The Guan Dao: The Famed Weapon of the Martial Arts Deity
It is customary for every traditional Chinese martial arts school to have a Guan Dao (Guan’s Knife), proudly displayed on the weapons rack. The Guan Dao takes its name from the famed General Guan Yu who lived during the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (160-220 AD). Guan Yu was renowned for his prowess with the weapon which he wielded victoriously in many battles.
The Guan Dao was commonly used on horseback. It was a heavy weapon that required unusual strength. In Chinese martial arts, any weapon with a single blade is called a “Dao,” regardless of the length of the weapon.
Facts and fiction about the Guan Dao
The weapon, now commonly called the Guan Dao, is more properly known as Qing Long Yan Yue Dao, or Green Dragon Crescent Knife. Some martial arts schools still refer to the weapon as such.
The Qing Long Yan Yue Dao originated from the Zhan Ma Dao, or Horse Chopping Saber. As that name implies, the Zhan Ma Dao was used by foot soldiers to chop off the legs of a charging cavalryman. Several adaptations were made from the Zhan Ma Dao to create the Green Dragon Crescent Knife. The first was to make the blade wider and heavier. The second was to lengthen the shaft, which favored its use on horseback. The third was to add a triangular-edged spear at the butt of the shaft. This innovation made the weapon deadly on both ends.
Although Guan Yu was a famous general and warrior, some historians have doubted that he ever wielded the Green Dragon Crescent Knife. But this is a topic for historians to debate.
The main techniques of the Green Dragon Crescent Knife
Since the proper name for the weapon is Green Dragon Crescent Knife, I will refer to it as such here.
The main techniques of the Green Dragon Cresent Knife are contained in the Shi Er Zi Jue, the 12-Character Formula, which has been passed down through the ages. These are: Pi – Chopping, Kan – Slashing, Tiao – Poking, Liao – Lifting, Ju – Restraining, Huo – Cutting, Pai – Slapping, Gua – Hanging, Xue – Shaving, Mo – Wiping, Jie – Intercepting, and Ci – Stabbing.
Interesting facts and customs
1 – Guan Yu is known as Guan Di and is regarded as the Deity of martial arts. His spirit is said to represent the virtues of courage, unwavering loyalty, righteousness, and filial piety. Statues of Guan Yu can be found in many traditional schools. He is displayed with his Guan Dao pointing downward to ward off evil spirits and to protect the school.
2 -The Guan Dao, or Qing Long Yan Yue Dao, was said to be eight feet long and weigh 82 Jin, which is equivalent to 90 pounds. The weight of the weapon obviously required a great deal of strength to wield. Modern Guan Daos are less than seven feet tall and weigh fewer than 10 pounds and obviously are not intended for the battlefield.
3-During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD),and later the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), a heavy Guan Dao was used to demonstrate strength during the formal Martial Arts Examination.
4 – Tradition dictates that the Shifu, or Master, of the martial arts school, be proficient in wielding the weapon.
In a future post I will provide more information on General Guan Yu, and the role he plays in Daoism, Buddhism and Confucian thought, as well has his importance within the Chinese household.