御林军刀（长刀，苗刀）"Yu Lin" (Imperial Guards) Sabre

[Bob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pDKi5k885Y




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paJ03Pk7E14

苗刀前身：西汉长刀 Mother of Miao Dao: Long Sabre of China Han




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFyZPrFqpRo


Master Ngiam demonstrates Chinese Grain Leaf Sabre 1st Set.
Chinese Miao Dao or the Grain Leaf Sabre is a Chinese cultural heritage from the Han Dynasty. For 2000 years or so during that period in the history of China, the Chinese troops stationed at the borders used a weapon known as Chang Dao (long sabre) for the defence of their territories. The long sabre was a powerful and lethal weapon as it could be used in a single or double handed style to thrust like a spear, among other techniques.

During the period of the three Kingdoms, cultural exchanges between China and Japan were frequent. China gave to Japan as a gift a 5-foot long sabre which was eventually developed into the Samurai Sword by the Japanese.

Japanese pirates were a menace around the coastal areas of China Zhejiang, Fujian and Guandong during the Ming Dynasty. A general called Qi Jiguang from Shandong defeated the pirates and drove them out of the coastal areas through the use of a modified and improved version of Miao Dao and its traditional fighting techniques.

During the Qing Dynasty, a Miao Dao master by the name of Xie Jin Fen of Hebei Cangzhou passed on the Miao Dao art of fighting to Liu Yu Chun of Tianjin. Liu's disciple Guo Chang Sheng was invited by the Head of Nanjing Military Academy Zhang Zhijiang to teach the Miao Dao art at the Academy. Guo subsequently developed Miao Dao second set and the Miao Dao art has since been passed down over the years.