Thoughts on the Yang style Broadsword

by Nick Cheang.

When I first started training in Master John Ding’s advanced class I used to delight in watching his son perform his broadsword form alongside the rest of the more senior students: it was inspirational. I didn’t try to learn the movements. Instead I would feel the energy and commitment from each practitioner and compare. What I saw in his renditions was an intensity of spirit, a tangible presence that others couldn’t quite get. He seemed to be light and agile, yet at the same time as heavy and sure as rolling thunder. This was no simple waving of arms, this was expression of energy swelling from the centre to create a ball of power that expanded and swept away all within its influence.

Over the next few years I learnt a few facts about the Broadsword and its counterpart, the Jian (double-edged straight sword). Apparently the Jian was more for slicing, stabbing and seen as a gentleman’s weapon, whereas the Broadsword was more for hacking and chopping (like a machete) and for the troops. Further there was an old Tai Chi maxim that went along the lines of, “The Jian takes 10,000 hours to learn, the Broadsword 100”.

So although the Broadsword was a simpler weapon to learn, I had been given the Jian as a task first. I wondered why.

Then in September 2006 there came an official opportunity to learn the Broadsword in a 4 day workshop hosted by our JDIATCC brothers in Dusseldorf, Germany and taught by Master John Ding. A group of us travelled from England to attend and we were all glad that we did. I must say that I like German food, especially the Dusseldorf classic: pig’s knuckles (Not really the knuckles though, more like the whole lower calf). I never knew pigs were so big and by the time I found myself back in Blighty my stomach had stretched to at least twice its normal size, which again knowing me is quite hard to imagine.

But I digress – as good as the food was, it wasn’t the real reason that we were glad to have attended. Of course we were glad because:

I think this answers the main concern for people thinking of attending a similar course – can I learn it in this time frame? A resounding yes.

As to what you can get from the form? Well the most notable point for me was that although based on the same principles, the footwork and weight shifting seemed much more agile and than that in the Yang Cheng Fu Long Form (and any of the many empty hand Short Forms that now exist). It can be performed at a much faster speed and my understanding is that on some levels it is seen as a bridging point between the Long Form and the Fast Form. It can also be performed slowly and evenly (and definitely should be for the first few years at least) and in this mode the directness and simplicity of the motions allows you to confront deficiencies in your martial spirit and focus. You can be under no illusions about what you are doing with the weapon, in simple terms – it gets the job done.

So its value is in more emphasis on directness, flow, aerobic fitness, power building, Yi (intention or focus) development, agility and speed when compared with the Long Form.

By contrast the Jian can be seen as much more similar in emphasis to the Long Form and seems much more concerned with subtlety and adroitness of chi application. It also has that reputation as a cultured weapon. As such perhaps it has more obvious appeal to the more recent generations of Tai Chi practitioner and perhaps this is the reason why the Jian tends to be taught before the Broadsword nowadays, whereas in the old days the Broadsword was tackled first.

However if you are more adventurous and want to know more about Tai Chi, study of the Broadsword is a must. It really is different to the Jian in a positive way. Consequently it has much to offer in broadening your understanding and execution of all your Tai Chi skills. It is not as hard as you think and the benefits are many.