Functional Chinese Swords

The butterfly sword is a short dao, or single-edged blade, originally from the South of China, though it has seen use in the North. The blade length is approximately that of the forearm, for easy concealment within the sleeves or inside boots, and for greater maneuverability to spin and rotate in close-quarters fighting.

The jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. Both the one- and the larger two-handed versions are used for training by many styles of Chinese martial arts. In folklore, it is known as "The Gentleman of Weapons" and is considered one of the four major weapons, along with the staff, dao, and the spear.