近代苗刀的傳播始於民國初年,通臂門人在南京國術館的傳播.當時編排教程的教務長是劈掛通臂門的馬英圖,八極拳、劈掛掌、苗刀等都是那個時期學員必須學習的內容.當然那些教授軍隊的功夫都是經過編纂以適應軍隊的訓練.但這些課程亦由那時開始普及全國.馬英圖有位滄州同鄉叫劉玉春練的是合一通臂,他是苗刀的高手,近代的苗刀的傳承大多可追溯至他和通臂門,而劉的師傅是任向榮也是通臂門的。他的苗刀是從滄州吴橋縣的謝家學來的。任以通臂門的廿四式通臂與謝家換藝而學得苗刀.原本謝家苗刀在清末一直是家傳而少有外傳.因此,可以說由任向榮始,到劉玉春、馬英圖及後郭長生等通臂門人由那時開始,苗刀向外傳播以至經過南京國術館普及中國其他門派.今日也百花齊放,各門派也制定了很多新的套路.至於我的傳承是我師傅在廿多年前由我師爺帶領下去謝家親自學回來教我們的。可以說是保留了其中一個最原始和珍貴的版本.作為通臂門傳人,我是十分慶幸的。
The spread of modern Miaodao (苗刀) began in the early years of the Republic of China, through practitioners of the Tongbei school (通臂門) at the Nanjing Central Guoshu Institute (南京國術館). At that time, Ma Yingtu (馬英圖), a master of Pigua Tongbei (劈掛通臂), served as Dean of Academic Affairs and organized the curriculum. Bajiquan (八極拳), Pigua Zhang (劈掛掌), and Miaodao were required subjects for students. The martial arts taught to the military were adapted and systematized for military training, but these courses also began to spread nationwide from that time.
Ma Yingtu had a fellow townsman from Cangzhou named Liu Yuchun (劉玉春), who practiced Heyi Tongbei (合一通臂) and was an expert in Miaodao. Most modern Miaodao lineages can be traced back to him and the Tongbei school. Liu’s teacher was Ren Xiangrong (任向榮), also a member of the Tongbei school. Ren learned Miaodao from the Xie family (謝家) in Wuqiao County (吳橋縣), Cangzhou. He obtained it by exchanging techniques: he shared the 24-form Tongbei (廿四式通臂) of the Tongbei school with the Xie family and learned Miaodao in return.
The Xie family’s Miaodao had long been a family art, rarely taught to outsiders, especially in the late Qing dynasty. Thus, it can be said that broader dissemination began with Ren Xiangrong, followed by Liu Yuchun, Ma Yingtu, and later practitioners such as Guo Changsheng (郭長生), all members of the Tongbei school. Through the Nanjing Central Guoshu Institute, Miaodao was further popularized across China and spread to other schools. Today it flourishes, with many schools creating numerous new forms and routines. As for my lineage, my teacher personally learned Miaodao from the Xie family more than twenty years ago under my grandmaster’s guidance, and then taught us. It preserves one of the most original and valuable versions. As a descendant of the Tongbei school, I feel extremely fortunate.
