It was used as an anti-cavalry weapon, dating from Emperor Cheng of Han, made to slice through a horse's legs.

[3] The earliest variant of the zhanmadao is called zhanmajian (Chinese: 斬馬劍; pinyin: zhǎnmǎjiàn), literally "horse beheading jian".

The zhanmajian existed during the Han dynasty, so called because it was supposedly able to cut off a horse's head.

[4] The difference between the two is that zhanmajian is double-edged whereas the zhanmadao is single-edged, which persists with the meaning of jian and dao.

[5] Surviving examples include a sword that might resemble a nagamaki in construction; it had a wrapped handle 37 cm (15 in) long making it easy to grip with two hands with a blade that was 114 cm (45 in) long and straight, with a slight curve in the last half.