Long Weapons
The Gun (staff) is one of the most used weapons in many styles of Chinese martial arts. According to legends, 13 Shaolin monks used the staff to save the life of the prince of the Tang dynasty. Moreover, the Shaolin monks used the staff against the Japanese army. The "father of all weapons" is a trademark of Shaolin Kung fu. Many techniques of other long weapons are variations of the basics of staff. The staff requires long stances and vigorous and powerful movements.
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The spear is a light and fast weapon that allows for fast strikes. The power of the hips and the legs is used to transfer strength to the tip of the weapon. The "king of all weapons", is very effective on the battlefield. The spear is a long-range weapon and uses firm and flexible movements. Footwork is agile and light. The spear's speed and simplicity make it a good opponent for most weapons.
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The Guan Dao is a halbert made of a long pole that ends with a spike at one end and a curved blade at the other end.  It was used in battle to chop off horses' legs. The other side can be used for stabbing and striking. The Guan Dao was traditionally very heavy and training with it provides body conditioning. According to legends, the Kwandao was invented by the general Guan Yu and originally weighed 48.38 kg (around 105 pounds). Guan Yu was a military general that became a god after his death because of his bravery and loyalty and he is worshipped in Chinese folk religions.Â
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The Pudao is a long weapon made of a pole with a metal ring at one end and a blade shaped like a broadsword at the other end. The Pu Dao was used by the infantry to cut out the legs of horses in war; for this reason, it is also called the "horse cutting blade".Â
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The Monk Spade is used by both Daoist and Buddhist monks as a weapon to defend themselves against bandits and as a tool to showel, brush, dig holes, and bury corpses. The monk spade is made of a long pole with a flat blade on one side, and a half-moon blade on the other side.
