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Weapons - Kwan Dao (continued) |
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I would say the Kwan Dao in Chen Family style is really a grandmaster's set on grounds you probably have
to
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be a grandmaster to do the set smoothly. For one thing, there are only 30 named moves but they are
all very
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complicated so it would be more reasonable and consistent to say the set has 90 or more moves. Fairly stated, it |
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is a long set with very few pauses - and in all of those the performer is holding the Kwan Dao
in one hand. |
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There are eight single-handed blocks all done over the head. Always right-handed, by the way.
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Besides Chen Family style I have seen (and have videos of) Kwan Dao sets in Zhaobao style Tai Chi Chuan,
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Mizong Lost Track, Hong style, Cha style,
Ba Ji Quan and Shaolin (3 sets including Kwan Dao versus Spear!). |
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I have heard rumors of Kwan Dao sets in the Yang and Wu styles of Tai Chi Chuan, both of which have spear
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and staff sets, but have no confirmation (commercial staff videos, authorized videos on YouTube, international
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standards ...).
As noted previously Yang stylists in Boston
in the Chu Gin Soon lineage teach with a |
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single-sided halberd instead of a
Kwan dao (see the halberd pages). |
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As least in Chen Family style Tai Chi Chuan, all the other long weapons (staff, spear and lau gar)
are
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comparatively light in weight and emphasize use of two
hands. The tactical goal is to use speed and reach to
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escape being hurt by whatever the opponent is doing and then to counter with multiple painful but not lethal
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blows. Oh, you might get lucky and unload a headshot with the staff or hit something vital with the spear
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during a stab but it is not like one good hack with a saber and the fight is over. There's really no preparation
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for a long (and heavy) weapon like the kwan dao.
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