Editing Chinese sword (section)

==Tang dynasty (618–907)==
[[File: SZ 福田 Futian 深圳博物館 Shenzhen Museum 唐朝 The Brilliant and Great Tang Dynasty January 2019 SSG 06 metal tool.jpg|thumb|Tang dao with ring pommel, length: 71cm, [[Tang dynasty]]]]
The dao was separated into four categories during the [[Tang dynasty]]. These were the Ceremonial Dao 儀刀, Defense Dao 障刀, Cross Dao 橫刀, and Divided Dao 陌刀. The Ceremonial Dao was a court item usually decorated with gold and silver. It was also known as the "Imperial Sword". The Defense Dao does not have any specifications but its name is self-explanatory.{{Explain|reason=Name is not in fact self-explanatory.|date=May 2024}} The Cross Dao was a waist weapon worn on the belt, hence its older name, the Belt Dao. It was often carried as a sidearm by crossbowmen.{{sfn|Graff|2016|p=64}} The Divided Dao, also called a Long Dao (long saber), was a cross between a polearm and a saber. It consisted of a {{convert|91|cm|abbr=on}} blade fixed to a long {{convert|120|cm|abbr=on}} handle ending in an iron butt point, although exceptionally large weapons reaching {{convert|3|m|abbr=on}} in length and weighing {{convert|10.2|kg|abbr=on}} have been mentioned.<ref>{{citation |url=http://greatmingmilitary.blogspot.com/2015/04/zhan-ma-dao.html|title=Zhan Ma Dao (斬馬刀)|date=7 April 2015 |access-date=15 April 2018}}</ref> Divided daos were wielded by elite Tang vanguard forces and used to spearhead attacks.{{sfn|Lorge|2011|p=103}}

{{quotation|In one army, there are 12,500 officers and men. Ten thousand men in eight sections bearing Belt Daos; Two thousand five hundred men in two sections with Divided Daos.{{sfn|Lorge|2011|p=103}}|''Taibai Yinjing''}}