3. WINTERTemplate
08027951 Tang Hiu
Tung
01 introduction
Fencing
• old French “defens”
• “ the way of defending”
• around1200BC
• in a craving in Egypt
• modern fencing/Olympic fencing
• started in early 19th century
4. 08027951 TANG HIU TUNG, SAMANTHA
08020507 HUNG MING CHIU, MITCHEL
Cultural and
Ideological
Comparison of
Kendo and Fencing
02
history and
development
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
The Heian Period
(794-1185)
> Downfall of the
aristocratic order
and the
emergence of
samurai class
The Kumakura,
Muromachi and
Azuchi-
Momoyama
Period (1185-
1603)
>Invasion from
the Mongols –
Swords versus
bows and
arrows.
The Warring –
States and
Tokugawa
Bakufu (1490-
1868)
> Founding of
kendo schools
> Bushido in
feudalism.
> Modern kendo
took forms.
Modern Period
(1868- )
> Kendo was
standardized
>Transformed
into a sport
5. PowerPoint chart object
02
history and
development
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
Kendo
• The Heian Period (平安時代) (794-1185)
Witnessed a shift of power from aristocrats to
warriors.
• The katana (太刀) was influenced by the Chinese
blade (唐刀)
6. PowerPoint chart object
02
history and
development
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
Kendo
• Mongols’ invasion in the 13th century of Japan
boosted the development of kendo and other
martial arts.
•Japan has had the world’s best sword
craftsmanship of the time, fighting against bows.
•Kendo changed from individual ritual duels to
military fights.
7. 08027951 TANG HIU TUNG, SAMANTHA
08020507 HUNG MING CHIU, MITCHEL
Cultural and
Ideological
Comparison of
Kendo and Fencing
02
history and
development
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
• Introduction of muskets by the Portuguese in the
16th century required flexible combat.
• Many famous schools of kendo was founded:
Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武藏) was the founder of
the two-sword kendo.
• Bamboo swords and protective gears was
introduced in the 17th century.
8. 08027951 TANG HIU TUNG, SAMANTHA
08020507 HUNG MING CHIU, MITCHEL
Cultural and
Ideological
Comparison of
Kendo and Fencing
02
history and
development
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
• During the modern period, kendo was standardized in
terms of points to be hit, costume, equipment.
• During the early Meiji Period, Westernization led to the
abandoning of Japanese sword in favor of Western
saber.
• Kendo was included into school curriculum since
1890s for the sake of promotion of Bushido militarism.
• Kids are nowadays encouraged by parents to learn
kendo for self-discipline.
• Police are required to practice kendo, as well as judo.
9. 02
history and
development
Fencing
08027951 Tang Hiu
Tung
Early period in Egypt,
Greece and Rome
Middle Ages
Renaissance
Modern(19th century)
•Invention of gun power amour s disappeared
•Development of weapon to a lighter and smaller one
•Italian and Spanish way spread through France
•13-14th forbid dueling and school of fencing
•15th : legal to run school of fencing
•16th Letters Patent given
• Demonstration in public and even in theatre
•French school: DuelingDefence
•Modification of rules
•German school: invention of cut fencing
•Codified rules
•Mentality changes
•Nobleswriters and middle class
•Fencer development stress: technique
•From art to sport: trinity of weapons
•Invention of the push button
10. Similarities
• Originated from other
countries.
• Belonged to privileged
class as a combating
skills.
• Transformed due to the
invention of gunpowder.
• Promoted at school in
modern time.
• Developed from skills to
art to sport
Differences
• Some forms of fencing is
originated from fighting
on horseback, while
kendo is basically a
ground combating skills.
• Fencing was spread over
Europe. Kendo was
played in Japan before
contemporary.
• Government sometimes
indirectly encouraged
development of fencing
while kendo was made
into the syllabus
02
history and
development
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
11. 08027951 TANG HIU TUNG, SAMANTHA
08020507 HUNG MING CHIU, MITCHEL
Cultural and
Ideological
Comparison of
Kendo and Fencing
03 Equipments
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
Weapons:
• Shinai (竹刀) for Keiko (稽古)
• Bokuken (木刀)for Kata (形)
Costume:
• Dogi (道著)
• Hakama (袴)
Protective gears:
• Men (面)
• Kote (小手)
• Do (胴)
• Tare (垂)
15. 08027951 TANG HIU TUNG, SAMANTHA
08020507 HUNG MING CHIU, MITCHEL
Cultural and
Ideological
Comparison of
Kendo and Fencing
04
Game rules and
regulations
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
• Modern kendo is standardized to hit men (面), kote (
小手), do (胴) and tsuki (突刺) at the throat only.
• Ki-ai (氣合) and zanshin (殘心) are the specials of
kendo an other forms of Japanese martial arts.
• Kendo is allowed of semi-body contact, action called
tsuba-seriai.
• Individual or team matches.
• Played on a square wooden floor ranging 9-11m
square.
• Nito-kendo is an alternative.
• Kata practice remind kendo stems from combating
techniques.
16. 08027951 TANG HIU TUNG, SAMANTHA
08020507 HUNG MING CHIU, MITCHEL
Cultural and
Ideological
Comparison of
Kendo and Fencing
04
Game rules and
regulations
• Different scoring area for different type of fencing:
• Different scoring system: right of way
• Different method of attack:
– Foil and epee: thrusting
– Sabre: thrusting and cutting
• Individual or team matches.
• Played on on a rectangular strip of floor that is 5.9 to
6.6 ft (1.79 to 2.01 m) wide and 46 ft (14.02 m) long
08027951 Tang Hiu
Tung
17. 05
Ideology and
philosophy
08020507 Hung Ming
Chiu
• Kendo has philosophical foundation of Zen Buddhism (禪宗).
• At the time of Tokugawa Shogunate, Confucianism was
extracted to shape Bushido (武士道).
• During Meiji Period, thinker and statesman Nitobe Inazo (新
渡戶稻造) wrote a book on Bushido in English.
18. 05
Ideology and
philosophy
• Chivalry and Nobility during Middle ages
• “the art of hitting without being hit”
• Link with courage
• Olympic sports: sportsmanship
• Search for classical fencing
– Treat fencing as dueling
– Reject electronic scoring
– Following rules of 19th or pre 19th century
08027951 Tang Hiu
Tung
19. Final conclusion
• Both Kendo and fencing sports
• Kendo: striking for being an event in
Olympics game
• Fencing: some seek its pre-Olympics
model to treat it as art for a lack of
philosophy in modern fencing
Youtube Video: Kendo vs. Fencing
