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Kung Fu weaponry has a history as ancient as the various styles themselves. The use and development of weapons in Kung Fu varied with the time and place in which each weapon originated and flourished. The Northern Chinese provinces used different weapons to those practitioners in the South, and although all weapons were originally designed for combative purposes, over the years weaponry usage has been utilised for the development of strength in the arms and wrists, eye-hand coordination and the promotion of timing and control. Kung fu weaponry originally composed of 18 classical weapons. These were introduced by the 18 Lo-han or Buddhas. Though hundreds of different weapons have been accumulated over the centures, all fall into five categories: • Long • Short • Soft • Double •Throwing Additionally some weapons, such as the wooden benches and smoking pipes employed by Choy Li Fut, defy classification.
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Kung Fu weaponry has a history as ancient as the various styles themselves. The use and development of weapons in Kung Fu varied with the time and place in which each weapon originated and flourished. The Northern Chinese provinces used different weapons to those practitioners in the South, and although all weapons were originally designed for combative purposes, over the years weaponry usage has been utilised for the development of strength in the arms and wrists, eye-hand coordination and the promotion of timing and control. Kung fu weaponry originally composed of 18 classical weapons. These were introduced by the 18 Lo-han or Buddhas. Though hundreds of different weapons have been accumulated over the centures, all fall into five categories: • Long • Short • Soft • Double •Throwing Additionally some weapons, such as the wooden benches and smoking pipes employed by Choy Li Fut, defy classification.
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 Pa Kua circular knife. Literally translated as the 'eight trigrams knife', it is a moon-shaped set of knives used in the Pa Kua system.9 section whip
Another popular Kung Fu weapon is the 9 section whip. Chiefly used in Wu Shu, the 9 section whip is employed in stretching and sweeping movements. Double whips require tremendous dexterity, as does wielding a whip and broadsword simultaneously.9 dragon trident
The 9 dragon trident is a weapon used by Choy Li Fut practitioners. Known as gao loon cha, the trident weights about twenty pounds and is six feet long. It is used for striking, poking, cutting or in a spiralling motion to entangle an opponent's weapon. The hooks of the trident are sharp and can be used for cutting.rope dart
A popular weapon seen in Wu Shu displays and in several martial arts films is the rope dart. A dart is attached to one end of a rope and the weapons is swung at great speeds to develop momentum before being launched at the target.the spear
The spear is traditionally referred to as the'king of weapons'and thus there are many forms of it. These include the regular spear, the double headed spear, the eyebrow spear (with a sickle shaped head), the snake spear (tipped with a curved blade), and the spear with a hook.double edged sword
The double edged sword is known as the mother of all weapons. Said to have been invented by Ch'ih Yu, who forged his sword from gold found in nearby mountains, the weapon often has supernatural qualities attached to it. Use of the sword was traditionally reserved for the upper class. It was the emblem of the sage, varying from one-and-a-half feet to three feet in length. The best swordsmiths in China were Che-Yen 2600 BC and Kan-Chiang, who lived in the state of Wu in the 3rd century BC. They are said to have forged magic swords of steel, regarded as supernatural because they were so much sharper than the earlier bronzed swords. A rock still exists in Kashing that, according to legend, was split in two by Kan-Chian when he tested the blade of a sword. Also famous for his swords was Lu-Tung-Pin, one of the eight immortals, who was given a magic sword by his teacher, Chung-Li-Chuan. Lu could hold the scabbard of his weapon while the blade jumped from its sheath and obeyed his commands. The sword traditionally includes some 16 methods of use. Wu Shu stylists adapt the sword to their own principles of boxing, making the weapon an extension of their particular techniques. The double hooking sword, also known as the tiger's head hooks, has a large crescent-shaped handguard.This weapon is primarily found in the northern styles of Chinese Kung Fu.steel whip
The steel whip is another popular Kung Fu weapon. It is composed of 3, 5, 7 or 9 linked steel sections with a dart at one end. This weapon was favoured for its ability to be easily concealed.three-sectional staff
Another famous Kung Fu weapon is the three-sectional staff. This weapon is constructed from three pieces of wood connected by metal rings at their ends. Lengths of the sections are equal, each about the length of an arm. It can be used as a long range weapon when held at one end and swung freely, or a short-range weapon when two of the sections are held and used to strike or parry.battle axe
The axe and battle axe are two less commonly used Kung Fu weapons. The battle axe was used in the Shang Dynasty to protect the gods and also as tools of punishment. The difference between the axe and the battle axe is that the cutting edge of the axe is narrower than that of the battle axe. In the Qin and the Han dynasties, the axe was the main weapon of the time. The axe mentioned in the General Outlines of Wu Shu has a onesided 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.Have you ever seen a
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