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the hook the fork trident-halberd battle axethree-sectional staff steel whip
double edged sword the spear rope dart 9 dragon trident staff cudgel spear
broadsword tiger fork knives butterfly knife 9 section whip
staff
It is interesting to note that the variety of weapons used by the Shaolin monks
increased to over 120 during the Song Dynasty. Today the main weapons used by
Shaolin are eight and include: spear, sword, staff, broadsword, monk's spade,
straight sword, cane and 9 section whip. The staff is arguably the predecessor
to all martial arts weapons. Staff manoeuvres are called 'single headed' when
only one end of the stick is used. When both ends of the staff are used, and the
staff grasped in the centre and twirled, it is called'double headed'. Most
double headed techniques are used for theatrical purposes and not combative.
cudgel
The cudgel is known as the'father of all weapons' as from it many other weapons
were developed. The most commonly used methods of cudgel practice are swinging,
jabbing, hanging, jumping, leaping, smashing, pointing, blocking, sheltering,
holding, piercing, floating, carrying, poking and lifting. The main cudgel
routines include: Qimei, Shaolin, Panlong (coiled dragon), Jiuzhou
(nine-continent), Liuhe (six-combination), Tiangi, Bodhidharma, monkey and
drunkard. Cudgels are mostly made of wood but some are made of metal. In
addition to long cudgels, there are two-section cudgels and three-section
cudgels. spear
The spear was arguably the first military weapon. Known as the jyang, spears
fall into several categories pertaining to their use defensively or offensively.
broadsword
The broadsword is one of the most famous of Chinese weapons. Used in many forms
of Kung Fu, the broadsword is large with a curved single edge. It is used to
cut, swing, blow, thrust and parry and is manipulated through and intricate set
of footwork patterns. tiger fork
The tiger fork (hu-cha) is a weapon that has been romanticised through Kung Fu
films. A large trident originally used to kill tigers in southern China, it is
often wielded by performing lion dancing groups. Southern forks are larger than
those used in the north, their techniques demonstrating power rather than style.
Northern forks were designed for mounted soldiers, while southern forks were
designed to be used on foot. knives
Various knives appear to be a specialty of Kung Fu stylists. The Chinese knife
is often ascribed to the Emperor Chou-Muk-Wong of the Chow dynasty who was
presented with a large sabre while travelling through Shi-Kiang province.The
knife has much the same mystique as the sword: if the sword was an emblem of the
upper class, the knife was the weapon of the warrior. Such knife varieties
include the butterfly knife, nine ring knife, spread the water knife, spring and
autumn knife and willow leaf knife. butterfly knife
The butterfly knife is also known as the Southern style short sabre and
originated from a butcher's cleaver. These variably shaped weapons are usually
seen in pairs and often attached to the large Kung Fu drum played at lion dance
ceremonies. They are a weapon of the Southern Kung Fu styles. Much like the
Okinawan sai, the top of the weapon is turned so the practitioner can twirl it
around his thumb. The nine ring knife (also known as the broad knife) is a
Southern styles weapon. The knife has a series of nine steel rings attached to
its dorsal edge. These rings are used to catch an oppoent's weapons (eg a spear)
and to create a dent. One of the more interesting Kung Fu knife varieties is the
the General Outlines of Wu Shu has a one�sided edge with a long handle.
trident-halberd
The trident-halberd originated during the Ming Dynasty. It has a 0.5-meter-long
sharp steel head with a crescent crosspiece, fixed on a 2.5-meter long shaft. At
the end of the shaft is an iron taper. The trident-halberd was used for hitting,
thrusting and blocking. As it is long and heavy the users must be tall and
strong. Similar kinds of trident-halberd include phoenix-wing, swallow-wing,
dragon-beard, ox-head and gilded halberd. The playing techniques include
throwing, patting, holding, hiding, pushing, turning, supporting and blocking.
The basic stances include thrusting and twisting, straight attacking,
dragon-riding, jumping over and hiding below. In trident-halberd play there are
no dancing movements and turning is the main action. For holding the weapon, one
hand is in the front and another below and the two hands could change positions.
The routines include swallow-wing play. the fork
The fork is one of the long-handled Chinese Wushu weapons. With two prongs on
the head it is called the horn fork, while the one with three prongs is called
the trident or three-pronged fork. The handle is 2.3-2.7 meters long and weighs
about 2.5 kilograms. Of the three-pronged fork, the central part protrudes 10
cm. At the end of the handle, there is a melon-shaped hammer. In the remote
ancient times, the fork was used for fishing. The primitive fish-catching fork
unearthed in the ruins of Banpo Village near Xi'an in Shaanxi Province has a
joint at the end of the handle for fixing a rope. When the fork is thrown out,
the fork can be taken back by pulling the rope. The hitting techniques of the
fork include blocking, covering, poking, turning, rolling, beating, smashing,
drawing, digging and patting. The routines of fork play include the Flying-Tiger
and Tai-bao). the hook
The hook is an ancient weapon that was evolved from the dagger-axe. During the
Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the dagger-axe, hook and halbert
were used at the same time. According to a bronze hook unearthed from a tomb of
the Wei State, the hook looks like a halbert. The difference is that the halbert
has a sharp blade on the head while the hook has a small hook on its head. The
General Outlines of Wushu shows there were varied shapes of hooks in the Song
Dynasty including the claw cudgel, the fire hook with the double-hooked knife as
its blade, and the fire fork, with an iron trident head.