**Disclaimer**

I do not practise martial arts, but I do love to read about them. That being said, I am aware that researching martial arts based on scholarly texts alone is totally insufficient. There might be mistakes and oversights in this blog post that will be immediately noticeable by someone trained in HEMA or Chinese martial arts, but oblivious to someone that doesn't. If you happen to find one (or more), feel free to correct me in the comment section.













Recently I took a more in-depth look into Ming period martial arts, particularly swordsmanship, and found many interesting parallels between Chinese and European systems.

Some of the terms in the manual show heavy trace of Song and Yuan period language practise.

Korean martial arts manuals that predate Wu Bei Zhi, such as Muyejebo (《무예제보》 or 《武藝諸譜》), make no mention of Chao Xian Shi Fa. In fact, Muyejebo only records imported Chinese martial arts.

The author of Muyejebo explicitly stated that Koreans had no other martial arts (or had lost all of their martial arts) other than archery.

The author of Muyedobotongji (《무예도보통지》 or 《武藝圖譜通志》), an eighteenth century Korean martial arts manual that contains Chao Xian Shi Fa, denied both of Mao Yuan Yi's claims. He went on to suggest that Mao Yuan Yi wrote the manual himself but falsely attributed it to the Koreans.

A brief introduction to the stances of Chao Xian Shi Fa

Stances that are exact or near exact match

You Jia Shi (右夾勢, lit. 'Right flanking stance') and right Pflug (Plow) guard

















Xian Ji Shi is a "strike" category stance. It transitions into Tan Fu Shi (坦腹勢).









Heng Chong Shi (橫沖勢) and Einhorn (Unicorn) guard

Heng Chong Shi is a "strike" category stance. It transitions into Liao Lue Shi (撩掠勢).









Zuo Yi Shi (左翼勢, lit. 'Left wing stance') and Posta di Donna (The Stance of the Woman)







Kua Zuo Shi (跨左勢, lit. 'Left stride stance') and left Mittelhut (Middle guard)

A stance in the "strike" category. It transitions into Shuang Jian Shi (雙剪勢, lit. 'Double scissors stance'), a stance that is not seen elsewhere.







Kua You Shi (跨右式, lit. 'Right stride stance') and right Mittelhut (Middle guard)

Basically a mirrored Kua Zuo Shi, this is also a "strike" category stance. It presumably transitions into Heng Chong Shi (橫沖勢).







Comparison between Korean Yedo version of the same stance and Meyer's Wechsel guard.

Stances that resemble European stances but different on some key aspects

Bao Tou Shi (豹頭勢, lit. 'Leopard head stance') and Vom Tag (Roof) guard

Comparison between Ju Ding Shi and St. George's Guard in military sabre fencing.

Stances with no equivalent in European swordsmanship

Tan Fu Shi (坦腹勢, lit. 'Bare abdomen stance')

Comparison between Tan Fu Shi and the sixth ward from MS I.33.

Difficulties in reconstruction

Reference

Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》) by Mao Yuan Yi (茅元儀)

Muyedobotongji (《 무예도보통지》 or 《武藝圖譜通志》) by Yi Duk Moo (이덕무 or 李德懋) and Park Je Ga (박제가 or 朴齊家)

무예도보통지》 or 《武藝圖譜通志》) by Yi Duk Moo (이덕무 or 李德懋) and Park Je Ga (박제가 or 朴齊家) Walpurgis Fechtbuch/Tower Fechtbuch (MS I.33)

Codex Danzig (Cod.44.A.8) by Pseudo-Danzig

Talhoffer Fechtbuch (Cod.icon. 394a) by Hans Talhoffer

Solothurner Fechtbuch (Cod.S.554) by Paulus Kal

Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens by Joachim Meÿer

Opus Amplissimum de Arte Athletica (MSS Dresd.C.93/C.94) by Paulus Hector Mair

Flos Duellatorum (Pisani Dossi MS) by Fiore de'i Liberi

Fior di Battaglia (MS Ludwig XV 13) by Fiore de'i Liberi

Encyclopaedia Londinensis by John Wilkes et al.

