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WABUKAN Arsenal · Knives and blades · China

Butterfly swords

A pair of short, broad blades from southern China. In Wing Chun they are the last form taught (baat jaam do), following the same lines as the empty hands.

Butterfly swords
Butterfly swords WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

八斬刀 · bat jaam dou; hudiedao

Origin and history

Short, broad sabres used in pairs are typical of southern Chinese styles. In wing chun they belong to the last form, bart cham dao, traditionally taught only to senior students; hung gar also uses double butterfly swords.

Martial arts that use it

Wing Chun Hung Gar

Construction

Two single-edged blades of about 30–40 cm (forearm length) with a short D-shaped hand guard and a small hook on the guard to catch an opponent’s blade. They are sheathed together in one scabbard.

Basic techniques

Training

Short-blade training starts with trainers made of wood, aluminium or rubber. Students drill angles of attack, grips (forward and reverse), checking the opponent’s arm and footwork, then flow drills with a partner. Live blades are kept for solo forms by experienced practitioners, if at all.

Safety

Use training knives for all partner work and eye protection for fast drills. Never mix live and training blades in the same session, store blades sheathed and out of reach of children.

Legality (general information)

Swords, knives and other edged weapons are regulated very differently from country to country (and sometimes from region to region): owning one at home is often allowed, while carrying it in public, buying it under a certain age or importing it may be restricted or banned. Practitioners usually transport them cased, out of reach and straight between home and dojo. This is general information, not legal advice: check the law where you live.

Did you know?

Wing chun tradition links the swords to the Red Boat Opera troupes of 19th-century Guangdong.

More weapons

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Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Butterfly sword
  2. Wikipedia — Wing Chun