Rediscovering the Dandao: The Hidden Saber and Flying Knife

[@MedievalMan]

Thanks to guys like you, this art will be around for many generations. A special thank you from an American of Chinese descent!

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

Thanks for your support Chris, it is greatly appreciated. Please help us spread the art by sharing on FB, etc...

[@Feilu888]

Great to see real Chinese Swordsmanship making a come back. Thanks to Rodell Laoshi.

[@camrendavis6650]

Sword draw followed by knife throw? So sexy

[@ThomasMurphyCosplay]

Man at Arms had summond me here

[@i_love_crpg]

With that kind of edge alignment, you can cut through light itself

[@neildrew4067]

this reminds me of Ninjitsu swordmanship which comes via Chinese swordmanship to Japan. I am no expert but I have studied Tai Chi sword form and a little of the Ninjitsu sword techniques. enjoying your channel very much.

[@johnhanley9946]

This is really interesting. I always imagined that ancient swordsmen would practice this way, by learning to throw a small knife or dart with the left hand.

[@blackpowderkun]

Romans had the war darth and Samurai practiced shurikenjutsu.

[@sireontip]

Parts of that reminds me of European swordsmanship particularly the cut.

[@allengordon6929]

A sword is a sword, just like a fist is a fist or a hold is a hold.

[@mudpawsvoom6132]

Ok this is weaird, I just started doing something like this but with my katana and 3 throwing stars , I thought it was something new was starting but then I come across this video .

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

After awhile, pretty much everyone figures out the same stuff.

[@hELLOjackli]

This sword is dam famous, it was invented during the mid-late ming by Qi Ji Guang .

[@Captain__Harlock]

Fascinating. I often dismiss Chinese sword styles but I love that sword! Its like a more practical Nodachi. The "hidden knife" style is also a very deadly maneuver.

[@Feilu888]

Check out Rodell's latest video, Swordsman vs. Arrow- Sword Cuts Speeding Arrow- kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3nboJSZrrmHeLc

[@AgouraSteve]

I just watched this and then the making of the dandao from Scott Rhodell’s blueprint by man at arms. Wowed to say the least. That sword is beautiful.

[@mugenGRTC]

Thanks.

[@CHF2003e]

The man is getting into Chinese culture. The sword he is using is Miao Dao (苗刀)

[@Klentung8989]

Why the sword look like katana

[@Astraben]

@@Klentung8989 Culture, and therefore warfare and martial arts, always interact and mix with nearby peoples.

[@avatarmonkey]

Rodell Laoshi is coming to Los Angeles in August this summer for a seminar. If you want to see more of what he does it will be a great opportunity. Details are here: facebook.com/events/578228902365084/

[@Kojin400]

its like the nodachi, but in chinese traditional:O

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

Tell us what you would like to see next in a Great River Video?

[@brunonunez6185]

Hello lao shi rodell, will be great know more about historical chinese flying dagger. Congratulations for your excelente work.

[@g.r.bilyeu4226]

I want to learn to do this with my O-katana.

[@Lotus.F]

That's one big and good looking sword. It looks very similar to the Japanese Katana though.

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

It's the Chinese Dandao, it has a significantly longer blade than Japanese Katana.

[@Ferenec]

Have you tried this technique but instead carry the throwing blade on your belt with the blade tip facing the other direction for a more seamless drawing of the blade while moving into position? A smoother transition into your pre throw/strike stance would be the most effective use on the battlefield, it would seem the knife is meant to be a "sneak" attack on an unassuming opponent.

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

Anyone else notice how much he resembles David Carradine (As Kane) in Kung-Fu? It's cool but a bit ironic lol

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

@@landofwolves good point

[@extraordinarilie]

I love your interior design. where did you get the sword racks?

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

I acquired them in China years ago, they are all Qing period.

[@Feilu888]

高手.

[@seanweir7311]

Cool. Do you sell those daggers?

[@classicleon]

Very very cool!

[@orochiuroko]

I love it ❣️

[@mugenGRTC]

Thanks!

[@brunonunez1436]

Hello máster Rodell, is the knife on your table historical correct?, Forgive my poor english.

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

Yes, that is a Qing period dagger with a very thin, long blade, no doubt designed for piercing armor.

[@zhang_zhe]

omg!thats so cool!

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

Thanks.

[@JohnSmith-il6kk]

Seems very similar to Japanese with the combine sword & throwing dart/knife albeit this is with an odachi

[@davidm8135]

Hey mr rodell I was wondering if you would make some videos showing some good methods of solo practice with the jian.

