THE WEAPONS

THE STICK

The stick is undoubtedly the oldest weapon. Whether in Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, India ... the practice of the stick has always been an integral part of martial art in the noblest and most popular sense. It is for this reason that the stick is indicated under the name of "mother" of all weapons.

There are different sizes: small or longer, heavy or light, rigid or very flexible. Long or short sticks allow depending on a certain distance: poking, sweeping, twirling, piercing, hitting.

The stick allows protection of an entire space, which gives it tremendous efficiency against several interlocutors, armed or not.

THE NUNCHAKU

It is also called "plague", instrument which was used to beat the rice. Its use would have been diverted from its primary purpose by the inhabitants of the island of Okinawa following the prohibition made to the peasants to use weapons.

In 1677 the king had the population prohibited from carrying weapons, these were exclusively reserved for the samurai. During the Chinese and Japanese invasions, the inhabitants of the island of Okinawa found themselves withdrawing all weapons. The inhabitants of the island then developed, in the greatest discretion, a strategy of unarmed combat, the kobudo, which used the working tools of the time in order to fight against theft and looting. The nunchaku is made up of two sticks of equal length connected together by a rope.

THE KATANA

The katana has a size greater than 60 cm but can vary according to the periods and techniques of war. It is generally handled with two hands.

Its handle (tsuka), depending on the political climate, varied between the width of two or three hands. The tsuka ends with a guard (tsuba) which protects the hand. The weight of a standard katana ranges from 800 grams to 1300 grams.

THE SAÏ

The sai (also "saï" in French) is an Asian weapon which perhaps derives from an agricultural tool such as a fruit pick. The sai served in Okinawa against samurai armed with sabers; they made it possible to break the katanas. It was mainly used by Okinawa police officers.

The sai looks like a trident which does not slice but allows to sting. The guard position is very special. We generally use two sai.

THE TONFA

Born in the Middle Ages in the Far East, the Tonfa used by Asian farmers was originally an agrarian tool, a crank designed to turn the millstones to grind the grain.

As it is practiced in the tradition, the tonfa is in wood of round or square section. It has a side handle that is one third of its length. To obtain a good technical mastery and a certain dexterity, its practice requires a lot of flexibility, strength and agility in the fingers, wrists, elbows and arms. All the subtlety of this weapon rests on the marriage of flexibility and strength in order to measure the intensity during its use as well in impacts received as given.

 THE FAN

The fan, an everyday object, is used as a complex weapon, so the Fan belongs to different systems. Closed, and used as a stick it assimilates to the latter.

Semi-open, used for slicing, it is similar to the Saber.

Open and manipulated, it is like the Sword.

It is therefore cataloged in "special weapons" since it can even be launched.

Do not hesitate to connect to the Yi-King forum. Some of our members, passionate about this or that weapon, have posted their research and learning online.