Chinese Weapons
The Weapons and Fighting Gear of Ancient China
The Weapons and Fighting Gear of Ancient China
Recommended Chinese Weapons Categories:
Chinese Weapons, Chinese Swords, Classic Chinese Swords, Lungchuan Swords, Tai Chi Swords, Wushu Swords, 3 Sectional Staffs, Fighting Fans, Foam / Rubber Staffs, Hardwood Bo Staffs, Lungchuan Weapons, Other Staffs, Spears, Spear Heads, Traditional Weapons, Wushu Weapons,
Featured Chinese Weapons
Chinese Weapons, Chinese Swords, Classic Chinese Swords, Lungchuan Swords, Tai Chi Swords, Wushu Swords, 3 Sectional Staffs, Fighting Fans, Foam / Rubber Staffs, Hardwood Bo Staffs, Lungchuan Weapons, Other Staffs, Spears, Spear Heads, Traditional Weapons, Wushu Weapons,
Featured Chinese Weapons
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Tapered Bo Staff Available in 5 or 6 ft. length. 1-1/4 in. diameter at center tapers to 1 in. at both ends. Made of Hardwood with natural wood finish. Read More... Price: $14.95 Black Belt Special! |
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Three Sectional Foam Padded Staff Rubber Foam consisting of three 26 in. sections. Ball bearing swivel. Great for practicing and mastering this ancient art. Read More... Price: $20.95 Black Belt Special! |
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Kung Fu Fighting Fans Made of finished aluminum (or choose the steel model) with a red nylon taffeta cloth. 14-3/4 in. long sticks and measure 27-1/2 in. wide when opened. Read More... Price: $39.95 - $49.95 Black Belt Special! |
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Double Broadsword A beautiful set containing two 33 in. long unsharpened swords. Made of die-cast aluminum, each sword is etched with a blood groove. Read More... Price: $150.95 Black Belt Special! |
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 1½ person lengths or 8 to 9 foot)
Shaolin Staff (app 1 person length or 5½ to 6½ foot [also Rat Tail Staff, very flexible, Bai La Wood])
Carry Staff (app ¾ person length)
Cudgel or Walking Stick (app half person length and very stout)
Flute, Ruler (app fore arm to fore arm and hand length)
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 1½ person lengths or 8 to 9 foot)
Shaolin Staff (app 1 person length or 5½ to 6½ foot [also Rat Tail Staff, very flexible, Bai La Wood])
Carry Staff (app ¾ 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 reasons. 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 amongst vagabonds, assassins 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
Clubbing or blunt weapons were popular among the Shaolin Monk Kung Fu practitioner for several reasons. 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 amongst vagabonds, assassins 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
The Chinese Sword
Medieval China saw great advancements in the science of metallurgy. They were far ahead of the technology available in Europe. These advancements allowed China to become a major military power. The power of the sword and arrived.
The basic techniques of forging and tempering developed in China. From these techniques, the renowned Japanese samurai swords were crafted. These skills arrived in Japan as early as the Sui and Tang Dynasty China AD 589.
Research has shown that the sword smiths of China were able to combine the following attributes over the past 20 centuries: Hard and durable edge, a resilient body that absorbs shock without breaking. In a sword this is very difficult to achieve and found to be impossible to combine for centuries before.
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 |
The Chinese Sword
Medieval China saw great advancements in the science of metallurgy. They were far ahead of the technology available in Europe. These advancements allowed China to become a major military power. The power of the sword and arrived.
The basic techniques of forging and tempering developed in China. From these techniques, the renowned Japanese samurai swords were crafted. These skills arrived in Japan as early as the Sui and Tang Dynasty China AD 589.
Research has shown that the sword smiths of China were able to combine the following attributes over the past 20 centuries: Hard and durable edge, a resilient body that absorbs shock without breaking. In a sword this is very difficult to achieve and found to be impossible to combine for centuries before.
Smiths were able to combine these two apparently
incompatible attributes by combining hard and soft
steels in various ways. Hard steel tends to be brittle
but strong. Soft steel tends to be resilient and springy
but not strong and easily bendable.
There are 3 basic methods: There is Baogang or wrapped steel method. The hard high carbon steel forms the cutting edge and encloses a softer core of mild steel. The core metal is often folded on itself to increase density and strength. A baogang blade must be made with fairly thick jacket of hard steel or else it will lose it's sharpness after some use.
A more common form of blade forging is qiangang, or "inserted" steel. The high-carbon edge forms a core with is sandwiched between "cheeks" of mild steel. The cheeks are often made of alternating layers of iron and steel, which produce a pattern on the surface when the blade is polished. A skilled smith can manipulate the layers to produce patterns of great beauty, in addition to providing structural strength to the sword.
The last major type of forging is known in the West as "twistcore". This type is formed of parallel bars of twisted layers of hard and soft steel, all welded into a single unit under heat and hammer. When ground and polished, the surface resembles rows of feathery, star-shaped, or swirling elements.
Other technological advancements involved hardening the blade through the use of heat and quenching in liquid. This technique is universal today wherever blades are manufactured. China was one of the few places in which techniques were devised to differentially heat treat the edge as opposed to the entire blade. This technique was then further perfected by the Japanese, who used the skill labor of enslaved Chinese and Korean Smiths.
There are 3 basic methods: There is Baogang or wrapped steel method. The hard high carbon steel forms the cutting edge and encloses a softer core of mild steel. The core metal is often folded on itself to increase density and strength. A baogang blade must be made with fairly thick jacket of hard steel or else it will lose it's sharpness after some use.
A more common form of blade forging is qiangang, or "inserted" steel. The high-carbon edge forms a core with is sandwiched between "cheeks" of mild steel. The cheeks are often made of alternating layers of iron and steel, which produce a pattern on the surface when the blade is polished. A skilled smith can manipulate the layers to produce patterns of great beauty, in addition to providing structural strength to the sword.
The last major type of forging is known in the West as "twistcore". This type is formed of parallel bars of twisted layers of hard and soft steel, all welded into a single unit under heat and hammer. When ground and polished, the surface resembles rows of feathery, star-shaped, or swirling elements.
Other technological advancements involved hardening the blade through the use of heat and quenching in liquid. This technique is universal today wherever blades are manufactured. China was one of the few places in which techniques were devised to differentially heat treat the edge as opposed to the entire blade. This technique was then further perfected by the Japanese, who used the skill labor of enslaved Chinese and Korean Smiths.
