Dragon Shape Sword (Long Xing Jian) Brennan Translation

DRAGON SHAPE SWORD (LONG XING JIAN)
Posted on February 23, 2011

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DRAGON SHAPE SWORD
by Jin Yiming
published by New Asia Press [Oct, 1932]

[translation by Paul Brennan, Feb, 2011]
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Be supple as a dragon.
- [calligraphy by] Qian Junshi

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Brennan Translation
Hold back nothing in teaching.
- calligraphy by Jin Jiafu

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WU ZHIFENS PREFACE
Our nations sword learning did not in ancient days have proper books. I have long loved the sword
and sought the art by looking to the Record of Artisans in the Rites of the Zhou Dynasty, where it says
that a Mr. Tao made swords, their body and handle lengths were all systematized, and officials wore
them as indicative badges of office. I also consulted Senior Dais Book of Rites, in which it says King
Wus sword was engraved with these words: By wearing it as a part of your attire, your actions will
surely be conducted with virtue, and conducted with virtue, it will influence others, and with virtue
multiplying, it will spread like a landslide. Usually in the old days, the sword worn at the waist had a
deep meaning. But to examine its function, that is usually confined to collected writings in secret books
which have been passed through many misinterpreting hands, the true meaning getting gradually lost.
The sword art has already sunk into oblivion long ago.
When teacher Jin Yiming, whose martial arts essays have made him the best martial arts scholar
throughout the country as of 1930, was appointed to teach in this facility, he met Tong Wenhua, who
taught us the sword art. Jin has done even more to explain its principles, and the contents within I feel
are systematic and fascinating. His previous authorings are Secrets of Training, as well as The Wudang
Boxing Arts, and Six-Path Short Fighting, all of which have become popular. His services have lately
again been requested, this time to compile Tongs Dragon Shape Sword into a grand and detailed
manuscript, orderly clarifying the essence of the art, truly holding nothing back. With its drawings
completed, it is about to be put into the hands of the printers. When he assigned me to make a preface, I
could not presume to refuse him.
To spy on the sword art used to depend on collected writings that only a few people could obtain,
and so it could not be popularized. But today our teachers have not shied away from the toil, making
drawings and explanations, and holding it up to show the people, with hopes of building up our nation,
advancing us together from invalids into warriors with its wonderful benefits. May it make you all grab
a copy with which to study intensively and practice it so its effects may be triumphant and influential. I
have great hopes for my fellow countrymen.
carefully written by your student, Wu of Huaian, at the Jiangsu Guoshu Institutes instructor-
training facility, Feb, 1931
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TONG WENHUAS PREFACE

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As a child, I was a weakling. When I was big enough, it was time to start school, getting up at dawn
everyday and carrying my books to the school in our village. When we finished at sunset, all us cooped-
up hyper kids scattered in all directions. On the way home, I encountered the bigger kids who loved to
compete over who could show off the best. Their special skill was bullying the weaklings. I received
beatings countless times. Although I endured humiliation and suffered pain, I never cried, due to my
unsurrendering nature. I constantly tried to think of a way to reverse these circumstances for us many
pitiable kids, but I was too afraid to resist the bullies, who had knives, nor was there anyone to back me
up or make a fuss over the injustice.
Then when I was little bit older, I saw in our village some traveling entertainers exhibiting a show of
superb martial arts talent. So many people were gathered around to watch, they were like a wall, and
their applause was like thunder. I was full of admiration and asked my dad about it. He said: Martial
arts is a way of strengthening the body and can keep you from being bullied. I took in his words and
became giddy. I started to realize that martial arts is one of the most valuable skills in all the world,
capable of giving confidence and relief to the weak, and so I yearned to train. Yet out in the boondocks
it was hard to find good teachers. I had nothing else to engage in except the graceless activity of
weightlifting. Although my body never manifested an appearance of strength, I knew my sinews had
become very strong.
When I turned twenty, I went to Nanjing. My elder brother Gu Ruzhang recommended me and I
became a disciple of Yan Jiyun. First I trained weaponless fighting, followed by saber. When I was
skilled at the saber, I trained the spear. When I was skilled at the spear, I trained the sword, specifically
the method of the Dragon Shape Sword these are things Yan passed on to me. In the fall of 1930, Jin
Yiming took up his instructional post in the Jiangsu Guoshu Institute and we became close colleagues, a
relationship I have hugely benefited from. His understanding of martial arts theory is very deep. He has
researched its history, and can elaborate in minute detail. I wish my own trifling skill was better, and I
hope our performance here will be passable so we can share this knowledge with all who might
appreciate it. When one demonstrates ones slight talent, the discerning are bound to criticize. Maybe
someday there will be someone who can do a better job of this than we have, someone who works
hard.
sincerely written by Tong Wenhua of Huaian, late Feb, 1931
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TONG YAOZONGS PREFACE
Ouyang Xiu said: Hard work can rejuvenate a country. Laziness is all it takes to waste a body. Well-
worded. Nature has endowed us with round heads and square feet, five senses and four limbs, with
each functioning in their particular departments. But if they could not perform their functions, then
how would we be different from a sculpture or a puppet? If a sculpture or a puppet, spending all its
time in vain idleness, wished to guard its body or defend its country, what could it do? Therefore hard
work achieves and frivolity gains nothing.
As to methods of exercising the body, there is much industriousness, but it is a pity that their
transmission in books is so rare, and that the world has a deficit of teacher-student transmission,
especially within martial arts when it comes to books about the sword art, which seem as rare as
phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, they cannot often be encountered, and I am very troubled by it.
Then in the autumn of 1930, I got into my provincial Guoshu instructor-training school and I felt
some relief. It is fitting for a teacher such as Wenhua to hold a teaching post and also be head of a
section. From morning to night he personally trained me and I benefited from it tremendously. His skill
is equal in both the internal and the external, his hardness hard as iron, his softness soft as silk. He is
skilled in all weapons saber, sword, spear, staff in each attaining profound expertise, especially the
method of the Dragon Shape Sword, in which he is peerless. Admiring him extremely, I sought during
the New Year break, along with fellow student Wu Zhifen, to request extra lessons, and we got
instruction from him and our skill got something of a boost.
When Jin Yiming was appointed instructor for this facility and given the permanent post of writer
and publisher for all its martial arts books to the world, he discussed with Tong about making a book
on the Dragon Shape Sword art for the benefit of all those who might appreciate it. By the spring of
1931, a draft was completed. I am unworthy to spread any instruction, being so unlimited in my
ignorance, so I give here but a few words in broad outline.
Jin has been making martial arts books since 1916, published through China Press, with detailed
diagrams and carefully considered examples, a leading authority in martial arts. Tong trains day and
night and never lets up, and instructors and colleagues from other schools just do not compare. It seems
the Guoshu administrators have merged both of these perfections in the making of this book, an
accumulation of hard work in hopes of rejuvenating the country, just like Ouyang Xius message. How
could all our comrades not feel encouraged?
written respectfully by Tong Yaozong of Huaiyin
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JIN YIMINGS PREFACE
In 1930, I received a visit from the Minister of the Interior, Niu Tisheng, who came to the Jiangsu
Guoshu Institute to take charge of the teaching assignments. I then got to meet and work with section
chief Tong Wenhua, who is small but strong with a vigorous build. He can be as gentle as an obedient
wife and then burst into action like a wakened tiger. He is proficient in many kinds of internal and
external styles, particularly the Dragon Shape Sword, which is his specialty. With every sunset, he
trains very hard, his movement like a swimming dragon, flexible and natural, flashing fast as lightning,
rising and falling like wind whipping up and fog descending, coiling and dancing like shooting stars
embroidering the sun. I have seen many sword wielders, but I have never observed anyone who can
turn a lump of iron into a spinning ball like this man.
A long time ago it was planned that I write a sword book for New Asia Press, alongside the Shaolin
Boxing of Sun Binquan, the Tempest Staff of Jia Ruhai, and the Monks Saber of Qiu Minggao, to be
combined with them to make a set of four volumes. Mr. Chen Bangzhen, head of New Asia Press,
invited me to put together a book for the Eight Immortals Sword. Although there are people who
practice it, it does not seem to me to be authentic Shaolin, nor does it compare to the Dragon Shape
Swords quickness of movement and gracefulness of bearing.
During the New Years holidays, members of the instructor-training program Tong Yaozong, Wu
Zhisui [Zhifen], and Tong Wenhua all crammed their sword practice, and I myself then spent those
two weeks compiling this book on the method of the Dragon Shape Sword. Some day, practicing
according to the book, those who take up a sword and work from it will produce followers of it
everywhere, and this would not only be fortunate for Tong and I, but especially for Chinese martial arts
itself. I have made these words to supply a broad outline, just a few words by way of introduction.
written by Jin Yiming of Yangzhou at the Jiangsu Guoshu Institute, Nov 10, 1930
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CONTENTS
Wu Zhifens Preface
Tong Wenhuas Preface
Tong Yaozongs Preface
Jin Yimings Preface
Portrait of Tong Guozhang [Wenhua]
Portrait of Wu Zhifen
Portrait of Tong Xianting [Yaozong]

[These three photos, though mentioned in the contents, were strangely not included in the book.]
General Introduction to the Sword Art
Origin and Development of the Sword Art
Source of the Dragon Shape Sword
The Dragon Shape Swords Name
The Dragon Shape Swords Method
Breakdown of the Method
List of Postures in the Dragon Shape Sword Set
Posture Illustrations for the Entire Set
Movement Descriptions for the Entire Set
Application Explanations for Each Posture

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DRAGON SHAPE SWORD
ILLUSTRATED AND AUTHORED BY JIN YIMING OF YANGZHOU

