AMAZING COMBAT APPLICATIONS OF TRAVELING DRAGON SWORD -- OVERVIEW

Traveling Dragon Sword

Traveling Dragon Sword against the Master of Weapons



The Chinese sword is an amazing weapon. It is dainty, and can be easily broken into pieces if clashed with other heavy weapons. It is also short, and therefore would be disadvantageous in reach compared to longer weapons.

Yet, it is the choice weapon of many masters in the past, because in the hands of a skillful swordsman, the sword techniques can be amazing. It is considered the weapon of the scholar-warrior.

Such amazing sword techniques were kept as top secrets in the past. Hence, many kungfu practitioners today who have learnt sword sets do not know the combat application of the sword. How would you, for example, use your sword against a long weapon like a spear, or a heavy weapon like a Big Knife?

Moreover the Chinese sword is quite different from swords of other martial cultures, like the Samurai sword or the Western sword. Some kungfu practitioners, however, use a Chinese sword as if it were a Samurai sword, a Western sword or a kungfu saber. This is incorrect.

At the Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course of May 2007 in Toronto, Canada, Grandmaster Wong gave a rare demonstration of the Chinese sword, and revealed many of its secrets. Grandmaster Wong explained that if these secrets were not revealed, they would be lost to posterity in future.


Picture Series of Traveling Dragon Sword
Video Series of Traveling Dragon Sword


Please click the pictures or the captions below to view the videos

Shaolin Traveling Dragon Sword 1. The Dainty Chinese Sword against the Mighty Samurai Sword

The Chinese sword is different from a Samurai sword or a Western sword. The Chinese sword is light and dainty, whereas the other swords are heavy. The applications, therefore, are also different. The Samurai sword is sometimes described as a long, heavy razor blade. It is mighty and deadly.

A powerful chop with the Samurai sword could break through armour, and therefore easily break a light blocking weapon. How would you then defend against a mighty Samurai sword with a dainty Chinese sword?

Shaolin Traveling Dragon Sword 2. The Master's Weapon against the Mother of Weapons

The staff is considered as the mother of weapons because it contains the main techniques of almost all other weapons! There is another unique and interesting feature of the staff not found in other weapons. A staff has the advantage of being light and heavy, long and short at the same time!

The Chinese sword, on the other hand, is a master's weapon, because it needs great skills to use a sword well. Learning how to use a sword against a staff is very cost-effective. It is like learning how to use a sword against a variety of different weapons.

Shaolin Traveling Dragon Sword 3. The Marvelous Sword against the King of Weapons

The advantage of a heavy weapon over a light one is obvious. If you clash your light weapon against a heavy weapon, your light weapon may be broken by the heavy one. The advantage of a light weapon over a heavy weapon is agility.

Both the spear and the sword are light weapons. But the spear has the advantage of length over the sword. The spear is regarded as the king of weapons because the spear thrust is technically the most formidable weapon technique.

The video clips here show how Grandmaster Wong uses the sword to overcome the formidable spear thrust, and overcome the spear. Great skills, of course, are needed to use the sword well. The sword, therefore, is often regarded as the weapon of masters.

Shaolin Traveling Dragon Sword 4. Traveling Dragon and Ferocious Tiger

Many people confuse the sword with the saber. The saber can be very fast and forceful, and is often likened to a ferocious tiger. The sword is like a traveling dragon. Their techniques are very different.

Combat between a saber and a sword is interesting and illuminating. One is forceful and fast, like an invincible warrior who walks over any opponents. The other is flowing and elegant, like a wandering kungfu-knight flowing through life care-freely and enjoying it.

Shaolin Traveling Dragon Sword 5. How would You Defend against a Versatile Three-Sectional Staff?

The three-sectional staff is probably the most versatile of all weapons. It can be used as a short weapon, a long weapon, a light weapon, a heavy weapon, a single weapon or a double weapon! It can also be very tricky.

Also, you cannot block or deflect a “soft” weapon like a three-sectional staff or a soft whip like you do to other “solid” weapons, because being “soft” it just warps round your weapon. So, how would you defend against the versatile three-sectional staff?

Shaolin Traveling Dragon Sword 6. Secrets that Enhance Combat Efficiency and Daily Life

It was the skills of the combatant rather than the techniques of his weapon that decided victory. That doesn't mean techniques are not important. This also doesn't mean that once you have the skills, you need not continue to practice.

Grandmaster Wong may not have practiced the specific sword techniques he used in the combat, but he maintains his regular Shaolin practice in general, which improves his fundamental skills like mental clarity, quick decision making, being relaxed and focused at the same time, energy flow, internal force, agility and fluidity of movement.


You can also view all the videos bere


We wish to thank Sifu Emiko Hsuen and Sifu Michael Chow for providing these video clips



The Amazing Combat Application of the Traveling Dragon Sword

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