Blue Sash Weapons

Halberd (Guan Dao)

This weapon was used by the famous General Guan Yu during the Three Kingdoms Period (221 AD - 280 AD). His long handled saber was called "Green Dragon Scything Moon Saber" (Qing Long Yan Yue Dao). The Guan Dao was very heavy and required great strength to handle it in battle. It was thought that this weapon was eight feet long and weighed nearly one hundred pounds. Therefore it was not practical for most people. This weapon was used to chop off the legs of horses in battle to stop the enemy calvary. The saber has a hook on or notch in it for catching and parrying an enemy's weapon. The tassel on the saber is for distraction. The hand protection, at the base of the blade, stops blood from flowing down to the handle and also prevents the enemy's weapon from sliding onto the user's hand. The Guan Dao was commonly used for training purposes, to build strength and endurance.

Tiger Fork (Hu Cha)

Forks can be divided into two types, one with three tines and one with two tines. Because the trident was a popular hunting weapon that was often thrown, it is also called "Flying Fork". Different names were sometimes given according to different designs or purposes, such as "Horse Fork" (Ma Cha), "Steel Fork" (Gang Chan) and "Scholar Fork" (Wen Cha). The trident was mainly used as a hunting tool and not a favored battle weapon. It was thought to scare off evil spirits so many families and temples kept them near. Martial artists frequently used them as performance weapons. In combat, the trident was used to block and lock the enemy's weapon. Offensively, it was used to stab or sweep. When hunting tigers, the hunter would hold up the weapon, tilted at a 45 degree angle, with the butt anchored into something solid. Sometimes the hunter would leave it flat on the ground and raise it up only when the tiger pounced.

Monk Spade (Yue Ya Chan)

After Buddhism migrated to China from India during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 25 AD), the shovel became the weapon of the priests. They used it to dig holes to bury the dead following the wars and famines that ravaged ancient China. They also used the shovels for self-defense when they traveled. The crescent moon shovel remained exclusively a monk's weapon until the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD - 1911 AD). The tip of the shovel can be used to attack the opponent's head or to chop the foot. The crescent moon shape of the blade can be used to hook the enemy's weapon. When its user's back was against the wind, the shovel could be used to scoop up dirt and throw it into the opponent's eyes, blinding him temporarily.