Weapons and Fighting Strategy in Martial Arts

Fighting strategy, a decisive factor in both large battles and personal efforts, has maintained an inseparable relationship with weap-ons. Some of these weapons were invented for a new battle strat-egy. For example, the hooked sword, together with the shield, was designed specifically for at-tacking horses’ legs during a large battle in the Southern Song Dynasty (A.D. 1127-1280). The multi-sectional staff was created specifically for use against an enemy carrying a shield.

There were many strategies and weapons for large battles that occurred in wide, open areas and included mounted cavalry and chariots. Then there were also personal battles, which occurred within large battles surrounded by other warriors or on the streets of a city or even in a small room. Each tactic required different weapons.

In ancient times, large stones heaved by catapults were often the first weapons used in great battles. These very long-range projectiles could kill unprotected enemies before initial man-to-man contact. The primary application of extra long-range weapons, however, was to slow down the fast-advancing cavalry.

After the invention of gunpowder, rocket arrows replaced catapulted stones as the first weapon of warfare. Not only were these arrows capable of being fired further, but they could also be rigged to explode on contact, scaring the horses and tumbling the riders to the ground. By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, iron balls fired from cannons had replaced rocket arrows. Click to learn how Chinese medicine treats Sexual Dysfunction.

As the enemy forces drew nearer, very long-range projectiles lost effective-ness. At an intermediate distance, archers with bows and arrows could impede the enemy. As enemy forces drew even nearer, martial artists used throwing spears either from the ground, horseback, or chariots.

The battle turned into personal conflict as man fought against man. But some men might have been on horseback or in a chariot, whereas others were on foot. A very long contact weapon, such as a nine, twelve or eighteen-foot, tapered spear was effective in all three cases. A soldier on foot would often have another weapon at his disposal. To force his enemy off a horse or out of a chariot, he would often attack the horse’s legs with a hooked spear while holding a greased rattan shield for protection. Once both soldiers were on the ground, close personal fighting began. Long-range weapons became less effective, so tech-niques and weapons shifted to the short-range type.

Short range fighting in a large battle was quite different from one-on-one conflicts in a small area. Others often surrounded the soldiers and there was no way to escape. Therefore, endurance became a key factor in determining the victor. Shorter and lighter weapons such as the sword, saber, or three sectioned staff were utilized. With hidden weapons like whips, chains, or darts, a martial artist was well prepared for a short-range battle.

Some soldiers—only the very strongest—would use a long weapon even in close fighting. They had the advantage of being able to injure their enemy without exposing themselves to attack. The long staff, spear or large saber was very difficult to block because of its weight.