Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this video I review the LK Chen Woyaodao or Japanese style waist saber. Is this sword a katana? I discuss the intertwined history of Chinese and Japanese blades. What nihonto features are present on the woyaodao and how does it compare to many katana of the day?
This blade can be purchased from LK Chen at the link below:
lkchensword.com/wo-yao-dao
Source Material:
Books:
龔劍. 中國刀劍史. 中華書局, 2021.
皇甫江. 刀剑鉴定. 福建美术出版社, 2011.
馬明達. 說劍叢橋. 中華書局, 2007.
Online Articles:
markussesko.com/2013/11/01/japanese-sword-trade-with-ming-china
mandarinmansion.com/item/qijiadao-vince-evans-mounts
touken-world.jp/tips/9758
tplafightingwords.com/2021/10/18/katana-to-dao-part-one-saber-and-coin-the-japanese-sword-in-the-ming-dynasty/?fbclid=IwAR08lgwcGDJaW7d52BbrieplEXsakmbmPHOjaeE4IcxpllBc1iI1dU1psp0
Images:
Nihonto = samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product/antique-japanese-sword-katana-unsigned-norinaga-nthk-certificate
Ouyangxiu = history-podcasts.com/china-history-podcast-laszlo/101472#
Ming Ships = scpaclaudemonet.blogspot.com/p/chinese-treasure-ships.html
Jiajing Departure Herald = https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
Images of original = mandarinmansion.com/item/qijiadao-vince-evans-mounts
Images of reproduction = lkchensword.com/wo-yao-dao
Curved Dao Hilt = stringfixer.com/pt/Sarhu
Central Asian Swords = sohu.com/a/382736924_99993079
Tsuba = mandarinmansion.com/article/nanban-tsuba
Habaki = reliks.com/functional-swords/japanese-swords/habaki
Shinogi = nihonto.com/about-swords/diagrams-terminology
Yokote = weblog.tozando.com/tag/yokote
Shinogi Ridge = gen-universe.com/article/221?fbclid=IwAR2Bw9bE9X60Yhr6SM8MbRdtMqqk7VipLqp0VAIoJpr6oq2eblbm78ve58o
Music
Intro Music Song = 春江花月夜 Artist: 顶斯华 Album: 中国古筝金曲, Vol. 3 (古筝独奏).
Song 1 = Ishikari Lore by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Outro Music = Song: Chinese Thunder Drums Album: World Drums: African, Samba, Taiko, Chinese and Middle Eastern Music.
In this video I review the LK Chen Woyaodao or Japanese style waist saber. Is this sword a katana? I discuss the intertwined history of Chinese and Japanese blades. What nihonto features are present on the woyaodao and how does it compare to many katana of the day?
This blade can be purchased from LK Chen at the link below:
lkchensword.com/wo-yao-dao
Source Material:
Books:
龔劍. 中國刀劍史. 中華書局, 2021.
皇甫江. 刀剑鉴定. 福建美术出版社, 2011.
馬明達. 說劍叢橋. 中華書局, 2007.
Online Articles:
markussesko.com/2013/11/01/japanese-sword-trade-with-ming-china
mandarinmansion.com/item/qijiadao-vince-evans-mounts
touken-world.jp/tips/9758
tplafightingwords.com/2021/10/18/katana-to-dao-part-one-saber-and-coin-the-japanese-sword-in-the-ming-dynasty/?fbclid=IwAR08lgwcGDJaW7d52BbrieplEXsakmbmPHOjaeE4IcxpllBc1iI1dU1psp0
Images:
Nihonto = samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product/antique-japanese-sword-katana-unsigned-norinaga-nthk-certificate
Ouyangxiu = history-podcasts.com/china-history-podcast-laszlo/101472#
Ming Ships = scpaclaudemonet.blogspot.com/p/chinese-treasure-ships.html
Jiajing Departure Herald = https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
Images of original = mandarinmansion.com/item/qijiadao-vince-evans-mounts
Images of reproduction = lkchensword.com/wo-yao-dao
Curved Dao Hilt = stringfixer.com/pt/Sarhu
Central Asian Swords = sohu.com/a/382736924_99993079
Tsuba = mandarinmansion.com/article/nanban-tsuba
Habaki = reliks.com/functional-swords/japanese-swords/habaki
Shinogi = nihonto.com/about-swords/diagrams-terminology
Yokote = weblog.tozando.com/tag/yokote
Shinogi Ridge = gen-universe.com/article/221?fbclid=IwAR2Bw9bE9X60Yhr6SM8MbRdtMqqk7VipLqp0VAIoJpr6oq2eblbm78ve58o
Music
Intro Music Song = 春江花月夜 Artist: 顶斯华 Album: 中国古筝金曲, Vol. 3 (古筝独奏).
Song 1 = Ishikari Lore by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Outro Music = Song: Chinese Thunder Drums Album: World Drums: African, Samba, Taiko, Chinese and Middle Eastern Music.
