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Pros: Blade Material, Finish, Handle Material, Materials, Overall Quality, Sheath/Scabbard, Usable
Cons: None
A True Chinese Boxing Sword
I have practiced Chinese Martial Arts for most of my life. At a recent ceremony for advancement in the School I belong to, this sword was given to me by students as a gift of appreciation. I used it to do some ceremonial chopping and it more than held up to the task.The video's from Cold Steel show more, the sword is combat ready out of the box.What really got my interest was later I noticed the Chinese Writiing on the sheath.I showed it to my wife who, being Chinese, translated it as meaning, "Northwest 29".The Chinese Boxing School I learned from had deep connections to the Taiwan ChineseBoxing Schools that escaped from the Communist Army under Mao. These Groups were led by many of the rebels that fought in the beginning of the anti-japanese war starting in the Northwest region of China in the early 1930's. The special regimen that were the front line resistance were issued these swords to fight the invaders. Their regimen was designated the number 29. And they fought with such distinction against the japanese rifle/beyonets that the japanese issued special metal collars to try and reduce the damage from these swords. These groups formed into the Tongmenbei (sometimes called Hongmenwei, or Home and Way) They would help form the resistance that helped Sun Yat Sen take the formal government of China to Taiwan and the Communists took over the mainland.I was surprised and happy to learn the deeper historical value of this sword design and the group that made them famous. It became an even more special gift.
