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 * __Ancient Chinese Weapons__**


 * __Sword and Sabre__**



Beginning in the Shang dynasty with bronze swords and up through to steel swords during the Qin dynasty. Some swords have either a single-edge curved or a double-edge straight blade and usually a tip for stabbing. By the end of the Han Dynasty the single-edge sabre or Dao was more popular than the double-edge straight sword or Jian. The Sabre was considered a more superior calvary weapon. The early sabres were single-edged weapons with a slight curve. When the Mongols invaded China in the early 13th century they used the Sabre or the "Turko-Mongol Sabre", it was a one handed, curved bladed and it had been used by the nomadic tribes of Mongolia since the 8th century BC. The sabre had lasting influence after the Mongols used it, it influenced swords all over the world. The Persian "Shamshir", the Indian "Tulwar", the Afghani "Pulwar", the Turkish "Kilij", the Arabian "Saif", the Mamluke "Scimitar", and the European sabre and the cutlass are all descendents of the Mongolian sabre. Chinese smiths began to produce blades that resembeled the Mongolian blades after the Mongols conquered China. Different regions of China produced different styles and variations of the sabre. The most notable types are the Liuyedao ("willow leaf knif")and the Yanmaodao ("goose quill knife"). Different variations ranged from longer handles to a more curved blade. The blade that survived the Mongols' is the Niuweidao (oxtail knife), which is the typical Chinese sabre which is seen in many of the current Kung fu schools.

Ancient Chinese swords like the Jian were the most commonly used Chinese weapon. It is a straight double-edged sword. For the Chinese it didn't just symbolize a weapon but many ancient and traditional values of the Chinese culture and character. During the Warring States Period very high quality bronze Jians were produced. The forging of this weapons began during the Han Dynasty and eventually at some point during the Three Kingdoms period this bronze weapon began being forged from steel. The sword was never as popular as the Sabre because of its difficulty to handle and use a double bladed weapon as oposed to the single-edged Dao.


 * __Long-range Weapons__**



The Manchu Bow and the Cross bow were two very significant weapons in ancient Chinese history. The bow and cross bow are stated as some of the most influential weapons influencing other nations for many years after the creation of these two powerful weapons. The Manchu bow is a compusite recurved style. These bows are extremely difficult to string which gave it its power and ability to shoot extremely far distances. Different sections of the bows were made from a variety of material. Some parts could be made from waterbuffalo horne lined with rattan, either bamboo or wood,and horse, deer or waterbuffalo sinew covered with birchbark. The draw strength of the Manchu bows ranged from 40 - 240 lbs. What makes the Manchu bow much more distinct than any other type of bow is that it is called a composite bow, meaning that it is made from composite materials, with limbs laminated with a type of horn on one side and sinew on the other. How these two materials work is that they both resist in their own ways, the horn resists the pulling of the bowstring and the sinew stretches to work more properly and effectively.



Cross bows are one of the most influential weapons in Ancient Chinese history. The cross bow was special beause it could shoot a heavier bolt farther and more accurately than the bow. Some modified cross bows could shoot up to five arrows at one time. The cross bow worked by pulling a trigger which released the string and then shot the arrow out of a guided slot. An important thing about the Chinese cross bow was that it was used more than 1000 years before they were ever seen in Europe, and they continued to use them up into the 19th century.


 * __Warriors Weapons__**

Bronze weapons were a very important inovation in the Chinese weapon history. Bronze weapons were sharper than their predecessors. They were sturdy yet supple, they were keen etched but hard to break. These new types of weapons were invented around 4000 years ago. They were important because now swords became sharper and now much more dangerous because of how difficult if was for them to become dull and break. During the Warring States era many new weapons were created, also chariot warfare became very popular.

The Chinese Ge was the most popular infantry weapon. After many years of use it became the army standard issue weapon. Its distinctive Chinese poll arm gave it length to stretch out and slice and chop at opponents. The Ge had a right hand blade attached to a long piece of bamboo or wood. There is an upper blade aproximately 20cm in length and a lower blade which is about 15cm long. The main forms of attack are hooking the opponents legs and arms, and also stabbing at vital organs, primarily looking to inflict damage on the heart, neck, and head. The Ge has a sickle like blade which is used for slicing and hooking the opponent. In the beginning the optimum angle was very hard to find, to large of an angle and hooking became impossible, too small of an angle and slicing became too difficult. In the end final angle was about 100 degrees.

When the Chinese began combining the Ge with a spear it made it so that the Ge gained another form of attack. This new weapons was called the Ji. This new weapon could not only slice and hook, but now with addition of another blade it could now stab and chop with much more area of attack. Using the Ji was like fighting a person with not one but two weapons at the same time. Sometimes the Ji was made with two Ge blades and then the spear blade on top. The Ji became popular with mounted troops and eventually after the Ge, the Ji became extremely among soldiers. The Ji was a very important weapon because of its ability to use more blades, with more blades it had more chances in inflicting damage on an opponent.


 * __Long Weapons__**

A long weapon is a weapon that is as tall or taller than the person wielding it. There is an ancient saying "one inch longer is one inch stronger". As an offensive weapon, long weapons have a much more extended range of attack, able to reach out to opponents that would be otherwise untouchable. Defensively, their length makes it harder for the enemy to get in range and attack.

Most spears and staffs were between six and eight feet long, they were the most basic kungfu weapon. To use the staff and spear effectively one had to be flexible with their body movements, light and agile in their foot movements, and swift and steady with their turns and somersaults. All staffs and spears are two handed weapons. The two basic weapons taught one balance and coordination.


 * __Soft Weapons__**

The Chinese whips are made from between eight and ten metal links, each connected together. There is a weight at the end of the chain, this created a weapon that could have an extremely high speed of attack. The whip was generally used as a secondary weapon, this was because it was easy to hide. Soft weapons like whips are among the hardest weapons to use, they are also some of the most deadly because they can attack at a curve, meaning that the weight at the end of the links could strike at any angle, even from behind. In the kung fu world, a student is more likely to hurt themselves with a whip than any other weapon.

__**Domestic Killers**__

Chop sticks look simple and harmless, but they were used for a period of time because they are easy to hide. The attacker focuses all of their energy into their hand and wrist, then throws the chop stick at the opponent.

Fans were a sign of gentility, though that didn't take away from their ability to be deadily killers. Because many people carried fans, they could be taken into areas where weapons were not allowed into. The metal fan had sharpened edges to cut at the enemies vital areas like the neck. The fan could also be used defensively, being used like a bull fighter uses his cape. Some assassins had special fans with sharpened blades attached onto the ends.

Dark judge brushes are about 20cm long. They have pointed tips which were used to thrust and penetrate the enemy at special pressure points. Some pressure points that were focused on are the sternum, the heart, throat, temples and the eyes. Because of its size, the brushes were used in pairs, the point being that while one hand distracts the opponent, the other hand strikes. The brushes are a stealth weapon using thrusting motions to kill.

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