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GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE SWORD ART
People say: The spear is the dragon of weapons, the saber is the tiger of weapons, and the sword is the
phoenix of weapons. In this saying, the spears strength lies in directness, the sabers strength lies in
fierceness, and the swords strength lies in using angles.
Here is a description of spear technique. It goes out like an arrow and comes back like a string.
Aiming at the opponents head makes him flinch. Stab him and return unseen. When your spear stabs,
my spear drags it. When your spear does not move, my spear shoots. Only its head is seen and not its
tail. It is like a swimming dragon. Is it not fitting?
Here is a description of saber technique. With the double sabers, watch the stepping. With the single
saber, watch the hand. The shine of the saber blinds and the wind of the saber roars. Although it has
the ability to chop through a mountain and cleave the earth, it does not rotate to cut with both edges. It
is like a tiger unable to turn its head while attacking, lacking the capacity of the swords edges to move
in all directions. It is like a fierce tiger. Is it not fitting?
Here is a description of sword technique. It twirls on both sides with no definite pattern. To one side
it flashes and the body is hidden away. In the technique of Black Dragon Swings Its Tail, the edge is
keen. In the technique of Phoenix Lands Atop the Sunny Slope, it is difficult to guard against. Fluttering
and agitating go on unpredictably, full of tappings and stabbings. Absorbing and thrusting seem to
alternate continuously, full of stealth and concealment. The arms spread like wings, and while slanting,
retracting, inclining, or turning, the intention is of flapping. This sword method as described is quick
and nimble. It can lighten the body into flight, suddenly turning and then rising. It can raise or stab,
withdraw or unfurl. It is doubled-edged, so it can move in every direction, making it difficult for the
opponent to defend against, and making other weapons inferior. It is like a flying phoenix. Is it not
fitting?
Thus as far as the name of Flying Phoenix sword method goes, the name fits the reality, as does the
name of Dragon Shape Sword. It should be known that the Flying Phoenix sword method used to be a
unique skill of Song Gengping of western Sichuan. Master Song transmitted his ancient knowledge to
Wu Guangpei, also known as the Sword-Flourishing Daoist, and to the Sword-Fountain Scholar, Wu
Xuejian of Qianchuan, who has compiled his writings into a book, already published, and there are
many who know it. The Dragon Shape Sword, however, was not written down. Furthermore, Dragon
Shape and Flying Phoenix have very different essentials. Using the swords to explain the swords, the
Flying Phoenix Swords techniques are eight hacking, raising, smearing, stabbing, drawing,
uncovering, crossing, and overturning and the Dragon Shape Swords techniques are eleven
chopping, raising, slashing, smearing, flicking, propping, hooking, hanging, carrying, stabbing, and
poking. In the case of the body methods, there are many which are not like the Flying Phoenix, and as
for the stepping methods, they are so dissimilar as to be completely different.
Now let us consider the methods of making swords. In ancient times, when making swords, bronze
and iron were used together. The ancient tradition is that rocks from Kunwu were smelted for iron to
make swords that could cut through jade like mud. Since the dynasties of Han and Wei, making swords
often involved gathering pure iron. In the present Chinese smelting of iron, once it is smelted, the best
is taken, the worst discarded, and the best does not amount to much, usually a pound of iron yielding
no more than two or three ounces of quality. [Throughout this translation, inches, feet, ounces,
pounds are used for convenience even though the equivalent Chinese measures do not equate them
exactly.] In the skill of tempering with fire, there is plenty of superiority and inferiority, but with water
it is especially difficult. In the skill of tempering with water, only the older sword makers have the
necessary experience, and the younger are unable to obtain this knack. The key to doing it perfectly lies
entirely in dipping in water of the right heat. Ancient people also used dipping in oil, but as for its
method, in later generations there are none who can do it. During the Tang Dynasty, the southern
barbarians dipped in horse blood, but we do not know the purpose they had in mind. Cai Lun of the
Han Dyansty was an expert at making swords, but it is a secret to later generations what his method
was. It is a pity it was not recorded in any documents and cannot be transmitted. Another example is
Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty, who for Emperor Wu used the five metals of gold, silver, bronze,
iron, and tin, combining them to make thirteen divine swords, made depending on the individual
sword style, according to techniques recorded in a book, which again, later generations have not had
transmitted to them. As for the ancient method of folding iron, it is a pity it was not recorded in any
documents. Sword makers nowadays make swords inferior to the ancient craftsmanship. Westerners
have perfected steelmaking, but for making swords, they would only be hard and not soft, altogether
inferior to Chinas ancient swords that when trembled made a clear sound, that when pressed curved
like a hook, that when thrust straightened like a string, and that when performed with moved suddenly
as if a ribbon this is the true subtlety of hard and soft. The ancient person who knew the most about
swords was Wang Junda. In Huanzis New Sayings, it says: Junda knows about every kind of sword, just
show it to him and he can see. He does not even need to hold it and can tell just by looking at it if it is a
good sword or not. Because the world had Bo Le who pointed out talent, it witnessed the talent of the
Thousand-Mile Horse. There are no more Wang Jundas, and thus swords the likes of those of Wu and
Yue are no longer seen in the world. Although the world had sword makers like Gan Jiang and Mo Ye,
they have been cast aside, and no one sees them anymore. Alas, gone.
Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty, in his Record of Sabers and Swords, details the swords eras,
measurements, and inscriptions, supplying later generations with lots of material to research, but it is a
pity there are not many to find who follow in Taos footsteps. Brief selections of sword development
follow below.
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ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SWORD ART
As to the oldest swords, the book of Guanzi says: A mountain in Ge Lu had an explosion and put forth
gold. Chi You received it and worked with it to make swords. He seems to be the originator of the
sword. After him, Ou Ye then made swords. At a mountain in Chidong, there was an avalanche and tin
was exposed, and a stream in Ruoye dried up and copper was exposed. With the sky and earth as a
furnace, and the passive and active energies as the coal, and with Nature to oversee the process, he
made five swords, called Deep River, Pure Hook, Conquering Evil, Fish Guts, and Big Watchtower.
The sword tradition was already old, so ancient rulers deliberately wore them that through the
sword they would set such an example, and thus avoid setting an example of being inconstant. During
peace, there must for the sake of defense be preparation for war. By equally addressing the civil and
martial aspects, the objective of each is given integrity. Therefore in ancient times, during periods of
stability there was systematization.
In the Record of Artisans, the sword is named as one of the ancient weapons. It has two edges and
a spine. From the spine to the edge is called the sacrificer, or the blade. Below the spine and edge,
where the hilt separates is called the head. The place that is grasped below the head is called the
stalk. At the end of the stalk is a ring called the depths. This is enough to show that between ancient
and modern sword styles, the terms for the parts of the weapon were not the same.
According to the Rites of the Zhou Dynasty, Mr. Tao made the blade two and half inches wide. The
blade and sword body were divided into two halves. As for the sword edge, the width of the blade was
the circumference of the grip, and the length of the grip was twice the width of the blade. As for the
grip and hilt, the grip was at the center of the hilt and behind that was the stabilizing pommel. When
the body length was five times the handle length and the weight was nine pounds (According to the
Rites of the Zhou Dynasty, six and a half ounces makes a pound, its measure three times of todays.), it
was called a top make, and worn by high level officials. When the body length was four times the
handle length and its weight was about seven pounds, it was called a mid make, and worn by mid
level officials. When the body length was three times the handle length and its weight was about five
pounds, it was called a low make, and worn by low level officials. Thus was the ancient system of the
sword measurements.
When the Emperor turned twenty, he was given a sword to wear. When a noble turned thirty, he
was given a sword to wear. When a senior official turned forty, he was given a sword to wear. Lower
officials did not get one. Commoners with achievements got one, and those without did not, but all were
eligible. In Qin Dynasty court rituals, officials did not get to wear swords when entering the court. In
Han Dynasty court rituals, officials got to wear swords but had to take them off at the palace steps. Then
in the Jin Dynasty, they began to be replaced by wooden ones. Expensive ones used jade hilts. Cheap
ones used for their engravings gold, silver, clam shell, or tortoise shell. Since then, worn swords were
the custom.
These flying phoenixes were each different. While one was primarily evasive, another was primarily
offensive. All trained with the sword, but their training methods were different, and all used the sword,
but their fighting techniques were different. Where they were the same, it was always in the way short
weapons respond to long. When short meets long, there is no need to hurry. If you hurry, he will get
you for sure. I wait for his sword to get near me, then take my body to the side, neither dodging nor
parrying, but immediately lifting my sword and advancing to strike. Although the sword is short, I
move aside and attack. The step covers four feet, the arm another two feet, the sword a further three
feet. Advancing and retreating covers more than ten feet. Although his spear is long, what can he do to
me? Furthermore, the Dragon Shape Sword emphasizes coiling dragon footwork and the marvels of
spinning-body swordwork. Consequently after practicing this, short weapon defeats long by advancing
through the long weapons gaps, rendering long weapons ineffective. Look upon halberd and spears as
trivial, and staffs and cudgels as useless. Add to that the abilities for leaping and jumping, and the
methods of advancing and retreating, then so what if hoards of opponents came to attack me, including
the very skilled, with their countless dancing blades. The method of the Dragon Shape Sword deserves
to be transmitted!
Yu of the Xia Dynastys son, Emperor Qi, reigned for ten years, and in his eighth year, the forty-seventh
year of the sixty-year cycle, he had a bronze sword made, three feet nine inches long, later stored at Mt.
Qinwang. On its belly was engraved the twenty-eight constellations, and there was inscription on its
back of the stars, a record of the mountains and rivers, and of the days and months. (Of the five metals,
bronze is the oldest used.)
Qis son Tai Kang reigned for twenty-nine years, and in the twenty-eight year of the cycle, third month
of spring, he had a bronze sword made with the eight compass directions on it, three feet two inches in
length to its hilt.
Kong Jia reigned for thirty-one years, and in his ninth year, the forty-first year of the cycle, he had iron
taken from Mt. Ox Head to have a sword made, on which was engraved Maintain in ancient seal
script, and it was four feet one inch in length.
Tai Jia of the Yin Dynasty reigned for thirty-two years, and in his fourth year, the first year of the cycle,
he had a sword made of two feet in length, with Assured Glory inscribed on it in ancient seal script.
Wu Ding reigned for fifty-nine years, and in his first year, the fifty-fifth year of the cycle, he had a
sword made of three feet in length, engraved with Shining Courage in ancient seal script.
King Zhao, given name Xia, of the Zhou Dynasty, reigned for fifty-one years, and in his second year, the
nineteenth year of the cycle, he had five swords made and sent to each of the five sacred mountains. On
them was engraved Pressing Down the Mountains to Elevate the Kings Way in ancient seal script,
and they were five feet in length.
King Jian, given name Yi, reigned for forty years, and in his first year, the tenth year of the cycle, he had
a sword made that was three feet in length, engraved with Greatness in greater seal script.
King Zhao, given name Ji, of the Qin Dynasty, reigned for fifty-two years, and in his first year, the forty-
third year of the cycle, he had a sword made that was three feet in length, engraved with Warning in
greater seal script.
First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty reigned for thirty-seven years, and in his third year, the fifty-fourth
year of the cycle, he had bronze taken from Beizhi to make two swords engraved with Establishing
Qin in greater seal script, engraved by Li Si. They were buried under the temple pavilion at Efang, can
be seen there beneath its terraces, and are three feet six inches in length.
During the Early Han Dynasty, Liu Ji reigned for twenty years, and during the thirty-fourth year of the
First Emperors reign, obtained an iron sword from Nanshan, three feet in length, engraved with Red
Clouds in greater seal script, and was worn as part of his attire. This is the Serpent-Beheading Sword.
Emperor Wen, given name Heng, reigned for twenty-three years, and from the beginning of his reign to
the sixteenth year, the seventh year of the cycle, he had three swords made of three feet six inches in
length, inscribed Divine Tortoise, and engraved with tortoise shapes, hence the name.
Emperor Wu, given name Che, reigned for fifty-four years, and from his second year to his fifth, the
forty-second year of the cycle, he had eight swords made of three feet six inches in length, inscribed
Eight to Obey in lesser seal script and buried in the five sacred mountains of Song, Heng, Huo, Hua,
Tai.
Emperor Xuan, given name Xun, reigned for twenty-five years, and in his fourth year had two swords
made, three feet in length, one called Hair, the other called Rare, with hairs unusually dangling
from their pommels, hence the names, both in lesser seal script.
Emperor Guangwu, given name Xiu, of the Later Han Dynasty, reigned for thirty-three years, and
before he reigned, he obtained a sword from Mt. E in the region of Nanyang, inscribed with Excellent
Overlord in lesser seal script, and wore it as part of his attire.
Emperor Ming, given name Zhuang, reigned for eighteen years, and in his first year, the fifty-fifth year
of the cycle, he had a sword made in the shape of a dragon. It was sunk into the Luo river, and when
the water is clear all can see it. His Dragon Shape Sword got its name for these reasons.
Emperor Shun of the Han Dynasty, given name Bao, reigned for nineteen years, and in his first year he
had a sword made of three feet four inches in length, inscribed with Pacifying Han in lesser seal
script once he got his title.
Emperor Ling, given name An, reigned for twenty-two years, and in the peace of his third year he had
four swords made, inscribed with Restoring the Dynasty, rendering them swords without cause or
purpose, in lesser seal script.
Emperor Wu of Wei, known as Cao Cao, established peace in his twentieth year and obtained a sword
from a secluded valley, three feet six inches in length, inscribed in gold characters with his style name
Mengde, and he wore it regally as part of his attire.
Lord Liu Bei of the Shu Dynasty, in his first year as chief of the military, the thirty-eighth year of the
cycle, took iron from Mt. Golden Ox and had eight swords made, each three feet six inches in length:
one for the Emperors own attire, one for Prince Zhan, one for King Liang, given name Li, one for King
Lu, given name Yong, one for Zhuge Liang, one for Guan Yu, one for Zhang Fei, one for Zhao Yun.
Lord Hou, given name Zhan, in his second year of courtly prosperity, had a large sword made, twelve
feet in length, to pacify Mt. Sword Mouth for the people to see his glory. Later generations sought it but
did not find it.
Sun Quan, King of Wu, after five years of exhausting the military, had bronze and iron took from
Wuchang to make a thousand swords, each three feet nine inches in length, all of southern bronze,
which was more tan in color, inscribed Wu the Great in lesser seal script. In summer there was a man
who got Han, the Marquis of Huaiyin, to send the swords, and the Emperor made a gift of them to Zhou
Yu.
Sun Liang, in his second year after he was established, had a sword made, inscribed Spreading Glory
in lesser seal script.
Sun Hao had a sword made during his first year, inscribed Imperial King of Wu in lesser seal script.
Emperor Huai, given name Chi, of the Jin Dynasty, had a sword made to bless his first year, five feet in
length, engraved with March to Glory in lesser seal script.
Emperor Mu, given name Dan, made five swords to bless five years of peace at Fangshan, engraved
with Five Directions Conforming to One in clerical script.
Emperor Xiaowu the Glorious, to make his first year a grand beginning, had a sword buried at the
summit of Mt. Hua, engraved with Divine Sword in clerical script.
Emperor Wu, given name Xiao Yan, of the Liang Dynasty, from the second year of his divine reign until
the middle of it, the thirty-seventh year of the cycle, had Tao Hongjing make thirteen divine swords
using all five metals gold, silver, bronze, tin, iron combined, the length of each depending on the
sword style, inscribed with He who wears it will forever rule the world. in lesser seal script.
Moreover, in the Annals of Wu & Yue and the Lost History of Yue, the Wu King Helu had the blacksmith
Gan Jiang make him swords, and the King of Yue invited the expert Xue Zhu to appraise swords for
him. Everyone knows the stories, so it will not be necessary to repeat them here.
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SOURCE OF THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD
The Dragon Shape Sword art is a specialty of Yan Jiyun of Yanzhou, Shandong. Yan is from a family
known for its generations of martial skills. He became especially refined with the sword, equally so
with the spear, so much so that the commonfolk dubbed him Big Spear Yan, and he delighted in their
praise. In 1923, he came south to serve as martial arts instructor for the Jiangsu Department of Finance.
At this time he was already sixty-eight years old, but he was full of vitality and still looked like a man of
forty. When he got up in the morning he would practice the sword, then in the afternoon drill the spear,
never neglecting his practice for even a single day.
When Tong Wenhua heard Yan was in Nanjing, he left home and went to learn from him. Yan saw
he was a small man but strong, a good solid physique, and so he was happy to receive him. Then he
decided to test Tongs courage. He glared with anger and shouted at him, but Tong was not alarmed.
Yan wanted to examine his character, to make sure insult would not affect him, and after that accepted
him as his pupil. Tong Wenhuas given name is Tong Guozhang. He is from Huaian City in Jiangsu.
When he was a child he loved to play, and by the time he grew up he had developed a marvelous spirit,
relishing riding horses and also sparring with swords. Whenever he encountered injustice, he helped
people, and any praise or criticism he might receive did not concern him. When he learned the Dragon
Shape Sword from Yan, he was 22 years old, and during a period in which Yan returned to Shandong,
Tong and fellow disciple Gu Ruzhang encouraged each other in their training.
Gu, who comes from Funing county in Jiangsu, has trained his palm skill to the level that he can use
a finger to drill through brick or tile. While he walks from place to place, he often strikes brick walls.
His palms go unharmed, but because they are so solid there is sometimes damage to the walls. This
verifies his palm skill. He can also perform the skill of iron bridge, from head to foot becoming a shelf.
A five hundred-pound boulder is placed on his belly upon which five people sit, four back-to-back with
elbows linked, sitting on his chest and belly and a fifth who jumps atop their shoulders. His internal
skill can be known from this. He is also an expert with every kind of weapon. In 1928, the Central
Guoshu Institute held the first Guoshu tournament, and Gu received a first-place medal because his
sword skill was superior to all. He is at a level only extraordinary people reach. Tong himself has
remarked he truly learned a lot from Gu.
After Minister of the Interior Niu Tisheng made a visit to Nanjing to organize the Jiangsu Guoshu
Institute into multiple locations, the first instructor-training facility was opened. Tong took joy in his
studies and was finally graduated for his skills. When the provincial government changed the location
of their own offices, another instructor-training facility was opened. Police and coast guard personnel
assembled at the new school to receive training, and Tong was then appointed by assistant director Sun
Lutang to be their personal instructor as well as chief instructor for the new facility. I have received
much instructional assistance from Tong. He has plenty of natural ability and intelligence. He learns
the styles of Chinese martial arts quickly and retains them perfectly. Apart from the Dragon Shape
Sword, he also knows Raising-Block Spear, Eyebrow-Wiping Saber, Five-Tigers-Hunt-the-Lamb Staff,
Coiling Dragon Staff, Spring&Autumn Halberd, Plum Blossom Double Sabers, Zhang Feis Spear,
Crescent Moon Spade, Six Combinations Spear, Furnace-Sparking Sword, Triple-Essence Sword, Hand-
Guarding Hooks, Snowflake Saber, Shaolin Charging Boxing, Furnace-Sparking Boxing, Shaolin Long
Boxing, Plum Blossom Boxing, four sets of Zha Family Boxing, six sets of Short Fighting, as well as
Xingyi, Taiji, Bagua, and so on, all of which he is extremely experienced and fluent in. From Yan Jiyun,
Tong received instruction in the boxing, saber, spear, and swords arts, as well as other things. Tong says
he also received instruction from Wu Qinquan, as well as Jin Jiafu, a Nanjing man, who is chief
instructor for Shaolin in the original Guoshu facility, now 79 years old. As 1930 was coming to a close,
Zhang Zhijiang, who is head director for the Central Guoshu Institute and also the Jiangsu
superintendent of peace, made an inspection visit. During a performance to welcome Zhang, Jin made
an outstanding demonstration with a ten-pound saber, his footwork like a bird in flight, clearly one
who had attained the deepest level of Chinese martial arts.
-
THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORDS NAME
The Dragon Shape Sword is so called because its manner is distinct from other swords. It is not like the
Han Emperor Mings sword, which he had made in the shape of a dragon and hence its name was
Dragon Shape. Here it is not the shape of the sword, but the postures of the performance. If postures
are like a phoenix dancing, it could be called Flying Phoenix. If postures are like a dragon coiling, it
could be called Dragon Shape. (This has to do with the techniques in the solo set. If the postures within
it seem similar to movements in other sword sets, then use the individual posture names to make them
distinct.) This is the meaning of the name Dragon Shape Sword. Below are the terms for each part of
the sword used in the Dragon Shape Sword and their measurements. The drawing below depicts this as
follows:
1. pommel
2. handle
3. hilt
4. body
5. tip
[6. ?]
7. The length of the body is about 2 feet 8 3/10 inches.
8. The pommel is about 1 4/5 inches long, 1 3/5 inches wide, and 3/5 inches thick.
9. The handle is 3 3/5 inches long, 1 1/5 inches wide, and 9/10 inches thick.
10. The hilt is about 1 1/10 inches long, 2 3/5 inches wide, 7/10 inches thick, and the ears about 1 1/2
inches long.
11. The sword body is about 2 feet 1 4/5 inches long, and about 1 1/10 inches wide.
12. The sword tip is about 7/10 inches wide.
-
THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORDS METHOD
In the Bibliographical Records of the History of the Early Han Dynasty is mentioned thirty-eight
chapters on swordsmanship, six chapters on bare-hand fighting, twenty-five chapters for a type of
soccer, etc. Covering the thirteen branches of military skills, there are a hundred ninety-nine chapters.
These were skills for training the hands and feet, weapons, and collected strategies, to make one
victorious in both offense and defense.
However, Yan Shigu in compiling that bibliography only kept what he thought was important and
there is but a slight record of many chapters, leaving distant eras with no details that are known, such
as two chapters on the archery of the Feng school or four chapters on the archery of Bu Puzi, but
nothing that can be examined. From this we can know our nations martial arts literature is long lost,
and not just sword doctrines.
Yet passed along from teacher to student, handed down to the present, there are those who have
preserved information, as in the case of the Sword Classic [by Yu Dayou], contained within the New
Book of Effective Methods [by Qi Jiguang], an illustrated handbook. Although our nations unique skills
were passed down incompletely, we can [through such documents] at least catch a glimpse of them.
In those days, the sword art was considered to be included among saber, spear, arrow, staff, and
various short weapons. It was not necessary to discuss specific sword techniques, and it was said that
what the techniques were depended on commonsense and a natural way of things, determined by
actions of attack and defense, and divided into intentions of up and down these were the techniques.
Ancient sword methods were different from modern sword methods. Ancient swords had rings on
their ends which could be tied with cord, meaning that while they could be used to stab when near,
when fighting at a distance they could be thrown. The swords of later generations grew to five or six
feet and many double-handed grips were used.
The techniques that were practiced were only block, clear, hit, and stab, and these four terms
although simple are not quite explicitly understood. Later generations with their short swords brought
it up to eight terms with hack, raise, smear, stab, draw, carry, cross, and overturn. The four terms
evolved until they became eight, then thirteen, then twenty-four sword techniques. It went on until
there were forty-four, eighty-eight, a hundred and seventy-six sword techniques.
In all situations, to be able to adjust freely and do as you please means the techniques do not need to
be numerous. The important thing is to obtain techniques and be capable of training them. Obtaining
techniques is not difficult. The difficulty lies in training them until you are able to use them. There are
people who read countless books yet are unable to write a single page. Such is often the case.
Lately the purpose of training in the sword is not primarily to train until techniques can be applied,
only to make the body more nimble, hoping that the result of strengthening the nation and cultivating
the self will be enough. But in that case, not training would be enough, since in training with the sword
you should still harbor an intention of attack and defense, advance and retreat. The military can go a
hundred years without being called into service, but must not go a single day without preparing for it.
You can go your whole life without needing sword techniques, but right now in your practice you must
know them.
Description follows of the eleven techniques in the Dragon Shape Sword.
-
BREAKDOWN OF THE METHOD
The Dragon Shape Sword techniques are chopping, carrying, slashing, smearing, flicking, propping,
hooking, hanging, lifting, stabbing, and poking these eleven terms. When practicing with the sword,
