百般無聊的午後

苗刀的命名是因造形：「刀如禾苗、故名苗刀」，而華語使用者，多半普遍錯誤地以為，這是來自於苗族的刀械。

“Miao-Dao”(will be called MD for convenience)was named for its shape: it looks like rice leaves(Miao) therefore the name(Dao means Saber). “Miao” also means a rare race in South-Western Mainland China,some Chinese users might make mistake easily that MD came from them.

苗刀的大量使用與套路，相傳源自於抗倭名將戚繼光將軍(1528-1588)，因與來自東南沿海的海盜作戰(其實未必都是日本浪人，有的也是台灣或中國來的，如日後的鄭芝龍)，在實際短兵相接之時，曾感慨中土制式兵器「長兵不捷，短兵不接，身多兩斷」，也就是兵器材質不佳，長槍不夠靈活，刀劍又失優勢。

從附帶的圖片，各位可以看到，日本武士刀是非常講究的，劍身不只是一塊鐵片。最講究的武士刀，裡面其實夾了七層三種不同的鋼材，所以能兼顧劈砍、格架兩種不同的功能。比較起來，一般市售的中西各種刀劍，根本就不是武士刀的對手。

MD & its martial art form were created from Genreal Qi, Ji-Guang(Qi pronouces as Chi, 1528-1588). He was assigned to eliminate the pirates(mostly were Japanese Ronin, some from Taiwan or China itself) from East China Sea. He found the standard military weapons like long spears, swords & sabers were not useful, either too long/short, or the materials too fragile to combat Japanese Katana.

From the attached picture, you can see Katana is not only a piece of steel. The best Katana contains 7 layers and 3 different steels inside, this design offers both chopping and striking functions for battles. Comparing to a good Katana, the ordinary Chinese and western swords/sabers are really toys.

在同時、戚將軍也得到日本「陰流劍法」(陰流劍法是新陰流劍法的前身，後來又變成輔佐德川家康的柳生一族之家傳劍法)的劍譜，並且考慮訓練士兵的時間短促，以及中國當時鑄造刀劍不如人的多重考量下，於是創出苗刀的造型，以及原始的苗刀刀法。

即使是同時活躍於當代的一代劍聖、宮本武藏，亦不敢輕犯柳生家族，可見其劍法犀利，可說是等同於我們少林、武當的大派。

Meanwhile, Genral Qi occasionally got the secret Japanese Kendo scroll “Kage-Ryu’s Sword”(Sword System of the Shadow),which was developed into a famous and major Kendo system in Japan: Yagyu’s ShinKage-Ryu(Yagyu’s New Sword System of Shadow). Even the famous Japanese Master Miyamoto Musashi, aka “The Saint of the Sword”, dare not to challenge Yagyu’s family.

General Qi analyzed the secret scroll & considered the weakness of their poor materials, also you don’t have long time to train a troop to combat. Finally developed the shape of MD, also the prototype form.

苗刀的刀柄、刀身，都比一般的日本武士刀還要長，材質沉重而硬。目的是利用長度形成力矩的優勢，以及使用厚重耐砍的材質，再加上苗刀的套路技巧，以彌補短期訓練出來的士兵，能對抗對手在武藝上、兵器上的優勢。

如果有另外值得一提的話，苗刀與日式武士刀還有個小小的不同，就是明朝制式刀具、也包括苗刀，刀身上會有放血槽、如同現代軍隊槍械的刺刀，在直刺敵人之後，可以迅速讓敵人的血液流失，以造成更大的身體傷害。

In order to compete the higher hands of Japanese Ronin’s higher Kung-Fu & higher quality katana, there were 3 things specially designed by General Qi for those short-period training troops: Heavier& Thickers MD body to endure chopping, Longer handle & body to create leverage advantage, & the unique methods in MD’s form.

Additionally, there is a little difference of Japanese Katana & Chinese Miao-Dao: The standard one-bladed weapons(including saber & MD) design in Ming Dynasty has the blood-letting ditch on the body as modern bayonets. This is for losing enemies' blood immediately and causing severe damage.

所以我們現代學習苗刀的人，在練習攻防招式與應對時，一定要假設「你的兵器材質比對手的破爛很多」，絕對不能硬砍硬架，免得被對方的兵器秒殺劈斷；這也是苗刀的套路，當初被設計出來的原始精神。

但也正因為如此，你在身邊隨便抓個條狀物，如掃把、雨傘、柺杖、塑膠水管…等，都能發揮出苗刀的功效。

When you practice the form & skills of MD, you have to assume “your weapon sucks, much worse than your enemy’s”. That’s why the hard chopping & resist are not shown in MD’s form, otherwise they can chop off your weapon and you easily.

However, thanks to the original idea, we can apply the form of MD on any stripped-shape object: such as broom, umbrella,cane, plastic pipe…etc. Because MD’s spirit was designed to compete a much stronger weapon.

文章最後，介紹一個日本動畫「異邦人、無皇刃譚」，這個2007年的日本動畫，虛擬的故事設定在16世紀，日本的戰國時代、中土的大明朝。紅衣紅斗篷的是大明國錦衣衛(紅色是明朝的國色)，影片裡面金髮的男子，則是大明國派去日本執行秘密任務的首領羅狼，他使用的兵器就是苗刀。…當然在人家的故事裡面，被幹掉是應該的了，武林同好不要太記較。

At the end of this article, I'd like to introduce you a Japanese Animation called "Sword from the stranger". This fiction story happened in 16th century during Chinese Ming Dynasty and Japanese Civil War time. The red dress and golden hair guy is the head of Chinese secret agents, who carried the Miao-Dao and tried to complete a secret assassin in Japan.