41-587: The miaodao (苗刀) is a Chinese two-handed dao or saber , with a narrow blade, long hilt , and an overall length of 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) or longer. The name means "sprout saber", presumably referring to a likeness between the weapon and a newly sprouted plant. An early reference, in Jin Yiming's Single Defense-Saber , makes a connection between the miaodao and the Qing-era wodao , as well as mentioning both single and two-handed versions of
82-474: A jian /straight sword. Soon after dao began to be issued to infantry, beginning the replacement of the jian as a standard-issue weapon. Late Han dynasty dao had round grips and ring-shaped pommels, and ranged between 85 and 114 centimeters in length. These weapons were used alongside rectangular shields. By the end of the Three Kingdoms period , the single-edged dao had almost completely replaced
123-524: A broadsword flag used to be generally big but over the years has greatly reduced in size to allow for more speed and clarity of the movements. As of the 2024 IWUF rules, the broadsword blade length should be no shorter than the top of a competitor's ear if held vertically beside the body with the left hand. The flag must also be no shorter than 30 centimeters. As of the 2024 IWUF rules, daoshu routines must be between 1 minute 20 seconds to 1 minute 35 seconds in length. Daoshu routines are also required to have
164-464: A clip attached to the end. A plastic pouch or badge holder with at least one clear side is attached to the lanyard with the person's name badge or ID card. Occasionally, small items like business cards, pens or tools can be placed behind the badge for easy access. Lanyards can also be used as keychains , particularly in situations where keys can easily be lost, such as gyms, public pools and communal showers. In these cases, lanyards may be customised with
205-560: A few inches of the back edge sharpened; the moderate curve allows them to be reasonably effective in the thrust. Hilts are sometimes canted, curving in the opposite direction of the blade, which improves handling in some forms of cuts and thrusts. The cord is usually wrapped over the wood of the handle. Hilts may also be pierced like those of jian (straight-bladed Chinese sword) for the addition of lanyards . However, modern swords for performances will often have tassels or scarves instead. Guards are typically disc-shaped and often cupped. This
246-467: A lanyard consisting of a string loop tied together with a diamond knot . It helped secure the item and gave an extended grip over a small handle. In the French military, lanyards were used to connect a pistol , sword , or whistle (for signaling) to a uniform semi-permanently. Lanyards were used by mounted cavalry on land and naval officers at sea. A pistol lanyard can be easily removed and reattached by
287-405: A lanyard usually have a small through-hole built into a corner or edge of the case or anchored to the frame of the device; the corresponding lanyard generally has a loop of thread on the end that is attached to that hole with a simple knot, usually a cow hitch . Some earphones incorporate the audio signal into the lanyard, meaning it doubles up as headphone cords as well. The Wii Remote wrist strap
328-461: A military weapon than the jian – the straight, double-edged blade of China – the dao became popular with cavalry during the Han dynasty due to its sturdiness, superiority as a chopping weapon, and relative ease of use – it was generally said that it takes a week to attain competence with a dao/saber, a month to attain competence with a qiang /spear, and a year to attain competence with
369-559: A section of heavy-duty nylon strapping attached to a metal ring or carabiner which tightens around an attachment point. The strap may be a fixed length or adjustable, and will attach to the wearer to support them against a fixed object or pole. Certain lanyards are still worn on uniforms as decorations similar to an aiguillette or fourragère . Among these are the Orange Lanyard in the Military William Order of
410-453: A shortage of firearms. Most Chinese martial arts schools still train extensively with the dao, seeing it as a powerful conditioning tool and a versatile weapon, with self-defense techniques transferable to similarly sized objects more commonly found in the modern world, such as canes , baseball or cricket bats , for example. Some schools teach double sword shuangdao 雙 刀 , forms and fencing, one dao for each hand. One measure of
451-622: A single-edged blade and usually refers to knives . Because of this, the term is sometimes translated as knife or sword-knife . Nonetheless, within Chinese martial arts and in military contexts, the larger "sword" versions of the dao are usually intended. While the dao have varied greatly over the centuries, most single-handed dao of the Ming period and later and the modern swords based on them share several characteristics. Dao blades are moderately curved and single-edged, though often with
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#1732765533992492-644: A single-edged blade, such as the pudao and guandao . The Chinese spear and dao ( liuyedao and yanmaodao ) were commonly issued to infantry due to the expense of and relatively greater amount of training required for the effective use of the Chinese straight sword, or jian . Dao can often be depicted in period artwork worn by officers and infantry. During the Yuan dynasty and after, some aesthetic features of Persian , Indian , and Turkish swords would appear on dao. These could include intricate carvings on
533-483: A thin blade that makes noise when stabbing or cutting techniques are used. Over time, the edge has become more flimsy to create more noise, and the sword has become lighter to allow for faster handling. The only exception to this trend was in 1997 when the Chinese Wushu Association for one year required all swords to have a stiff blade in domestic competition. In older generations of modern wushu.