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

I will as time allows, but being on the road 50 to 70,000 miles a year teaching simply leaves me little time for the "Extras." Plus next year my Manga series is coming out...

[@davidm8135]

Scott M. Rodell GRTC thanks for the response, in the meantime could you please recommend some books on Chinese swordsmanship. also are you a Christian or are you actually a taoist?

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

Please see my books on Amazon, starting with: Chinese Swordsmanship: The Yang Family Taiji Jian Tradition & my eBooks, especially: Fundamentals of the Wudang Sword Method - Selected Translations with Commentary from a Manual of Chinese Swordsmanship.

[@brunoxingyi4698]

this manual is older than Qi Jiguang manual? and that is a miao dao or chang dao ? thanks

[@Feilu888]

Yes, this manual (Dandaofa Xuan) predates Qi's, but they are both from the same late Ming period. There was a resurgence of two-handed swordsmanship at that time.

[@brunoxingyi4698]

Feilu888 thanks

[@戰國春秋]

No, this manual postdate Qi's manual (Qi's manual was written in 1561, the same year that the author of this manual was BORN). However Sifu Scott's statement is still correct, because Qi's manual did not explain the swordsmanship as straightforwardly as this one.

[@harryweaver7844]

Yes, that's right. It's actually a Miao Dao, which was used in coordination with three throwing knives, worn on the right side, but thrown with the left hand.

[@jeremysmall9101]

That’s so cool

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

Thanks.

[@christiad6069]

Wow!

[@mugenGRTC]

Not too bad eh? This is the first time any Chinese Tradition Swordsman cut a flying arrow.

[@duncancameron6342]

flying knife speaks for itself, but where does 'hidden saber' come in?

[@TheCyberloki]

maybe because you first hide the knife behind the hilt and after thrown you directly follow with the blade so you hide the sword behind the attention demanding flying knife. So basically you shift the opponents attention two times in between your attacks and weapons.

[@taylorbee4010]

Was the katana.. based on this..?

[@dongf2618]

the Japanese had been importing the Chinese swords since the Han dynasty, copying the Chinese sword design to make the iconic katana. Japanese sword and Chinese sword diverged during the Song dynasty. While the Japanese blade remained pretty similar to earlier swords, the Chinese blade became broader and shorter and became the iconic Dao that you see today. During the Ming dynasty, the Japanese blade was reintroduced into China. And the Chinese generals marvel at the sharpness and the length of the Japanese blade. The Wokou pirates that wielded the nodachi blade caused great trouble to the coastal Ming guards, so the coastal Ming army adopted the nodachi but with distinctive Chinese forging techniques that is similar but still different from Japanese technique. So this sword is based on the katana, but the katana was based on an earlier design in China, which was popular during the Han through Tang dynasties. A little bit complicated.

[@theartofwalkingalone5819]

can i change the knife with pistol?

[@seoviper]

Eso es un Miao-Dao.

[@scottm.rodellgrtc2969]

Miaodao is a fairly modern term, I prefer the older Dandao. But more people are familiar with Miaodao.

[@blacksmithx2520]

So I’ve been trying to figure this out and can’t come up with any answer. Can anyone tell me if the dandao has any relation to the Japanese katana? The reason I ask is because the two blades are so similar, I thought maybe the dandao evolved to become the katana.

[@Feilu888]

Why don't you order the book about this system- Dandaofa Xuan - Chinese Long Saber Techniques Anthology (Kindle Edition).

[@jadekayak01]

anyone with moderate skill could cut a small bamboo pole with a sword this long. how about you show us a cutting test worthy of your skill level(James Williams style maybe)

[@mugenGRTC]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3nboJSZrrmHeLc

[@Feilu888]

This video was a demo of the techniques in the Dandao Manual. Rodell Laoshi has demonstrated cutting double mats around a bamboo core in earlier videos.

[@jadekayak01]

@@Feilu888 thats a bit better. ill look it up.cheers

[@jadekayak01]

@@mugenGRTC i looked but i was after the cutting with two mats around bamboo as mentioned above. its not on your video list. do you have it somewhere else?

[@Feilu888]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKbMkHihfNmrg9U Just FYI, Rodell Laoshi has been cutting with Chinese swords for over 20 years. In fact, he is the one who brought this practice back, no one was cutting with Chinese swords, especially not straight bladed jian, until Rodell Laoshi demonstrated his cutting. When people would tell you straight swords don't cut, he was cutting double mats with single handed cuts with his jian.