Using the Dog Beating Stick (the staff) in combat.

[Ken Cheng]

The Dog Beating Stick (the actual, physical staff) is, in physical composition, an ordinary stick of bamboo. As such, it's relatively fragile compared to metal weaponry. A strong enough martial artist can break it with his/her bare hands with minimal effort.

Even though the stick itself had no special physical properties, it had great symbolic value to the Beggar's Union. It was the symbol of the Beggar's Union Chief's personal authority within the Union and thus, whoever wielded this staff possessed great authority within wulin.

Kiu Fung never exhibited the Dog Beating Stick Technique during DGSD. When North Beggar Hung 7 Gung elected to use weaponry, he used his own personal walking stick, not the Dog Beating Stick. From Wong Yung onwards, however, the Beggar's Union Chiefs actually used the Dog Beating Stick as their personal weapon.

Was it wise to do this? As said, a bamboo stick is easily broken. It probably can't survive too many melees against powerful warriors such as West Poison Au Yeung Fung or the Golden Wheel Monk, nor can it take repeated impacts against sharp sabres and swords. On the one hand, it's just a stick...but on the other hand, that stick symbolizes the power of the Beggar's Union Chief. Risking its destruction in battle seems unwise.

[Ren Ying Ying]

Was the Dog Beating Stick really that easily breakable compared to other non-metal weapons (whips, staffs, etc)? Where did you get that notion? A strong enough martial artist can pretty much break any weapon they like, perhaps outside of the Heavenly Sword & Dragon Sabre (and their mother the Heavy Iron Sword).

When did H7G elect to use his own walking stick over the Dog Beating Stick?

As far as I remembered, the Dog Beating Stick was said to be durable yet flexible--a perfect complement to the technique. So unless you think the technique itself is worth less, there's no reason for you not to choose the Dog Beating Stick if you want peak performance.

[Ken Cheng]

Was the Dog Beating Stick really that easily breakable compared to other non-metal weapons (whips, staffs, etc)? Where did you get that notion?

When did H7G elect to use his own walking stick over the Dog Beating Stick?

As far as I remembered, the Dog Beating Stick was said to be durable yet flexible--a perfect complement to the technique. So unless you think the technique itself is worth less, there's no reason for you not to choose the Dog Beating Stick if you want peak performance.

From what I've been told, the Dog Beating Stick is just an ordinary bamboo stick. TV adaptations like to portray it as a stick of pure jade (which would be even worse to fight with), but the novel readers I've corresponded with have told me that in the novels, the stick is just an ordinary bamboo stick.

These same readers further said that Hung 7 Gung never used it in actual combat and carried it only for ceremonial purposes. Actual fighting was done by Hung 7 Gung with another stick he carried specifically for that purpose...possibly because the actual Dog Beating Stick was too important to risk in actual combat.

[Ren Ying Ying]

From what I've been told, the Dog Beating Stick is just an ordinary bamboo stick. TV adaptations like to portray it as a stick of pure jade (which would be even worse to fight with), but the novel readers I've corresponded with have told me that in the novels, the stick is just an ordinary bamboo stick.

These same readers further said that Hung 7 Gung never used it in actual combat and carried it only for ceremonial purposes. Actual fighting was done by Hung 7 Gung with another stick he carried specifically for that purpose...possibly because the actual Dog Beating Stick was too important to risk in actual combat.

It is an "ordinary" bamboo stick in the sense that the bamboo was 100% organic (no genetic alterations or non-bamboo substances such as metal or jade mixed into it).

As for H7G using the Dog Beating Stick, you can see from the last passage in LOCH chapter 20 (2nd edition).

洪七公改用随身携带的竹棒，这是丐帮中历代帮主相传之物，质地柔韧，比单剑长了一尺。他是外家高手，武功纯 走刚猛的路子，使上这兵器却是刚中有柔，威力更增

Translation from Wuxiapedia:

Hong Qigong wield a bamboo stick which he carried anywhere he went, as a token of authority of his position as the Beggar Clan Leader. The bamboo was pliable but hard to break. Compared to a sword it was about one foot longer. His skill in external martial art was superb; he was able to impart an incredible strength to the flexible weapon in his hands, increasing its might tremendously.

The english translation sort of glosses over the "这是丐帮中历代帮主相传之物" which literally translates to something like "This is the heirloom that every generation of Beggar Clan chief's pass down". Based on that line, I think it is safe to assume that the stick H7G was using is indeed THE Dog Beating Stick in his battle with OYF on the burning ship at the end of Chapter 20.

