Yanmaodao[edit]

Main article: Yanmaodao
The yanmaodao or "goose-quill saber" is largely straight like the earlier zhibeidao, with a curve
appearing at the center of percussion near the blade's tip. This allows for thrusting attacks and
overall handling similar to that of the jian, while still preserving much of the dao's strengths in cutting
and slashing.[13]

Liuyedao[edit]
Main article: Liuyedao
The liuyedao or "willow leaf saber" is the most common form of Chinese saber. It first appeared
during the Ming dynasty, and features a moderate curve along the length of the blade. This weapon
became the standard sidearm for both cavalry and infantry, replacing the yanmaodao, and is the sort
of saber originally used by many schools of Chinese martial arts.[14]

Piandao[edit]
Main article: Piandao
The piandao or "slashing saber" is a deeply curved dao meant for slashing and draw-cutting. This
weapon bears a strong resemblance to the shamshir and scimitar. A fairly uncommon weapon, it
was generally used by skirmishers in conjunction with a shield.[15]

Niuweidao[edit]
Main article: Niuweidao
The niuweidao or "oxtail saber" is a heavy bladed weapon with a characteristic flaring tip. It is the
archetypal "Chinese broadsword" of kung fu movies today. It is first recorded in the early 19th
century (the latter half of the Qing dynasty) and only as a civilian weapon: there is no record of it
being issued to troops, and it does not appear in any listing of official weaponry. Its appearance in
movies and modern literature is thus often anachronistic.[16][17]
Besides these four major types of dao, the duandao or "short dao" was also used, this being a
compact weapon generally in the shape of a liuyedao.[18] The dadao saw continued use, and during
the Ming dynasty the large two-handed changdao and zhanmadao were used both against the
cavalry of the northern steppes and the wokou (pirates) of the southeast coast; these latter weapons
(sometimes under different names) would continue to see limited use during the Qing period. [19] Also
during the Qing there appear weapons such as the nandao, regional variants in name or shape of
some of the above dao, and more obscure variants such as the "nine ringed broadsword", these last
likely invented for street demonstrations and theatrical performances rather than for use as
weapons. The word dao is also used in the names of several polearms that feature a single-edged
blade, such as the pudao and guandao.
The Chinese spear and dao (liuyedao and yanmaodao) were commonly issued to infantry due to the
expense of and relatively greater amount of training required for the effective use of Chinese straight
sword, or jian. Dao can often be seen depicted in period artwork worn by officers and infantry.
During the Yuan dynasty and after, some aesthetic features of Persian, Indian, and Turkish swords
would appear on dao. These could include intricate carvings on the blade and "rolling pearls": small
metal balls that would roll along fuller-like grooves in the blade.[20]

Recent history
The dadao was used by some Chinese militia units against Japanese invaders in the Second Sino-
Japanese War, occasioning "The Sword March". The miaodao, a descendant of the changdao, also
saw use. These were used during planned ambushes on Japanese troops because the Chinese
military and patriotic resistance groups often had a shortage of firearms.[citation needed]
Most Chinese martial arts schools still train extensively with the dao, seeing it as a powerful
conditioning tool and a versatile weapon, with self-defense techniques transferable to similarly sized
objects more commonly found in the modern world, such as canes, baseball or cricket bats, for
example. There are also schools that teach double sword shuangdao 雙刀, forms and fencing, one
dao for each hand.[citation needed]
One measure of the proper length of the sword should be from the hilt in your hand and the tip of the
blade at the brow and in some schools, the height of shoulder. Alternatively, the length of the sword
should be from the middle of the throat along the length of the outstretched arm. There are also
significantly larger versions of dao used for training in some Baguazhang and Taijiquan schools.[citation
needed]

Nandao[edit]
Main article: Nandao

The nandao or "southern broadsword" is a modern innovation used for contemporary

wushu practice.

In contemporary wushu[edit]
Daoshu refers to the competitive event in modern wushu taolu where athletes utilize a dao in a
routine. It was one of the four main weapon events implemented at the 1st World Wushu
Championships due to its popularity.[21]The dao itself, consists of a flimsy blade that makes noise
when stabbing or cutting techniques are used. Over time, the blade has become more flimsy to
create more noise, the sword has become lighter to allow for faster techniques, and the flag of the
broadsword has become smaller to become less of a distraction. The IWUF has also created three
different standardized routines for competition as well as an elementary routine. The first compulsory
routine was created and recorded by Zhao Changjun in 1989.
Daoshu routines in international competition require certain sword techniques including:

 Chán Tóu (Broadsword Twining)

 Guǒ Nǎo,(Wrapping with the Broadsword)
 Pī Dāo (Broadsword Chop)
 Zhā Dāo (Broadsword Thrust)
 Zhǎn Dāo (Broadsword Hack)
 Guà Dāo (Broadsword Hooking Parry)
 Yún Dāo (Broadsword Cloud Waving)
 Bèi Huā Dāo (Broadsword Wrist Figure 8 Behind the Back).
Only the Chán Tóu and Guǒ Nǎo techniques have deduction content (code 62) where the back of
the blade has to be kept close to the body. Daoshu routines have been judged with the degree of
difficulty criteria at the World Wushu Championships since 2005.