SABERS & BROADSWORDS
​ TAO - DAO - DOU
 刀

Tao Sword training is an advanced weapon study taught at Imperial Combat Arts in Denver CO. The Tao (Dao, Dou, 刀), is a category of single edged swords that includes Sabers, Broad-swords, Scimitars, and Knives. These legendary Chinese swords have evolved over the centuries to become some of the most well known and well studied swords in human history, as well as the primary swords trained in several of our martial arts. ​The number of Tao's taught at Imperial Combat Arts can seem overwhelming, but in reality many of these blades are very similar in training.
Chinese Swordsmanship at a historically accurate combat level is a very different study than the theatrical and acrobatic sword training seen in many modern Chinese martial arts schools. Our combat level sword training has direct lineage to the battlefield, and can hold its own with, or surpass any other weapon system in the world, and blends seamlessly with our hand to hand, ground systems, and chin na, as a complete study.

WILLOW LEAF SABER
柳葉刀

​LIU YE TAO | LIUYEDAO
​This Sword is the true battlefield Saber wielded by the infantry & cavalry of the Ming & Ch'ing dynasties, and the primary sword trained by our masters today. Unlike modern Wushu Sabers this is a historically accurate weapon that at Imperial Combat Arts is part of a high level sword study designed for real melee combat. This traditional sword is effective at cutting, slashing, and thrusting. 

SHORT SABER
矮刀

AI TAO | ǍIDAO | DUANDAO 短刀
The Short Saber is a smaller version of a Saber that allows for fast, light, single handed use in combat. The small size of this weapon makes it ideal for smaller people and fast, light, fighting styles. In addition the Ai Tao is a good weapon for concealed carry or for an easy to carry secondary weapon. Other versions of these swords are also carried in pairs and known as Ai Shuang Tao.

LONG SABER
長刀  

CH'ANG TAO | CHANGDAO
The Chang Tao is a long two-handed, single-edged sword that measures usually 5 feet in length with a 14 inch handle and 44 inch blade. This powerful sword was first used around the seventh century by the Tang Dynasties elite vanguard infantry units, the best and most highly trained warriors of the empire. These swords became the symbol of these elite units who often led the assault. 

GREAT SABER 
大刀

TA TAO | DADAO
The Great Sword is a large and incredibly powerful double handed broadsword that can easily cleave through armor, flesh, and bone. The balanced designed of this sword makes it exceptionally agile, fast, and devastatingly powerful. This Sword, issued as recent as WWII, has a broad blade between 2-3 feet long that widens toward the tip for more weight with chopping power.

BALL SABER
​滾珠刀​

KUN CHU TAO | GUNZHUDAO
This Saber gets its name from a unique tank or recessed groove on the blade in which small metal balls are enclosed. When the sword is swung the balls move forward making a signature sound. This style of saber was a primary weapon carried by military officers dating back to the Tang Dynasty 618-907 C.E. and was still issued in the Ch'ing Dynasty 1644-1912, spanning over a thousand years.

SLICING SABER
㓲刀

P'IEN TAO | PIANDAO
​This Chinese Scimitar is a deeply curved sword designed for slashing and draw-cutting. The curved  style of this sword has been used throughout the world primarily for fighting from horseback. These swords are lighter and easier to wield with one hand and their curved design allows for slashing from horseback without becoming stuck in the opponent, as opposed to thrusting.

GOOSE QUILL SABER
雁刀

YEN LING TAO | YANLINGDAO
This unique sword is fairly straight up until the last 1/4 of the blade where most force of a strike is centered, then it curves more extensively like a Saber. This hybrid between a Straight Sword and Saber allows for the thrusting attacks and handling of a straight sword, as well as the powerful cutting and slashing of a Saber. This sword is favored by Masters who have trained both types. 

GOOSE HEAD SABER
​鵝頭刀​​

Picture Goose Head Saber ErTouDao ​鵝頭刀​​
E T'O TAO | ETOUDAO
This sword, like the Goose Wing, Quill and Feather Saber, was a standard issue military weapon during the Ming & Ch'ing (Qing) Dynasties. The Goose Head Saber differentiates from the other Goose Style swords by its tip, which resemble a Goose's head and beak. This design allows for better penetration by having a tapered backside to the tip. This Sword again is only slightly curved. 

