Shaolin Kung Fu Weapons

There are 18 weapons used in Kung Fu. 10 are staff based. Here are some.

The staff (Kwun) is a required weapon. With the study of the staff you will learn techniques that will help you with other weapons. The staff gives you balance and coordination along with controlled eye hand control. The staff is among the first tools used by early man to help him survive. It is said that around 517 A.D., the Zen Buddhist priest Daruma Daishi brought into effect fluent use of the kwun. The staff is a good weapon because it makes you to learn to use both hands.

The Broad Sword (Dao)
Designed to lay the wind. The blood grooves near the back edge of the blade are etched in for stability, and for allowing air into the wound for a quick pull out. In ancient China there is a saying that the Dao (broad sword) is the master of all weapons. Because of the way The Dao is used, it has proven to have more advantages than other weapons. Even a slight sliding across the enemy's body would cause more serious injury than from the hammer, the pole, the spear, or the whip. Since the broadsword is sharp only on one side, placing the spine of the sword close to the body can prevent the weapon from causing injury to the holder.

Butterfly Swords (Wu deep do)
Two short swords working in unison and with deadly results. The Butterfly Swords was a common southern style weapon and have the ability to be flipped hiding it from an enemy. This form naturally increases a practitioner’s hand and arm speed while strengthening one's wrists. This weapon and any form for it are the trademarks of short but quick techniques.

The Kwan Dao or Long-Handled-Broadsword
One of the most popular long handle sabre used by General Guan Yu during the Chinese Three Kingdom Period (221-280 A.D.) this was called "Green-Dragon Scything-Moon Broadsword". It is thought that this weapon was nearly about eight-feet long and weighed nearly 90 pounds.

The Three Sectional Staff (San Jie Kwun) is one of the archetypal weapons of kung fu. Its creation is attributed to the First Song Emperor. According to legend, his favourite staff was split into three on the battlefield, so he quickly repaired it by lashing the broken pieces together. The modern three section staff is made of three shafts fastened together by chain links. The shafts are usually rattan, hardwood, white wax wood and nowadays, foam rubber (for safe practice.) It is a very versatile weapon, able to collapse into a short baton or expand into a long spinning staff.

The Gim or Straight Sword differs from the Broad Sword in that both sides of the blade are sharp. Martial artists consider the Gim the most versatile of all ancient weapons, and call it the "king of short weapons".

The Spear (Cheung) is called "king of the long weapons" because its techniques and applications are superior to other weapons. Horsetail tassels were also added, to first distract the enemy, and more important to stop blood from running down the blade.

The Fan (Tie Shan) is a popular traditional weapon that was carried in the sleeve or waistband. Seeming inconspicuous, its iron ribs and sharp top edges make this a deadly weapon when wielded by the right hands.