American Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan Association Vol. 14 # 2
The last three years have seen a tremendous growth in Chinese swordsmanship. In this short time, the art moved literally from the precipice of extinction to having a worldwide following. One spark for this expansion was a pivotal work, Chinese Swordsmanship – the Yang Family Taiji Jian Tradition by Scott M. Rodell. Rodell is a disciple student of Wang Yennien who also studied taiji jian with T.T. Liang (Zheng Manqing’s senior student). The wide popularity of Chinese Swordsmanship naturally led to the author receiving multiple invitations to present seminars at home and abroad. Teaching seminars on three different continents, Teacher Rodell’s efforts helped carry the art of Chinese Swordsmanship from obscurity and near extinction to wide recognition as a powerful and effective sword art. Most recently (July ‘06), Rodell began a new phase in his teaching program, instructing children. Along with his 8 1/2 year old son, Feihong, he traveled Down Under to help create a children’s swordsmanship program in Australia.
Continue reading “Youth Chinese Swordsmanship Camp a Very Successful First” »
Students from three continents converged on the small town of Otepaa, Estonia to take part in the International Swordplay Festival for Chinese Traditions. This Festival was the second focusing on Chinese Swordsmanship organized by Estonian Branch students of Great River Taoist Center. For six days, participants trained nine hours a day learning four weapons essential to the Chinese military tradition double-edge sword (jian), saber (dao), two-handed saber (shuangshoudao), and spear.
Continue reading “Second International Swordplay Festival” »
Sword Battle in Narva
Reprinted from “Narvskaia Nedelia” (“Narva Weekly”)
By Irina Tokareva (translated from Russian)
On the lawn in front of the Mereranna Spa several dozen people move in a single rhythm, graceful and coordinated, literally dancing to music that only they can hear. This impression is not spoiled even by the imposing wooden swords that they are brandishing. This is what one of the exercises looks like at the seminar on the internal Taoist martial art, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, which is becoming increasingly more popular in Estonia. Running the seminar is American Scott Rodell – the very person who brought the genuine art of T’ai Chi to Estonia 11 years ago.
Continue reading “Taiji Sword Festival 2002” »
Every art speaks a language. Calligraphy speaks in brush strokes, articulated in ink. The brush, ink, stone, and paper are the scholarís four treasures. With these tools the calligrapher practices essential basic brush strokes that make up any character. Mastery of these is necessary to freedom of expression with the brush.
Continue reading “Sword and Brush Together” »
The medieval Chinese dynasties saw great advances in metallurgy. Some, like the ability to produce cast iron, were far ahead of such technology in the Europe. Others, like the mastery of efficient, large-scale steel production, enabled the Tang and Song dynasties to become major military powers in east Asia.
Most collectors of Asian arms are aware that the techniques of forging and tempering developed in China are the basis from which developed the reknowned Japanese swords. These skills arrived in Japan as early as the Sui and Tang dynasty China (AD 589 onward).
The connoisseurship of Japanese sword has thrived over the centuries and has gained an international following in our time. Today Japanese blades are rightly treasured as works of art on their own. Unfortunately, the appreciation of swords produced by the ‘parent’ smiths of China languished even in its native land. This is despite the fact that very fine blades were made in China, and that hand-to-hand combat with edged weapons often proved crucial in winning battles up through the end of the imperial period.
Continue reading “Art of the Chinese Sword” »
