In the Yuan Dynasty, during the conquest of China, Genghis Khan, the ruler of Mongolia, and his successors combined their archery skills with Mongolian traditional riding and shooting, creating a unique archery art.
Broadsword archery originated from Mongolian grassland, which is a lifestyle and cultural tradition formed by Mongolian people in their long-term nomadic life. On the grassland, riders need excellent shooting skills to protect themselves and their families in the battle. Therefore, Mongols began to learn archery at a very young age and developed it into a superb art.
With the expansion of the Mongolian empire, broadsword archery gradually spread to the Central Plains. After the founding of the Yuan Dynasty, broadsword archery became an officially recognized form of martial arts performance, which was widely circulated in the court and among the people. At that time, emperors and nobles enjoyed watching this performance very much, thinking that it could not only show the brave spirit of samurai, but also embody the essence of Chinese culture.
Broadsword archers usually wear gorgeous costumes, gold or silver crowns and hold huge knives. Before the performance, they will salute the audience to show their enthusiasm and respect for the performance. Then, they will go to the center of the venue and stand facing the audience. Next, the performer will hold the handle in his right hand, the back of the knife in his left hand, hold the knife high and make a heroic roar.
With the roar, the performer began to spin his body and knife quickly. In this process, they will make various fancy movements, such as one-handed handstand, two-handed handstand, cross rotation and so on. These movements need a high sense of coordination and balance, while maintaining sufficient strength and speed to accurately aim at the target during the rotation.
When the performers finish a series of fancy moves, they will suddenly stop and wave the knife down. This swing is so powerful that you can easily cut off a thick branch. Then, the performer will quickly put away the knife and bow to the audience.
In a word, broadsword archery is a very unique and wonderful archery art, which not only shows the brave spirit and cultural tradition of Mongolian people, but also integrates the essence of Chinese culture and becomes an art form with strong national characteristics. Although it is no longer popular among the people, it is still a part of China's heritage, which is worth cherishing and inheriting.