GOOSE WING SABER
雁翅刀

YEN CHI'H TAO | YANCHIDAO
​This Sword is similar to the other three Goose Style Swords with the exception of the steep clip on the tip. This style of sword tip is designed to greater pierce the armor of opponents. This sword, like the Goose Quill, Feather, and Head Saber was a standard issue military weapon during the Ming & Ch'ing (Qing) Dynasties. The Goose swords usually have about an 8 inch handle and 32 inch blade.

GOOSE FEATHER SABER
雁毛刀​​ 

​YEN MAO TAO | YANMAODAO
This sword is a relatively uncommon sub-type of the Goose Style Sabers. It is for the most part identical to other two, except for the rounder drop point. Some of these swords were crafted in this form, but most are Goose Style Swords that have had the tip broken off in battle, and then were rounded into this shape. This term "Feather Tao" now represents any single edged blade repaired this way.

BUTTERFLY SWORDS
​蝴蝶雙刀​

HUTI SHUANG TAO | HUDIESHUANGDAO
​These Short Swords, also known as Butterfly Swords, are a pair of light swords carried in a single scabbard. Unlike most modern Butterfly Swords, true combat Butterfly Swords have a effective thrusting point. The blades of these swords are about the length of the forearm allowing for fast techniques and greater maneuverability when fighting in close quarters combat. Enter Page>

SPLIT WIND SABER 
​破風刀

​P'U FENG TAO | PUFENGDAO
​This hand-and-a-half Great Sword is the P'ian Tao (Chinese Scimitar) meets the Ta Tao or Great Sword. The Split Wind Saber gets its obvious name from the sound it makes when it cleaves through the air and has a deeply curved blade designed for heavy slashing and draw cutting. The uniquely shaped and sometimes double-edged tip offers more effective thrusting than other Broadswords.

DOUBLE SABER
雙​刀

SHUANG TAO | SHUANGDAO
Dual wielding Sabers was primarily for the Green Standard Army, and soldiers with high-risk positions. These Sabers are sheathed in the same scabbard and usually slightly shorter than their full size relatives. While most of these swords today are thin theatrical swords, and Ox Tail Sabers, military grade dual sabers are Willow Leaf Sabers and Sabers from the Goose Styles of Swords.

DOUBLE SHORT SABERS
雙​矮刀

AI SHUANG TAO | AISHUANGDAO
These twin sabers that are crafted to fit together in the same sheath are very short versions of the Willow Leaf Saber and Goose Style Swords that have traditional Chinese guards and pommels. In contrast the "Butterfly swords", which were weapons designed for close quarters combat on ships at sea, are fitted with European style navy guards, and feature a much different shape of blade.

SPROUT SABER
苗刀

MIAO TAO | MIADAO
The Miao Tao is a long two-handed Saber with a four foot blade and long hilt. This powerful sword is a fairly modern descendant of the Ch'ang Tao or traditional Chinese Long Sword. The Sprout Saber saw military use from 1937 to 1945 being issued to Chinese soldiers during the Second Sino-Japanese War (WW2) along side the Ta Tao or Chinese Great Sword.

HORSE BEHEADING SABER
斬馬刀​

CHAN MA TAO | ZHANMADAO
This long anti-cavalry Saber dates back to the early 200's and earns its name from killing horses on the battlefield. Also translated as the Horse Chopping Saber, this longsword is a two-handed, single-edged weapon that measures five feet in length. 14" Handle 44" Blade. Compared to spears and halberds, the weight and large slashing area of the Chan Ma Tao offers several advantages.

STRAIGHT BACKED SABER
直背刀

CHIH PEI TAO | ZHIBEIDAO
This single bladed sword is the original Tao that dates back to the Bronze Age, predating the technology of curved blades and steel. This term today describes any single edged blade with a straight back, any size from inches to feet. The straight backed sabers trained at Imperial Combat Arts are modern combat blades forged from high carbon steel, including the Shun Tao and Tang Tao.

