Katana vs Jian vs Tang Dao: What's the Difference?
They are all classic Asian swords, but a katana, a jian and a Tang dao are very different blades with different histories. Here is how to tell them apart, and which might suit your collection.
The katana: Japan's curved sword
The katana is a curved, single-edged Japanese sword with a long two-handed grip, worn edge-up through the belt. It developed from the earlier, more deeply curved tachi and became the signature weapon of the samurai from around the 15th century. A typical katana blade is around 60–75 cm long.
What makes a katana special is its construction: many are differentially hardened with clay, giving a hard edge, a tougher spine and the visible hamon line. The curve helps it cut in a smooth drawing motion. Shorter Japanese companions include the wakizashi and the tanto. Browse our katana collection.
The jian: China's "gentleman of weapons"
The jian (剑) is a straight, double-edged Chinese sword, usually used with one hand. It has a history of well over two thousand years, from the bronze swords of the Spring and Autumn period (like the famous Sword of Goujian) to the steel jian of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The jian is known as the "gentleman of weapons" (百兵之君). It is light and agile, used with precise thrusts and cuts, and it is closely linked with scholars, Taoist practice and Tai Chi. Longquan is especially famous for its jian. See our Chinese jian.
The Tang dao: the straight sabre of the Tang dynasty
The Tang dao (唐刀) is a straight, single-edged sword from China's Tang dynasty (618–907), often with a ring pommel or a long grip that can be held with both hands. The Tang dao influenced early Japanese straight swords such as the chokuto, so in a sense it is an ancestor of the katana.
Tang dao combine the cutting power of a single-edged blade with a straight, thrust-friendly line. Modern Longquan workshops make them in T10, spring steel and folded pattern steel, often with copper or carved fittings. See our Tang dao collection.
Side by side
- Katana: curved · single edge · two-handed grip · Japan
- Jian: straight · double edge · mostly one-handed · China
- Tang dao: straight · single edge · one or two hands · China, Tang dynasty
Which one is right for you?
If you love samurai history, anime or a classic display piece, a katana is the obvious choice. If you practise Tai Chi or prefer elegant, light handling, look at a jian. And if you want something less common with a lot of history and presence on the wall, a Tang dao is hard to beat.
Whichever you choose, check the steel and specifications on each listing (our sword steel guide explains them) and look after the blade with our Sword Care Guide.
