Gun (staff)

Gun event at the 10th All China Games

The Chinese word gun (Chinese: 棍; pinyin: gùn, literally, "rod", "stick") 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 (spear), dao (sabre), and the jian (sword), called in this group "The Grandfather of all Weapons".

Variants

Schematic representation of the three main chinese martial arts staffs

There are various kinds of gun, and they include the following:

• Babboon staff (Chinese: 猴棍; pinyin: hóugùn)
• Biangan (Chinese: 鞭杆; pinyin: biāngān)
• Mad demon staff (simplified Chinese: 疯魔棍; traditional Chinese: 瘋魔棍; pinyin: fēngmó gùn)
• Tianqi staff (simplified Chinese: 天齐棍; traditional Chinese: 天齊棍; pinyin: tiānqí gùn)
• Staff of five tigers and goat herds (Chinese: 五虎群羊棍; pinyin: wǔ hǔ qún yáng gùn)
• Two section staff (simplified Chinese: 二节棍; traditional Chinese: 雙節棍; pinyin: èrjié gùn)
• Taiji staff of thirteen (simplified Chinese: 太极十三秆; traditional Chinese: 太極十三杆; pinyin: tàijí shísān gǎn)
• Taiji Quarterstaff (simplified Chinese: 太极大秆; traditional Chinese: 太極大杆; pinyin: tàijí dà gǎn)
• Taiji staff (simplified Chinese: 太极棍; traditional Chinese: 太極棍; pinyin: tàijí gùn)
• Staff of eight fairies (Chinese: 八仙棍; pinyin: bāxiān gùn)
• Bagua seven star rod (Chinese: 八卦七星竿; pinyin: bāguà qīxīng gān)
• Flail (simplified Chinese: 梿枷; traditional Chinese: 槤枷; pinyin: liánjiā)

The types of gun normally used nowadays for exercises and competitions are the bailangan (simplified Chinese: 白栏杆; traditional Chinese: 白欄杆; pinyin: bái lángān) and the nangun (Chinese: 南棍; pinyin: nángùn).

Traditionally, the gun is made out of a material called wax wood, rather than bamboo as many people might think. Wax wood is strong, yet flexible, making it ideal as a material for the gun. The gun is fashioned with one thick end as the base and a thinner end near the tip, and is cut to be about the same height as the user. Today, more modern versions may be purchased made with metal and rubber parts.

See also

• Sun Wukong
• Ruyi Jingu Bang, Sun Wukong's weapon
• Juego del Palo, Canarian (spanish) staff
• Chinese martial arts
• Ji, halberd
• Nangun, Southern staff
• Three section staff
• Two Section Staff
• Gun for firearms
• Quarterstaff
• Bō, Japanese staff
• Bâton français, French staff
• Jogo do Pau, Portuguese staff

External links

• Some Basic Staff Tutorials