the right arm is most of the time pushed out and lifted up, while the right wrist should agitate and coil
in lively flourishes. Thus the sword handle seems like it is hardly moving, yet the sword tip circles up
and down, left and right, forward and back, circling and turning freely, fast as wind and sudden as
lightning, and without the slightest slowing of the momentum. Since Dragon Shape Sword techniques
use the sword tip the majority of the time, the sword body is used quite a bit less. Strive for the energy
to express from the lower back and send the energy through to the sword tip. Extending and shrinking
are matters of advancing and retreating. Use winding actions to distinguish the dynamics of moving
with and moving against. There is restraining and rousing. There are no pauses or gaps. It seems to be
expanding and again contracting, or to be blocking behind and receiving in front. The obvious contains
the subtle and the subtle also contains the obvious. Since you should use the mind to move first and
then the sword, you should also use your spirit to send the sword body. Follow its shape and transform.
Follow its momentum and soar. The sword techniques, body methods, and stepping methods are all
coordinated with each other. The sword is the hand and the hand is the sword thus you will not be
aware there is a sword in your hand. The intent flows through the space between the muscles and
vessels. The intent is the energy and the energy is the intent thus you will be free from clumsy
stiffness. If you can come to grasp these things intuitively, practicing it until it is thoroughly familiar
and smooth, you will become one with the core method of the sword art, yet this will depend on your
own wisdom and understanding. Here follows a description of each of the eleven terms:
CHOPPING:
Guide the energy to the sword bodys middle section. To go from above to below is called chopping.
There is a left chop, right chop, front chop, and rear chop. The right hand in each case has its tigers
mouth facing forward and the center of the palm facing to the rear [left].
RAISING:
Guide the energy to the sword tips front section. To go from below to above is called raising. There is a
left raise, right raise, reverse raise, and overturned raise. The left raise and right raise both are straight-
wristed. The reverse raise and overturned raise both are reverse-wristed.
SLASHING:
Guide the energy to the sword bodys middle section. To go from outward to inward is called slashing. If
you go from the right to the left in a horizontal or diagonal slash, in either case the center of the palm
faces upward, the back of the hand is downward, and the tigers mouth faces forward.
SMEARING:
Guide the energy to the sword tip and the forward middle section. To go from inward to outward is
called smearing. If you smear outward from the right to the left, or when you smear outward from the
left to the right, you are using a straight wrist and the center of the palm facing upward in the case of
the former, or a reverse wrist and the center of the palm facing downward in the case of the latter
both are acceptable.
FLICKING:
Guide the energy to the front of the sword tip and abruptly bring it upward. This is called flicking.
Depending on the situation, you can flick upward, to the left, or to the right. All start from a straight
wrist, tigers mouth facing upward. This technique focuses on flicking away the opponents weapon.
PROPPING:
Guide the energy to the sword pommel, to the rear and upward. To go against the momentum and
reverse the flow is called propping. If the sword body is horizontal to the right, the tiger mouth faces
outward and the center of the palm faces the chest. Go upward from below. This technique is for
moments when the opponents weapon is near your body.
HOOKING:
Guide the energy to the top of the sword tip. To twist upward from below and behind is called hooking.
There is a left hook and right hook. The center of the palm faces to the right in the case of the left hook.
During the right hook, the inside of the wrist faces upward.
HANGING:
Guide the energy to the sword tip and forward section of the inside edge. To go from the upper right to
the lower left is called hanging. The tigers mouth faces to the left and behind. The center of the palm
faces forward and downward. This technique focuses on knocking down the opponents weapon.
CARRYING:
Guide the energy to the sword tip. To have the handle up and the tip down is called carrying. From the
upper left, go forward to the lower right, the tigers mouth facing downward, the center of the palm
facing outward. This technique is used to cut the opponents wrist.
STABBING:
Guide the energy to the sword body. The sword edges face up and down. The energy passes through to
the sword tip. The sword going forward as a vertical blade is called stabbing. The tigers mouth faces
forward and the center of the palm faces left or right. They separate into: high stab to the throat,
middle stab to the solar plexus, and lower stab to the abdomen.
POKING:
Guide the energy to the sword body. The edges face left and right. The energy passes through to the
sword tip. The sword going forward as a flat blade is called poking. In this case the inside of the wrist is
upward, the center of the palm faces upward, and the back of the palm faces downward.
How to practice with the sword: the wrist should be soft as cotton, the liveliness should be dynamic as a
dancing dragon, the directness should be hard as steel, and the speed should be fast as lightning. Pay
particular attention that the shoulders and waist follow each other, the handwork and footwork
coordinate with each other, and the mind and eyes reflect each other. With these things in place,
collapsing and overturning, raising and slashing, extending and shrinking, tapping and pecking, all will
happen as you wish.
The double-edged sword is different from other weapons. For instance, a single-edged sword with its
single edge can cut in six ways up, down, left, right, forward, back. But a double-edged sword can cut
in eight ways, for with a slight turn of the wrist, the front and back cuts can sneak in a returning cut,
and the same goes for the other directions, for when flicking up or carrying below, slashing under or
smearing across, obtaining the opportunity to advance, every miss can be mended, and so it is said that
a blade of three feet can defeat a spear or halberd. The ancient heroes all practiced the sword in this
way and became famous, for in this manner it responds different from other weapons.
Expert sword wielders are superb at making the opponent unable to see what is going on, and in their
extending and shrinking make the opponent unable to defend or attack, for one action of the sword
tightly follows another. In their leapings, their presence takes flight, and in their twinings, their
appearance blurs like lightning. In the beginning of sword training, let the mind be resolute and the
will be firm, avoiding neither cold days nor hot days, practicing without interruption. Gather your
essence and concentrate your spirit. Ponder the applications, study the real principles, and train hard.
Seek movement within stillness and stillness within movement. Nourish your vitality, invigorate your
blood, maintain your spirit, avoid excessive sex, be mindful of your diet, and rid yourself of distracting
thoughts. Love your sword as yourself, then it will be happy to do what you want. Nowadays people do
not love their swords as themselves. Consequently they do not take the sword seriously and the sword
does not do what they want. Because the world had Bo Le to point out talent, the world witnessed the
talent of the Thousand-Mile Horse. When there is no recognition of great swords like those made by
Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, they get ignored, and although they are there, the eye of the common person sees
only useless pieces of metal. Alas, what a pity.
When ancient people determined sword techniques, they imitated the techniques of calligraphy, of
which there are eight. Applying the standard breakdown of strokes, the sword techniques also fall into
eight. The standard strokes correspond in this way:
1. A dotting stroke goes with stabbing.
2. A lifting stroke goes with raising.
3. A twisting stroke goes with slashing.
4. A horizontal stroke goes with flicking.
5. A vertical stroke goes with chopping.
6. A hooking stroke goes with hooking.
7. A left-curving stroke goes with carrying.
8. A right-curving stroke goes with smearing.
Beyond this, poking is the same as stabbing, hanging is the same as carrying, and propping is the same
as flicking. Other techniques include drawing, uncovering, tapping, hacking, crossing, overturning,
paring, and feeling, but generally speaking, they do not go beyond the eight basic strokes.
In this era of famous swordsmen, no one is more so than General Li Jinglin, given name Fangchen, of
Hebei. He is an expert of Wudang Sword.
Its method has thirteen techniques, namely drawing, dragging, lifting, blocking, striking, stabbing,
tapping, flicking, stirring, pressing, chopping, checking, and clearing. It is the same situation as in
Wudang Boxings thirteen dynamics: plucking, rending, elbowing, bumping, warding off, rolling back,
pressing, pushing, advancing, retreating, moving to the left, moving to the right, and staying in the
center.
The gist of his skill with the sword is that the method is entirely based on spirit. With sufficiency of
spirit, the method is achieved. Train the essence and transform it into energy. Train the energy and
transform it into spirit. Train the spirit and achieve the method. Sword and spirit merging into one
brings you to the method. Internally training the harmonization of passive and active energies, the
practitioner should use no crudeness as the first principle. Protect the essence and nourish the energy.
Calm the spirit and cherish oneness. First train in boxing arts as the foundation. For the stepping
methods and hand techniques, you must learn Baguas lightness and nimbleness. For the body and
waist methods, you must learn from Taijis contained chest and pulled up back. Sink the shoulders and
bend the elbows. The headtop is forcelessly roused. Loosen the waist and liven the wrists. Energy sinks
to the lower abdomen. Power expresses from the spine. In advancing, the upper body and lower
coordinate with each other, and in retreating, step nimbly as the wind. The spirit of attacking with the
sword is like the bold forwardness of Xingyi, which only advances and never retreats. When the
opponents sword moves, my sword has already arrived.
This is the profoundness of his whole regimen of sword techniques. As long as you do not train
superficially, you will have something solid to carry with you, something that joins you with the
specialty of every kind of internal school, and you will become miraculous.
General Fangchen said, When training with the sword, there are five things to avoid:
1. LUST & AVARICE:
For the student of the sword, of primary importance is vitality. If you have essence, then you have
energy. If you have energy, then you have strength. If you have strength, then you have spirit.
Therefore you should protect your essence and nourish your energy, restrain your desires and nourish
your health.
2. BRUTISHNESS:
For the student, also of primary importance is virtuous conduct. Man the ramparts and defend your
country. Drive out the bullies and bring peace to good people. The benefits you spread now will set
example for future generations. Never use the art in revolt against your country, or to get into fights to
show off how brave or tough you are.
3. IMPATIENCE:
The sword practitioner must go from the shallows to the depths, from the simple to the complex. First
train the methods of eye, body, hand, and step, these being the four external requirements, and then
train the courage, power, speed, and calmness, these being the four internal requirements. Restrain
yourself to the stages of training, first seeking the gross movement and then the finer details.
Proceeding step by step, you will then attain a wondrous ability.
4. EXCESSIVENESS:
The bodys vitality is limited. When you become fatigued in your practice, then you must protect your
essence with methods of recuperating. When your essence and spirit are abundant, then your skill
naturally makes progress. Therefore when you are either overly hungry or overly full, practicing is not
appropriate.
5. INCONSTANCY:
A student of the sword should have an indomitable will and courage. Confucius said: A man who is
inconstant cannot become a shaman. How much more so in training the sword! Do not complain you
are weak and then lose confidence. Do not complain you are stupid and then quit. Do not complain you
are busy and then give up halfway. Do not get distracted by life and then stop. If you are determined,
you can achieve it. If you wish to learn it, ponder these words.
As these are eternal truths, we who practice the Dragon Shape Sword should receive this as a set of
criteria. Therefore make note of it, and do not dare to dismiss perfection that comes from another
school.
I have heard that previous generations have said the method of making swords must for the best
quality use shoe iron, bell iron, and wheel iron. The shoe iron is from the iron shod under the horses
hoof or broken bits that have fallen off. The bell iron is from the bells jingling under the horses neck.
The wheel iron is from the worn-out wheel ring around the axle. Take what has been used for a long
time, beaten up, matured. Now why not go get some tempered steel? Why is it better not to just buy
new metal? Because it would be brittle and unyielding. Only stuff that has already been used can be
hard and soft, both strong and not easily bent.
On average when making a sword, for each pound of iron, you get an ounce of steel. About fifteen
pounds once smelted amounts to fifteen ounces. After the sword is completed, it should be made
suitable to hold in ones own hands, fitting just right, and not too long or short, not too heavy or light.
Be sure not to have somebody else do the work for you, or it will not suit your hands. One who uses a
sword must come to understand that here lies the secret.
-
LIST OF POSTURES IN THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD SET

