Why are Chinese Swords not as Famous | Video Essay
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- Опубліковано 9 чер 2024
- Accented Cinema - Episode 2
You probably know what katana is, but do you know the word for sword in Chinese?
In this episode, we examine the various depictions of swords in both Chinese and Japanese films. We'll delve into the cultural significance behind their depiction and see how swords reflect the philosophy of the two nations.
And the Chinese word for sword is "Jian".
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"whatever Jackie Chan wants to use" sums up his movies pretty well
English to Jackie Chan dictionary
Chair : Weapon
Stairs : Weapon
1/2 Ham Sammich : Weapon
wait... so jackie chan is in fact dugu qiubai.... lol
I loved that line
I would like the comment but it's at 69.
I laughed out loud at that :)
“Whatever Jackie Chan want to use.”.
😂😂😂
Jackie chan in a ladder factory and he wants no trouble. Can YOU beat him?
That’s my favorite type of sword
Chuck Norris’s chest hair.
@@brytonwallis4817 Your comment is weird, but me like it.
A sword has always been an "emergency sidearm" and pole weapons were the main weapon, even with the Samurai.
And you know why? It was always about the RANGE capability of the weapon.
But you don't see western heroes carrying rifles around, do you? They wield a pistol or - even better - a revolver. There is something about sidearms that makes them perfect for the "adventurer/hero" archetype.
@@capofantasma97 Rambo doesn't carry around an M60, he used an M60 in *one* iconic scene.
@@Mj-th7md Actually it's more about rank and file combat but everyone likes to compare most of these war weapons as 2 guys fighting in the street. A spear gives range but in ranks once they get past the tip all you can do is drop it and draw your sword.
@@Mj-th7md Range is nice but armor is the big issue here. 1 handed weapons have a hard time penetrating any form of armor. Polearms on the other hand can cut, crush, or puncture armor much easier. This has been true for both Asia and Western nations. Knights used polearms and spears a LOT more often than 2 handed swords.
Perfect. When I was living in China studying martial arts I realized how rich their sword culture was. They were so amazing in sword making, they inspired all the neighboring countries in sword making, even the Japanese swords. Longyuan -now Longquan is a famous example, as it has produced for centuries some of the finest swords. I bought swords from there and still have them and enjoy them up to this day.
Someone made the interesting point that in China the soldiers were Conscripts, and thus did NOT have a Warrior Class that gained Great Honor like in Japan & The West. Not only that, but from what I've seen, Chinese Media focused more on Hand 2 Hand & Martial Arts Weapons in general, compared to Japan which focuses far more on Swords by themselves.
@@TheAyanamiRei It’s also due to how Chinese society was structured. A warrior type class similar to how European knights or samurai did not exist due to chinas centralised government. If a similar warrior class did exist then it would’ve ended as chinas feudalism came to an end (during establishment of the Qin dynasty) which was a thousand years before the concept of knights or samurais existed. This pattern isn’t strictly a Chinese thing either. After European ended their feudalism they began to phase out knights for a larger centralised army and same goes for Japan during the Meiji restoration.
But the most likely scenario as to why chinas swords isn’t as popular is simply because it isn’t as romanticised or their media isn’t as popular here in the west. Chinese tv shows don’t lack in sword action e.g Wuxia adaptations (smiling proud wanderer as an example) it’s just no one knows about it. People also seem to forget that warriors like knights or samurai who often are associated with swords (katana or king swords) are actually rarely used in history. They’re mostly a social status weapon if anything with the most common weapon used throughout all cultures being pole arms and later firearms.
Personally pole arms are seriously underrepresented and I would like to see more of them considering how prevalent they are throughout history.
@@TheAyanamiRei I think the Ming did have a hereditary warrior class, but this was not held in high regard. Also I think the Qing Bannermen might also count as a warrior class.
I think it has something to do with gun vs sword. And the need to keep an open mind.
@@egoamigo-1377 你的历史不够好，中国古代照样有军事贵族，比如汉朝的六郡良家子，唐朝的府兵，明朝的卫所，在王朝初年是拥有土地来履行军事义务的，但是没有类似于武士骑士那样封邦建国下的军事贵族
quite true. in Chinese fictions, it doesn't matter what weapon you use or not use, as long as you reach level 99 and max out all stats
Dark souls series in a nutshell
You're giving them too much credit, that's Japanese fiction.
In chinese fictions it's all about finding the best drugs to get more qi.
@@rabcor but don't use too much cuz it'll fuck up your FoUNdaTiOn
as long as you can reach the dao, everything is possible
@@Hyanuel this guy knows his Tao
i met jackie chan 1 time, he touched me and from that day on i became the ultimate weapon
The "sword" of destiny indeed.
Yuniko Yato
That’s a trash joke.
😂😂😂😂 this comment is so underrated
did u report police? since he 'touched' u.
Lol
"Whatever Jackie Chan wants to use", Explains the philosophy.
It's as you said. Everybody knows what a katana is, and everyone goes bonkers over how sharp it was and how cool it is, but I think other Asian weaponry are just as great in fiction. Chinese, Mongolian, Korean, etc etc. I hope more light sheds on them in the future.
I think culture helps as well. The Japanese culture treat the katana. The same way Americans treat guns.
@@Jose.AFT.Saddul
That's slightly insulting. Many Americans don't like guns. It's not part of their culture the same way the Japanese katana is.
@@l.n.3372 most Americans I’ve encountered love guns. America was a nations founded by Guns. That’s why the founding fathers protected the rights of its citizens to rebel with guns in the constitution.
But I acknowledge that there are Americans that hate the gun the same way that there are pacifist in Japan that hate weapons in general.
If you were offended I’m very sorry. Not my intention.
@@Jose.AFT.Saddul
There's a huge difference between what the founding fathers said 250 years ago and what the NRA currently does to hold America metaphorically hostage even when the majority of the public in polls say they want stricter gun control. And it also depends on who you claim to be talking to when you say this - because the lack of gun control is a major issue in this country and I wouldn't want you to get the wrong impression from a biased person.
But I accept that you didn't mean to be offensive by the comment, so no worries.
@@l.n.3372 minority doesn't represent the majority.
