Miao dao

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The Miao Dao (苗刀) is a Chinese two-handed dao or saber of the Republican era, with a narrow blade of up to 1.2 meters or more and a long hilt. The name means "sprout saber", presumably referring to a likeness between the weapon and a newly sprouted plant. While the miao dao is a recent weapon, the name has come to be applied to a variety of earlier varieties of long Chinese sabers, such as the zhanmadao and changdao. Along with the dadao, miao dao were used by some Chinese troops during the second Sino-Japanese War.

While the miao dao is rarely practiced in modern Chinese martial arts, there was a form developed for it in the early 20th century by the Central Military Academy in northern China, and some schools of piguaquan and xingyiquan train with the weapon as well.

The "miao" of miao dao should not be confused with the Miao ethnic group, who are not associated with this weapon.

[edit] References

Tom, Philip (February 2005). "An Introduction to Chinese Single-Edged Hilt Weapons (Dao) and Their Use in the Ming and Qing Dynasties". Kung Fu Tai Chi, p. 85