THE TANG JIAN SWORD (SH2349) CAS HANWEI
Our Tang Sword is a Jian that exemplifies the artistry and symbolism in Chinese culture across many generations. The proportions and balance of the sword will appeal to the Taijiquan practitioner, while the unique fittings and decoration will establish its place in many collections. The lion-dog guard is fashioned after the shoulder guards of the Mingguang Armour, an important armour suit dating from the Tang dynasty, while the handle is wrapped in leather over ray skin in a traditional Chinese style for a superior grip. The diamond-section blade has both profile and distal tapers, making for a very quick sword, and is engraved with an ancient dragon pattern over most of its length,. The wooden scabbard is decorated in figured brass and is provided with a belt attachment. The throat of the scabbard fits snugly into the mouth of the lion-dog, an interesting and unique feature!

THE ART OF TAIJIQUAN
The term t'ai chi ch'uan literally translates as "supreme ultimate fist", "boundless fist," "great extremes boxing", or simply "the ultimate" Taijiquan is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for health reasons. Tai chi is typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, health and longevity. Consequently, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of tai chi chuan's training forms are well known to Westerners as the slow motion routines that groups of people practice together every morning in parks around the world, particularly in China. Today, tai chi has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun.