Why do you have to stretch out your index finger and middle finger with your left hand when using a sword?

In fact, this is a relic of the evolution of ancient fencing in China. China was divided into two-handed sword and one-handed sword in ancient times. For example, Qin Shihuang's sabre is too long, and it is difficult to draw it out. It needs both hands, while a short one-handed sword needs a shield. Xiang Zhuang's sword dance, for example, is a sword dance with a shield and a sword. Fan Kuai, who rushed in to stop him, also used a combination of a shield and a sword. So Fan Kuai put the shield on the ground, carried it on his shoulder, drew his sword and cut it. Infantry in ancient battlefields held a sword in their right hand and a shield in their left hand, which was held on their chest. The sword holds the shield, and the tip of the sword faces forward. When attacking half of the body, the left foot only takes half a step at a time, so that the shield can protect most of the body, step by step, and the opponent is not given an opportunity.

Many later swordsmanship evolved from ancient battlefield swordsmanship. Why is there a hand in front of the starting move of fencing now? Why does the sword hold its head high and its tip forward? Why does the left foot take a virtual step? If you hold a shield in your left hand, you will find that it is almost the same as the attack posture of ancient infantry, except that folk martial arts mainly emphasize flexibility by fighting alone. It is normal for a hero to carry a sword with him, but it is impossible to carry a shield everywhere. Therefore, folk martial artists canceled the shield, and the two-handed sword disappeared because it was inconvenient to carry, but it did not disappear completely. After their moves are absorbed, they are still preserved in one-handed fencing. It's just that time has passed so long that we have forgotten their original meaning.

Therefore, the left hand extending forward in the fencing gesture is actually the residue of the shield. As for the posture of the sword tactic, I suspect it has something to do with the integration of Taoism. Not all fencing gestures are direct palm forward. It is estimated that the left hand stretched out after the shield is cancelled feels a bit strange, and it is particularly awkward not to pose. The Taoist priest simply pinched his finger and felt comfortable.