Jackie Chan's ladder > Infinity Gauntlet
@Michal Arkadiusz Blaszczak Perfect....then there is no use of the gauntlet
Michal Arkadiusz Blaszczak *two child policy
**have as many children as you want as long as your rich enough to pay the fine and are ok with further overpopulating policy
jackie chan should be in endgame
@Michal Arkadiusz Blaszczak lol nice one
@Michal Arkadiusz Blaszczak
Fuc that Joke. No need to make a Joke about Chinas policy. This tread all about a Jackie and Thanos Joke. Mfers always gotta ruin shit with unnecessary comments
The most legendary Chinese weapon? Jackie Chan's Ladder of The Some Place.
Chairs
I'd expect Bruce Lee's nunchucks to made the list. Guess you are not old enough, lol.
@@DarrenC_1024 you make me feel old, damn...
@@DarrenC_1024 it's just not as comical to say a phrase with that, that's it
Actually it's the folding chairs
I would suggest two major factors. First, the katana benefited from the unique historical context of Japan as a nation that took immense pride in its "warrior heritage" despite an unusually long period of enforced peace. Second, in the era when major advances in and expansion of information sharing and mass entertainment were occurring, reasonably high quality katana were far more readily available than any other distinctive traditional weapon.
The Edo period looms large in Japanese history. The warrior class were the undisputed dominant force in the culture, but without significant military engagements, that warrior culture as largely vestigial. Weapons which were more effective on the battlefield, such as spears, shields, and ranged weapons are wildly impractical and cumbersome in peacetime; but the katana is both distinctly martial and relatively easy to carry. Thus it took on a cult status as the embodiment of a peaceful nation's warrior heritage. The design, handling, and mythology of the katana was stabilized and codified to a degree few weapons outside Japan enjoyed. High quality katana were produced and preserved in amazing quantity compared to comparable weapons elsewhere that fell out of favor and/or were utilized to destruction.
Thus after Japan's borders were forcefully opened (and particularly in the aftermath of WWII when katana were stolen and dispersed as spoils of war) decent quality katana were relatively common, while any other sword the average person encountered (particularly in the US which became so dominant in entertainment) was likely to be either a decorative/parade piece, a minimized sport weapon, or a poorly maintained--if not outright mangled--museum piece. In comparison, the katana took on a legendary status and an outsized dominance where swords were presented.
This explains why Japanese kamikaze pilots carry swords into the mission
Spot on
Japanese katana are cool and all, but it's so annoying how Hollywood defaults Chinese or any other Asian weapon to "Katana, or Shuriken" cuz it just looks stupid asf
Japanese people: I need a better sword!
Jackie Chan: I need Ikea!
King of furniture
lollllllll
Lol
I think he has said a few times that his favorite weapon is a stool.
My favorite scene is in a market. Flings a bowl of dry curry in a dude's face.
Chinese swords look a lot like "regular swords" if you will. The katana has a very distinctive look, making it easier to gain repute.
Also, anime.
True that! Especially since 'our' cinema focuses on what we know historically: We know double-edged straight blades (european arming swords and long swords), one-handed curved swords (middle-eastern and napoleonic), spears, halberds, glaves. All the stuff the chinese also have. But the katana is a two-handed (!), short (!) sabre with a distinctive tip and sufficiently different guard and handle construction.
Of course there are other weapons in all three of these cultures, but the katana is an analogue to 'knightly' weapons, and I mean it was similarly romanticized to the long sword the romantic era made 'knightly', not what men-at-arms actually used. Weapons like the guandao didn't fit the western romantic definition of a knightly weapon.
Also, all the points this video made.
What do you have to understand. China's history is extensive backwards as well as forwards when it comes to sword and bladed weapons. Remember where the Japanese got their sword design from. The Chinese have been designing Superior and stylish looking blades since before the Vikings and the Europeans. Look up the Zhanmadao, Miaodao and Tangdao
@@camrendavis6650 Nobody doubts that the chinese (or the realms existing in the space of modern china) were advanced compared to europe in several eras.
What I was trying to say is that western cinema uses what western culture DOESN'T know. It doesn't matter who invented what, entertainment is the name of the game. If it is too similar, it won't do.
@@Rindsgulasch I am sorry
@@camrendavis6650 Superior is a stretch. The Zhanmadao was stylish for sure, but was more of a rough-and-ready foot soldier's weapon rather than a celebrated symbol of knightly prestige. The weapons that filled that niche (regular jian and dao) weren't *that* distinct, especially compared with the katana. Also the vikings *are* Europeans.
I love how you explain the philosophies behind different cultures, great video!
This was a great video. I absolutely love it, especially the end "and whatever Jackie Chan decides to use" that one is pretty much a global rule for weapon choices in fight scenes. Jackie's the King
Spears are a very unpopular weapon in fiction and fantasy it seems but in reality spears were the absolute god melee weapon.
In kung fu we call the spear as the king of weapons.
The "bo" staff and spear are my favourite weapons in chinese martial arts.
The staff by its simplicity and for being versatile, and the spear for the elegance and subtlety power.
spears can easily be broken with an axe
i think i once remember watching a vid explaining how spears, axe and swords are almost like rock, paper, scissors in medieval time
@@mamertvonn "easily broken"?!
Dude, you must have some serious reflexes, huh? I think a spear trust goes in about 40 km/h, imagine this in a fight to the death scenario, it's not impossible, but is very difficult to brake a spear in this situation. Even if you parry the spear trust, the spear guy has to be much more weaker than you.
And even if you brake the spear, you can use the broken pole to defend yourself.
yeah its long
try thrusting it forward
and the axe will just chop of the wood from your stick
look it up in yt
i dont remember the yt channel but i remember him having long weird beard
he talks about a lot of stuff
like the pummel located in a swords handel or the history of fencing
In Chinese movies losing a weapon doesn't mean losing the battle. And I love that. I love how they use everything as a weapon.
Bro. 😑 watch anime and get back at me.
@Eduardo Sanchez eeeeeeeeeeeer... no, Katana no is for ALL combat they used SPEARS,Bows, GUNS etc.
Samurai uses a katana mainly for status and in rare ocasions in one fight
Sorry my english.
True, they care more about putting people in camps and organ harvesting them for being the wrong race.
