Jian Shu is a Chinese swords competition even though some centuries ago it used to be an actual warfare means to defend an empire or a kingdom. These days, Jian Shu is a fencing competition featuring various techniques used to defeat an opponent, techniques that have been developed during several centuries. Swordsmen can play individually or as part of a team.

The teams are however allowed to host local or regional competitions or tournaments. When playing in teams, the team is rated as a single entity and it will be competing against another team. The rating of the team rises as it wins tournaments.