Si Da Bing Qi (四大兵器) – Four Major Weapons

Historically, in a traditional Chinese martial arts school, the Shifu should be versed in the use of 18 Weapons known as Shi Ba Bing Qi.

As it pertains to Traditional Long Fist, there are Four Major Weapons or Si Da Bing Qi, which are considered of primary importance. These are listed here in the typical order in which they are taught: the Dao (刀) – Saber; the Gun (棍) – Staff; the Qiang (槍) – Spear; and the Jian (劍) – Sword.

The Dao, or Saber, was the common weapon of the Chinese foot soldiers. Typically, this is the first weapon taught to students since short weapons are thought to be easier to learn than long weapons, which require greater coordination.

The Gun, or Staff, is called the Grandfather of Long Weapons and is widespread among all Chinese martial arts systems. Although the Staff is not a weapon that is suitable for the battlefield, the Shaolin Monks were renowned for their skills with the Staff, and during the waning of the Ming Dynasty, on several occasions they fought off Japanese pirates.

The Qiang, or Spear, is described as the King of all Weapons. The Spear, known for its speed, was more renowned in the North of China and was used both by foot soldiers and cavalry. The Spear used on horseback was typically much longer than the spear used by foot soldiers.

The Jian, or Sword, is light, swift, dexterous, and graceful. Because it was the weapon carried by princes and high-ranking officials, it is referred to as the Gentleman’s Weapon.  Daoist Priests are often depicted carrying a sword on their back. And whereas the Shaolin Monks were renowned for their Staff skill, the Daoist Priests were famous for their skill with the sword.

The following saying pertains to the Four Major Weapons: It takes 10 Days to Master the Dao; it takes 100 Days to Master the Gun; it takes 1000 days to master the Qiang; and it takes 10,000 days to master the Jian.

This saying cannot be taken literally as it is only meant to distinguish the degrees of difficulty in learning the various weapons. We know that it takes far more than 10 days to master the Dao and it cannot possibly take 27 years to master the Jian

In our school, most students will learn the Saber and the Staff. Fewer will learn the Spear, and only the most skilled students will learn the Sword. As for other weapons, nowadays it is increasingly difficult to teach these to students. Generally, most students attend classes twice a week, during which time the focus is largely on training to maintain a certain degree of fitness and flexibility, and on the practice of the core curriculum. Accomplished students who compete in tournaments learn weapons that are not in the regular curriculum.

Note: Some schools use the term “Broadsword” instead of Saber. However, since the Dao is single edged, I believe that Saber is the more descriptive term.