Chicken Sickles
Encyclopedia
Chicken sickles are a number of Chinese bladed weapons similar to the Hook sword
and the Okinawan Kama
. They can be used as a single or double weapon. It is considered the special weapon of the Xinyi Liuhe style
.
This sickle is more similar in appearance to the Okinawan Kama
, with the addition of a spear head.
, Ji Long Feng (姬隆丰), and it became the special weapon of this style. It was made from metal and its length was about 2.5 Chi [32 inches].”
This sickle is similar in appearance to the Hook sword
and although it is named a Dao
(saber), it is based on the double-edged sword (Jian
). There are several variations of this weapon. All have the distinctive hook and chicken "spur" on the head, but the sword blade is sometimes shortened to a small metal pole-arm. (example) It is used for close-quarters combat.
One noted practitioner of the Chicken-Saber Sickles was Xinyi Liuhe Grandmaster Lu Songgao (卢嵩高) (d. 1962), one of the "Three Heroes from Zhoukou". Xinyi Liuhe and Wu style Taichi master Dr. Stephen Yan (Yan Zhi Yuan), weapons champion of the First National Xinyi Liuhe Competition held in Henan
Province in 2000, is pictured below wielding the Chicken-Sabers.
's wuxia
novel Jué Dài Shuāng Jiāo (绝代双娇 - "The Legendary Twins), a character wields a pair of the Chicken-Claws.
, Ferroq
(Raúl Méndez), the bald henchmen of Count Armand (Rufus Sewell
), wields a chicken sickle during his battle with Zorro’s wife, Elena De La Vega (Catherine Zeta-Jones
).
Hook sword
The Hook Sword, Fu Tao or Shuang Gou also known as Hu Tou Gou is an exotic Chinese weapon traditionally associated with Northern styles of Chinese martial arts, but now often practiced by Southern styles as well.-Background:...
and the Okinawan Kama
Kama (weapon)
The is a traditional Filipino and Japanese farming implement similar to a small scythe used for reaping crops and also employed as a weapon...
. They can be used as a single or double weapon. It is considered the special weapon of the Xinyi Liuhe style
Xingyi
Xingyi may refer to:*Xingyiquan, one of the major internal Chinese martial arts*Xingyi, Guizhou, county level city in Guizhou, China...
.
Chicken-claw
Jī Zhuǎ Lián . The chicken-claw sickle was constructed from a chicken claw-like piece of metal, along with a spear head, on a length of stick. Its length was about 1.5 ft. The details of this weapon are unknown.This sickle is more similar in appearance to the Okinawan Kama
Kama (weapon)
The is a traditional Filipino and Japanese farming implement similar to a small scythe used for reaping crops and also employed as a weapon...
, with the addition of a spear head.
Chicken-saber
Jī Dāo Lián . This weapon was also called the Kǔn Huā Yāo Zi . The reason for this optional name is unknown. According to legend, this weapon was created by the founder of XinyiXingyi
Xingyi may refer to:*Xingyiquan, one of the major internal Chinese martial arts*Xingyi, Guizhou, county level city in Guizhou, China...
, Ji Long Feng (姬隆丰), and it became the special weapon of this style. It was made from metal and its length was about 2.5 Chi [32 inches].”
This sickle is similar in appearance to the Hook sword
Hook sword
The Hook Sword, Fu Tao or Shuang Gou also known as Hu Tou Gou is an exotic Chinese weapon traditionally associated with Northern styles of Chinese martial arts, but now often practiced by Southern styles as well.-Background:...
and although it is named a Dao
Dao (sword)
Daois a category of single-edge Chinese swords primarily used for slashing and chopping , often called a broadsword in English translation because some varieties have wide blades. In China, the dao is known as one of the four major weapons, along with the gun , qiang , and the jian , and referred...
(saber), it is based on the double-edged sword (Jian
Jian
The jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn Period; one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.Historical one-handed versions have blades...
). There are several variations of this weapon. All have the distinctive hook and chicken "spur" on the head, but the sword blade is sometimes shortened to a small metal pole-arm. (example) It is used for close-quarters combat.
One noted practitioner of the Chicken-Saber Sickles was Xinyi Liuhe Grandmaster Lu Songgao (卢嵩高) (d. 1962), one of the "Three Heroes from Zhoukou". Xinyi Liuhe and Wu style Taichi master Dr. Stephen Yan (Yan Zhi Yuan), weapons champion of the First National Xinyi Liuhe Competition held in Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
Province in 2000, is pictured below wielding the Chicken-Sabers.
Media
Literature
In Gu LongGu Long
Xiong Yaohua , better known by his pen name Gu Long , was a Chinese novelist and screenwriter. Xiong is best known for writing wuxia novels and novel series, which include: Juedai Shuangjiao, Xiaoli Feidao Series, Chu Liuxiang Series, Lu Xiaofeng Series and Xiao Shiyilang...
's wuxia
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...
novel Jué Dài Shuāng Jiāo (绝代双娇 - "The Legendary Twins), a character wields a pair of the Chicken-Claws.
Film
In the 2005 film The Legend of ZorroThe Legend of Zorro
The Legend of Zorro is a 2005 sequel to The Mask of Zorro , both directed by Martin Campbell. Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones reprise their roles as the titular hero and his spouse, and Rufus Sewell stars as the villain...
, Ferroq
Ferroq
Ferroq is a fictional character in the 2005 film The Legend of Zorro. He was played by Raul Mendez.-Character overview:Ferroq serves as a butler and henchman for the film's villain, Count Armand...
(Raúl Méndez), the bald henchmen of Count Armand (Rufus Sewell
Rufus Sewell
Rufus Frederik Sewell is an English actor. In film, he has appeared in The Woodlanders, Dangerous Beauty, Dark City, A Knight's Tale, The Illusionist, Tristan and Isolde, and Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence. On television, he starred in the 2010 mini-series The Pillars of the Earth...
), wields a chicken sickle during his battle with Zorro’s wife, Elena De La Vega (Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
).
See also
- XingyiXingyiXingyi may refer to:*Xingyiquan, one of the major internal Chinese martial arts*Xingyi, Guizhou, county level city in Guizhou, China...
- Hook swordHook swordThe Hook Sword, Fu Tao or Shuang Gou also known as Hu Tou Gou is an exotic Chinese weapon traditionally associated with Northern styles of Chinese martial arts, but now often practiced by Southern styles as well.-Background:...
- Kama (weapon)Kama (weapon)The is a traditional Filipino and Japanese farming implement similar to a small scythe used for reaping crops and also employed as a weapon...
- List of martial arts weapons
- Shaolin kung fuShaolin kung fuShaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
- Ming DynastyMing DynastyThe Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
External links
- http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=589
- http://www.russbo.org/photopost/showfull.php?photo=377
- http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/
- http://www.russbo.com/main.html
- http://www.huizucn.com/show/content.asp?ArticleID=556 (Chinese only)
- http://www.shaolinwolf.com/bilder/weapons/weapon07sickles.jpg For a picture of a Shaolin Monk playing the smaller version of the Chicken-Saber.
- http://www.cnwushu.com/bingqi/duanbq/lian.htm (Chinese only). Click on the second tan box from the bottom to see the Chicken-Saber Sickle.
- http://www.tai-chi.co.nz