574-404: A variety of new blades. Blades with greater curvature became popular, and these new styles are collectively referred to as peidao (佩刀). During the mid-Ming, these new sabers would completely replace the jian as a military-issue weapon. The four main types of peidao are: The yanmaodao or "goose-quill saber" is largely straight like the earlier zhibeidao , with a curve appearing at
615-462: Is a form of lanyard, keeping the device attached to a player's arm during the often vigorous movements involved in its use. Lanyards are commonly used to display badges, tickets or ID cards for identification where security is required, such as businesses , corporations , hospitals , prisons , conventions , trade fairs , and backstage passes used in the entertainment industry . Such lanyards are often made of braided or woven fabric or split with
656-451: Is a heavy-bladed weapon with a characteristic flaring tip. It is the archetypal "Chinese broadsword" of kung fu movies today. It was first recorded in the early 19th century (the latter half of the Qing dynasty ) and only as a civilian weapon: there is no record of it being issued to troops, and it does not appear in any listing of official weaponry. Its appearance in movies and modern literature
697-444: Is a length of cord , webbing , or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, activation, and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lower objects aboard a ship. The earliest references to lanyards date from 15th century France: "lanière" was a thong or strap-on apparatus. Bosun's pipe , marlinspike , and small knives typically had
738-460: Is a modern innovation used for contemporary wushu practice. Daoshu ( simplified Chinese : 刀术 ; traditional Chinese : 刀術 ; pinyin : Dāo shù ; lit. 'Broadsword Play') refers to the competitive event in modern wushu taolu where athletes utilize a dao in a routine. It was one of the four main weapon events implemented at the 1st World Wushu Championships due to its general popularity. The dao itself, consists of
779-409: Is also known as the Chinese sabre , although those with wider blades are sometimes referred to as Chinese broadswords . In China, the dao is considered one of the four traditional weapons, along with the gun (stick or staff), qiang (spear), and the jian (double-edged sword), called in this group " The General of Weapons ". In Chinese , the word 刀 can be applied to any weapon with
820-443: Is applied. This prevents choking or hanging. Lanyards with a breakaway feature are most often used in hospitals and healthcare clinics , schools , nursing homes , child care facilities, or factories that require employees to operate machinery. Lineman lanyards are used by lineworker utility and other workers to prevent falls, although similar straps are also used recreationally by mountain climbers. This type of lanyard will have
861-665: Is rarely practiced in modern Chinese martial arts, some schools of Piguaquan and Tongbeiquan (in the Guo Changsheng lineage) and Xingyiquan train with the weapon. The miaodao is also often mistakenly claimed to have been one of the weapons taught at the Central Military Academy in Nanjing; the weapon in question was actually a European-style officer's saber, though some later schools may have based miaodao techniques on this form. Despite being written
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#1732765533992902-560: Is thus often anachronistic . Besides these four major types of dao, the duandao or "short dao" was also used, this being a compact weapon generally in the shape of a liuyedao . The dadao saw continued use, and during the Ming dynasty the large two-handed changdao and zhanmadao were used both against the cavalry of the northern steppes and the wokou ( pirates ) of the southeast coast; these latter weapons (sometimes under different names) would continue to see limited use during
943-695: The Netherlands and the German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship . A white lanyard has formed part of the uniform of Britain's Royal Artillery (RA) since the end of the 19th century. Originally a simple cord carrying a fuse key, the braided and whitened lanyard became the recognised distinction of a Gunner. The distinction was extended to women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service attached to RA units during World War II . Certain battalions descended from
984-529: The Shang dynasty in China's Bronze Age , and are known as zhibeidao (直背刀) – straight-backed knives. As the name implies, these were straight-bladed or slightly curved weapons with a single edge. Originally bronze, these weapons were made of iron or steel by the time of the late Warring States period as metallurgical knowledge became sufficiently advanced to control the carbon content. Originally less common as
1025-408: The center of percussion near the blade's tip. This allows for thrusting attacks and overall handling similar to that of the jian while preserving much of the dao's strengths in cutting and slashing. The liuyedao or "willow leaf saber" is the most common form of Chinese saber. It first appeared during the Ming dynasty and features a moderate curve along the length of the blade. This weapon became
1066-487: The jian on the battlefield. The jian subsequently became known as a weapon of self-defense for the scholarly aristocratic class, worn as part of court dress. As in the preceding dynasties, Tang dynasty dao were straight along the entire length of the blade. Single-handed peidao ("belt dao ") were the most common sidearm in the Tang dynasty. These became known as hengdao ("horizontal dao " or "cross dao ") from
1107-476: The miaodao , suggesting that the name originally described the shape only, without any connotations of size. While the miaodao is a recent weapon, the name has come to be applied to a variety of earlier Chinese long sabers, such as the zhanmadao and changdao . Along with the dadao , miaodao were used by some Chinese troops during the Second Sino-Japanese War . While the miaodao