@@boodatruths159 That’s just the modern day corrupt chinese govt, you gotta separate that from the actual chinese culture
I train with the Chinese "Jian" and had a sort of respected envy over the iconic status of the samurai sword. This video essay changed my perspective! But, of course, it is not the utility but the essence of the user itself - how revealing.
What a fantastic channel, so glad I found this! You are doing a great job!
The reason in my opinion is simple :
European and japanese are more represented in entertainment media with swords and swordmen (the Ninja, the Knight, the Samurai) while the chinese are more represented with hand to hand combat and Kung-fu
Metal Shinobi , i agree with this. The legendary knights of europe and the Noble samurai are represented alot. This is what most people grew up with.
Chinese swordsmanship is amazing though.
Its a shame too, there are some really odd looking (and historical) sword designs.
Yes but the ninja weren't swordsmen in real life.
@@Raoh_Shaya exactly!
@@fransthefox9682 I spoke about how they were represented in the entertainment Media, but in fact a ninja woud've neither carry a sword nor wear their signature black Outfit
As someone who practices European swordsmanship and is Chinese, I would say that you are certainly right in that the Chinese don't care about swords. But I think I can explain why the Chinese don't care about swords. Firstly, I think the bigger question is why the Europeans and the Japanese care about swords. Despite personally practicing swordsmanship, I have to admit that the sword has no place in a battle when not paired with shields. Most often, swords are carried as a sidearm kinda like a modern pistol. There are exceptions like the European greatsword and the Japanese Odachi, but I am not aware of any Chinese equivalent to these (that aren't for cutting down a horse). The soldier's main weapon is usually a polearm--usually the spear but weapons like the guandao, naginata, or halberd also enjoyed varying degrees of popularity.
The sword is famous as a status symbol than a weapon. It is more expensive and difficult to acquire than most polearms and is usually relegated to the nobility or warrior class. Both the Europeans and the Japanese had a warrior class that was greatly respected, so their symbol gained the same respect. The Chinese soldiers, however, are usually conscripted. They are not respected like their European and Japanese counterparts and the sword is not considered their symbol, so the sword does not gain the same respect in China, where the spear was considered the "king of weapons" due to its greater practicality.
Lastly, Chinese culture does not penetrate as deeply in the west as Japanese culture does
Edit: I am getting a lot of comments from commentators more familiar with Chinese history than I am that swords were also once a status symbol in China, but the association appears to have been lost so long ago that it doesn't translate into modern day
Guan Yu was basically a demigod that is still an example for people of honor and integrity as he never betrayed his comrades or those he believed in nor did he ever break an oath once he made it. Most other Three Kingdoms generals were also similarly "Larger than Life" as it were, with virtues and vices spread among them liberally, but also their varied mastery of strategy, tactics, certain weapons, and even diplomacy. Dynasty Warriors as a video game series may get repetitive and stale, but it inspired me to look into the characters in greater detail outside the games and oh boy I was not expecting to find literal shrines to Guan Yu that are still visited to this day.
Pretty informative ngl, I’ll have to some research now
I’m glad someone pointed this out. I’m no weapon expert but the sword was a secondary weapon. Pole arms, axes, maces with shields were primary weapons. Swords were very incompetent when it came to puncturing/damaging the armor and killing the target. In Japan, they had pole arms, bows(they were masters in horse back archery, it’s actually insane) and I’m pretty sure they used a club called the kanabo
Nice explanation. Just like how its thought that knights only need swords, but in actual fact their essential weapons are like the polaxes and mace
Al Roslee indeed
The hype and reasons for why katanas are so popular reminds me of the western view behind 1911 pistols. Don't get me wrong, they're great guns, but I feel like a lot of people hold it above ALL pistols no matter if other pistols have equal or even better aspects..
The popularity of katana's has to have something to do with movies and American's stealing a lot of them after WWII. In reality it's a limited weapon, in many ways. No hand protection, heavy for it's size, short for a two handed sword. It's actually not as good as many European swords, and in comparision to sabre it's completely inferior. Katana fighter has no chance against sabre in any duel.
Honestly a shame because Jian are incredibly beautiful. Probably my favorite type of swords visually.
True, I have also come to love the Ming dynasty version of the jian. It is in my opinion, the best design for a side arm/civilian use weapon, with a good balance between cutting and thrusting, weight/balance, sufficient width and depth of the guard and a comfortable grip.
While you were partying, I studied the blade.
While you were studying the blade, I studied the folding chair.
Ah yes. Folding chair. According to stephen chow movies even the police can't charge you of it. It is a secret weapon
好折凳
In achient chineese mythology the folding chair was the greatest weapon of them all.
tips fedora*
I studied ladder.
A lack of exposure to historical Chinese fiction I think is one reason.
Christian Mills or in their culture.
They are more subtle.
If you're interested, the Legend of the Condor Hero is a good place to start.
@@zuiwoshachang kinda of a big undertaking. I would propose The Book and the Sword as an easier start
If Hollywood would stop using asian historical elements as just tropes to attract the casual weeb audience , maybe they'd see there's more to it than just ninjas,samurai,katanas etc
I think one of the reason for that could be the fact that Japan is supposedly an ally of the west while China isn’t.
Therefore, this could potentially cause a lack of exposure of Chinese culture in the western world.
"Have you seen those warriors from Hammerfell? They have curved swords... CURVED SWORDS!"
Well, i studied Wing Chun for some years, and we did a little sword work. There are two distinct types of Chinese swords. The one most that gets the most screen coverage is the double edged sword, which my teacher said was more for dueling, and the curved saber type, which was more for battle. That may explain some of it. Interesting that Korea, which was constantly between China and Japan, seemed to favor the Katana.
Chinese swords are straight, with two blades, representing the integrity of a gentleman according to Confucian beliefs. Therefore, we often see it appear more as a political or status symbol.
To sum up.
Japanese: the tool empowers the user, and it is the reward of his training.
Chinese" the tool is empowered by the user, and also, the continuity and reward of his training.
Both are right in their philosophies.
Best comment !! By my opinion
非常精辟
@bad bad mc bad then how come a courntry that always invaded by others become a third large courntry in the world?