OXTAIL SABER 
牛尾刀

NIU WEI TAO | NIUWEIDAO
​The Ox Tail Saber is a Chinese Broadsword with a wide flaring tip. Despite appearing in most Chinese movies that depict ancient combat, this style of sword was never military issue, and was only recently made in the late 1800's, as a civilian weapon. The design of this sword is far less effective at thrusting than a true combat saber but still allows for powerful chopping and slashing.

TAI CHI SABER 
​太极刀​

TAI CHI TAO | TAIJIDAO
This sword is built for battle offering an effective thrusting point and a slightly curved blade. Part way between a straight sword and saber this sword is in many ways similar to the Goose Style Swords. This blade style allows for both Chien and Tao techniques to be performed with the same sword. The Tai Chi Saber also features a classic pommel ring for counter balance, and S-Guard. 

PAKUA SABER
八卦​​刀

PA KUA TAO | BAGUADAO
This is a very large saber that usually measures around 4.5' long with a 15" Handle and 40" Blade, and weighs 6-8 pounds. While light flimsy versions of this sword are common, wielding a combat Pa Kua Tao requires great strength. Once one can wield this sword dynamically the weight of their standard saber feels almost non existent, and they gain increased speed and endurance.

SABER OF HOUSE CH'I
戚家刀​

CH'I CHIA TAO | QIJIADAO
The Saber of house Ch'i is a unique sword that combines a Japanese style blade with a one handed Chinese hilt. These sabers are named after famous Chinese general Ch'i Chi Kuang (Qi Ji-guang 戚繼光) who first ordered the production of these hybrid blades after successfully purging the Chinese coast from well entrenched pirate settlements where he fought against Japanese swords. 

JAPANESE SABER
倭刀

Picture 倭刀 WoDao
WO TAO | WODAO
This Saber is a Chinese sword designed after a the Japanese Odachi (Great Sword), which was previously designed from the Chinese Tang Tao. Ming Dynasty General Qi who forced Japanese Pirates, and Samurai from China's shores found this sword and fighting style formidable, later arming and training 40% of his army in its use. This thin two handed sword is single edged and 3.5 feet in length.

EIGHT RING BROADSWORD
​八环​刀

PA HUAN TAO | BAHUANDAO
​There are several styles of unique Broadswords from China that feature Rings on the backs of the blade. These rings can number anywhere from one, up to nine rings. Among other uses the heavy rings flip forward on attack adding more weight and inertia to the front, and flip back on recovery bringing more weight to the hand for blocks and controls. Our system prefers Eight Rings.

SHARK HEAD SABER
鯊魚頭刀

SHA YU T'OU TAO | SHAYUTOUDAO
This Saber also known as a Fish Head Saber gets it name from the shape of its gradual concave clip point or reverse edge. These swords often feature an octagonal hand guard representing the Pakua (Bagua) or Eight Trigrams of Taoist Philosophy. This term has come to represent many swords and other weapons that feature this unique type of tip to their blades. 

DEMON HEAD SABER
​鬼頭刀

KUEI T'O TAO | ​GUITOUDAO
​This Sword is an Executioners blade made primarily for beheading. This Saber gets it's name from the demon head carved or forged into the pommel. This Sword pairs with a knife by the same name that was used for another form of capital punishment called Ling Chi 凌遲 The lingering Death or Death by a Thousand Cuts. Other Execution Tao's are minus the Demons Head but similar in use.

CLOUD HEAD SABER 
​雲頭刀​

​YUN T'O TAO | YUNTOUDAO
The term "Cloud Head" represents great swords with curved and rounded tips. Sometimes the sharp edge circles even to the back of the blade. This shape is actually common in several Chinese weapons such as the Crescent Moon Saber. While most people find these heavy swords strange in appearance and in function, there are many similar blades throughout the world, and in modern Machetes.  

ASSAULT SWORD 
樸刀

PO TAO | PODAO
This powerful weapon is half sword and half pole-arm with the blade of a of Chinese Saber atop a four to six foot handle. This hybrid weapon would often favor a short handle for horseback, and a long handle for infantrymen. For infantry this sword was a strong  anti-cavalry weapon that could chop the legs off a charging horse. From horseback the weight of the blade alone could kill.

CICADA WING SWORD
蝉翅刀​

CHANG CHIH TAO | CHANCHIDAO
​The Cicada Wing Sword is a specialty weapon that combines the properties of a staff with those of the broadsword. This sword, named after the wings of the insect, has an overall length of around six feet, or the height of the individual practitioner. This rare specialty weapon is trained primarily in our style of Mantis Kung Fu after the training of Staff, Saber, and the Glaive.

QILIN HORN SWORD
​麟角​​刀

LIN CHIAO TAO | LINJIAODAO
These unique swords trained in H'sing-I Ch'uan are named after the Chinese Qilin, a mythical creature often translated also as Unicorn. The unique angles to these blades align to make use of the attack angles trained in H'sing-I. These rare specialty weapons are fairly modern and have never been used in the battlefield, their unique shapes bring both unique advantages, as well as other handicaps.

ELBOW SWORDS
肘​刀

CHOU TAO | ZHOUDAO
Elbow swords such as the Rooster Claw Sword above are unique specialty blades that run backward along the forearm and can also be swung forward into and extended position. These Swords make use of some of the training learned in the T-baton or nightstick and have a thrusting point and unique guard for attacks, captures, and counters. These weapons are trained in Pakua and Wild Boar.

VANGUARD SWORD
順刀​

SHUN TAO| SHUNDAO​
The Shun Tao is a short machete-like sword usually with an 8-12 inch blade and 3-5 inch handle that was a secondary weapon/utility knife during the Ch'ing (Qing) Dynasty. Without a guard a unique fighting style developed around this weapon that can transfer to modern machetes. In the military this short sword was used only by the Elite Ch'ien Feng Ying 前鋒營 or Imperial Vanguard Units.

MACHETE 
​砍刀​

K'AN TAO | KANDAO
Machetes are designed after the Saber with emphasis on hacking and chopping. These weapon/tools are and important facet of Saber training in that they are very common. Our students today have encountered these blades in attacks overseas. Additionally these inexpensive weapons can be purchased anywhere in the world. The lack of a guard changes this sword style significantly.

COMBAT KNIFE

The combat knife is the smallest of the Tao's and essentially a miniature saber. Combat Knife has been taught in our schools since the 1960's. by C. E. Smith an Airborne Ranger / Army Ranger Green Beret Officer, as well as Grandmaster Long who taught combat knife to U.S. servicemen during the Vietnam War. Students begin training Combat Knife day one, before other bladed weapons.

THROWING KNIVES

Hand-thrown and projectile blades are a traditional part of Chinese Weapon study. While some of these weapons had direct military applications, most are specialty weapons that were designed to deliver poisons, or were used to surprise and soften targets upon approach with a primary weapon. These thrown weapons include Knives, Axes, Spears, Needles Thorns, and Darts. Enter Page> Throwing Weapons

SPECIALTY KNIVES

There are several Specialty Knives and Hand Axe's trained at Imperial Combat Arts. These weapons includes Deer Horn Knives, Mandarin Duck Blades, Wind & Fires Wheels, and Sun and Moon Knives. These unique knives, that are used in pairs, are powerful close quarters weapons that can engage larger weapons. Unlike combat knives these superior weapons have a guard. Enter Page> Specialty Knives

GLAIVES

Glaives are long and powerful pole-arm weapons that are essentially single-edged swords on a long staff. Also known as sword-staves these weapons have been used the world about for ancient and medieval warfare. The Glaive or Fauchard is a European term for these weapons though there are several types of Chinese Glaives including the Assault Sword and the Reclining Moon Blade. Enter Page> Chinese Glaives

TRAINING THE TAO

The Tao is know to the Chinese as "The General of all Weapons" and its training dates back to the Bronze Age. By 280 C.E. these weapons became the primary swords on the Chinese battlefields. Sabers would also become the primary style of sword the world about.

