Three-section staff
Encyclopedia
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
flail weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. The weapon is also known as a "coiling dragon staff," or in Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
as a "pan long gun" (蟠龍棍). A more complicated version of the two section staff
Two section staff
The two section staff is a versatile weapon which originated in China from the ancient Shaolin temple and Shaolin martial arts. It is a flail-type weapon which consists of a staff with a smaller flail attached by a chain.-See also:...
, the staves can be spun to gather momentum resulting in a powerful strike, or their articulation can be used to strike over or around a shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
or other defensive block.
History and use
Although there is no historical evidence to support it, a popular modern day legend states it was made popular by Chao Hong-YinEmperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Tàizǔ , born Zhao Kuangyin , was the founder of the Song Dynasty of China, reigning from 960 to 976.-Ancestry and early life:...
, the first Emperor of the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
(960 A.D.).
Historically made of white oak, waxwood or Chinese red maple, modern staves are constructed from rattan, bamboo, various hardwoods or aluminum. For optimum fit, each of the three sticks should be about the length of the combatant’s arm (usually 60 centimetres (23.6 in) - 70 centimetres (27.6 in)) and have a combined diameter that easily fits in the hand. (usually about 1.25 inches (31.8 mm)). These are connected by chains of rings (usually of five inches (127 mm)) ; modern versions use ball-and-socket joints.
The total length of the weapon is about the same as the Chinese staff, the gùn
Gun (staff)
The Chinese word gun refers to a long Chinese staff weapon used in Chinese martial arts. It is known as one of the four major weapons, along with the qiang , dao , and the jian , called in this group "The Grandfather of all Weapons".-Variants:There are various kinds of gun, and they include the...
and greater than that of the single staff known in Japanese as a bō
Bo
-People:*Bo , name origin, plus people with the name*Bo , name origin, plus people with the surname**Bo , Chinese family names*Bo people , extinct minority population in Southern China famous for hanging coffins...
; Its larger size allows for an increased reach compared to the Japanese weapon. Some of the techniques are similar to that of the staff, so spinning moves over the head and behind the back, such as helicopter spins and neck rolls, can be practised with a regular staff. Other weapon techniques the three section staff makes use of are similar to that of a pair of escrima, a simple short chain, a whip and the two section staff. It is therefore advantageous for the user to have some familiarity with these weapons. The three-section staff has the advantage of being used as a long-range (whip), intermediate range (flail or two section staff) or a short-range (pair of escrima) weapon. Acting as an extension of the users arms, the three sectional staff can strike, flail, block, choke, trap, disarm and whip, often with different sections of the staff acting at the same time. The chains or binding ropes of the staff are used to entangle an opponent and their weapons. While it has three ranges, the three section staff is best used as a short range weapon against long ranged weapons. In this configuration, a skilled practitioner can nearly simultaneously block an opponent's strike, trap his or her weapon and disarm them while executing their own strike with the free side of the staff.
While some martial artists have held that the three section staff was used on the battlefield to entangle horses' legs or to strike around shields, the complexity of the weapon and the length, difficulty of use, lack of sharp tips or edges and other advantages of such traditional battlefield weapons as spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s, polearms
Pole weapon
A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user's effective range. Spears, glaives, poleaxes, halberds, and bardiches are all varieties of polearms...
(such as the yan yue dao), swords
Chinese swords
Swords have a long history in China. Stone swords were used in prehistoric times. Bronze swords have been traced back to the bronze daggers of the Shang period,. Bronze long swords suddenly appeared during the mid-third century BC. Later swords were made of iron or steel. These metals were...
and so forth meant that the triple staff was more likely restricted to personal self-defense.
One significant weakness of chained weapons in general is a lack of control. At long and intermediate ranges, the strike of a sanjiegun ends not upon impact but on recoil; even the greatest martial arts masters must use valuable time regaining control of their weapon. Due to the length of the staff sections relative to the length of joining chains, the weapon suffers less from a lack of control than other more flexible chain weapons. In short range mode there are no control issues because sections one and three are firmly in hand and section two is unable to move independently. Training with the three section staff is particularly difficult because it is a multi mode complex weapon and is not recommended for beginners. Foam covered versions are now sold to aid in training but the blows received from the ends on recoil are relatively rare. Instead, the greater danger is the painful impact of the chains or metal parts of the staff that the chains are anchored to upon the hands of the user. This occurs when the staff is improperly used in short range mode and the relative positions of staff sections are rapidly changed, serving as a strong deterrent to casual users. However, motivated self teachers will find the three section staff and other flexible weapons to be the easiest to learn effectively. This is because flexible weapons provide instant feedback to the user. When used improperly, flexible weapons will either impact upon other than the desired target, put the user off balance, injure the user, or otherwise be obviously out of control. Through experimentation, technique may be perfected. In contrast, fixed weapons can often be utilized incorrectly for quite some time because they provide little or no feedback.
The ends of three section staffs sometimes break but can be replaced with similar thickness wood of similar weight to the other parts.
