What is 'Gekiken Jintsuu Roku'?
Written about 1768, by Kashibuchi Arinori, this is an antique Japanese book on swordsmanship, as well as various training tools.
This includes body armour for freeplay, which predates the design that we see in modern Kendo, or even pre-WWII Kendo. In fact, the words "Gekiken" 撃劔 is the historical term for sword sparring.
Interestingly, although this is supposed to be a Japanese publication, but more than 75% of it was written in classical Chinese. Which means that perhaps a Chinese reader would be able to understand this manual better than a Japanese.
Japanese Sword Manual
But written in classical Chinese
More About This Manual
Training Methods
This ancient sword manual is 50% diagrams, and 75% written in classical Chinese. This page shows the swordsman holding a "fukuro-shinai" (leather-wrapped bamboo sword), practicing his skills by striking on a specially-constructed post.
"I want to fight 10 men!"
Depiction of a training scene. One man stands in the middle with a wooden Naginata (bladed polearm), ready to face 10 men.
Did Donnie Yen get his inspiration from this page?
Polearm Training
In ancient Chinese martial arts manuals, the Spear was always depicted as the aggressor or enemy, and any other weapon was described based on how to defeat the Spear.
In this manual, it is the same. This page shows how a Naginata-user can defeat the Spear.
I Wanna Get This Book!
Grab a reproduction copy of this ancient weapons martial arts manual!
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Black & White printing, 81 pages
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6" wide x 9" tall
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Perfect-bound Paperback
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Cheap shipping if you live in the US or in Western countries.
