Hatchet

The Hatchet or Fǔ (斧) is a weapon commonly seen in Chinese martial arts.

It was usually seen in a pair, but a single hatchet was also sometimes used.

Handle length was usually very short, not much more than 17 inches, with a broad axe-head, and sometimes an additional spike at the top.

dual hatchets for martial arts training

Hatchets were nowhere near as decorative as their larger, more ancient counterpart, the long-handled Great Axe or Yuè (鉞), but some still had designs of dragons or phoenixes, or the demon, Taotie carved onto the axe-head.

A decorative axe with a Taotie design

While it was present on the battlefield, it found much more popularity among the martial artists living in large, urban populations. It also attracted use among shopkeepers, bandits, and criminal fraternities, such as the Tong gangs, and Triads of the early 20th century.