#testcutting

The history of the Chinese Fast Sword Draw (出劍法) dates back to the Han dynasty, 2,000 plus years ago. Unfortunately, there are no known manuals for these techniques and historically illustrations are rare. This depiction of a seated swordsman drawing his sword is from a scroll originally painted by Gu Kaizhi ( 顧愷之) in the 4th century. While Gu’s original version of this scroll, The Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies (女史箴圖) has not survived, later copies of this work have.

The two following later copies of this scroll date to the Tang (dated between the 6th and 8th century AD) and Song dynasties. As such they are likely the oldest known illustrations of a Chinese Swordsman Preforming the Fast Sword Draw (出劍法). They are also the only know depiction of a seated Chinese sword drawn know to date. Given the age of the two paintings, it is difficult to make out the finer details. What we can see is that seated swordsman’s grip is palm out with his fingers wrapping over the grip prepared to draw and strike downward. His rear hand is well back toward the rear of the scabbard, palm down.

A skeptic might understandable suggest that the seated figure is actually wielding a cudgel. Given the lack of visible detail, this would be an understandable suggestion. However, there is no reason for a wooden club to be gripped at the rear end just prior to swinging it. And given that what appears to be bear is just before the seated man, if it were some sort of cudgel and not a sword ready to be drawn, it is more likely he would be gripping it with two hands not holding the the rear end palm down.

The Four Parts of a Correct Cut

Keeping in mind that there are two types of cutting, one the simply tests the sword and another that tests the sword and swordsman, a swordsman’s proper cut has four parts. These four parts relate to how a cut is used in actual combat, in other words, how a swordsman wields his weapon when facing a committed opponent.

The Four Parts are:

The Ready Starting Position

The Alignment with the Cut

The Cut itself

And the Follow Through

Each of these parts or phases the cut moves through is of equal importance.

For the swordsman, test cutting is essential to knowing that one’s techniques might work in real dueling situations. That means that when cutting, the sword should begin from a position that one would take in free swordplay. That is either an on guard position that protects the swordsman, or a position that one just deflected into. This is your Ready Starting Position. Beginning a cut with the sword cocked back further than it would be when facing an opponent does not provide the swordsman with a context that helps him or her improve his or her cutting skills.

Standing in the Ready Starting Position, for example a position where one might have just deflected, the blade will begin its acceleration toward the target. However, depending on the cut one intends to use, the blade may also have to realign, orienting to the proper angle to deliver the cut effectively. Beginners and those who have only practiced forms, often make the error of rotating the blade over the entire arc of the cut, from the starting point to the moment the edge strikes the target. This just in time edge alignment is problematic in a real sword fighting and often results in it being misaligned as it impacts with the target. This misalignment will cause the blade to bounce off, or to continue its rotation and bind in the target, quickly arresting its movement as it becomes bound up in the target material.

Once the practitioner has aligned the blade with the target, bringing the edge angle parallel with plane of the cut, the weapons accelerates toward the target cutting through it. A cut should not be launched like an arrow, where all the power if at the beginning and the sword flies to the target. Power should build throughout the length of the blades arc to the target, accelerating, adding power during the last third of the movement before reaching its goal. Before beginning the cut, one would have already gauged the amount of power necessary based on the toughness of the target and the type of cut being employed.

The follow through after the blade has sliced through the target is where the swordsman most clearly demonstrates his or her skill level. The sword should finish its movement a short distance through the target in position where it could easily and quickly deliver a follow on cut or deflection. In other words, the cut ends in a position that would be useful if the target had not been an inanimate object, but an experienced swordsman ready to counter. A powerful swing that comes to rest well past the target is, in terms of swordsmanship, a poor cut regardless of whether the target was cut through.

Practicing cutting, the swordsman should remain in the mind set of facing another swordsman. Cut in a manner that delivers an effective blow while creating as little opportunity for an intercepting or counter-cut. Avoid flashy movements that might please an unschooled crowd, but have no use when actually crossing blades.

The Two Types of Test Cutting

When I began cutting practice, no one was test cutting with Chinese swords. In fact the common refrain was that straight swords like Jian didn’t cut well, or at all. Aside from oral transmission, there was no foundation from which to begin training. Fortunately, I was good friends with Paul Champagne, a noted swordsmith with decades of cutting experience. I was quite fortunate to have him as my cutting mentor. The first important point Paul clarified is that there is two types of cutting. The first type of cutting tests the sword. The second type tests the sword and swordsman. The first type of cutting requires only two components, proper edge alignment and a powerful enough swing. Since the objective of the first type of cutting is to simply test the sword, the sword is typically swung through a much larger arc than necessary. This almost always ends with the sword swinging well past the target. When the sword is swung through such a wide path, from the view point of swordplay, the weapon is well out of play. This is one notable manner that these two types of cutting differ.

Experiment of sharpness "Chinese sword vs Japanese sword"

Once Kokaji made a custom sword for an old collector. It was a wakizashi, but very unique with broad width and big thickness. It was heavier than normal long sword. The collector told Kokaji an episode of his experiment about with Chinese sword and Japanese sword.

One day in WWII when the collector was young, he got an idea to test sharpness of Chinese sword and Japanese sword. He had a Chinese sword like this.

Such swords were common in that time. He settled the Chinese sword on the vise, clamped the tang tightly with cutting edge upward. Then he swung down with his Japanese sword against it. The Japanese sword cut into the edge of the Chinese sword. The edge of Japanese sword was harder than that of Chinese sword. He was proud in his mind of the superiority of Japanese sword.

Then, he changed the position of swords opposite, settled the Japanese sword on the vise, and swung down with Chinese sword against it. This time, Japanese sword broke off in two pieces.

Note the katana in the image above is not the sword spoken of in the post.

Equestrian portrait of Daoguang emperor（1782-1850) by Sheng Zhenlin（沈振麟, 19th Century),The Palace Museum. 

Evaluating Cutting Swords:

The Structural Analysis Test

While I am happy to see so many practitioners learning the value of test cutting, most are rushing into the practice without much knowledge of safety measures or methodology. One essential practice whenever anyone gets a new sword meant for cutting is to do a Structural Analysis Test. It might be a surprise to learn swords break. When they do, the broken piece can fly any direction, including back at the cutter. Even professional forges with excellent reputations can unintentionally produce a sword with an unseen internal flaw. So for safety's sake each sword should be individual tested by its owner. This Structural Analysis Test is preformed by cutting into a relative soft wood, such as pine. I use a long dead pine tree. A block of 4 X 4 lumber in a vise will work just as well. One cuts repeatedly into the target starting with relatively light blows building to full power. Full power in this situation is as hard as you would cut with the sword to go through a typical target at the tougher end of the spectrum. An example would be a single rice mat wrapping a 2” diameter green bamboo stalk, or a dried 2” diameter stalk.

If the sword can deliver 100 solid cuts in a row to your pine block without damage, it is unlikely to fail. Note however, that passing this test is not a guarantee the sword will never break and when cutting, spectators should always be kept at a safe distance. During the testing process, one should pause frequently to check the entire blade edge for cracking. Given that the blade could break, the cutter should wear heavier clothes and eye protection at a minimum. Paul Champagne, a well known smith who taught me this, would test his sword to the point of destruction. This would include striking into his anvil with the sword. Something one would not do with a sword meant for cutting even tough targets. He recommended wearing more protection and donned his welding mask and leather apron when he tested swords.

All the best to everyone in their practice, train safely…

Chinese Swords and Swordsmanship: The Dragonfly Cut