The Chinese Straight Double-Edge Sword
 The double-edged sword is known as the mother of weapons. Said to have been invented by Ch'ih-Yu, who forged his sword from gold. This weapon often has supernatural qualities attributed to it. Use of the double-edged sword was traditionally reserved to the upper classes. Soldiers for instance, did not carry straight swords. Only the highest-ranking officers, such as generals, wore this remarkable weapon. The sword's straight blade was a symbol of honesty. The sharp edges and tip reminded them to stay away from evil doing. This is the most honored and respected weapon of Chinese martial arts.
The Chinese use the word "sword" to denote double-bladed weapons which are usually light and dainty and "knives" for single-bladed weapons which are heavier and tougher. Materials from which swords were made were gold, jade, silver, iron, oyster shells, brass and coins.
Sword techniques fall into four general categories: single-sword, double-sword, long-tasseled sword, and short-tasseled sword. Most of the sword forms from China that use tassels are offshoots of traditional Chinese court dances. Martial art swords either use no tassels or a very short tassel connected directly to the handle, keeping it from tangling with the wrist.
Since it is lightweight, the double-edges sword is not a good contact weapon. Anyone who uses the straight sword for blocking against other weapons does not understand the use of the weapon. Only the last four inches are used for cutting. The sword fighter's goal was to dodge and move away, rather than engage in direct contact. They aimed instead for the wrist, the throat, the knee and other vulnerable areas. A sword-fighter's first goal was to cut the opponent's wrist, disarming him, then go for thrusts to other parts of his body. The sword traditionally included 16 methods of use.
Written By Sifu Rino Côté
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