@bad bad mc bad mandarin is not Chinese? 您真是无知
@bad bad mc bad You know something about China. But there's much more that you don't know.
I once had a nightmare that I was stuck and being hunted by Jackie Chan in a ladder factory
Aaron Baron why was he chasing you?
Did you survive?
Did you survive?
@Bolaji Windapo he has better chance of survival if he stood next to the elephant's foot in the Reactor 4 Basement
Ah hell nah
Loving your videos mate, keep it up 👍
It's very interesting. I appreciate that Chinese directors use a bunch of different kinds of weapons for us to watch. It's nice like that.
“The strongest character has reached a level so high that he ended up using everyday objects as his weapon of choice.”
Later...
“Whatever Jackie Chan wants to use.”
Does that mean...?
It’s not as weapon of choice but anything can be my sword.
Anything you do, like folding your shirt and pants can be count as kung fu, or can be adapted into kung fu.
He is the reincarnation of the Loner who seeks defeat!
@@BeastOrGod I feel like I've read that title somewhere...is it a novel?
@@HeliPotter2000 Karate Kid?
There is a saying:
The king of the 10 most powerful weapons is the folding chair.
@Kakashi commentor That's the sound of those who manage to survive a hit from the almighty folding chair
This is the code followed by WWE wrestlers
Hahahahaha carrying one on the street legally.... great weapon indeed!
This sounds like something from Stephen Chow. "God of Cookery" Lol
Ahhhhh I see. You are interested in cooking
you have taught me many intriguing things in your videos, thank you!
Very good analysis as usual.
In Kungfu there's a saying: the weapon is just an extension of ones arm.
Exactly. This statement represents the logic of kungfu masters.
Not just but AN. The daoist believed everyday objects had life in them if someone breathed that life into it. The belief was passed from China to Japan. So swords in China actuality were respected if you were daoist. This dude forgets that most people in the han dynasty and ancient China were daoist not buddhist
as this video shows, the weapon and how well its used, gives a look into the wielder's way of thinking or personality, this is how we can come to understand why 'only when fighting, can two people understand each other' moments arise.
Extension of one arm?! Are they joking? How do you think is an extension arm?.....oh come on do you think that you can block a steel rod with you arms?
@@cristiandagale8337 It's an extension of you because you manipulate the weapon. Because you move it with your arms and movement, it is an EXTENSION. You never depend on the weapon but rather depend on your skills to make the weapon reach your enemies
The way she wins by getting her sword cut in half is some great storytelling on its own. I need to see that movie.
Oooh, you haven't seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? Definitely do so! It's a fantastic movie ^_^
It's a great movie, that fight scene is one of the best in history.
She won by wit.
@@Arthur_CNW I can't stand the wire work in it. All that running through tree tops stuff. Which is a shame, since I always hear how good a movie it actually is.
@@FrttMs it's part of the artistic element and it's not like they were trying to hide it
Great video, love to see deep dives into Chinese culture shared with more people! Keep it up👍
Really good video. I'm glad I came across this. I suppose it boils down to a difference in values. I would also add that Japanese katanas are famous because they have prestige as exclusively being the weapons of the samurai class. Civilians were forbidden to own the katana and were only permitted to carry a short "companion sword". The katana thus came to symbolize rank and status in society.
"Spoiler alert: I don't think China cares much about swords."
...Brilliant.
I admire the balls on the guy for upfront honesty 😂
@@airawolf4261 dude, that's not honesty, mainly stupidity. The chinese had swords in museums that our modern technology cannot replicate. Early japanese swords are not katana but chinese style swords. They learned metalology from the chinese and slowly developed the katana. The problem with the chinese blacksmiths was that they keep their blacksmithing skill as a secret. They don't pass on knowledge like the japanese do. Now the chinese loss can't even make a decent sword other then props. Those ridiculous kung fu movies didn't help their popularity neither.
@@donaldmaxwell3171 but honestly speaking chinese hold other weapons such as spears and shields of a much higher regard than swords and being fluent and having many friends from and having been to china i can say with confidence that the chinese do not really care that much about swords favour much more elegant weaponry such as spears or simply martial arts, calling his statement stupidity is not entirely wrong nor right as his statement wasnt that wrong the chinese simply dont care as much about swords as other countries do
@@Takodachiii swords are weapon of kings and generals so.......no
qwedsa789654 tang doesn’t matter if people don’t care
"whatever Jackie Chan wants to use" is practically what 独孤求败 （loner who seeks defeats）highest attainable sword skill level seeks out any item can be a "sword" for him
Nice breakdown, going into culture. I hadn't thought about it in that way. thanks
I think swords might have such a place in the history of theatre, film and tv because they are simply more practical and dramatic in performance. Swords allow for more theatrical slashing and swinging movements, do not get in the way of other actors and sets like a spear or other long weapons would and allow actors to draw in much closer to each other in a duel, heightening dramatic tension.
“Ascending above material objects is a sign of enlightenment...hence, the stick thing”
this will be my quote of the month
People may misunderstand...
@@daomickael7883
It already have been 5 months, my quote of the month has changed
@@Bamthis make it your quote of the month again
"The loner who seeks defeat“ this guy is the most powerful swordsman in the novel, he has four swords in his life,
The first sword
"My first sword was so sharp, strong and fierce that none could withstand it. With it in hand, I strive for mastery by challenging all the heroes of the Northern Plains in my teenage years."[4]
The second sword represented by a wooden tablet)
"My second sword was violet in hue and flexible in motion. I used it in my 20s. With it, I have mistakenly wounded righteous men. It turned out to be a weapon of doom that caused me to feel remorseful endlessly. I cast it into a deep canyon."
The third sword
"My third sword was heavy and blunt. The uttermost cunning is based on simplicity. With it, I roamed all lands under Heaven unopposed in my 30s."[6]
The fourth sword (represented by a wooden sword)
"After the age of 40, I was no longer hampered by any weapon. Grass, trees, bamboos and rocks can all be my swords. Since then, I have developed my skills further, such that gradually I can win battles without reaching for weapons."
Then I hit him with a barrage of ninja stars
Poison ones!
@@mikebussy3334 It is uncommon to face weapons that you are not familiar with.
