Greetings everyone. I've been a lurker on this forum for some time now and now I want to start participating.
I've often heard the terms yan mao dao 雁毛刀, liu ye dao 柳葉刀, pian dao 片刀 and niu wei dao 牛尾刀 used to describe types of Chinese sabres descended from the Turko-Mongol sabre. Where do these names come from? Are they mentioned in the er shi si shi 二十四史 or are they names out of Chinese martial arts lore?
Full Version: Origins of the name of the chinese sabre
According to http://www.chinadaojian.com.cn/ctdj/chinadj/200603/335.html,
From top to bottom:
1) wan dao 弯刀 (Yuan dynasty Mongol sword - predecessor of Yan Mao Dao and Liu Ye Dao)
2) yan mao dao 雁毛刀 (Ming/Qing period - blade is straight with slight curvature at front)
3) liu ye dao 柳葉刀 (Ming/Qing period - sabre blade is curved)
4) niu wei dao 牛尾刀 (late Qing period - used among common people, not army)
5) Ming/Qing sword (used by common people, not army)
pian dao 片刀 is just like kitchen knife.
From top to bottom:
1) wan dao 弯刀 (Yuan dynasty Mongol sword - predecessor of Yan Mao Dao and Liu Ye Dao)
2) yan mao dao 雁毛刀 (Ming/Qing period - blade is straight with slight curvature at front)
3) liu ye dao 柳葉刀 (Ming/Qing period - sabre blade is curved)
4) niu wei dao 牛尾刀 (late Qing period - used among common people, not army)
5) Ming/Qing sword (used by common people, not army)
pian dao 片刀 is just like kitchen knife.
QUOTE (Ke Jiashu @ Oct 31 2007, 11:50 PM) 
Greetings everyone. I've been a lurker on this forum for some time now and now I want to start participating.
I've often heard the terms yan mao dao 雁毛刀, liu ye dao 柳葉刀, pian dao 片刀 and niu wei dao 牛尾刀 used to describe types of Chinese sabres descended from the Turko-Mongol sabre. Where do these names come from? Are they mentioned in the er shi si shi 二十四史 or are they names out of Chinese martial arts lore?
I've often heard the terms yan mao dao 雁毛刀, liu ye dao 柳葉刀, pian dao 片刀 and niu wei dao 牛尾刀 used to describe types of Chinese sabres descended from the Turko-Mongol sabre. Where do these names come from? Are they mentioned in the er shi si shi 二十四史 or are they names out of Chinese martial arts lore?
The sabres were so-named based on how the shape of blade looks like.
For "Yan Mao Dao 雁毛刀" (literally means " Wild Goose Tail-feather Sabre"), the name was derived because the blade was simply shaped like the feather tail of the wild goose (Yan = Wild Goose, Mao= Tail-Feather). This sabre is also known as "Yan Ling Dao 雁翎刀".
Below show a Yan Mao Dao.
"Yan Mao Dao"
As for "Liu Ye Dao 柳叶刀" (literally means "willow leaf sabre"), it was called "Liu Ye" (willow leaf) simply because the blade was shaped like that of willow leaf.
Below illustrates the Liu Ye Dao:
"Liu Ye Dao"
As for "Niu Wei Dao 牛尾刀" (literally means "cow's tail sabre"), it was called "niu wei" (cow's tail) simply because the blade was shaped like that of cow's tail.
Below illustrates the Niu Wei Dao:
Niu Wei Dao
Note that I'm not an expert on chinese swords. The above are what I've researched on the internet. Any correction (if I'm wrong) is appreciated.
QUOTE (General_Zhaoyun @ Nov 27 2007, 03:41 AM)
The sabres were so-named based on how the shape of blade looks like.
For "Yan Mao Dao 雁毛刀" (literally means " Wild Goose Tail-feather Sabre"), the name was derived because the blade was simply shaped like the feather tail of the wild goose (Yan = Wild Goose, Mao= Tail-Feather). This sabre is also known as "Yan Ling Dao 雁翎刀".
Below show a Yan Mao Dao.
"Yan Mao Dao"
As for "Liu Ye Dao 柳叶刀" (literally means "willow leaf sabre"), it was called "Liu Ye" (willow leaf) simply because the blade was shaped like that of willow leaf.
Below illustrates the Liu Ye Dao:
"Liu Ye Dao"
As for "Niu Wei Dao 牛尾刀" (literally means "cow's tail sabre"), it was called "niu wei" (cow's tail) simply because the blade was shaped like that of cow's tail.
Below illustrates the Niu Wei Dao:
Niu Wei Dao
Note that I'm not an expert on chinese swords. The above are what I've researched on the internet. Any correction (if I'm wrong) is appreciated.
For "Yan Mao Dao 雁毛刀" (literally means " Wild Goose Tail-feather Sabre"), the name was derived because the blade was simply shaped like the feather tail of the wild goose (Yan = Wild Goose, Mao= Tail-Feather). This sabre is also known as "Yan Ling Dao 雁翎刀".
Below show a Yan Mao Dao.
"Yan Mao Dao"
As for "Liu Ye Dao 柳叶刀" (literally means "willow leaf sabre"), it was called "Liu Ye" (willow leaf) simply because the blade was shaped like that of willow leaf.
Below illustrates the Liu Ye Dao:
"Liu Ye Dao"
As for "Niu Wei Dao 牛尾刀" (literally means "cow's tail sabre"), it was called "niu wei" (cow's tail) simply because the blade was shaped like that of cow's tail.
Below illustrates the Niu Wei Dao:
Niu Wei Dao
Note that I'm not an expert on chinese swords. The above are what I've researched on the internet. Any correction (if I'm wrong) is appreciated.
Hey GZ,
Not a bad post; but I'm rather sure that the first Liu Ye Dao you posted is a Niu Wei Dao.
QUOTE (Ke Jiashu @ Oct 31 2007, 04:50 PM)
Greetings everyone. I've been a lurker on this forum for some time now and now I want to start participating.
I've often heard the terms yan mao dao 雁毛刀, liu ye dao 柳葉刀, pian dao 片刀 and niu wei dao 牛尾刀 used to describe types of Chinese sabres descended from the Turko-Mongol sabre. Where do these names come from? Are they mentioned in the er shi si shi 二十四史 or are they names out of Chinese martial arts lore?
I've often heard the terms yan mao dao 雁毛刀, liu ye dao 柳葉刀, pian dao 片刀 and niu wei dao 牛尾刀 used to describe types of Chinese sabres descended from the Turko-Mongol sabre. Where do these names come from? Are they mentioned in the er shi si shi 二十四史 or are they names out of Chinese martial arts lore?
turks call it Kiliç or kilij wich lit. means sword
broad sabre = pala
some examples
this is a pala
"modernday" cavalary sabres are mameluke scimitars wich originate from the kilij
what about the Egyptian kopesh as a proto sabre?
edit: 2x same photo
Thank you for endeavouring to answer my question, but I believe the question was misunderstood. The information you provided was already known to me. I want to know when and where the terms for those different types of sabres were first used. I would like to know if it were a late imperial Chinese military manual that first described them. If not, perhaps they are terms handed down in martial arts circles. I highly doubt the latter as cheap, flexible niuweidao imitations seem to be widespread among modern practitioners.
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