Thursday, June 08, 2006
Chinese Weapons
The Weapons and Fighting Gear of Ancient China
The Weapons and Fighting Gear of Ancient China
Chinese weapons can be considered to be the origin or mother of all asian oriental weapons. The ancient monks of Shaolin learned to use anything as a useful weapon. The most popular chinese weapon was the staff, considered to be the king of all weapons.
The most popular Shaolin Kung Fu 'tool' wass the staff. A long stick that had a variety of uses and purposes. It is a multi-purpose implement that can be used for many things other than self defense. A staff is used as a walking stick, to carry loads on your back, carry and transport two water buckets, as a lever, tent pole, writing implement (in the sand) and many more. This is also the weapon that almost all Chinese martial arts consider to be "The Father of all Weapons". It is also highly effective and recommended for all martial artists to learn.
There were of course many staff types as there are different woods, people and ways of using. But in general most staffed weapons can be but into 5 specific sizes(general lengths - all Shaolin weapon dimensions were measured in 'natural' measurements relating to the user);
Dragon Staff (app 1� person lengths or 8 to 9 foot)
Shaolin Staff (app 1 person length or 5� to 6� foot[also Rat Tail Staff, very flexible, Bai La Wood])
Carry Staff (app � person length)
Cudgel or Walking Stick (app half person length and very stout)
Flute, Ruler (app fore arm to fore arm and hand length)
Virtually any item that comes to hand can be used as an item of defence.
Clubbing or blunt weapons were popular among the Shaolin Monk Kung Fu practitioner for several reaons. Because of their spiritual beliefs they didn't believe in hurting or killing. Although a blunt weapon could hurt, it was difficult to kill someone with a staff or stick. What you would most likely do is subdue the attacker and hurt them. Many of them originated as farm tools and then became more refined and specialized with time.
Flexible weapons were the most difficult to master and the least understood. Few students ever mastered or took the time and discipline necessary to learn a flexible shaolin kung fu weapon. When we think about flexible weapons, we think of the 9 ring chain whip, the three sectional staff and many other. These weapons were the complete opposite to the sword and staff. They required a great deal of talent and training to master.
Some weapons of the China was designed to be used from a distance. Distance is preferable as a good defense and for secret attacks. Shaolin monks are normally not in the business of secretly attacking people, so these were rarely used and in very extreme circumstances. These weapons were common amonst vagabonds, assasins and ninjas. They were considered to be weapons of unfavorable reputation.
Shaolin Kung Fu and Chinese Martial Arts has 4 basic weapons: The staff, the broadsword, the spear, and the straight sword. These are the 4 basic weapons of Kung Fu and Chinese Martial arts and one that all serious martial artists should master.
The Staff - The Father of All Weapons
The Broad Sword - The Marshall of All Weapons
The Spear - The King of All Weapons
The Straight Sword - The Gentleman of all Weapons
The origin of all weapons are as follows: The knife, the stick, the spear, the rope, and the hammer. From here all the weapons of the martial arts have grew and flourished. From these basic tools, we can find every martial art weapon of the tree.
Knife
Stick
Spear
Rope
Hammer
| Non Standard Weapons | Pounding or Bludgeoning Weapons | Sharp Edged Weapons | Flexible Weapons | Throwing Weapons |
| Sash Bench Chopsticks Iron Comb Flute Iron Ring Iron Ruler Iron Smoking Pipe Iron Toad Mandarin Duck Spade Monk Cudgel Monk Spade Whip Chain Rake Ring Wheel Scholar's Brush Pen Sickle Tiger Fork Four Section Sickle Steel Fan Hoe Dragon Whisker Fork Ox Horn Fork Two Point Fork Two Teeth Fork Flail Rope | Crutch or Cane Dragon Head Stick Eight Corner Hammer Golden Melon Hammers Buddha Hand Cymbals Hammer Hook Lashing Staff Mace Mother and Son Hammer Shield Three Section Staff Flail Two Section Staff Water Parting Shield Wolf Teeth Club Wolf Teeth Hammer | Arhat Coin Axe , Dagger Axe, Long Stick Axe Brush Attacker Brush, Wolf Claw, Long Handed Claw, Talon Comb, Palace Heaven Crescent Rake Daggers, Twin Fist, Brass Fork Short Fork, Flying Fork, Horse Fork, Scholar Fork, Steel Fork, Wolf Teeth Spiked Halberd , Horse Halberd , Large Horse Halberd, Single Ended Halberd, Twin Ended Halberd Hand, Buddha Heaven Lotus Phoenix Tail Heaven Lotus Wind Tail Tan Hoe Hook, Fire Hook, Nine Teeth Knives , Butterfly Knives , Deer Antler Knives, Double Deer Antler Kris (Sword Breaker) L Shaped Halberd Lance, Long Lance Pincers, Long Handed Rake Rod , Nine Chi Tapered Rod, Eighteen-Chi Tapered Rod Scissor & Ruler Shovel, Golden Bell Shovel, Golden Coin Shovel, Heaven Tangled Shovel, Lotus Flower Shovel/Spade Sickle Spade , Gold Coin Spade, Convenient Spade, Crescent Moon Spade, Golden Bell Spade, Lotus Flower Spear , Double Headed Spear , Hooked Single Spear, Hook-Scythe Double Spear, Hook-Scythe Spear, Snake Spear, Throwing Spear, throwing Spear, Wolf Spear Sting, Moon Tooth Sting, Emei Piercers Stirring Heaven Killer Sword, Cicada Wing Sword, Eagle Head Sword, Heaven & Earth, Sun & Moon Sword, Horse Chopping Sword, Large Long Handed Broad Sword, Broad, Ghost Head Sword, Broad, Long Sword, Broad, Nine Hook Sword, Broad, Nine Ring Sword, Broad, Southern Sword, Broad, Swallow Tail Sword, Broad, Twin Sword, Broad, Two-Handed Sword, Butterfly Double Sword, Dashing Sword, Eyebrow Tip Sword, Hook Sickle Sword, Kick Sword, Long Handed Elephant Nose Sword, Long Handled Sword, Long-Handed Yue Fei Sword, Ox Ear Sharp Sword, Sleeve Sword, Slip or Thin Sword, Straight, Piercer Sword, Straight, Snake Sword, Straight, 3 Point Double-Blade Sword, Straight, Twin Sword, Straight, Two-handed Sword, Straight, Unicorn Horn Tree Knot | 7-12 Section Whip Bull Whip Rope Weighted Rope Kriss Sword Breaker Double Headed Comet Star Hammer Double Headed Flying Maul Iron Chain Linking Club Three Section Staff Soft Hammer Stick Soft Whip Four Section 'Tang' Rope Dart Comet Star Hammer Dragon Head Whip Club Dragon or Plum Flower Claw Flying Claw/Hook Lether Soft Whip Hook Swords | Bow & Arrow Crossbow Back Cross Bow Fly Whisk Flying Dart Flying Fork Flying Locust Stone Flying Knife Flying Weight Meteor Hammer Dart Knife Rope Javelin Rope Sling Shot Sling Shot Mother Sun Cross Darts Sleeve Arrow Blow Dart Flying Sting Brass Chopsticks Iron Madarin Duck Blum Flower Needles (Red) Poison Sand |
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