By drawing parallels from other weapons (Poison Shurikens are like Poison needles stacked together), they adjust themselves accordingly.
@@HeroesHoshi have you ever been hit by a poison ninja star?
@@HeroesHoshi he is weeaboo lol
Thank you this was interesting and narrated well.
As someone who practiced WuShu in China for well over 10 years, the “Jian” (sword) is a weapon, among hundreds that surrounds the spirit of kung fu. The weapon is a support, it’s a part of martial art and not the center of it. A martial artist will master fighting before going on to the staff, than sword, then spear…
The sword, as depicted in Chinese cinema, is just an extension of the warrior's martial arts ability. Usually, the warriors are depicted as skilled fighters even without the sword, as seen in numerous kung fu movies where unarmed combat is often the highlight. Therefore, the sword does not take center stage. The Japanese, however, places a huge emphasis on swords, both physically and spiritually, and is usually the showcase of the fight scenes in their cinema or cultural expressions of honor and hierarchy. What is most showcased in cinema is often what becomes popular culture.
more like Chinese sword are lame af
@@knight1506 LMAO never seen a dao huh?
@@knight1506 Katanas are very overrated they really aren't that good.
Not really. Even the japanese don't go so far as thinking the weapon is more important than the man. Some may do think like that. Not all, and not common.
Consider the example of the duel between Miyamoto Musashi vs Sasaki Kojiro. Kojiro used his prized long katana, the 'laundry pole', a famous weapon uniquely his own.
Musashi used a simple long oar.
Musashi defeated and killed Kojiro.
(turns out that 'spiritual power in weapons' is at worst hogwash, and at best, not that important...)
The japanese may appreciate craftmanship more than the Chinese, I think, and that's about it.
It's because the Katana is highly symbolic in nature, Katanas are family heirloom, temple offerings, spiritual anchors, seals and all that.
One must remember that Japan doesn't have the iron to make these weapons and always import (I'm assuming smuggle) such materials.
Their process of making it into steel isn't exactly quick and easy neither.
Then the steel folding process is quite ardurous often needing 2-3 smiths.
Add to that when making these... there's always a Shinto ritual (I'm assuming this was gone later?).
And you have a sword with notable strengths and weakness like any type of sword... but extravagantly steeped in tradition and spirituality. So with a sword like that, would you just say "Eh, it's a sword".
Or would you, like how the Japanese have been doing so in the silver screen, go "IT. IS. A. SWORD!!!"
You'd be thinking why would they use it then and have it have a chance to break?
Well here comes in the Bow, Spear and Matchlock rifles, the actual primary weapons of Samurais. Oh there are other sword that serve the purpose of weapons too (that have similar design to Katanas).
Monk " everything is ilusion"
Jacky " everything is weapon"
Assassin: illusions are weapons
Christian Mihalcin Stoner: weapons are illusions.
Soviets : "we are weapon"
Weapons are weapons
Chuck Norris: you call that weapon?
i cant stop watching videos form ur channel! Ur such a brilliant creator. I didn’t even notice that ur actually Chinese after ur Leslie video.
Great in-depth analysis of the philosophy, folklore and culture of the Sword in mainland china 🙌
The strongest character whom we know by name and never met him...had reached a level so high, thay he ended up using everyday objects as his weapon of choice....the philosophy of Jackie Chan...
That is not Jackie Chan's philosophy. We have this concept before he was born.
Amen.
@@pacificdawn5999 or maybe this concept appeared retroactively with his birth
John Wick?
Dugu Qiubai.
I just love the fact Jackie Chan always gets his own catergory.
yes. well, there are martial arts movies and then there are jackie chan movies.
That's because there's few Martial Artists in Film who are willing to LITERALLY put their life on the line like Jackie does. He's LITERALLY almost died multiple times on set.
Then you add in the fact that he's MASTERED Improvised Weapons like Ladders, and it's obvious why. That's not even getting into how Jackie Chan frequently has his Villains working TOGETHER in careful choreographed moves, UNLIKE most films, where you see Villains just standing around waiting their turn OR doing moves in the background. Jackie depicts FAR more Realistic Group Fighting Scenes.
He's honestly a Legend like no other.
The Kwan Dao was specifically anti cavalry. Its goal was to hook and cut saddle straps, that's why it's also heavy, if the swing and weight wasn't enough to cut the strap it hooked you can just drop it and it'll finish the job once the counterweight hits the ground.
Like and sub, first view. Great ending call to action / mysterious statement. Thanks for the insight
Ya know that the Japanese and the Chinese have a similar philosophy in one way
"If the wielder is weak, even the most powerful weapon is useless"
This is why if games allow a level 1 character to equip a high-end weapon it still won't save them most of the time. Not having the skills and active abilities really hurts your ability to fight, and if your stamina/mana is too low to supply your attacks with a high-end weapon you can enjoy waiting for it to regenerate.
Some games let characters equip higher level weapons at a significant penalty to hit chance and damage, some games don't even let your mall ninja equip a real sword until after a dozen levels or so of the tutorial.
@@Foxxie0kun Yeah, true :/
a swordsman could not just inherit and wield the sword of his elder if he is not mentally and physically fit to handle it. .incase an epic fight erupted between two skillful swordsmen with their respective legendary swords one will always emerge as winner but it doesnot mean the loser is a disgrace to his sword. .in combat dying or surviving is not the ultimate objective of a warrior; it is how one wielded his sword honorably and according to his fighting code. .
*laffs in polearms*
*ancient chinese dud with auto crossbows* :
HA. speak for yourself.
It's a historical meme thing, swords aren't even the most used weapon in the middle times, not in Asia, not in Europe not anywhere.
Yeah spear is widely used
You're right, military uniforms incuded swords untill at least ww1 even if they were basically useless
They were. They are the most common civilian weapons aside daggers and the most common military sidearm
@@theghosthero6173 not true
swords are expensive to make due to crafting
the only civilization where sword is the king of weapon is Roman because of their advance technology
much of all culture spear is the main weapon
@@ategabbysev2993 can you read? I said civilian weapons, most people aren't allowed to carry spears in town historically. I also said the most common SIDEARM.
Fascinating piece. Well done.
life-changing presentation. I'm going back to the wushu exercises I started as a child and left off after school ....
