Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Weapons of the Chinese Green Standard Army

Philip · 4th May 2017, 06:07 AM

A much-needed ID and classification scheme, having it illustrated to scale makes it that much more useful. Looking forward to the addition of some descriptive details as your study progresses. For instance, I'm curious as to the essential characteristics of the BEIDAO or "back" saber. Does it refer to the thickness or particular profile of its spine (we're familiar with the term ZHIBEIDAO or "straight-back saber" which refers to a straight single-edged blade as seen on the familiar Tibetan sword). Or was its sheath meant to be worn at the belt, across the small of the user's back so that the hilt could be drawn from behind with the right hand? I've seen some late 18th/early 19th cent. graphics by Western artists in China, showing just such an arrangement with a somewhat short, cutlass-like weapon.

4th May 2017, 06:07 AM	#4
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	Very useful and well-presented! A much-needed ID and classification scheme, having it illustrated to scale makes it that much more useful. Looking forward to the addition of some descriptive details as your study progresses. For instance, I'm curious as to the essential characteristics of the BEIDAO or "back" saber. Does it refer to the thickness or particular profile of its spine (we're familiar with the term ZHIBEIDAO or "straight-back saber" which refers to a straight single-edged blade as seen on the familiar Tibetan sword). Or was its sheath meant to be worn at the belt, across the small of the user's back so that the hilt could be drawn from behind with the right hand? I've seen some late 18th/early 19th cent. graphics by Western artists in China, showing just such an arrangement with a somewhat short, cutlass-like weapon.