Dao Sword

The Dao sword is known to be a single-edged Chinese blade that is mainly used for chopping and slicing through targets. The most common form of this weapon is known as the Chinese Saber, and these types of swords with much wider blades are called the Chinese Broadswords.

In China, there are four primary weapons that are called the General or Master of All the Weapons and the Dao is one of these; other traditional weapons included in this collection is the qiang (the spear), gun (the staff or stick), and the Jian (the sword).

Generally, the Dao is a weapon with a curved and single-edged blade and is highly regarded as one of the most favored weapons for the classic Chinese martial arts; and aside from being excellent for battles, the Dao sword was also utilized for exhibiting the wielder’s class and rank in society.

Based on an individual’s rank or class, there were detailed and strict rules that imposed the kind of Chinese Dao, as well as the decoration that one could utilize.

Dao Swords for Sale

Classifications of the Chinese Dao Sword

The Dao swords have gone through numerous changes as well as developments, and some of these were designed by the military for adequate use on the battlefield while others were developed by numerous martial artists.

The Dao blades can often vary in length, shape, and width while its grip can also vary in shape and length; generally, the Dao swords are divided into different classes namely the Duan Dao (for short Daos), the Pu Dao (the medium Daos), and the Da Dao (the long Daos).

Duan Dao (Short Dao)

The term Duan means short, hence, the short sword and it usually translates as the saber or broadsword. The length of the Duan Dao’s blade usually measures around one to four feet while its handle can measure about half a foot to two feet in total.

Since this Dao blade is a short weapon, it can often be held with just one hand, but for those who prefer wielding a weapon with two hands, it was also possible especially for executing blows with additional power.

Additionally, the Duan Dao can also appear narrow or wide, heavy or light, and even thick or thin; its blade may be curved and some of these may have scabbards yet others, none.

Pu Dao (Medium Dao)

This weapon was specifically created for two hands and was known as a simple yet very useful tool; even if there are some disagreements when it comes to the exact size of the earlier Pu Dao’s, these weapons are said to have a medium length.

Generally, the blade of this Chinese Dao is equal to its handle while its total length is about three feet just like the Yao Dao sword. These medium-sized swords were widely utilized by the military especially during the Song Dynasty.

Da Dao (Big Sword)

The Da Dao or the big-handled sword features a grip that can sometimes be five feet or longer when it comes to its length; it is also often seen as more than twice as long as the weapon’s blade.

These types of Chinese Dao have blades that come in a variety of shapes, and there are two specific types of Da Dao swords.

• Extremely heavy and huge swords that are utilized for practice
• The much lighter swords that are well-adapted for combat

General Characteristics of the Chinese Dao

The Dao has obviously varied and developed throughout the centuries which is why a lot of the single-handed Chinese Dao from the Ming dynasty, as well as the contemporary blades that were based on these, share a few similar and noticeable characteristics.

Commonly, the Dao blade is slightly arched and single-edged, though it often features a few inches of sharpened back edges as well. Its moderate curve allows these to be adequately effective during thrusts.

The guard of these weapons usually feature a disc-shape that is usually accompanied by a cupped shape to avoid having rainwater from dripping into the sheet, as well as blood from trickling down the weapon’s handle; this occurrence makes it difficult for the wielder to grip the Dao.

There are times when these guards appear as thin cuts of metal that also feature an S-curve a curve’s lower limb that helps protect the wielder’s knuckles but it is rare that the swords feature guards that are similar to the Jian.

Early History

The earliest appearance of the Chinese Dao dates all the way back to the Shang dynasty and this was during the Bronze period of China. These weapons were then referred to as the Zhibeidao which are straight and backed blades.

The weapons either had straight or slightly curved blades that featured a single edge. Originally, these weapons were created using bronze but it later developed, and thus, the weapons were eventually created using steel or iron during the late Warring States.

During this period, metallurgical development and knowledge greatly advanced to better control the carbon content that was present in the blades when creating such weapons.

Right after the Dao sword was starting to get issued to the military troops, it was considered as the beginning of replacing the Jian as a regularly issued weapon in the country.

During the late Han dynasty, the Chinese Dao featured rounded grips as well as ring-like pommels that measured around eighty-five to a hundred fourteen centimeters in length; this specific type of Dao sword was utilized together with rectangular shields.

Dao Swords in the 20th Century

Throughout history, the Dao sword eventually became one of the most popularly utilized weapons by the Chinese troops; and even if most of the classic cold weapons lost their flair in the military during the first half of the twentieth century, the Dao swords continued to remain as a weapon of choice by these individuals until the year 1940.

Chinese Dao for Sale

For those planning to train in Chinese martial arts or simply wish to collect traditional weapons from the past, You can find Dao swords that are readily available on our website.

Our Dao swords for sale are made of quality materials and can be customized. one can either purchase a fully functional piece from our stock (which is perfect for practice and training) or a contact us for custom requests.