It is easy to become confused when looking at a variety of Chinese martial arts swords. While some are heavy and stiff, others are extremely light, thin and flexible. These unusually thin swords are specifically designed for the modern sport wushu.
Definition
The name "wushu" means "martial art" and can be used either to refer to traditional martial training or sport wushu in China. In the United States, however, the word primarily indicates sport wushu while traditional martial arts are referred to as "kung fu."
Origin
Modern wushu is a competitive sport developed in China in the 1950s and 1960s as a derivative of traditional Chinese martial arts. It is divided into two main categories, taolu and shanshou.
Categories
Taolu, or forms competition, encompasses both empty-handed and weapon forms and favors highly spectacular and acrobatic movements, as the level of difficulty of the form presented increases the competitor's score. Sanshou, or sparring competition, is arranged in one-on-one full-contact matches and only incorporates empty-handed sparring.
Wushu Swords
Swords and other weapons made specifically for sport wushu are made extremely lightweight and flexible so as to be easier to perform acrobatic movements with and increase aesthetic appeal. Because of this, swords made for wushu are much thinner than those made for traditional martial arts.
Materials and Use
Since wushu swords are designed solely for aesthetics in forms, they are commonly made of spring steel rather than the stiff carbon steel of swords intended for cutting or sparring. They cannot be used like regular swords, as they will bend and twist when struck.
