This is the Ip Chun's Bart Cham Doh set which is very close to the set I teach. The only differences are minor variations in emphasis in the knife techniques and in footwork. The music is "Sword Dance from General's Mandate". Ip Chun is 78 years old.
Bart eight, Cham slash/cut/chop, Dao broad sword/saber, Bart Cham Dao literally means Eight-Point Slashing Swords. It is a form involving a pair of large "Butterfly Knives", slightly smaller than short swords (Dao). This type of weapon originates from the southern part of China.
The Bart Cham Dao set is the extension of the arm and its main focus is the development of the practitioners wrist and forearm to increase flexibility, strength and power. Each of the sections teaches the student to deal with different types of weapons, coming in from different angles and also with multiple attacks. During the training, the practitioner is also taught Chi Dao Knife Sticking Drill that increases the ability to control the opponents weapons, find the opened gate, attack the opponents wrist, and finish him with vital strikes at throat, eyes, groin, under arms, knees, etc.
The Bart Cham Dao set was developed in the early days by the Shaolin monks for training and defense. The length of each blade is from the elbow to wrist and sometimes to the mid palm.
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The Manchurian Government officials patrolled in the streets and bullied the people, and monks were not excluded. The butterfly sword was considered a small weapon in contrast to its counterparts. This was intentional as the monks wished to conceal the sword beneath their robes without being spotted by the government officials while traveling around the public. The first 3 inches (the curved part) of the blade were sharpened. The remainder of the blade, top and bottom, was solid and dull for parrying and non-lethal striking purposes. The handle of the sword sported a guard in the shape of a hook with an open end. The monks used this guard to trap an opponents weapon and quickly disarm him. The monks created the dull blade on the butterfly sword not only because it was a weapon of self-defense, but also because the dull blade added thickness for extra support to the structure of the sword. The sharpened blade on the butterfly sword was useful for chopping but because of the thin edge of the sword, the blade could easily be damaged or broken when defending against a longer, heavier weapon in combat. For this reason, the Shaolin monks preferred the sturdier blade. Today's Wing Chun sword techniques still emphasize parrying, obstructing, or intercepting an opponent's weapon. These remain highly consistent with the original design and intent of the blade itself. However, in more progressive settings and with forward thinkers, it is thought of as a much more aggressive weapon.