"had reached a level so high, they end up using everyday objects as a weapon of choice."
sounds like Jackie Chan
"why use a sword when you got the strap?"
- Sun Tzu, Art of War
😂🤣
;-;
There's one thing,he is right,sword is symbol of someone,in chinese history,the mostly used by army and people is knife but sword
Good saying.
brilliant video!
Thank you! A really interesting insight into the Chinese culture!
John Wick with a pencil vs Jackie Chan with an eraser?
Eric Ling Bruce Lee with his bare hands Chuck Norris' remaining chest hairs still quiver at the thought of it
vs jason born with a pen.
@@scrubby2 any person with a ak47?
Chan would catch the pencil tip in the eraser and twist his wrist, breaking the point and making the pencil useless!
vs a stormtrooper with a red shell
In real battles, soldiers from every country used the same weapon: spears.
Until gun
Actually that’s not true. There was a lot of variation, for instance the mongols, Japanese, and Koreans were known for there bow and arrow prowess, while China was known for its lance.
@@michaelterrell5061 nope ... China was known for “Chu ko nu” , where it could fire arrow repeatedly.
@@stevemarcosunny3916 China was almost exclusively known for its use of pole arms. Yes it had that weapon but they weren’t known for it.
Romans who exclusively used swords for the majority of their history. Lots of classical and dark age civilizations used swords over spears.
Very honest, loved the video :)
"Now this is interesting, no?"
You're right, it was interesting. That ending caught me off guard tho, not going to lie.
I've always felt that in Chinese cinema, the weapon is only as good as the person who uses it. You can have a great weapon, but if you're not skilled, it's not of much value. I think that is why I tend to enjoy Chinese martial arts films more than the Japanese ones. No offense to the Japanese filmmakers! I enjoy a lot of those, too. But I tend to search out Chinese martial arts films first.
TheJohno95 so you don’t like anime..?
I can take it or leave it. As a genre, it's not my go-to. But there are some good ones.
I am a renowned Japanese filmmaker and I am deeply offended!
Oh, yeah? What movies have you made? I might have seen them.
@@TheJohno95 7 Samurai, Yojimbo, Spider Web Castle, Sword of Doom, and a few others.
World: we have swords and polearms as a weapon.
China: I *am* a weapon.
Basically. Watch any Donnie Yen film in the last ten years and he literally kills everyone by just simply boxing. Like I mean he doesn't even implement kicks 90% of the time. He will literally Mike Tyson you to death.
@@daoyang223 interesting WingChun is made famous by Bruce Ler precisely because he says it doesn't work and he incorporated styles from Martial Arts around the world to invent his own style.
Wimgchun is nice but I don't get the hype.
I tried to wipe your picture off the screen.
nice
@Gabriel Amaral that's a shloka from Bhagvad Gita
Thanks so much!
1. The person exists when the blade exists. 劍在人在
2. The blade merges with the person using it. 人劍合一
3. The blade exists in the heart. 劍在心中
4. No blade exists. 劍不在
5. Heaven and the person as one 天人合一
Looking at these Japanese films vs Chinese films, you see the difference in cinematic focus. In the Japanese films, the focus is on the swords and swordplay, the sword is almost the main character. In the Chinese films, the focus is on the fighter and the sword is treated more as a prop, exchangeable. In one Chinese scene in particular, the two fighters repeatedly toss their swords around and at one point almost trade blades, and half of the scene is hand-to-hand rather than sword-to-sword.
Which only goes to further your point that the Chinese don't seem to care as much about the sword as, say, Europe or Japan
It's a cultural thing. Japan has romanticized the sword and the Samurai, in the same sense that America has romanticized the gun and the Cowboy. With the firearms they used being just as romanticized as the men who used them. Colt & and Winchester used to be literal house hold names in America for generations, though less these days because the popularity of westerns have fallen and the rise of anti gun hate fueled by progressive movements. I also wouldn't say all of Europe is a Sword culture either. Central Europe and Western Europe have big Gun cultures, even countries like Switzerland. Swords are more of an English, French and Spanish thing.
ancient China has always been not stuck in the material, not for the material as the main philosophy of life。 We call “不滞于物” 。
@@Alte.Kameraden France England and Spain are like the biggest western european countries what.
the greatest weapon is the object closest to jackie chan
Bruce Lee.....
Bite if you must
Poke eyeballs out if you must
Kick balls if you must
Win anyway you can
Bruce Lee mastered The Art of war...LOL.
For Keanu Reeves... a pencil (sharpened is suggested)
@raserianfald suggested... not needed
... very well explained! 👍👍👍
Very well thought out. narrative
In Chinese Novel / Cinema Culture there is a stereotype of weapons for different type of roles in the story.
Swords / Jian : Usually carried by scholars. Shows refinement. Scholarly skills are swordsmanship, horse riding, chess, poems, music and education. Almost similar to knights and samurais.
Sabre or Broadsword / Dao : Are carried by imperial troops and especially constables or sheriffs. Law enforcers. Some constables in the later Dynasties like Ming Dynasties carry a pair of Tongfa though.
Staff / Gun : Carried by Monks. The idea of using staff is because it is perceived to be a less offensive weapon. Under the code of conduct, Monks have the right to defend but no right to kill.
Spears / Chiang : Default weapon of the Imperial troops. Especially the Infantry and Calvary. There were alot of variations for spear though. Guan Dao was one of them. Staff mounted blades were popular because usually a one on one fight between leaders in a Warfield is usually done on a horseback.
Arrows / Jian : Need no introduce. Long range weapons. The Chinese used stone loaded catapults too. The Yuan Dynasty which was a Mongolian rule over China, the Mongolians conquered China with a superior calvary. Their horses and archers were of better quality. Till the Kamikaze because they had no sailing experience.
Flying Guillotine / Xie Di Zi : A weapon that remains as fiction. The idea only appeared in Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty where the rulers are Manchurian. A weapon used by private squad of hitmen hired by the Emperor or the imperial family. The story portrays the hitmen will store the decapitated skulls in their family temple. Their extinction happened because their presence became obselete after the imperial court started buying firearms.
