The rope dart or rope javelin , also known as Jōhyō in Japanese,
is one of the flexible weapons in Chinese martial arts

Chinese martial arts

Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...

. Other weapons in this family include the meteor hammer

Meteor hammer

The meteor hammer , often referred to simply as meteor, is an ancient Chinese weapon, consisting at its most basic level of two weights connected by a rope or chain. One of the flexible or 'soft' weapons, it is referred to by many different names worldwide, dependent upon region, construction and...

, flying claws

Flying claws

The Flying Claw is used to ensnare a foe and throw him off balance. It originated in China during the Sui Dynasty and is one of the flexible, or soft, weapons in the Chinese martial arts...

, and chain whip

Chain whip

The chain whip is a weapon used in some Asian martial arts, including Chinese martial arts, in addition to modern and traditional wushu. It consists of several metal rods, which are joined end-to-end by rings to form a flexible chain. Generally, the whip has a handle at one end and a metal dart,...

. Although the flexible weapons share similar movements, each weapon has its own specific techniques.

The rope dart is a long rope (usually 3 - 5 metres) with a metal dart attached to one end. This was a weapon from ancient times, which allows the user to throw the dart out at a long range target and use the rope to pull it back.