Movement 1: STAND AT ATTENTION HOLDING THE SWORD

Movement 2: IMMORTAL CARRIES HIS ROBE

Movement 3: LION WATCHES THE BALL

Movement 4: IMMORTAL POINTS THE WAY

Movement 5: RHINOCEROS LOOKS AT THE MOON

Movement 6: BLACK DRAGON ENTERS THE CAVE

Movement 7: HALT THE HORSE TO LISTEN TO THE WIND

Movement 8: OLD TREE TWISTS ITS ROOTS

Movement 9: BLUE DRAGON TURNS ITS BODY

Movement 10: PHOENIX NODS ITS HEAD

Movement 11: NIGHT DEMON SEARCHES THE SEA

Movement 12: TWIST STEP, HOOK & HANG

Movement 13: BLUE DRAGON EXTENDS A CLAW


Movement 15: TURN AROUND TO CHOP MT. HUA

Movement 16: BLACK DRAGON SWINGS ITS TAIL

Movement 17: BLACK DRAGON COILS AROUND THE PEARL


Movement 19: GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG


Movement 21: EMBRACE THE MOON


Movement 23: MAIDEN THREADS THE NEEDLE

Movement 24: STAYING IN PLACE, STIR UP THE WIND

Movement 25: WHITE APE STEALS A PEACH

Movement 26: HIDING THE SWORD UNDER THE ARMPIT

Movement 27: SPARROW-HAWK TURNS OVER

Movement 28: GOLDEN DRAGON COILS AROUND THE JADE PILLAR

Movement 29: SQUAT DOWN, STANDING AS IF HANGING

Movement 30: IMMORTAL STIRS UP THE CLOUDS


Movement 32: UNTAMED HORSE FLEES THE STABLES

Movement 33: GOLDEN ROOSTER HOPS ON THE TREE STUMP

Movement 34: IMMORTAL STRETCHES HIS BACK


Movement 36: HOLD UP A STICK OF INCENSE

Movement 37: PHOENIX LANDS ATOP THE SUNNY SLOPE

Movement 38: BLACK DRAGON SPITS FOG


Movement 40: PHOENIX SHUTTLES THROUGH

Movement 41: GRAND DUKE JIANG FISHES




Movement 45: MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE

Movement 46: FIERCE TIGER RETURNS TO THE MOUNTAIN

Movement 47: DRAGON KING SURGES THE WATER THREE TIMES

Movement 48: PRINCE STANDS BY THE RIVER
-
ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD SET

Movement 1: STAND AT ATTENTION HOLDING THE SWORD
Assume you are facing directly south. The body stands straight. The left hand pinches to make a hex:
the index and middle fingers are extended, the thumb pressing the ring finger and little finger, the
fingertips of which are bent in close to the center of the palm. The back of the hand faces up and the
fingertips are forward. The arms hang straight. The right hand grasps the sword and is close beside the
hip area. The sword edges face up and down, the tip forward. The gaze is forward.
[In each drawing are reminders of orientation: south is the area before you in this initial posture,
north behind, east to the left, west to the right. Your left, right, front, and back will move
around throughout the set, but these compass directions will remain constant to how they were in this
first posture. The limbs are each labeled left and right.]

Movement 2: IMMORTAL CARRIES HIS ROBE
The left foot advances a step sideways to the left. At the same time, the left hand lifts to the left side
from below until parallel with the ground at shoulder height. Then the right foot steps beside the left
foot. At the same time, the left hand slightly lifts and withdraws in front of the chest. The gaze is to the
left. The pinching of the hex does not change. Then the right foot steps to the right forward corner
and the left foot steps to be beside the right foot, the left hand lowering from in front of the chest to
point out to the left to be parallel with the ground. See the drawing below. For each of the above
movements, all must flow together without interruption.

Movement 3: LION WATCHES THE BALL
The right foot lifts, then drops down. The left leg extends to the left side and the body squats on the
right. At the same time, the hexing finger slightly lowers to the right wrists pulse area, the right hand
lifting to be level with the right temple, the sword edges facing up and down, the center of the hand
facing forward [outward], the sword tip pointing to the left, and the sword placed horizontally over the
forehead. The gaze is to the left. See the drawing below.

Movement 4: IMMORTAL POINTS THE WAY
Body, stance, and sword do not yet change from the previous posture. The hexing finger goes from the
right wrist and points out to the left at shoulder level. The gaze is to the left. The body slightly turns to
the left and completes a stance of left leg a bow and right leg an arrow, both feet not leaving their
location. The right hand lowers the sword from in front of the chest to stab forward to the left, the
tigers mouth facing up, with the hexing finger returning to the pulse area. See the drawing below.

Movement 5: RHINOCEROS LOOKS AT THE MOON
The sword tip goes from above to the right side in a hanging action. At the same time, the body turns to
the right and squats down on the left, making a posture of the right foot extended forward and the left
foot crouched behind, the strength concentrated in the hips. The gaze is to the sword tip. The right
elbow is close to the right ribs, the sword handle is held close to the chest, and the hexing finger stays at
the pulse area. See the drawing below.

Movement 6: BLACK DRAGON ENTERS THE CAVE
The body shifts forward to the right, making a stance of right leg a bow and left leg an arrow. At the
same time, the hexing finger lifts and is placed over the left side of the forehead. The right hand sends
the sword stabbing forward, parallel with the ground, the tigers mouth facing upward. The gaze is
forward. See the drawing below.

Movement 7: HALT THE HORSE TO LISTEN TO THE WIND
The right toes turn outward to the right, the body turns to the right, and the left foot steps forward. The
body is now square to the north, squatting down in a horse-straddling posture. At the same time, the
right arm slightly lifts and draws the sword to be horizontal at eyebrow height. The hexing finger
points to the sword tip about two inches below the end of the sword. The gaze is toward the sword
body. See the drawing below.

Movement 8: OLD TREE TWISTS ITS ROOTS
The right toes lift, then the heel comes down with the toes turned outward to the right rear. The left
heel lifts, toes still on the ground, and the heel turns to the left rear. From being square to the north, the
body turns to the east, the south, and becomes square to the northwest [southwest]. The feet have not
left their location. The legs are now in a twisting-silk stance, the right thigh is sitting on the left calf, the
right foot to the left with most of the weight on it and the left foot behind with the heel slightly raised.
At the same time, the sword goes along with the bodys momentum, turning around to the right rear
with a low smearing cut. The tip points to the northwest, about two or three inches from the ground.
The hexing finger guards the head. The gaze is to the lower right, looking toward the sword tip. See the
drawing below.

Movement 9: BLUE DRAGON TURNS ITS BODY
The body goes along with the previous momentum by slightly rising, leaning back to face toward the
sky, and turns around to the left, both heels lifting, pivoting on the toes to the left. The body turns over
to be square to the northwest, making a T-shape stance with the left foot in front and the right foot
behind. At the same time, the sword, without withdrawing, goes over the head, then going along with
the momentum of the body turning around, stabs down forward, the sword edges facing up and down,
the hexing finger returning to the pulse area. The gaze is forward toward the sword tip. See the
drawing below.

