This extremely heavy sword could be used to give one mighty swing to kill your opponent.

The dadao is about the same length as a katana, but the dadao has a much wider blade that is arched back towards the wielder. While many Japanese swordsmen had katanas by their side, the Chinese government had the Dadao. The large country was outmaneuvered by the fearsome island nation. The most common Chinese ringed sword is the Dadao.ĭuring World War II, the Chinese Army was struggling to hold back the Japanese forces who were hitting the Chinese army harder than a tsunami. This wasn’t the use for the rings on every ringed sword, but those who had swords with larger rings used this tactic to their advantage. The second protective function that the rings served was to help trap long, thin swords, such as a katana. If the sword still got stuck despite the rings, the swordsman could still pull the sword out by the rings for an easier grip. Therefore, the swordsmiths put the rings on the back of the sword to keep the sword from getting stuck too deeply in someone. The Chinese swordsmiths knew that if a swordsman wedged their sword too deep into their enemy, the sword would get stuck and the swordsman would be vulnerable as they tried to yank the sword out. The rings also serve as a way to keep the user protected in two ways. They would accompany the sword shaking with yelling to spook any weaklings. Some dadao wielders would shake their swords in the air, creating a loud clanging sound. The rings on a dadao are also meant to help the wielder intimidate any enemies. The rings of the sword help manipulate the center of gravity, thus allowing for more control. The heavier the weapon, the harder it will cut. If a soldier were to swing two swords at the same speed with different weights, the heavier weapon would do more damage. The first purpose of the rings of a dadao is to serve as a counterweight, in order to increase inertia. The needs and etiquette of the time also played a heavy role in their involvement. Their key functions are balance, intimidation, and protection.

The rings on a Chinese sword such as the dadao serve many practical purposes. The Dadao’s ring serves an extremely important purpose. The way that each swordsmith crafts a sword is based on the teaching of their past and the needs of the times when the swords were made. Swords are just as much a piece of cultural art as they are weapons.

Dynasty warriors 8 weapons ring blade