BENEFITS OF TAO TRAINING

Tao training strengthens the grip, wrist, arms, joints, and bones. This strength in turn helps deliver unarmed strikes, the joint conditioning helps to apply and defend against joint locks, the shock of weapons interaction and striking against training dummies, helps to strengthen the bones. Wielding an object such as a Tao trains the body much differently than empty hand training alone. This training prepares the body for armed combat, where survival depends on certain skills, maneuvers, and techniques specific to weapons.

TAO DRILLS

Sword drills are an important part of training sword. These drills teach primary grips, stances, maneuvers, cuts, chops, slashes, blocks, parries, and thrusts, and build these important movements into the body as a second nature reflex. Weapon drills are done in the air, vs partners, dummies, and all types of specialized equipment. The intricate artwork painted on the floor of the school at Imperial Combat Arts is designed for students to drill attacks and defenses against multiple opponents in all 8 directions. 

TAO FORMS

Sword forms are one of the primary ways Masters pass on the ancient knowledge of sword-fighting to the next generation of Warriors. These challenging forms teach dynamic flow, maneuvers, sword handling, and numerous proven and effective techniques. Every movement and technique in the sword forms at Imperial Combat Arts relate directly to combat, and are trained dynamically in sets, and matching. Forms are a way to practice your techniques routinely, and turn them to muscle memory, as needed for battle.

TAO SETS

Dynamic sets allow students to learn effective techniques and sword applications that could never be used in sparring. Even with full pads a training sword can cause serious injury or death, therefore mastering sword requires a skilled and dedicated partner with focus and control. This repetitive partner interaction is one of the ways proven techniques are taught. At Imperial Combat Arts weapon sets are done vs multiple opponents, with realistic training weapons, as well as with padded weapons.

TAO TARGETS
Throughout history target practice has been a crucial part of sword development, as it still is today. In all parts of the world Straw Men, and Wooden Pell's of various types, have been the primary targets used to practice attacks and maneuvers. Imperial Combat Arts indoor/outdoor school has a full array of traditional and modern training dummies, accuracy rings, cutting posts, and dynamically moving targets designed specifically for Saber training, as well as ranged targets for thrown bladed weapons.

TAI CHI saber

The Tao is a primary weapon in Tai Chi as well as several other Martial Arts taught at Imperial Combat Arts. After standard training of the Tao and all it's variants is completed, Tai Chi Saber offers a greater refinement of skill and deeper intimacy with the blade. Tai Chi Saber forms taught at Imperial Combat Arts are trained slow and in depth, as well as full speed. Every technique in our forms directly relates to fighting multiple armed opponents, and they are also used dynamically in sets and matching.  

SABER MATCHING

Aggressive matching with training swords is an important part of preparing for the chaos and fray of battle. This matching is also done in unusual and compromised ways, such as blindfolded, or on beams and posts. Most all matching done at our school, whether armed or unarmed, is done versus multiple opponents. These intense matching sessions are designed to be painful, yet safe, and push practitioners ever forward in skill. Aggressive Sword matching can only be done safely with padded weapons and armor.

SABER VS OTHER WEAPONS

Aside from sword vs sword, there are numerous traditional sets to teach swords interaction with other weapons. Some of these pairings are legendary such as Saber vs Straight Sword, Tao vs Spear, Tao vs Axe, and unarmed vs sword. Additionally learning how to use short swords vs long swords, and dual wielding, is an important part of melee weapon mastery. These important concepts and lessons transfer directly to empty hand tactics, such as fighting opponents with superior reach. 

SECRET SWORD HAND TOUGHENING

There are highly toughened hand and finger weapons developed in the arts that allow Sword Masters to use their extensive sword techniques with their empty hand. This high level hand toughening can take years to master. At the highest level masters of these arts demonstrate breaking boards and holding their entire body weight on the tip of two fingers. With this strength they can launch full force strikes using the same techniques and maneuvers mastered with their sword. Enter Page> Hand Toughening