Movement 10: PHOENIX NODS ITS HEAD
The hexing finger goes from inward to outward and up, corresponding the sword circling, repeating
continuously for a total of three circles, the right hand at the same time sending the sword tip forward
with a rising tap three times, with the circle corresponding from a distance. At the same time, the left
foot takes a step back, then the right foot takes a large step back and the body squats down on it, the
hexing finger extending to the left side, and the right hand pulling the sword to the right. The sword
edges face up and down, and the sword body is horizontal in front of and below the right knee. The
hexing finger is pointing to the west. The gaze is to the left. See the drawing below.

The body shifts to the left. The right hand sends the sword, close to the ground, about two inches away
from it, to stab forward. The right foot steps in front of the left foot. At the same time, the body follows
the sword and rises. The left foot puts all its energy into lifting up, the toes pointing downward, the
knee in front of the chest. The hexing finger guards the head. The gaze is forward and the body is
square to the west [south]. See the drawing below.

The left foot steps behind the right foot. At this moment, the right foot has not yet left its location. At the
same time, the torso turns to the right, and the right hand turns the sword body over, the center of the
palm facing outward, sword tip downward, and goes from below and near the leg toward the rear in a
hooking action. At the same time, the right foot retreats to the right side, the feet parallel, and the sword
tip hooks up into a hanging action, the right arm slightly bent, the sword horizontal above the head.
The hexing finger follows the sword handle to the right to be placed at the pulse area. The gaze is
upward. See the drawing below.

The left foot lifts, heel close to the right knee, toes downward. Bring the hexing finger, by bending the
arm, to hide below and beside the right armpit. The torso turns to the left. At the same time, the right
hand sends the sword tip to the lower left rear, then coiling up and forward. The left foot from in front
of the right knee comes down to make an overlapping stance. The whole body is sitting down on the
right calf. The right heel is lifted, toes staying on the ground. At this time, the sword handle is hugged
close in front of the chest, the edges to the left and right, the tip higher than the head. The body rises,
the feet not yet leaving their location, and the right arm extends, sending the sword forward in a
poking action. The hexing finger guards the head. The gaze is forward. See the drawing below.

At this time, the body is square to the west. The right foot steps forward and the body squats on the left.
The right hand brings the sword fiercely down in front of the right foot, the sword body parallel with
the ground and about two inches from it, the hexing finger returning to the pulse area. Then the body
reaches forward, following the sword to advance with a stab. At the same time, the left foot lifts to be
placed to the left rear, toes raised. The hexing finger guards the head. The gaze is toward the sword. See
the drawing below.

Movement 15: TURN AROUND TO CHOP MT. HUA
The hexing finger points to the left side and the gaze goes to the left. The left foot comes down, the right
foot goes in front of the left foot with a step that barely touches down, then the left foot again takes
another step to the left that comes down fully, making a posture of left leg a bow and right leg an arrow.
The torso turns to the left to be square to the east. The right hand pulls in the sword handle and sends it
to the right [left] and forward, the sword edge fiercely chopping forward, the hexing finger extending
behind. The gaze is forward. See the drawing below.

The feet do not leave their location. The rear heel lifts and the tip of the foot swings out to the right. The
torso follows the sword, turning to the right rear, the sword going from above toward the rear with the
elbow upside down in an overturned raising action, the tigers mouth facing down. Make a stance of the
right leg a bow and the left leg an arrow. The gaze is to the right. The hexing finger stays close and is
placed at the hollow of the right shoulder. At this moment, the upper body is inclined forward and is
square to the southwest. The right arm is straight, the elbow upside down and raised up. The body is
hidden below the sword and the sword is higher than the body. The energy passes through to the sword
tip, which points to the northwest. See the drawing below.

Movement 17: BLACK DRAGON COILS AROUND THE PEARL
The sword tip drops down, the hexing finger leads the sword to the left, the left arm extending, and the
right hand brings the sword body close to the ground, to the left, and coiling upward. At the same time,
the whole body gets close to the ground, following the swords coiling, rises up, and the right foot goes
leftward into a spin, following the sword handles coiling, all the way around. At this moment, the left
foot is on the ground, supporting one-legged throughout the spin, while the sword tip goes from the
right, coils upward, then to the lower left rear, and coils outward. When the right foot comes back down
where it started and the sword body returns to where it was first moving close to the ground, the sword
stabs to the left and forward, the hexing finger returning to the pulse area. Make a posture of left leg a
bow and right leg an arrow. The body is square to the east. The gaze is toward the sword. See the
drawing below.

Movement 18: BLACK DRAGON SWINGS ITS TAIL [PHOENIX LANDS ATOP THE SUNNY SLOPE]
The hexing finger bends away to be stored under the right armpit. The sword body turns over so the tip
goes to the lower left rear, then lifts up. At the same time, the body turns to the left, the left foot lifting
to go where the right foot is and the right foot immediately lifting to go where the left foot was, both
feet changing places at the same time and landing firm. The body squats on the left while the right foot
is in front with the toes hooked inward. At this moment, the sword is lifting up from the left rear and
goes to the right forward with a chop downward, the sword body close to and in front of the tip of the
right foot, about two inches from the ground. The hexing finger goes along with the swords twirling,
going upward to guard the head. The gaze attentively follows the swords movement. See the drawing
below.

The right foot withdraws, toes touching the ground, the body still squatting down. At the same time, the
sword withdraws, the right arm bending close by the lower abdomen, the sword edges facing up and
down, the hexing finger coming down over the sword handle. Then the right leg extends to the right. At
the same time, the sword stabs forward and the left foot follows and lifts, the top of the foot bent
inward and nestling against the back of the right knee, and the body sits down on it. The hexing finger
guards the head. The gaze is forward. See the drawing below.

The left foot comes down behind the right foot and the torso turns to the right. At the same time, the
sword body turns over and goes to the lower right rear in a hooking action. Then the right foot steps
back and now the body is square to the south, squatting down in a horse-straddling posture. The sword
goes up from the right side into a hanging action and the hexing finger goes to the pulse area. The
sword is horizontal in front of the forehead, the edges facing up and down, the tip pointing to the east.
The gaze is toward the sword. See the drawing below.

Movement 21: EMBRACE THE MOON
The left foot lifts, the hexing finger hides below the right armpit, the torso twists to the left, and the
sword tip goes to the lower left rear and coils upward on the left side, making a small circular flourish,
the left arm staying close below the chest. At this time, the center of the palm is up and the tigers
mouth faces forward. The hexing finger comes down close to the sword handle, over the middle joints
of the right hands ring finger and little finger. At the same time, the left foot comes down, toes to the
left, heel to the right, to make an overlapping stance, the torso sitting on top of the right calf. The sword
edges face to the left and right, and the tip is higher than the head. The gaze is forward. See the drawing
below.

The body rises up and the sword with its body flat pokes forward. Then the right foot steps forward, the
torso turning slightly to the left, the left leg bends and squats, and the sword chops down, the right
hand lowering in front of the crotch, about two inches from the ground. Then the sword tip goes
downward [forward] with a straight thrust. The body follows the sword and rises, reaching out to the
right and forward. The right arm lifts horizontally. Standing one-legged on the right foot, the left foot
lifts, the knee close to the belly. The hexing finger raises up to guard the head. The gaze is to the right.
See the drawing below.

Movement 23: MAIDEN THREADS THE NEEDLE
The left foot takes a stealth step behind the right foot, making a twisted overlapping stance. The body
does not yet move. The direction is still east, the chest facing north. Energy is applied below the right
wrist and it suddenly turns over with a flicking action to the right [left]. The sword tip is now pointed
north, the sword body horizontal in front of the chest, the edges facing up and down. The left arm is
extended forward, the hexing finger raised up about two inches below the sword tip. The gaze is to the
right. See the drawing below.

Movement 24: STAYING IN PLACE, STIR UP THE WIND
The sword and hexing finger do not change in their position. The body presses down into a twisting-silk
stance. Going along with the momentum, the sword and hexing finger come near the ground and sweep
to the left rear, making a large circle, and returning to the east, which makes the action of staying in
place and stirring up the wind. The movement does not stop but instead flows into the following
movement. See the drawing below.

Movement 25: WHITE APE STEALS A PEACH
The right foot goes a half-step in front of the left foot and the body rises. The hexing finger lifts up to the
forehead to guard the head, but is pointed forward and downward. At the same time, the right hand
sends the sword up in a raising action, the tip pointing downward, and the left leg lifts, the knee close to
the chest. The direction is still east. The right arm extends forward and downward. The gaze is toward
the sword tip. See the drawing below.

Movement 26: HIDING THE SWORD UNDER THE ARMPIT
The left foot steps back, toes pointed to the northeast, and the weight is put onto it. The upper body
slightly leans back. The posture is a T-shape stance with the right foot in front. The hexing finger pulls
to the left [right] while the sword pulls to the right [left], the sword horizontal in front of the chest, the
tip stabbing behind from below the armpit. Both arms are embracing in front of the chest, the left arm
on top, the left hand lowering close over the right shoulder, the center of the hand outward, the hexing
finger pointing behind. The head is turned to the left and the gaze is behind. See the drawing below.

Movement 27: SPARROW-HAWK TURNS OVER
The right foot steps back and the body leans back to face toward the sky. The sword body makes a
smearing action upward from the front to the rear, a slash that stops when the sword tip reaches the
southwest. At the same time, the hexing finger extends horizontally to the left, pointing to the
northeast, the center of the palm facing up. You are now square to the southeast. The gaze is to the
right. See the drawing below.

Movement 28: GOLDEN DRAGON COILS AROUND THE JADE PILLAR
The sword handle goes to the left to make a propping action in front, then pulls to the right side, the
sword tip pointing to the left. The body is upright, the sword is horizontal in front of the chest, and the
hexing finger is below the sword tip. The right foot lifts, the left foot standing one-legged, and the whole
body does a large spin to the left until square to the southwest. The hexing finger is hidden below the
right armpit. The sword does a frantic flourish on both sides. (meaning that it collapses into a coiling
flourish on both sides) The gaze focuses on following along with what the sword is doing. See the
drawing below.

