Introduction to the Spear: The King of All Weapons

The Qiang, or Spear, is one of the most common weapons in Chinese Martial Arts.Known as the King of All Weapons, the Spear falls into the Long Weapons category.

Often used in battle by many famous generals, the Spear has a long history that dates to the Han Dynasty. Over many centuries in Chinese history the development of the Spear saw different types for different purposes on the battlefield. The Red-Tasseled Spear, commonly seen nowadays in Gong Fu schools and in competition, came into use during the late Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is this type of Spear that is the focus of this blog post.

The Spear is called the King of All Weapons (Wu QI Zhi Wang) because of its deadly use and mastery over other weapons. The Spear is the principal weapon in many Traditional Long Fist styles of Gong Fu. Its importance can be seen in the weapons fighting sets where the Spear is pitted against many other types of weapons; for example, Spear versus Saber, Spear versus Double Saber, Spear versus 3-Sectional Staff, and Spear versus Double Hooks.

The Northern type of Spear differs from that used in Southern Gong Fu styles both in length and in usage. The Spear used in the Northern schools is longer, usually reaching from the floor to the fingertips of the hand when stretched overhead. It predominantly uses the grip with the left hand forward on the spear shaft. The Spear used in the Southern schools is usually shorter, with the spear tip reaching the top of the head. It generally uses a grip with the right hand forward on the spear shaft.

The Northern Spear has a great variety of techniques. Foundational skills are built on the movements of Lan (Blocking), Na (Pressing), and Jia (Stabbing). These skills must be mastered if you wish to become proficient with the Spear. No other techniques should be attempted until Lan, Na, Jia can be performed swiftly and with precision.

The Significance of the Red Tassel on the Spear

Nowadays, most people believe that the Red Tassel that is attached to the Spear is only for decoration. This is far from the truth. The Tassel plays an important role and has specific purposes.

The principal function of the Tassel is to absorb the opponent’s blood so that it does not drip along the spear shaft, making it slippery in one’s hands; that can result in losing the grip on the weapon. Another important function of the Tassel is to disrupt the opponent’s focus and obstruct the vision, thus providing an advantage in battle.

The Tassel also helps in developing dexterity with the Spear as it gauges one’s power and skills. This can be seen clearly when performing Lan, Na, Jia, and it carries over to all other Spear skills. A lax tassel reflects one’s inadequacy in mastering Spear skills.

Finally, the red color of the tassel is said to imbue one with courage in battle, and in Chinese culture, it also represents good fortune.