The Scholar's Sword

The jian, or "scholar's sword" has been woven into the tapestry of Chinese history and martial arts legend for thousands of years. This book explores that history, along with the techniques and training methods that made this elegant, double-edged sword famous. Detailed explanations of stances, techniques, maneuvers, and applications are presented using more than 300 full-color pictures and diagrams. Also included are chapters on warm up and strength-training exercises, descriptions of important swords and fencers from history and legend, sword nomenclature, components, and materials, solo and two-person drills, easy to follow instructions for care and maintenance, and the entire "scholar's sword" form is demonstrated with an explanation of each move.