Movement 29: SQUAT DOWN, STANDING AS IF HANGING
The sword tip taps forward and downward to the southeast. At this moment, the right foot comes down
with the toes touching the ground. Then the right hand sinks and the sword tip flicks forward and
upward, the sword edges facing inward and outward, the sword body vertical in front of the chest. At
the same time, the right heel comes down fully and both feet stand together. The body sinks down, both
legs slightly bent. The posture is the body squatting as though suspended. The hexing finger stays at the
wrist. The gaze is forward. See the drawing below.

Movement 30: IMMORTAL STIRS UP THE CLOUDS
The sword edges twist to face left and right. Both hands remain in front of the lower abdomen and do
not yet move. The upper body slightly leans back. The sword tip, which is forward and above, goes from
the left to the right, sweeping a small circle, the left foot stepping back, and at the same time, the hexing
finger pulls away to the left. The right foot then takes a large step back and the sword tip sweeps a large
circle forward in a smearing action until the tip is directly in front. The sword handle is close in front of
the belly. The hexing finger returns to the pulse. The gaze is forward. See the drawing below.
[Although the text makes no mention of this movement repeating, the drawing clearly shows the sword
making more than one circle, implying repetition. Doing the set reveals that to finish where you began
does indeed require this movement be done twice.]

The hexing finger pulls back to guard the waist, the center of the hand facing up. At the same time, the
sword pulls back to guard the waist, the tip pointing forward, the edges facing up and down. The left
heel lifts, the waist folds to the rear, and the chest empties in front, making a posture of hollowing the
chest. The body is now bent like a bow and both elbows are bent to the rear. The waist follows the
sword to bulge forward as the sword fiercely pokes forward, the hexing finger returning to the pulse.
Then both hands pull back to again guard the waist, the sword tip raised. The left knee rises to the belly,
the toes downward. The gaze is forward. See the drawing below.

Movement 32: UNTAMED HORSE FLEES THE STABLES
The left foot comes down forward, the right foot steps forward, the left foot shuffles forward, then the
right foot again steps forward and stops. The body is turned to the left in a horse-straddling posture,
squatting down square to the southeast. The sword fiercely stabs to the right, parallel with the ground,
the sword tip pointing to the southwest. The left arm extends to the left, parallel with the ground, the
hexing finger pointing to the northeast. The gaze is toward the sword tip. See the drawing below.

Movement 33: GOLDEN ROOSTER HOPS ON THE TREE STUMP
The sword does a tapping action downward and raises to do a hanging action to the rear, the right arm
extended, lifted to shoulder level. At the same time, the whole body jumps up, then the feet land where
they took off from, jumping together and landing together. The technique does not change the previous
posture, except that the sword tip hangs to the outside and rear of the right arm, the tip pointing behind
to the northeast, the sword handle pointing to the southwest, and the left arm is slightly bent, the
hexing finger pointing up. The gaze is to the right. See the drawing below.

Movement 34: IMMORTAL STRETCHES HIS BACK
From the previous posture of straddling a horse and hanging the sword, the body rises to stand up and
the left foot takes a stealth step behind the right foot, making a twisted overlapping stance. At the same
time, the upper body leans back and the right hand goes along with the momentum, sending the sword
from the rear to the right side in a slashing action, the arm extending and the sword tip now pointing to
the northwest. The left hand bends and raises above the headtop, the hexing finger pointing to the
north. The gaze is to the right. See the drawing below.

The left foot withdraws, taking a large step to the left. The body leans to the left, the upper body slightly
slanted forward. The hexing finger guards the head. At the same time, the sword draws an arc from
above toward the left side, then outward to the upper right to do a reverse raising action. The body is
now leaning to the right, the right arm twisted and straightened, the tigers mouth facing downward,
the center of the palm facing to the rear, and the body is square to the northwest. The gaze is toward
the sword. The sword tip points to the northwest. The hexing finger is close to the shoulder. See the
drawing below.

Movement 36: HOLD UP A STICK OF INCENSE
The right foots takes a stealth step behind the left foot, making a twisted overlapping stance, the whole
body sitting on the right calf. The right wrist twists the sword to face squarely and hugs it toward the
chest. The hexing finger is over the ring finger and little finger of the right hand. The sword edges face
left and right, the tip pointing upward in front, the handle close to the belly. The gaze is toward the
sword, the body square to the south. See the drawing below.

Movement 37: PHOENIX LANDS ATOP THE SUNNY SLOPE
The left foot extends a step to the left, but the right foot does not leave its location. The body is to the
right, upper body leaning forward. At the same time, the right wrist turns over to face to the rear and
sends the sword toward the right rear in a reverse raising action, the hexing finger coming to the
shoulder joint. The head is turned to the right and the gaze is to the right, looking to the sword tip. This
is the same as the swinging tail posture. The sword tip is now pointing to the northwest, the body is
square to the southwest, and the feet are now positioned with the left in the east and right in the west.
Then the sword tip drops down, and from the right forward coils upward in a circular flourish that
chops to the right and down in front of the right foot, the tip about two inches from the ground. At the
same time, the body shifts to the left and presses down on the left leg. The hexing finger guards the
head while the right arm drops down. See the drawing below.

Movement 38: BLACK DRAGON SPITS FOG
The right foot pulls back, the upper body leaning back, and the sword tip goes up from the right side
with a smearing action to the left until the tip is directly in front. Both arms are crossed in front of the
chest, the left underneath and the right on top, making a posture of tightly embracing. Then both arms
pull to the sides, and at the same time, the left foot takes a step back. Both elbows are close to the ribs to
guard the waist and the sword tip is pointing forward. Then the right foot steps back, the upper body
leaning back, and the sword stabs forward, parallel with the ground. The hexing finger rises up from in
front of the chest to be vertical above the head. Make a T-shape stance with the left foot in front and the
right foot behind, the left toes touching the ground. The body is square to the west. See the drawing
below.

From the previous posture, the body straightens up and the sword pulls back to guard the waist, the tip
pointing forward, the edges facing up and down. At the same time, the hexing finger pulls back to guard
the waist. Both elbows are bent to the rear and the tigers mouths are facing forward together. The left
knee lifts up to the belly, the toes downward. In this movement, the sword, hexing finger, and leg must
all pull back together, and from start to finish the technique is connected. The gaze is forward and the
body is still square to the west. See the drawing below.

Movement 40: PHOENIX SHUTTLES THROUGH
The left foot comes down full, toes pointing to the southwest. Then the right foot lifts and comes down
in front of the left foot, toes touching the ground. The sword is held at the waist, not yet moving. The
body turns all the way around to the left, then the left foot steps forward to the left, making a bow and
arrow stance. The sword stabs forward, parallel with the ground, the hexing finger going to the pulse.
The gaze is forward and the body is square to the west. See the drawing below.

Movement 41: GRAND DUKE JIANG FISHES
The sword tip turns over, goes to the lower left rear and coils a flourish upward, again turning over to
the lower right rear to coil a flourish upward, making a frantic flourish on both sides. Then the right
foot takes a half step forward, and the left knee bends and lifts up to the belly, toes downward. The
sword chops down forward from the upper right, the upper body going along with the momentum to
add power, hollowing the chest and bulging the back. The right foot stands one-legged, the hexing
finger is near the pulse, the sword tip hangs down, the gaze is forward and downward, and the body is
square to the west. See the drawing below.

The left foot comes down behind the right foot. Then the sword tip turns over and goes downward, the
center of the palm facing up, the tigers mouth facing down, and the tip hooks from the lower right to
the rear. The right foot follows the sword and steps to the right rear. The body turns to the right to be
square to the north, squatting down in a horse-straddling posture. The sword goes upward to do a
hanging action, the hexing finger lifting to be near the pulse area. The gaze is upward. See the drawing
below.

The left knee lifts to the right, toes downward. The hexing finger hides below the right armpit. The
sword tip drops down to the lower left rear and coils upward, the handle closely hugged in front of the
belly. At the same time, the body twists to the left, the left foot turns to point south, comes down in a
twisted stance, and the whole body squats down. The sword edges face left and right and the hexing
finger is close to the middle joints of the right hands ring finger and little finger. Then the sword pokes
forward, the body going along with the sword and rising, square to the west. Then the right leg extends
forward, the body turning to the left to be square to the southwest and squatting down on the left leg.
The sword chops down to the right forward, the tip about two inches from the right toes. The right arm
hangs straight down below the crotch and the hexing finger has returned to the pulse area. The gaze is
toward the sword. See the drawing below.

The upper body makes use of the momentum and shifts to the right, the hexing finger guards the head,
and the sword stabs forward from the ground. At the same time, the body twists while the sword rises,
the left leg bends and lifts to be close to the belly, toes raised, and the body reaches to right. The gaze is
toward the sword. The body is square to the southeast. See the drawing below.

Movement 45: MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE
The left foot takes a stealth step behind the right foot, making a twisted overlapping stance. The sword
tip flicks inward so the handle points north, the tip points south, and the sword is horizontal in front of
the chest, the hexing finger below the sword tip. Without changing this posture, the body turns around
to the lower left rear until it is square to the west. The sword stabs forward, parallel with the ground,
the hexing finger going to the pulse. Step into a stance of left leg a bow and right leg an arrow. The gaze
is toward the sword. See the drawing below.

Movement 46: FIERCE TIGER RETURNS TO THE MOUNTAIN
The right foot takes a half-step forward, toes pointing south. The sword flicks inward so the center of
the palm is facing outward, the tigers mouth facing to the left, and the sword is horizontal in front of
the chest. The left foot lifts and advances a step sideways to the left. The body turns to the left until it is
square to the southeast. The sword does an overturned stab to the left, the hexing finger coming to the
back of the right wrist. The gaze is forward. See the drawing below.

Movement 47: DRAGON KING SURGES THE WATER THREE TIMES
The body position and stance do not change. The sword goes to the left side and the right, coiling three
continuous flourishes [left side, right side, left side]. The hexing finger goes along with the opening and
closing motion of the hilt. When the coiling has turned over the sword tip and it is pointing forward, the
handle directly in line with the space between mouth and nose, the hexing finger goes under the hilt,
and the thumb, ring finger, and little finger open to grasp around both sides of the hilt. See the drawing
below.

