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Saber Military Preparation Manual

Translated and Interpreted by: Jack Chen

www.chineselongsword.com

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Copyright © 2011 by Jack Chen Jiayi

Please distribute freely without modifications.

www.chineselongsword.com

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This book is a translation and interpretation of the

Dao (Saber) chapter in (Wu Bei Zhi),

“Military Preparation Manual”, written by

in the Ming Dynasty.

Please visit www.chineselongsword.com for other

translations and interpretations of historical martial arts manuals.

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In dedication to the bravery and wisdoms of Men

before us.

For my grandparents.

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máo zǐ yuē

Mao Yuan-Yi states that:

wǔ jīng zǒng yào suǒ zǎi dāo

fán bā zhǒng

In the “Collection of the Most

Important Military

Techniques” (Wu Jing Zong

Yao), there are 8 types of

saber being documented.

ér xiǎo yì zhě yóu bú liè yān

Those that differs little (from

the 8 types) were not

documented.

qí xí fǎ jiē bù chuán

The techniques (of the 8 Saber

types) were not transmitted.

jīn suǒ xí wéi cháng dāo yāo

dāo

Those that are still in practice

now is the

Long-Saber (chang-dao) and

Waist-Saber (yao-dao).

yāo dāo fēi tuán pái bú yòng

The Waist-Saber must be used

together with the Shield.

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gù zài yú pái zhōng

Therefore, (the Waist-Saber) is

documented together with

the Shield.

cháng dāo zé wō nú suǒ xí

The Long-Saber is practiced by

the Japanese.

shì zōng shí jìn fàn dōng nán

During the reign of Sejong (4th

King of the Korean Chosun

Dynasty), the Japanese

invaded the South-East.

gù shǐ dé zhī

And therefore, the Japanese

techniques were obtained.

qī shǎo bǎo

General Qi Ji-Guang

yú xīn yǒu zhèn shàng dé qí xí

fǎ

Obtained the techniques

during the battle in the year of

Xing-You.

yòu cóng ér yǎn zhī bìng zài

yú hòu

And thus practiced and

documented in the latter

portion of this chapter.

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cǐ fǎ wèi chuán shí

When these techniques

weren’t transmitted

suǒ yòng dāo zhì lüè tóng

The Saber that’s being used

were constructed similarly.

dàn duǎn ér zhòng kě fèi yě

However, those that are short

and heavy are useless and

should be discarded.

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The Kage-Style Scroll

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Jack Chen is the President of Historical Combat Association

(Singapore). He believes deeply in preserving and promoting

historical wisdoms and knowledge for future generations.

Please visit: www.chineselongsword.com