The zhanmadao (Chinese: 斬馬刀; pinyin: zhǎnmǎdāo; Jyutping: zaam2 maa5 dou1; lit. 'horse chopping 'sabre'/'dao'/'single-edged blade') was a single-bladed anti-cavalry Chinese sword. It originated during the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) and was especially common in Song China (960–1279).
General characteristics
The zhanmadao is a single-edged sabre with a long broad blade, and a long handle suitable for two-handed use. It was used as an anti-cavalry weapon, dating from Emperor Cheng of Han, made to slice through a horse's legs.[1] This is mentioned in the Wujing Zongyao, a Song military manual from 1072.[2] It featured prominently against the Jin armies in campaigns between 1129 and 1141.[3]
The earliest variant of the zhanmadao is called zhanmajian (Chinese: 斬馬劍; pinyin: zhǎnmǎjiàn), literally "horse beheading jian". The zhanmajian existed during the Han dynasty, so called because it was supposedly able to cut off a horse's head.[4] The difference between the two is that zhanmajian is double-edged whereas the zhanmadao is single-edged, which persists with the meaning of jian and dao. Another suggestion is that the zhanmajian was an execution tool used on special occasions rather than a military weapon.[5]
Surviving examples include a sword that might resemble a nagamaki in construction; it had a wrapped handle 37 cm (15 in) long making it easy to grip with two hands with a blade that was 114 cm (45 in) long and straight, with a slight curve in the last half.[6]