1148-693: The steppe tribes of Central Asia , who would conquer parts of China during the Song period. Also dating from the Song are the falchion -like dadao , the long, two-handed zhanmadao , and the long-handled, similarly two-handed buzhandao (步戰刀). With the Mongol invasion of China in the early 13th century and the formation of the Yuan dynasty , the curved steppe saber became a greater influence on Chinese sword designs. Sabers had been used by Turkic , Tungusic , and other steppe peoples of Central Asia since at least
1189-462: The 8th century CE. It was a favored weapon among the Mongol aristocracy. Its effectiveness for mounted warfare and popularity among soldiers throughout the Mongol empire had lasting effects. In China, Mongol influence lasted long after the collapse of the Yuan dynasty at the hands of the Ming , continuing through both the Ming and the Qing dynasties, furthering the popularity of the dao and spawning
1230-597: The British Royal Artillery wear a lanyard which originally held a key for adjusting the fuzes of explosive shells . The style, design or material used will vary depending on end-purpose of the lanyard. Lanyard materials include polyester , nylon , satin , silk , polyethylene terephthalate (PET), braided leather or braided paracord . Lanyards are widely used with small electronic devices such as cameras , MP3 players and USB flash drives to prevent loss or dropping. Electronics designed to take
1271-454: The Qing period. Also, during the Qing, there appeared weapons such as the nandao , regional variants in the name or shape of some of the above dao, and more obscure variants such as the "nine ringed broadsword", these last likely invented for street demonstrations and theatrical performances rather than for use as weapons. The word dao is also used in the names of several polearms that feature
Miaodao - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-452: The blade and "rolling pearls": small metal balls that would roll along fuller -like grooves in the blade. The dadao was used by some Chinese militia units against Japanese invaders in the Second Sino-Japanese War , occasioning " The Sword March ". The miaodao , a descendant of the changdao , also saw use. These were used during planned ambushes on Japanese troops because the Chinese military and patriotic resistance groups often had
1353-414: The following techniques: Sword techniques Stances Daoshu adheres to the same deduction content (A score) and degree of difficulty content and connections (C score) as changquan, gunshu, jianshu, and qiangshu. This three-score system has been in place since the 2005 IWUF rules revision. Only the techniques Chán Tóu (缠头) and Guǒ Nǎo (裹脑) have deduction content (code 62). Lanyard A lanyard
1394-469: The operator suddenly becomes incapacitated, their fall will pull on the lanyard attached to their wrist, which will then pull the switch to immediately stop the machine or vehicle. Some law enforcement officers and members of the military utilise specialised lanyards to keep sidearms from falling to the ground during missions. Many ID card lanyards have a built-in feature known as a "breakaway" closure. Breakaway lanyards release when pulled or when pressure
1435-563: The preceding Sui dynasty onward. Two-handed changdao ("long dao ") or modao were also used in the Tang, with some units specializing in their use. During the Song dynasty , one form of infantry dao was the shoudao , a chopping weapon with a clip point. While some illustrations show them as straight, the 11th century Song military encyclopedia the Wujing Zongyao depicts them with curved blades – possibly an influence from
1476-417: The proper length of the sword should be from the hilt in your hand, the tip of the blade at the brow, and, in some schools, the shoulder height. Alternatively, the sword's length should be from the middle of the throat along the size of the outstretched arm. There are also significantly larger versions of dao used for training in some Baguazhang and Taijiquan schools. The nandao or "southern broadsword"
1517-459: The related name and/or logo of the event, business, or organisation. Lanyards can feature a variety of customisation techniques including screen-printing , Jacquard loom weaving, heat transfer , and offset printing . Lanyards are also often attached to dead man's switches or "kill switches" on dangerous machinery, such as large industrial cutting or slicing machines; on vehicles, such as jet-skis or trains; and on exercise treadmills, so that if
1558-698: The same way (苗), the "miao" of miaodao should not be confused with the Miao ethnic group , who are not associated with this weapon. This article related to the military of China is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article relating to swords is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dao (Chinese sword) Dao ( pronunciation: [táʊ] , English approximation: / d aʊ / dow , Chinese : 刀; pinyin : dāo ; jyutping : dou1 ) are single-edged Chinese swords , primarily used for slashing and chopping. They can be straight or curved. The most common form
1599-411: The standard sidearm for cavalry and infantry, replacing the yanmaodao , and is the sort of saber used by many schools of Chinese martial arts . The piandao or "slashing saber" is a deeply curved dao meant for slashing and draw-cutting. This weapon bears a strong resemblance to the shamshir and scimitar. Skirmishers generally used it in conjunction with a shield . The niuweidao or "oxtail saber"
1640-471: The user, but will stay connected to the pistol whether it is drawn for use or it is placed into a holster for carrying. In the military, lanyards of various colour combinations and braid patterns are worn on the shoulders of uniforms to denote the wearer's qualification or regimental affiliation. In horse regiments, lanyards were worn on the left, enabling a rider to pull a whistle from the left tunic pocket and maintain communication with his troop. Members of
1681-441: Was to prevent rainwater from getting into the sheath and blood dripping down to the handle, making it more difficult to grip. Sometimes guards are thinner pieces of metal with an s-curve, the lower limb of the curve protecting the user's knuckles; very rarely, they may have guards like those of the jian . Other variations to the basic pattern include the large bagua dao and the long-handled pudao . The earliest dao date from