As I said we chat to many others too. You may want to avoid the veild, or not so veiled in this case, personal attacks as it makes you look foolish. How about getting back to the discussion? What are your thoughts in traditional ryu-ha and how they related to actual "live" combat?
These are all entirely applicable to modern sport fencing as well. Considering that modern foil fencing is diametrically opposite to kenjutsu or medieval HEMA stuff, I think that speaks volumes as to the universal applicability of these rules. Like you said, you can deviate from them for certain specific reasons (say, body-feinting, which is popular in modern fencing, or the fleche, which is by definition unbalanced), but those better be conscious exceptions to the rules, or else you're just going to be unbalanced and slow on the piste. I'd mention relaxation as a critical, universally-applicable component too. Ding ding ding! We have a winner.
I ma in the fortunate position that there are lots of folks here that can correct me if I am wrong, but... Weren't at least some large battles in Japan preceded by a period of individual duels? I can remember reading a few accounts where warrior from clan x would ride out to the front and challenge someone from the other side specifically. Once again this is from memory, but they would basically shoot at one another with bows and then close. Could this be an exception to the 'swords were mostly a side arm' rule, and I have a sneaking suspicion that mounted swordsmanship probably has even more 'universality' than that on foot because of the limitations on movement. paul
Could be we need to draw a line between how swords were regarded versus how they were used. Perhaps some cultures regarded the sword more as an icon while others viewed it as just another tool. If thats the case, general regard would be variable and not universal in its expression. OTOH, use of the sword might be more universal in behavior and a bit easier to track. FWIW. Best Wishes, Bruce
Just to point it out Bruce. We are talking about a big timespan here. One era with the sword as a tool and one era with the sword as a art piece/iconic. And also considering the sword being a personal weapon that the warrior can bear with him it kinda gets a bit personal and probably iconic. And in the same era you have swords for art and swords for tool all depending on it's purpose. Conclusion: a culture could be viewing the sword both as a tool and as a icon, all depending.
