New Series of Posts: Dual Weapons

The Chinese martial arts have many kinds of melee weapons that are organized into several categories.

One such category is dual weapons. Unlike western traditions, most of these dual weapons are identical in size, weight, and shape.

The first thing I want to talk about is in response to Matt Easton's video Dual-wielding axes - plausible combat style?

He alludes to the possibility that Kung Fu styles use dual axes, but thinks that axe and shield is a more plausible combination. While I somewhat agree that you are more protected while using a shield, the concept of dual wielded axes is still well grounded in history, at least in the Asian tradition.

Dual axes or Shuāng Fǔ (雙斧) supposedly originated in the Song dynasty, but most claims stem from the fictional book, Outlaws of the Marsh aka The Water Margin. Most claims point to Lǐ Kuí (李逵) aka, the Black Whirlwind, who is a fictional character from that novel. He is presumed to be the original user of dual axes.

Historically, they were used by the Qing dynasty's Green Standard Army (綠營), as referenced in the Huángcháo Lǐqì Túshì (皇朝禮器圖式), which may also suggest that it could be found earlier in the Ming dynasty as well. (As a historical side note, the Green Standard Army was originally constructed from remnants of the old Ming army.)

Dual axes were typically short, with a blade about four and a half inches tall, and a handle slightly over one and a half feet long, with each axe weighing in the vicinity of two pounds.

Typically, one axe is used for attack while the other is used for defense, but these roles are not fixed to one hand, and are interchangeable. This act of switching is done for purposes of both adaptability, and the potential to confuse the enemy.

They are used today by many styles of Chinese martial arts, such as Shaolin, Emei, Cai Li Fo, Hung Ga(r), to name a few.

This series will continue next week with a post about the Double Hook Swords or Shuāng Gōu (雙鈎).