Movement 48: PRINCE STANDS BY THE RIVER
The right foot steps back, the left foot withdraws, and the feet are standing next to each other. The right
hand pinches into a hexing finger and guards the head. The left hand hangs straight, grasping the
sword below the wrist. The sword body is close to the elbow, the tip pointing up, the edges to the sides.
The body is square to southeast and the gaze is level. See the drawing below.
-
APPLICATION EXPLANATIONS FOR EACH POSTURE IN THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD
[Throughout this scenario, there are two sword-wielding opponents attacking you. Instead of calling
them merely opponent, opponent to my left, opponent to my right, opponent in front of me,
opponent behind me, or previous opponent, as they are written in the text, I could to increase
clarity deem them opponents 1 and 2, or opponents A and B. I will go further than adding clarity and
also add color by calling them Zhifen and Yaozong, as they were indeed Tong Wenhuas colleagues or
opponents in the making of the book.]
Technique 1 (STAND AT ATTENTION HOLDING THE SWORD): This is a preparation posture.
Technique 2 (IMMORTAL CARRIES HIS ROBE): I focus on Zhifen to recognize exactly where his attack is
going to be.
Technique 3 (LION WATCHES THE BALL): He attacks with a straight sword thrust to my chest. I bring
my sword up horizontally and dodge my body to the right [underneath].
Technique 4 (IMMORTAL POINTS THE WAY): As his sword darts past me, I seize the opportunity and
send a stab under his sleeve.
Technique 5 (RHINOCEROS LOOKS AT THE MOON): Yaozong from my right advances to slash at me, so I
send my sword to the right in a flicking action.
Technique 6 (BLACK DRAGON ENTERS THE CAVE): I seize the opportunity and send my sword forward
in a poking action.
Technique 7 (HALT THE HORSE TO LISTEN TO THE WIND): Yaozong uses his sword to do a lifting
action toward my wrist, so I send my sword to the right in a smearing action.
Technique 8 (OLD TREE TWISTS ITS ROOTS): Fully twisting my body around, I use my sword to do a low
slash toward his leg.
Technique 9 [BLUE DRAGON TURNS ITS BODY]: He uses his sword to deliver a chop to my head, so I
send my sword up in a carrying action, spin my body around throughout the block, then stab to the top
of his foot.
Technique 10 (PHOENIX NODS ITS HEAD): He uses his sword to seek my wrist, so I retreat using my
sword in flicking actions to also seek his wrist.
Technique 11 (NIGHT DEMON SEARCHES THE SEA): He retreats, so I immediately advance and do a
raising cut to his groin.
Technique 12 (TWIST STEP, HOOK & HANG): From my right side, he uses his sword to stab to my lower
abdomen, so I send my sword to the lower right rear in a hooking action. After blocking his attack, I
then send my sword up to poke to his head.
Technique 13 (BLUE DRAGON EXTENDS A CLAW): He yields away to my left and uses his sword to stab
to my belly, so I bring my sword down with a carrying action, then raise up to do a smearing action to
his throat. He drops underneath this attack. I again lower my body, using my sword in a downward
chop to attack his arm.
Technique 14 (NIGHT DEMON SEARCHES THE SEA): He retreats, so I step forward and do a raising cut
to his groin.
Technique 15 (TURN AROUND TO CHOP MT. HUA): As Yaozong flees, Zhifen behind me again attacks,
running at me with a stab, so I turn my head, then turn my body and fiercely chop at him.
Technique 16 (BLACK DRAGON SWINGS ITS TAIL): Yaozong now behind me again attacks. His sword
comes down from above in a chopping action, so I lean my body and use my sword in a reverse raising
cut to his wrist.
Technique 17 (BLACK DRAGON COILS AROUND THE PEARL): From in front and behind, both opponents
attack in unison, so I coil in my sword and do a full spin with my body to block their weapons.
Technique 18 (BLACK DRAGON SWINGS ITS TAIL) [PHOENIX LANDS ATOP THE SUNNY SLOPE]: Zhifen
now in front of me uses his sword to slash at my waist, so I carry with my sword into a left hooking
action and coil it upward to do a chop down to his wrist.
Technique 19 (GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG): He again attacks, slashing to my leg, so I
withdraw my leg and then advance to do a raising cut to his groin.
Technique 20 (TWIST STEP, HOOK & HANG): Yaozong attacks again, slashing to my waist, so I twist my
torso to the right and send my sword to the rear in a hooking action. Zhifen attacks again, stabbing to
the left side of my neck, so I continue my momentum and send my sword from above to the left in a
hanging action.
Technique 21 (EMBRACE THE MOON): Zhifen slashes downward to my leg, so I hook my sword
downward to the left, coil it up to turn his sword upward, then I embrace my sword to flick to the right,
and I follow through by doing a poking action forward.
Technique 22 (NIGHT DEMON SEARCHES THE SEA): As he retreats, I step forward and do a raising cut
to his groin.
Technique 23 (MAIDEN THREADS THE NEEDLE): He then comes from my left to poke to my ribs, so I
yield my body to the right and flick my sword to the left to cut his wrist.
Technique 24 (STAYING IN PLACE, STIR UP THE WIND): Both opponents attack me from both sides with
smearing cuts, so I crouch down with my whole body, and sweep sideways with my sword, spinning
around in place, to seek their legs.
Technique 25 (WHITE APE STEALS A PEACH): Zhifen stabs to my chest, so I deflect it upward and then
tap my sword to his solar plexus.
Technique 26 (HIDING THE SWORD UNDER THE ARMPIT): Yaozong grabs around my waist with both
arms, so I put my sword under my left armpit to stab at him behind me.
Technique 27 (SPARROW-HAWK TURNS OVER): Zhifen chops to my head, so I send my sword up to
prop up his sword, following through by turning it into a slash to his neck.
Technique 28 (GOLDEN DRAGON COILS AROUND THE JADE PILLAR): He then stabs to my own throat,
so I send my sword to the left to block it. Yaozong now attacks my right arm, so I draw my sword to the
right.
Technique 29 (SQUAT DOWN, STANDING AS IF HANGING): [After I spin and flourish at him,] he tries to
chop me from above, so I squat down and flick my sword up to cut under his wrist.
Technique 30 (IMMORTAL STIRS UP THE CLOUDS): His sword comes forward toward me, so I smear
outward to the right, then slash to his neck.
Technique 31 (GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG): He retreats, so I pull back my sword and
hexing finger to guard my waist, and I lift my left foot to appear as if I am going to chase him.
Technique 32 (UNTAMED HORSE FLEES THE STABLES): I then stride forward to chase him away, then
stab to his back.
Technique 33 (GOLDEN ROOSTER HOPS ON THE TREE STUMP): He suddenly veers to the right and
turns around with a smearing cut to my neck, so I flick my sword outward to my right rear.
Technique 34 (IMMORTAL STRETCHES HIS BACK): He evades to his left, so I twist a step to follow him
and slash to his neck.
Technique 35 (BLACK DRAGON SWINGS ITS TAIL): He tries to attack my wrist, so I retreat my left foot
to the left and turn my sword over to do a reverse raising cut to his wrist.
Technique 36 (HOLD UP A STICK OF INCENSE): Zhifen to my left stabs to my chest, so I embrace my
sword to block to my left.
Technique 37 (PHOENIX LANDS ATOP THE SUNNY SLOPE): Following through, I turn my sword over
and do a reverse raising cut to his wrist. He then does an orthodox raising cut, so I turn my sword over
to attack the top of his wrist.
Technique 38 (BLACK DRAGON SPITS FOG): He attacks me from my left, so I sweep my sword to the left.
He then attacks me on my right, so I sweep my sword to the right. He then attacks me directly in front,
stabbing to my throat, so I lean my head back and turn my sword to stab to his solar plexus.
Technique 39 (GOLDEN ROOSTER STANDS ON ONE LEG): He retreats, so I pull back my sword to watch
for what he will do next.
Technique 40 (PHOENIX SHUTTLES THROUGH): I move to dive at him, but Yaozong crashes me out of
the way, so I hold my sword in and spin around to again attack Zhifen, stabbing to his spine.
Technique 41 (GRAND DUKE JIANG FISHES): Zhifen stabs to my left, so I block to the left. He stabs to my
right, so I block to the right. This slightly delays him, so I send my sword in a downward tap to his wrist.
Technique 42 (TWIST STEP, HOOK & HANG): He attacks me from my lower right, so I send my sword
down to hook to the rear. Yaozong on my left attacks my left, so I hang my sword to poke to his head.
Technique 43 (BLUE DRAGON EXTENDS A CLAW): Yaozong does a low stab to my ribs, so I send my
sword down to block it. As he retracts his sword, I follow through, coil a flourish, [poke forward,] then
chop down from above.
Technique 44 (NIGHT DEMON SEARCHES THE SEA): He retreats, so I promptly step forward with a
raising cut to his groin.
Technique 45 (MAIDEN WORKS THE SHUTTLE): From my left, he stabs toward my ribs, so I evade to the
right, flicking my sword to the left to attack his wrist. Zhifen to my right comes to attacks me from
behind, so I spin around and stab to his chest.
Technique 46 (FIERCE TIGER RETURNS TO THE MOUNTAIN): Yaozong behind me comes to attack me
again, so I turn around and use my sword to poke to his head.
Technique 47 (DRAGON KING SURGES THE WATER THREE TIMES): Both opponents, on my left and
right, stab at me at the same time, so I do a coiling flourish on both sides.
Technique 48 (PRINCE STANDS BY THE RIVER): Both opponents retreat together, so I gather my sword
in and stand up.
-
-
-
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Brennan Translation
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DRAGON SHAPE SWORD (LONG XING JIAN)

Posted on February 23, 2011

DRAGON SHAPE SWORD

published by New Asia Press [Oct, 1932]

- [calligraphy by] Qian Junshi

- calligraphy by Jin Jiafu

TONG WENHUAS PREFACE

TONG YAOZONGS PREFACE

JIN YIMINGS PREFACE

Tong Wenhuas Preface

Tong Yaozongs Preface

Jin Yimings Preface

Portrait of Tong Guozhang [Wenhua]

Portrait of Tong Xianting [Yaozong]

General Introduction to the Sword Art

Origin and Development of the Sword Art

Source of the Dragon Shape Sword

The Dragon Shape Swords Name

The Dragon Shape Swords Method

Breakdown of the Method

List of Postures in the Dragon Shape Sword Set

Posture Illustrations for the Entire Set

Movement Descriptions for the Entire Set

Application Explanations for Each Posture

DRAGON SHAPE SWORD

ILLUSTRATED AND AUTHORED BY JIN YIMING OF YANGZHOU

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE SWORD ART

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SWORD ART

SOURCE OF THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD

THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORDS NAME

THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORDS METHOD

BREAKDOWN OF THE METHOD

LIST OF POSTURES IN THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD SET

ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD SET

APPLICATION EXPLANATIONS FOR EACH POSTURE IN THE DRAGON SHAPE SWORD

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