Recorded in seventeenth century military treatise Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》),(朝鮮勢法, lit. 'Joseon stance techniques') is the only surviving Ming period martial arts that teaches two-handedtechniques. Mao Yuan Yi (茅元儀), the author of Wu Bei Zhi, claimed that he acquired the manual from Korea, but later contradicted himself by stating that he acquired the manual "across the sea*".China and Korea are connected by land.Although Chao Xian Shi Fa was named after Korea, there's a high probability that it had a Chinese origin, based on the following evidences:The stances of Chao Xian Shi Fa can be categorised into(擊, strike),(刺, thrust),(格, guard) and(洗, wash) techniques. However, not all stances are categorised, some stances are recorded but not explained, and some stances are mentioned in the explanation of other stances but found nowhere else.There is a total of twenty-four illustrated stances in Chao Xian Shi Fa, most of which I found equivalent stances in European swordsmanship. However, this does not necessary mean that Chinese swordsmanship is compatible or even comparable with European swordsmanship, as Chineselacks the large crossguard found on European longsword which is integral to many binds, strikes and parries in longsword fencing.Note that the while I use "stance" as the translation for Chinese term(勢), it is not a perfect translation. In martial arts term, Chineseis different from the concept of "Guard" in European swordsmanship or "Kamae (構え)" in Japanese swordsmanship. A more literal (but still inaccurate in this context) translation forwould be "momentum" or "form".(Special thanks tofor pointing out my error on(勢). Although I can't read Japanese, several books quoted in his article are written in Chinese. Checking out those books is enough to make me realise my error.)You Jia Shi is a "thrust" category stance that transitions into Ju Ding Shi (舉鼎勢), roughly Ochs or Einhorn-equivalent. Unlike Pflug guard, the swordsman in You Jia Shi does not (seem to) point at his enemy with his weapon.A mirrored stance of You Jia Shi that is also in the "thrust" category, but transitions into Yao Ji Shi (腰擊勢).Feng Tou Shi is a "wash" category stance. It transitions into Jie Ji Shi (揭擊勢).Zhan Chi Shi is a "strike" category stance. It transitions into Ju Ding Shi (舉鼎勢).Zuo Yi Shi is a "strike" category stance. It transitions into Ni Lin Shi (逆鱗勢).You Yi Shi is a "strike" category stance that transitions into Yao Ji Shi (腰擊勢). Out of all stances in Chao Xian Shi Fa, I think this one matches its European counterpart most closely.Ni Lin Shi is a "thrust" category stance that aims at enemy's throat. It transitions back to Zuo Yi Ji (左翼勢).Liao Lue Shi is a "guard" category stance. It transitions into Zuan Ji Shi (鑽擊勢), a Vom Tag-equivalent.Yin Mang Shi is a versatile "guard" category stance. It does not transition into any other stances.Another stance that is similar to Alber (Fool's) guard. However, this is a "thrust" category stance that transitions into Yu Che Shi (御車勢).Although called "Guard stance", this stance belongs to the "strike" category. It transitions into Yao Ji Shi (腰擊勢).Yao Ji Shi is a "strike" category stance that resemble a lowered mittelhut. It transitions into Ni Lin Shi (逆鱗勢).Johnathan in the comment section points out to me that this stance resemble a (left) Nebenhut (Near guard) or Wechsel (Changing) guard.Zuan Ji Shi is a "strike" category stance. It transitions into Yao Ji Shi (腰擊勢).A stance in "strike" category, Bao Tou Shi resemble a twisted Vom Tag or possibly Zornhut. It is a ready position to deliver a very powerful downward slash that quickly transition into an upward thrust (i.e. It somewhat resemble Zornhau-Ort).Ju Ding Shi is a "guard" category stance that resemble an awkward and twisted Einhorn guard. It does not transition into any other stances.Johnathan in the comment section points out to me that this stance also resemble a variant of Kron (Crown) guard or St. George's guard. Special thanks to Martin Greywolf in the comment section for the image of St. George's guard.Zhan Qi Shi is a "strike" category stance that resemble the so-called "lazy" Vom Tag. However, the illustration depicts the swordsmen with his right foot (instead of left foot) forward. It transitions into Dian Jian Shi (點劍勢).Lian Chi Shi is a "strike" category stance that resemble the Nebenhut. However, the illustration again depicts the swordsman with his right foot (instead of left foot) forward. This stance transitions into Yao Ji Shi (腰擊勢).Tan Fu Shi is a "thrust" category stance. Although I have not found an equivalent stance in European swordsmanship, it does resemble one of the "Nachraisen" illustration (which isn't a stance) in Paulus Hector Mair's manual. Tan Fu Shi transitions into Yao Ji Shi (腰擊勢).Martin Greywolf in the comment section points out to me that this stance resemble the sixth ward from Tower Fechtbuch (MS I.33).Yu Che Shi is a "guard" category stance that transitions into Feng Tou Shi (鳳頭勢).Jie Ji Shi is a "strike" category stance. The picture seems to depict the swordsman just after he completed a rising cut using the false edge.In my opinion, it is very difficult to reconstruct a working system of Chao Xian Shi Fa without involving a lot of guesstimate. The manual only provides the illustrations of all the stances, rudimentary (and often abstract) explanation on which stance is good for what, and one unexplained "transition move" for each of the stances that allows it to transition into another stance. The manual does not teach anything about the concept of distance, timing, balance or even "when enemy perform X, do Y". Besides, extensive prior knowledge in Chinese martial arts is required to even begin to understand some of the more obscure technical terms (i.e. What does "Wash" even mean). On the plus side, since the manual only provides the stances without explaining what one can do with it, one can (presumably) perform all the strikes and parries from any of the stances that feels the most natural or logical.As a side note, a drastically altered (to the point it should be considered a different system altogether) interpretation of Chao Xian Shi Fa was published in 1931, with its name changed to(君子劍, lit. 'Gentleman's sword'). Korean also preserved this system, calling it(조선세법 or 朝鮮勢法, which is the Korean pronunciation of Chao Xian Shi Fa) or(예도 or 銳刀, sharp sabre), but use sabre instead of sword. Korean(본국검 or 本國劍, lit. 'National sword') also features many techniques that have similar names to the "transition moves" of Chao Xian Shi Fa.Captions seem to mess up my formating, so I am forced to set up a separate reference section. Images of this blog post are taken from: