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DAO

A Chinese weapon used in many styles of kung fu. Large, with a curved single edge, its techniques include a variety of cuts, slashes, parries, thrusts and blows worked through an intricate set of footwork patterns. This weapon is often ascribed to the emperor Chou-Mok-Wong, of the chow dynasty, who was presented with a large sabre when travelling through Shi-Kiang province. The knife, in various lengths and sizes, has much the same mystique about it as does the double-edged sword, but on a less grand scale. If the double-edged sword was the emblem of the upper classes, the knife was the mark of the warrior. The Dao (broadsword) were among the earliest weapons of ancient China, with the Dao considered to be 'the root of short weapons' because its techniques are relatively simple to learn. In northern China, in the countryside the weapon was generally longer because its user was taller and the countryside more open. The southern blade however was shorter and heavier because shorter people in crowded cities used it. Soldiers preferred a lighter, quicker blade that could be carried to long distances. Mountain men and farmers chose a heavier, machete like sabre that could double as an agricultural tool. This type of Dao featured tremendous cutting power, but lacked speed and was difficult to reverse once the user began his motion. The most popular knife is the willow leaf (seen in the picture) Originating in the north, the Willow Leaf was light with little a little curve to the handle and blade. The Pok-Dao (executioner’s sabre) was thick, heavy and wielded with both hands. From southern China came the Ghost head sabre, a shorter weapon used for chopping. Other types of Daos are Grain leaf sabre, Goose feather sabre; Tiger tail Knife, Tornado knife, Plum blossom sabre, Oxtail knife, Whirlwind, Sun-mother sabre and crescent knife. All of which can be used with other weapons, most often with a shield. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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GUAN DAO

Literally “Guans (or kwans) knife” a large halberd used in kung fu, named after the famous Chinese general Guan-Yu (Kwan-Kung). The weapon builds strength in the forearms and wrists and is used primarily for conditioning. The heavy “cone” located on the other end of the staff counterbalances the broad, heavy blade. As general Kwan's halberd weighted almost 50 kilograms the "cone" was nailed into the ground when general Kwan mounted and dismounted the horse. Two broad plates also helped him to keep balance. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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HU DIE DAO

This is a southern style weapon, the yin and yang hand guard is used for smooth transitions of the weapon allowing the practitioner to flip the sabre much like the chai (sai) but with the added advantage of the sabre usage. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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JIU JIE BANG

Used in some styles of kung-fu, it is composed of 3,5,7 or 9 linked steel sections with a dart at one end, the whip is easily concealed and is a valuable secondary weapon, a light version of this heavy weapon is used in performance based martial arts. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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LIAN

This is a rice harvesting implement, the Lian (Kama in Okinawa) was used either singly or in pairs, one in each hand, for close range combat, where it could be employed to slash, hook, rake, chop, deflect and block. The Lian has a short blade set perpendicular to a hardwood handle, it is the forerunner for weapons like the Kusari-gama. The lian was a tool used to cut weeds and bring in the crop. It was a very simple but nevertheless very sharp and potentially deadly weapon. It's structure however made it very weak when attacked with heavy blows directly to the blade. Therefore, innovative warriors redesigned the weapon. It is stronger in its construction, because the blade runs through past the curve of the normal farming implement and all the way down into the handle. This makes the cutting edge bigger, and above all, the previous week point where the sickle was attached to the stick has vanished this weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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QIANG

Traditionally referred to in china as the “King of weapons”, it is as old as china herself. In ancient China, many advanced martial artists/warriors knew that this pointed implement under the usage of a proficient spear player was usually both lethal and formidable. Two of the top spear proponents were the famous General Yueh Fei and the first Woman Warrior-Fa Mu Lan. Both warriors were considered invincible due to their proficiency of the spear in combat. (Stories have it that General Yueh Fei developed the Xing Yi mind-shaping boxing system based on his proficiency with the spear and other martial art systems.) It has been rumoured that during the "Water Margin" period of ancient China some of "Leung Mountains" heroes of the "Water Margin" fame were proficient spear players. The best spear player of that group was a "Leopard Head" Lin Chung whose finishing move was the "Returning Horse Spear Thrust." This movement was a reverse body, retreating tactic that lures the pursuing attacker into a state of frenzy. Then the spear player would abruptly stop and deploy an overturning body spear thrust at his opponent. When executed correctly, the spear rarely misses its target. Yang Cheng Fu of the Yang Family Tai Chi fame always carried a short single-head spear for protection. It served the dual training function of a straight sword and a short staff. Under the guise of warfare, the British in the mid-nineteenth century concluded that the Chinese spear was far superior to their bayonets. Currently, the weapon is smaller and its uses are compressed into about thirty different methods. Spear techniques consist of a series of outward and inward parries and thrusts. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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SAN-JIE-GUN

The three sectional staff, is a historical weapon, which appears in the Chinese book "Sangokushi". Its distinctive feature is three 70 cm sticks chained together making it much longer than a long staff. It can be swung around, or as a staff, using one's whole body space to fend off an attacker. A Chinese weapon constructed from three pieces of wood connected by metal rings at their ends. Lengths of the sections are roughly equal, each about the length of the practitioner’s arms (with the diameter around one inch). The three sectional staff 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. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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SHAO-ZI

The precursor to the three sectional staff, this traditional weapon is rarely taught, used primarily as a staff, the practitioners ability to generate percussive force at the end of the weapon is studied in great detail. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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SHUANG DAO

The twin Chinese dao - classical shape and configuration. Used by Imperial troops against rebels and colonial invaders, by Warlord troops against competing warlords, by river pirates, by anti-river pirates, by independent warriors, by bodyguards of rich merchants, a very popular style of sword, This double handed weapon, is a very traditional discipline amongst many styles of kung-fu, used for co- ordination training and valuable dexterity training. Performance based martial artists have put this weapon into showy routines where the traditional heavy willow leaf sword is replaced by a flexible foil like weapon to enhance speed. This weapon is taught in its traditional form at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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SHUANG FU

Primarily used by southern kung-fu stylists; the short axes are usually employed in pairs. Also known as hurricane double axes, a name coined by the Sung dynasty figure Li-Kwai (T’uan Ful). This weapon discipline contains no blocks or parries with a belief that the brutishness of this weapon will overcome all other techniques. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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TIE SHAN

A popular weapon in kung fu. A traditional fan contained 9, 16,20 or 24 ribs, and was carried in the sleeve or waistband. It is the emblem of Chang-li-chuan of the eight immortals. Popularised in movies by Jackie Chan, this weapon requires amazing dexterity from its user. Normal fans were (are) made of paper and bamboo, this was not useful for heavy blocking and striking but could be used as a distraction tool as well as for redirecting blocks, an aid for locking techniques (in an emergency) as well as for light strikes and pressure points. The iron fan was an actual weapon, it has iron plates instead of wood and the top edges were sharp, this weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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