē zhǎng, yīcùn cháng yīcùn qiáng, 短不接長，一寸長一寸強).” In general, the phrase addresses the difference between long weapons, such as spears, and shorter weapons, including swords.

It terms of sword work itself, this may be interpreted in another manner as~
If your sword cuts are an inch longer, they will have more power. However, if they are an inch smaller, that is more skillful. Then the distance to the duifang is an inch shorter, and you are an inch close to land a blow.

This describes the evolution every diligent swordsman moves thorough. At first, one tends to rely on power. Further training brings refinement leading to one’s movements becoming smaller, tighter, and thus quicker. Deflections are then only as big as needed and the sword isn’t swung at the duifang’s body in general, but at a small, exact target. This compacting of one’s technique changes the timing of actions so that your sword ends up moving closer to the target even as the duifang is attacking. Thus the distance to your target is shorter though the starting distance has not changed.
Note that the last word in this saying, xiǎn, is typically translated as danger in common vernacular Chinese. It can however also mean to be near as in anear miss or a close call.. The overall structure of the saying is one where a specific condition leads to a improved result. Following that structure, the distance being an inch shorter, places the swordsman in a better tactical position, one inch closer to landing his or her blow. Certainly, that is also a more dangerous position (for both swordsmen). However, if one has deflected properly, leading the duifang’s weapon into a void while maintain tip control, so that one’s sword is aligned with its target, then in this dangerous position, there is a strategic opportunity.

~ Scott M. Rodell

Chinese Sword - Single Guarding Saber Trans: Scott M. Rodell

吸氣蓄勁。吐氣發拳。蓄勁如張弓。發勁似放矢。拳脚如是。刀法何獨不然。苟不吸氣。則無吐氣之能。苟不蓄勁。必無發勁之力。發勁要上下相隨。收勁要呑吐相應。

Xī qì xù jìn. Tǔqì fā quán. Xù jìn rú zhānggōng. Fā jìn shì fàng shǐ. Quánjiǎo rúshì. Dāo fǎ hé dú bùrán. Gǒu bù xī qì. Zé wú tǔqì zhī néng. Gǒu bù xù jìn. Bì wú fā jìn zhī lì. Fā jìn yào shàngxià xiāng suí. Shōu jìn yào tūntǔ xiāngyìng.

Inhaling stores internal power. Exhaling releases the fist. Store energy like drawing a bow, release energy like releasing an arrow.* Fists and feet are thus. The saber method is not any different. If one does not inhale, then one is not able to exhale. If one does not store internal power, there is certainly no power to release. To release power the upper and lower (body) must follow each other. Gathering internal energy inhale and exhale must work together. 

*This line is a direct quote from the Taijiquan Classic the Insight into the Use of Thirteen Postures. 

Quoted from Single Guarding Saber (單戒刀) by Jin Yiming (金一明)
Trans: Scott M. Rodell        Found HERE 

Test Cutting ~ Essential Practice

Test cutting is essential to the understanding of swordsmanship. Forgotten for a time, its revival is a key to the renaissance of the Chinese Sword Art. Test cutting provides the necessary context to understand the different cuts, quick and precise to long and powerful. It teaches intent, helping the student to understand aligning the cut, cutting itself and control of the follow through. It gives meaning to movements in the sword forms which are otherwise abstractions. It aids the practitioner in understanding how to move and apply power from the whole body and not simply the arms. For these reasons, and others, Chinese swordsmen made “grass men” out of the materials on hand to develop and refine their sword work.

Looking at this from a different context, drawing a bow for strength training has been a part of Chinese martial tradition for hundreds of years. But no matter how long one has drawn bows, no matter how heavy the draw weight of those bows, simply drawing the bow does not make one an archer, let alone a master archer. Shooting arrows at a target, hitting it, is what makes one an archer. This is true regardless of whatever benefits the exercise of drawing has provided. One can simply not be considered an archer without shooting. That is what the weapons is designed for.

The sword, whether the jian with its three edges, the tip and two sides of the blade, or the dao, with its single sharp edge, is designed to cut in various ways. Just as one who has never loose an arrow at a target can not sensibly be called an archer, one has has never used a sword to do what it is designed to do, be named a swordsman (jianke). If one has never used a tool to do the job it is designed for, one can not be called an expert in its use.

~Scott M. Rodell

Found Here: https://steelandcotton.tumblr.com/post/166675840231/test-cutting-essential-practice-test-cutting-is

Chinese Sword (Jian) Sparring

Chinese Sword (Jian) Sparring