Prelude #43
 
Theme: Hexagram:
  F major    Kwai "resolve and determination"

Batons or maces (shuang jian) are the first weapon set we teach. We start on the first day with one 26" padded stick. Typically, the twin weapons were 70 to 90 centimeters long depending on the height and arm length of the student. In the old days (Qin Dynasty) batons were bronze or iron. We have a set of iron batons - they are very heavy and require considerable skill to make the wielder look graceful and in control. In many older batons there was a hole drilled through the handle to support a thong (rope or leather) that would loop around the wrist. We use round pieces of wood today, but the metal batons have a square cross-section that readily produces serious injuries. Chapter 5 of Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei's book (with DVD) Chen's Tai Chi Sword, Saber and Baton (ISBN 978-0-9866756-5-2) has extensive notes and photos. The links below have a video on YouTube (first one: Master Jesse Tsao, although not the form we teach; second one Master Chen Ziqiang actually using Japanese shinai; the third one a longer version of Master Chen Ziqiang - batons start about 8 minutes in and restart at about 17 minutes in)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sslE0h3UON8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD6X3SpYCWY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWHZko4voKU

To go to the next preludes page click here
To go to the prior preludes page click here
To return to the preludes page click here
To return to the home page click here