The Tai Chi Jian (or sword) is perhaps the most well recognised weapon in the Tai Chi armoury. This double-edged straight sword forms an important subset of Tai Chi Chuan. It is only ever learnt after solo form training, building upon foundations that should already be well established.

Like Tai Chi Chuan itself, the origins of the Tai Chi Jian are of martial application. The sword has been used in China for military purposes for well over three thousand years. However, contrary to popular belief, the purpose of the Jian was not to simply butcher, hack or dismember. Instead its function was much more subtly direct.

The emphasis of the Jian is precision. Accurate, efficient dissection of key anatomical structures allows the Jian practitioner to incapacitate their opponents as quickly and as effectively as possible. Hence it’s objective historically therefore, is the controlled, economical debilitation and disabling of incoming threats. No doubt, a thorough understanding of anatomy, the use of the Tai Chi Jian, and the philosophies and principles behind it, are prerequisites to being an able swordsman. Perhaps the fact that many proficient Jian swordsman in ancient China were not common folk but instead largely scholars, academics, and royalty serves to illustrates that its use was available to the select few, with the resources of knowledge and ability.

Today the sword’s martial application has been superseded by modern weaponry. Yet the insight of a truly gifted Jian player is not diluted in today’s effervescent society. The attitude, artistry as well as the mental and physical discipline are timeless. I vividly remember the occasions when I learnt, re-learnt and re-learnt again the Jian with Grandmaster Ip Tai Tak. He smiled at me knowingly and commented,

The Jian form taught at the intensive 4 days workshop is one of the two sword forms taught at JDIATCC. The aim of this series is to gain insight and better understanding of the Jian form.