Three-section staff was brought to Okinawa from Fujian Province by Shinko Matayoshi
Shinko Matayoshi
Shinko Matayoshi was one of the best-known Masters of Okinawa Kobudo Matayoshi Kobudo.Born in 1888 in Naha-shi at Senburu, he studied the bo, eku, kama and sai under the direction of Master Shokuho Agena. He later studied the tonfa and nunchaku with Master Irei. From 1911 until 1915 Matayoshi...
who incorporated it in Matayoshi Kobudo
Matayoshi Kobudo
Matayoshi Kobudo is a style of Okinawan Kobudo that was developed by Matayoshi Shinpo during the Twentieth Century. Martial arts have been practiced by the Matayoshi family for over 9 generations. The honbu dojo for Matayoshi Kobudo is the Kodokan and can be found in Naha, Okinawa...
with two kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
(sansetsukon dai ichi, sansetsukon dai ni) after 1935. Kobudo sansetsukon typically has shorter (usually 50 – 60 cm.) yet thicker (about 4 – 5 cm. in diameter) staffs. It is not to be confused with san bon nunchaku (三本ヌンチャク).
In popular culture
- In the Shaw Brothers film The 36th Chamber of ShaolinThe 36th Chamber of ShaolinThe 36th Chamber of Shaolin , also known as The Master Killer and Shaolin Master Killer, is a 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Liu Chia-liang and starring Gordon Liu....
, Gordon Liu's character San TeSan TeThe San Te or San-De monk was a legendary Shaolin martial arts disciple who trained under the general Zhi Shan. His given name was not San-De, it was said to be Liu Yude. The title San-De means "Three Harmonies" or "Three Virtues"...
is depicted as having invented the sanjiegun. - Jet LiJet LiThe fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
's character Huo YuanjiaHuo YuanjiaHuo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
in the film FearlessFearless (2006 film)Fearless, known in Chinese as Huo Yuanjia and Jet Li's Fearless in the United Kingdom and the United States, is a 2006 film directed by Ronny Yu and starring Jet Li...
uses a sanjiegun in his final match. - In the anime Bleach, the character Ikkaku Madarame uses a Sansetsukon with a blade at the end. Also, in Shin Hokuto no Ken/New Fist of the North Star OAV, one of the Hokumon bonzes use the weapon.
- In game Gensou Suikoden V, the main character, Prince of Falena use a red Sansetsukon with type Tri-Nunchaku and named (in ultimate form / forge until lv 16) Sun Nunchaku
- In the 2007 Super SentaiSuper SentaiThe is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
series Juken Sentai GekirangerJuken Sentai Gekirangeris Toei Company's thirty-first entry in the Super Sentai franchise. Production began on September 29, 2006 with principal photography beginning on October 6, 2006. It premiered on TV Asahi on February 18, 2007, and concluded its airing on February 10, 2008...
, Geki Tohja's melee weapon is the Geki Setsukon, formed from the tails of the three Geki Beasts. - In the game Dynasty Warriors 6 : SpecialDynasty Warriors 6is a hack and slash video game set in Ancient China, during a period called Three Kingdoms . This game is the sixth official installment in the Dynasty Warriors series, developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game was released on November 11, 2007 in Japan; the North American release...
, the WuWuWu may refer to:Places:* Wu , a region in China, associated with:** Wu Chinese, a variety of spoken Chinese spoken in the Wu region** Wu , a state in the Wu region during the Spring and Autumn Period...
character Ling TongLing TongLing Tong was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He started his service to the Sun family since his childhood, and throughout his entire life, he had been contributing to the foundation and solidification of Eastern Wu...
uses a sanjiegun or Three-section staffThree-section staffThe Three-Sectional Staff, Triple Staff, Three-part Staff, Sansetsukon in Japanese, or originally Sanjiegun , is a Chinese flail weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. The weapon is also known as a "coiling dragon staff," or in Chinese as a "pan long...
to fight. However, in the fifth installmentDynasty Warriors 5is a Hack and slash video game set in China and the fifth installment in the Dynasty Warriors series, developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game was released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is based on the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong.-Gameplay:The...
and seventh installmentDynasty Warriors 7is a hack and slash video game and the seventh official installment of the Dynasty Warriors series. It is developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game has been confirmed to be PS3 exclusive in Japan. The story is based on Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
, he uses a NunchakuNunchakuis a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
, two-section staff. Refer to this website for further information. - In both fighting game series "Fatal Fury" and "King Of Fighters", the character Billy Kane uses the Sansetsukon as his fighting style.
- In Konami's Martial ChampionMartial Championis a 1993 fighting game released for the arcades by Konami. It was Konami's third fighting game after the 1985 releases Yie Ar Kung-Fu and Galactic Warriors, and their first release that came after the success of Capcom's 1991 arcade hit Street Fighter II.-Gameplay:Martial Champion follows the same...
, Goldor uses a Sansetsukon for his weapon. - In Konami's Suikoden 2, Nanami, the main character's sister, uses this weapon.