Tai Chi Broadsword
The Tai Chi Broadsword, known in Chinese as a dao, is a very popular weapon specific to Chinese martial arts. The dao dates from China's bronze age. Later versions are found in iron and then steel. The dao became popular with the cavalry, due to its effectiveness as a slashing weapon. Conversely, a larger, two-handed dao known as a changdao was used as an anti-cavalry weapon.
The Mongol invasions further popularised the use of the dao. Indeed variants of the curved Mongol sword can be found all over central Asia and even as far as Europe, in the shape of the cutlass. During the Ming dynasty the dao came to replace completely the jian as the standard issue military weapon.
In modern Chinese, dao can also mean knife. In reference to this the sword format is the most effective cutting weapon. There are four main types of dao and the one used in Tai Chi is that known as a 'willow leaf sabre'. It has a long curved blade with a single cutting edge, although some swords are sharpened along a small portion of their back edge to allow for reverse cuts too.
A hilt wrapped in cord is traditionally covered with a ring shaped guard. Like the jian, a dao often has a tassle where a lanyard would once have been attached. Martial artists may use one or two dao at any time and in Tai Chi there are both double and single broadsword forms.