I wonder if there was a class division between the jian and dao
@@Tareltonlives there is somewhat of class division in a way that Jian usually represents refinement. Also represents nobility. Example the Emperor's personal weapon usually is a Jian. Unlike Dao which is meant for slashing, Jian is used like an Epee or a Rapier.
Dao has a very rugged image. Also usually Jian is made of better materials. That's why usually Law Enforcers carry Dao as a mass issued weapon. But in Novels there are certain rare Dao of excellent quality. However users are very rugged people like King of pirates or Chief of mountain bandits.
Tareltonlives
So Jian has to be crafted straight (which is not as easy as it seems since as it cools down it often shrinks and bends). It usually has edge on both sides. Whereas Dao is usually curved with only one-sided edge. In many cases the techniques in using a Jian is associated with the agility and speed of the user, hence many Jians are light-weighted. On the contrary Daos are more heavily weighted in most cases and associated with the power of the user. Just my understanding
@@Tareltonlives Jian is also known as the "gentleman's weapon" so there is indeed a sort of class division
Hehe, Gun
Yes I know it's obviously not pronounced like that, but I think it's just a funny coincidence that the spelling is the same
All swords are overated in cinema. History loves polearms.
spears/pikes are king
I prefer Halberds like the Guan Dao
And manga, don't forget manga. Cinema's nothing compare.
Wesley Martins glaives is where it’s at
And missile weapons. And horses. And boats.
I love both japanese & chinese swords regardless
Great video. Especially as a person practising Historical European Martial Arts I've always preferred polearms, especially the spear and the Chinese many kinds of polearms are fascinating to me. So I'm glad that they aren't as hung up on using swords.
If u are chinese u dont need a sword if you can fly while fighting 😉
What's the deal with flying on magic swords anyways?
Something wrong with magic carpets?
@@rabcor if u watched some chinese movies with sword fighting they fly 😂
well the sword is still helping you if you are not cultivating your body lol
yeah but having a sword makes you fly better.
@@rabcor in some of the movie they litterally just leap off the ground and start fighting in the air. It very entertaining and epic to watch. 😂
First, in Chinese language, the definition of “sword” is actually kind of different than Japan and Europe. In Chinese, “剑（jian）” has to be a double-edged sword; in other words, the weapon such as Japanese katana will be defined as a sort of “刀（means blade or knife）” instead of a “sword” in Chinese view, because it only has one edged side.
In Chinese history, Jian was widely used as a type of actual combat weapon in the frontline military from Zhou dynasty（1046BC-256BC）to Han dynasty（202BC-220AD）; but during the Han dynasty, its position was gradually being replace by “环首刀”, the Ring-pommel blade, a type of single-edged straight blade. After Han dynasty, Jian became more and more unpopular on the frontline battle field. In military, it was usually only used by some certain special units or high rank officers like generals during the later dynasties.
And in Japan, the culture of katana worship is also mainly developed in the Edo period（1603-1868）. In the actual Sengoku period and earlier era, Japanese Samurais also prefer to use lance and bow rather than normal katana on the battle field. Edo period is a relatively peaceful era in Japanese history compare to earlier Sengoku period, large scale war is rare, and that is the time when katana become the symbol of Samurai identity.
However, I think the more direct reason about “not being famous” is just because modern Japanese culture industry is developed much better than China, and have much higher influence on western world.
Well, I think in Japanese culture, fightings are develop around the weapons. Whereas in Chinese, the weapons are developing around the fighting. In Chinese, we tend to see weapons accompanied martial arts such as Taiji or Wushu. But the martial arts are not developed around the weapons. In Japanese, martial art such as kendo is entirely developed around using sword.
I think because Samurais switched over to using guns from the bow and lance.
I agree with the last part, popularity is all based on culture. Westerners glorify the katana because the West is currently allies with Japan, however China is their rival. Why would the West want to glorify anything from their rivals?
@@bboygenetics9882 I think you are wrong, China has only been a rival in recent years. Prior to this, Japan was the main threat but the Katana has been popularised for a long time.
Doesn't Japanese also have 剣 (ken, double edged sword) vs 刀 (katana, single edged sword)?
In fact, the Japanese katana design is inspired by the Chinese Tang Dao, a type of sword from the Tang Dynasty, and you can use Google to search Tang sword, you will find the similarities between the Tang Dao and the katana
Very nice work here.
Japan and Europe: swords are an extension of one's honor and are really important to mythology
China: swords are a tool for the most part as the actual user is more important
Europe: king Arthur becomes legendary because of Excalibur
China: Bruce Lee's nun chucks are famous BECAUSE of bruce lee
(Not a good example as one of these people is only mythological but you get what i mean)
you completely messed up the first part... in kungfu we don't see swords as just tools.
m.ua-cam.com/video/KgH-aMuuRdw/v-deo.html
i think this sword was made by gan jiang's teacher Ou ye zi
Exactly; European culture fundamentally evolved from an class of relatively equal aristocratic warriors, who relied on technology (especially metalworking)for dominance. The importance of the weapon was high, because the levels of quality can vary greatly and warriors were self funded, making high quality weapons extremely valuable in an era without scientific metallurgy. A slight difference in technique from one Smith to another is the difference between soft iron, brittle iron and steel
Actually in Chinese cultures, sword are a "gentleman weapon". People that associate with Chinese sword are scholars and to some extend taoist priest.
What the video say about a weapon can tell about his owner is correct. If a person carrying a sword in ancient China, he was probably an educated person compare to another guy carrying a Dao (another type of chinese weapons).
Neo: Guns, lots of guns.
Jackie Chan: Chairs, lots of chairs.
my uncle who practice tae kwon do martial arts once said, good chinese sword can make thunder like sound when the user thrust it (due to vibration from the blade)
Great video
Rites (禮)
Music (樂)
Archery (射)
Charioteering (御)
Calligraphy (書)
Mathematics (數)
Those are the skills a ancient Chinese noble have to master and we can see only archery , so sword isn't a favourite weapon in ancient china ,thus it's not as famous
Sword is to Rites and higer nobles.
