Uploaded September 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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This is a video response to Matt Easton from the channel Scholagladiatoria. In a recent video on his channel, Matt hypothesized that disc guards may be connected to the use of flat parries on swords. In this video, I go deeper into this claim and analyze evidence which supports this argument.

Scholagladiatoria's video can be found here: youtu.be/Qlr_SF7OWmM

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:19 What this video is not about

1:34 No edge parries?

1:57 Three forms of evidence for disc guard use

2:56 Evidence from antiques

5:40 Evidence on Nihonto

6:21 Contrast with western swords

7:07 Evidence from textual sources

8:52 Evidence from Chinese martial arts

9:24 Demonstration of dao technniques

12:04 Conclusion

Sources:

Primary Sources:

程宗猷，單刀法選，1614.

程子頤，武備要略

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.

Images:

Thumbnail = mandarinmansion.com/item/broad-17th-century-chinese-saber

Nagel = lukasmaestlegoer.com/swords/langes-messer

Dadao = mandarinmansion.com/item/large-qing-dadao

Dao with hardened edge = mandarinmansion.com/item/early-qing-saber

Sanmei = https://k.sina.com.cn/article_1656599057_62bdb2110010191am.html?from=food

Qiangang = shanggudaojiang.com/Web/1230.html

Dao edge = mandarinmansion.com/item/chinese-saber-chaoyang-army

Damage on Dao = mandarinmansion.com/item/qing-twistcore-peidao

Damage on Jian = mandarinmansion.com/item/early-militia-jian

Damage on Nihonto = https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12086-pic-request-battle-damage-on-blades/

Tunkou = mandarinmansion.com/item/late-qing-southern-saber

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).

Outro Music: Song: Chinese Thunder Drums Album: World Drums: African, Samba, Taiko, Chinese and Middle Eastern Music.