In January of 2013 I posted an essay titled “A Social and Visual History of the Hudiedao (Butterfly Sword) in the Southern Chinese Martial Arts.” As a student of Wing Chun I have always been fascinated by these weapons, and as a researcher in the field of martial arts studies I have been equally curious…
Tag: Hudiedao
Through a Lens Darkly (40): Butterfly Swords and Tong Wars in North America
The Yin and the Yang of the Hudiedao Earlier this year I had the opportunity to participate in a day-long seminar on the Wing Chun swords taught by Sifu John Crescione. This was a great experience that provided many students with an introduction to this iconic weapon. Such events, by necessity, tend to…
Butterfly Swords and Long Poles: A Glimpse into Singapore’s 19th Century Martial Landscape
Introduction: The Weapons of Wing Chun From time to time I am asked why Wing Chun teaches only two weapons. For those unfamiliar with the system these are the long single-tailed fighting pole, favored by a number of southern Chinese styles, and the butterfly swords. Most of Guangdong’s more popular styles have extensive arsenals. The…
Happy Birthday Kung Fu Tea (!) and More on Butterfly Swords at Sea
Kung Fu Tea Turns Two Years Old! Today is the second anniversary of my first post here at Kung Fu Tea. The last two years have been a blast as well as something of a blur. Looking back at my records it appears that this blog has now hosted over 200 unique posts. …
The 19th Century Hudiedao (Butterfly Sword) on Land and Sea
Introduction Understanding the actual history and use of hudiedao (or Butterfly Swords) reflects the challenges faced by students of martial studies more generally. These short paired swords, with their distinctive D-shaped hand guards, are one of the most commonly seen weapons in the southern Chinese martial arts. Wing Chun, Choy Li Fut, Hung Gar,…
Through a Lens Darkly (9): Swords, Knives and other Traditional Weapons Encountered by the Shanghai Police Department, 1925.
Introduction: Practical Martial Arts in the Age of the Gun As I have mentioned elsewhere, when thinking about the traditional Chinese martial arts we have a tendency to assume that these systems were created in an era without firearms. With the coming of the almighty gun they either became obsolete or were preserved for…
Through a Lens Darkly (8): Butterfly Swords, Dadaos and the Local Militias of Guangdong, 1840 vs. 1940.
Introduction: The Butterfly Swords and Southern Martial Arts Defend the Nation I recently ran across two photographs that I think students of the southern Chinese martial arts may find very enlightening. They speak to interesting tactical and cultural questions. On the one hand they provide a record of how individuals fought and the specific weapons…
Butterfly Swords and Boxing: Exploring a Lost Southern Chinese Martial Arts Training Manual.
The Importance of the “Foreign Language Literature” in Chinese Martial Studies It is very hard to pierce the veil of the mid-19th century and to understand what exactly was happening in the development of the popular martial arts between about 1820 and 1880. This is particularly true in areas that suffered a great deal of…
A Social and Visual History of the Hudiedao (Butterfly Sword) in the Southern Chinese Martial Arts.
*****An updated and revised edition of this article is now available. Click here to read more. Thanks!****** Hudiedao, wu dip do, bat cham do, shuang dao, double short broadswords, butterfly swords……These weapons are known by literally dozens of different names in the various styles and lineages of the southern Chinese martial arts. …
Chinese Martial Arts in the News: October 29th, 2012: Commercialization, Authenticity and Bruce Lee.
Welcome to the “Frankenstorm” edition of “Chinese martial arts in the news.” Every few weeks I update readers about recent events and important developing trends. If you have suggestions for a story that I should be watching feel free to drop me an email or leave a note in the comments section. 1. Chinese government…
