IN PRAISE OF THE SWORD – An article by Russell Suthern

Let me state categorically for the record that my favourite weapon is the sword. Much as I love all the other ancient forms of dealing death, the sword carries a special place in my heart.
It seems I am not alone. Throughout the ages the sword has captured the imagination of scholars & warriors alike. From Chinas Green Destiny to Japans Ama No Murakumo Tsurugi. From Englands Excalibur to Bravehearts massive Claymore. Elric of Melnibone has the Stormbringer, Aragorn weilds Anduril. The list goes on.
Is it the combination of deadliness & beauty that excites? The thrill of close combat? The sheer variety of shapes & sizes that can be created from such a simple basic concept? Perhaps there will never be a comprehensive answer, but I do know that when I grasp a sword, a shudder of excitement goes through me more powerful than any other weapon can generate. Grace, beauty, power, it can all be exemplified by that shaft of glistening steel.
From the Katana to the Claymore. From the Sabre to the Broadsword, I love them all. I’m sure I only like Star Wars because of the Lightsabres!
But of all the swords, my truest love is the Chinese blade. The Dao, the Jian. The Da Dao, the Shuang Shou Jian . The Wei Jia broadsword, the Miao Dao, I love them all. Collecting them, admiring them, restoring them, practising with them, fighting with them. It’s the most fun you can have! Iv’e never been one for just collecting swords. If you are going to own a sword, you might as well learn how to use it!
I have been working with my students consistently over the last few years, teaching basic sword movements (single & partnered), sword patterns & free sparring (using rubber swords to avoid losing too many students!) Now it is time to move on to the next level!
Shi Zhan is the ancient Chinese art of sword cutting. Its origins are attributed way back to the Qing Dynasty. In fact, when the Yellow Emperors Terracotta army were unearthed in 1974, several swords were discovered, still razor sharp, despite being buried for thousands of years. They were made from a special alloy using techniques far more advanced that was commonly thought were available at the time.
The idea of Shi Zhan is to test both the sword & the practitioner. One is attempting to perform the perfect cut. The angle of the cut has to be perfect or the blade might bend or even chip. The cut must be accurate, clean & pure. Mind, body, soul & sword blending into one perfect split second of action.
Single cuts are attempted on heavier targets such as bamboo or straw mats. Multiple target cutting tends to use lighter targets such as fruit or plastic bottles.
The photos attached to this article show two types of cutting. The first series show me fruit cutting, demonstrating a basic multiple cutting pattern using a variety of single & two handed techniques on five targets set up in a pattern, each representing a different adversary. This is a very exciting way of demonstrating the speed & accuracy of the Chinese sword. Cutting each target at least three times takes a high degree of accuracy, because after each cut there is less of the target to aim for!
The sword I used was a beautiful nine-ring Da Dao that I brought back from China & lovingly restored, polished & sharpened myself.
The second series shows plastic bottle cutting using my birthday present from the club: an awesome Shobu Zukuri Katana from the Raptor series. These blades are hand forged & specially tempered for maximum cutting efficiency. I can attest to their sharpness & hardness- these babies will cut through pretty much anything!
As for teaching my students sword cutting, safety is always the top priority. Only quite advanced students who have been practising their basic sword cutting exercises for at least one year will be allowed access to the cutting stand. But many of my students are extremely excited about learning real cutting with their blades & are practicing diligently, readying themselves for the time when the cutting shall begin!
Watch this space to find out how they get on & for further sword articles!

RUSSELL SUTHERN