Yes, agree with that, on the other hand japanese sword became famous because of the rebirth of bushido in ww2, they carried around a katana (even though the cheap version one, except the one owned by generals) everywhere and at every war, even some of their pilots brought one with them, while doing kamikaze. Us army won the war, brought themselves back katanas owned by those Japanese soldiers, that's why it's became famous. And bushido itself is reincarnated from japanese old philosophy of the way of sword (literally the meaning of bushido), as the Invincible Sword Saint 'Musashi Miyamoto' himself stated in his book Gorin no Sho, the way of the warrior is the way of 'pen and sword'.
Good sword=noble
Not even for japanese. The warriors are warring using bow and spears while sword was just a status symbol. Not until later when they romanticize sword that it becomes as popular as now.
Tl;dr Japanese is good in selling their swords
China definitely hold their military and weapons at high regard but they care much more about their spears and longer range weapons rather than swords as well as that skill is considered more important than weapons
Often in European and Japanese early periods, the sword was a sign of wealth.
You could arm a half dozen men with spears or axes for what it took to make a single sword.
Well, in Chinese culture it was a Junzi (gentleman) thing to have a sword at the waist. It was supposed to mean that the man was both accomplished in academia and in martial arts. But mostly it's just a tool for wealthy scholars to '装逼＇.
@@flysmask to what
Mal Tech the word @flysmask used means "to be pretentious", as chinese swords similar to other cultures' counterparts are still fairly expensive and also a sign of wealth with ornated hilt and sheath. The more commoners' weapon of choice would be the Dao, which was more like a cutlass and often made with much cheaper materials.
And you dont want arm people with swords, considering how useless they were
Agreed. Vikings had alot of makeshift equipment but they were earning for the best sword. It's a status symbol. O conceal carry and so do my friends. We do criticize each other for our guns.
The glock guys likes to shit on the other guys that don't carry glocks. In the US a 1911 (45 acp) is the excalibur weapon.
Rifles are considered war weapons. Pistols are self defense weapons so it's very personal.
风云 has a whole collection of crazy popular swords, with the 绝世好剑 being the most popular.
if you go deeper into history, pretty much all the Three Kingdoms main characters have named weapons
I believe that this likely is also due to Japans overwhelming soft power. In anime, Katanas are used, as well as for others.
Give Jackie Chan a wicker stool and he'll destroy a gang of triads.
Teach Jackie Chan how to make wicker furniture and he'll rid all evil
The ikea of mass destruction
This is a very interesting video 😏so basically in Chinese mythology ✨the weapon does not make the warrior the warrior makes the weapon✨
No. Three black smith makes the weapon.
precisely
A good sword can make a novice powerful. A good sword will make a strong warrior as if adding wings to a tiger..
But only benevolence makes a person invincible.
@@kaimengquek1952 A good sword will just hurt the bearer in the hands of a novice.
That’s what Thulsa Doom says
Bravo! You've got a new subscriber in me, friend. Very well done!
In ancient China, poets and litterateurs were far more respected than militarists. Sword was a symbol of Junzi(person of noble character) in most times.
Also, Jian is just a general name. There are many different kinds of swords (not a single famous sword like Ganjinag, Taike)in China. The most famous one is named 龍泉寶劍(Dragon Spring Sword).
If you are really interested in Chinese sword or Jian,and perhaps Wuxia, you may watch a well-known Chinese anime series called Qin's Moon/Legend of Qin(秦時明月).
Meanwhile, in Japan the Samurai and Daimyo classes ruled for hundreds of years under the Shogunate, placing higher value in Japanese warriors and their signature weapon of choice: the Katana.
Are we seriously going to pretend that Sun Tzu didn't come from China and that China didn't fall into warring regions at a rather constant rate?
@@ZerogunRivale But there wasn't an entire ruling class of warlords that survived into peacetime like in Japan.
@@holdenkimura5034 the katana wasn't even a defining attribute of samurai culture until the relatively peaceful era under the Tokugawa bakufu. It was only when the warriors were forced to demobilize and turn into administrators that they began to inflate the properties of the katana as a status symbol.
@GiganX13 So what ?
CORRECTIONS:
The proper name for the weapon used by Jet Li is "Three sectional staff" (Thanks to commentor Tom O'Brien)
Commenter maartmaster points out that people knowing the word Katana and people not knowing the word "Jian" is not a fair comparism. Katana is one specific type of sword in a much larger category of swords. The proper comparism of words would be Jian vs Nihonto.
Commenter Stephen Stokes points out that, technically, there is no equivalent word for sword in the Chinese language. Chinese people uses different words for straight double-edge blade (Jian) and curved single-edged blade (Dao).
We see 5 swords in that movie
the American 1911 straight saber, the Jian, the Dao, the 9 ring saber, and the katana
And it's not called "Guan Dao". It's called a "Da Dao" because only if Guan Yu uses a "Da Dao" then can it be called a "Guan Dao".
Use the Mandarin name, man.
@@qiankundanuoyi1 the da dao is a completely different weapon though. The guan dao is a polearm and the da dao is a war sword
@@qiankundanuoyi1 That's not true. Da Dao just means big knife and used to refer to two handed dao. My whole life that type of halberd is called a Guan dao, the guy made it famous enough.
Great perspective
Chinese fantasy made me deeply aware of spears and spear-like weapons.
The only one I had finished (mostly read online published fiction and Chinese tend to be hundreds and thousands of chapters long) had a saying near the beginning "Sword is like a tiger, spear is like a dragon" and the MC finished the story as a spear wielder (after going through the wide bladed weapon type you mentioned, but I forgot the word).
I feel like, where sword was the weapon of kings in Europe, katana is fetishized in Japan, China puts the most focus on spears as the weapons of choice of the generals.
Why chinese sword not as famous, because they don't have anime
Nope. Chinese make some anime too. Maybe in Ten years... They Will dominate
They have their own cartoons called Donghua. They even have their own comics called Manhua
@@camrendavis6650 Those are just the Chinese pronunciations of those words. Donghua (Chinese) = Douga (Japanese), and Manhua (Chinese) = Manhwa (Korean) = Manga (Japanese). In China, they tend to call cartoons (Donghua) and anime (Dongman) separate things, as well as Japanese anime (Dongman) and Chinese anime (Guoman). And yes, Chinese anime have been growing as of late.
@@ruedelta I see.......
Check out "Rakshasa Street", you will like it.