[Ken Cheng]

It is an "ordinary" bamboo stick in the sense that the bamboo was 100% organic (no genetic alterations or non-bamboo substances such as metal or jade mixed into it).

As for H7G using the Dog Beating Stick, you can see from the last passage in LOCH chapter 20 (2nd edition).



Translation from Wuxiapedia:


The english translation sort of glosses over the "这是丐帮中历代帮主相传之物" which literally translates to something like "This is the heirloom that every generation of Beggar Clan chief's pass down". Based on that line, I think it is safe to assume that the stick H7G was using is indeed THE Dog Beating Stick in his battle with OYF on the burning ship at the end of Chapter 20.

That's curiously different from what others have said here at this forum. According to another member's reading (don't remember who), Hung 7 Gung (during LOCH) usually carried only one stick...his own, nondescript walking stick. When he needed to conduct a Beggar's Union meeting, however, he would also carry the Dog Beating Stick as a symbol of his authority. From what this reader said, Hung 7 Gung rarely carried the actual Dog Beating Stick around when he didn't have official duties related to his role as Union Chief to attend to...and the actual Dog Beating Stick was never used for combat during Hung 7 Gung's tenure as Union Chief.

[Ren Ying Ying]

That's curiously different from what others have said here at this forum. According to another member's reading (don't remember who), Hung 7 Gung (during LOCH) usually carried only one stick...his own, nondescript walking stick. When he needed to conduct a Beggar's Union meeting, however, he would also carry the Dog Beating Stick as a symbol of his authority. From what this reader said, Hung 7 Gung rarely carried the actual Dog Beating Stick around when he didn't have official duties related to his role as Union Chief to attend to...and the actual Dog Beating Stick was never used for combat during Hung 7 Gung's tenure as Union Chief.

Are you just being sarcastic, now?

If H7G never carried the "actual" stick around, how would he have been able to pass it down to Huang Rong?

Of course, it's not unbelieveable if H7G didn't usually carry the official stick around, as he would rarely need to use the technique anyway, considering the poweress of his other martial arts and the fact that the technique was intended to be reserved for important Beggar Clan issues.

[Ken Cheng]

Are you just being sarcastic, now?

If H7G never carried the "actual" stick around, how would he have been able to pass it down to Huang Rong?

I'm not making this up. This is what somebody else who read the novel and posts at this forum told me a long time ago...that the real Dog Beating Stick was never used for fighting during Hung 7 Gung's tenure as Chief. Obviously, that changed with Wong Yung, but according to this reader, the actual Dog Beating Stick was generally kept at the Beggar's Union's headquarters and only occasionally carried by Hung 7 Gung when he knew that he would be needing it for some ceremonial purpose.

[Ren Ying Ying]

I'm not making this up. This is what somebody else who read the novel and posts at this forum told me a long time ago...that the real Dog Beating Stick was never used for fighting during Hung 7 Gung's tenure as Chief. Obviously, that changed with Wong Yung, but according to this reader, the actual Dog Beating Stick was generally kept at the Beggar's Union's headquarters and only occasionally carried by Hung 7 Gung when he knew that he would be needing it for some ceremonial purpose.

Maybe that was a different edition or maybe you memory failed you (since it was a long time ago).

I can't help it if you don't want to believe me.
The best solution? Why don't you go read for yourself *nudge nudge*

[Ken Cheng]

Maybe that was a different edition or maybe you memory failed you (since it was a long time ago).

I did a search on this forum using such keywords (both together and separately) as "jade," "bamboo," "chief," "stick," etc., and didn't find the original post. Maybe it was on the old Yushy Forums before they crashed for good in 2007.

The belief that the actual Dog Beating Stick wasn't used in combat by Union Chiefs before Wong Yung, however, dates back to at least 2005...so this is something I read some time ago. I do remember specifically receiving that answer when I asked why the Beggar's Union Chief would risk such an important, but fragile object as a weapon.

I can't help it if you don't want to believe me.

It's not so much that I don't believe you as I've gotten two contradictory answers from two ostensibly credible sources. I don't remember precisely who it was who told me about Hung 7 Gung and his predecessors not using the Dog Beating Stick for combat, but I do remember that it was a credible novel-reading member not known for reporting inaccuracies and even less for making up things that aren't true.

I'm of a mind to take some umbrage myself that you think I'm making all this up just to harass you.

The best solution? Why don't you go read for yourself *nudge nudge*

You know what the answer is to that one.

[Ian Liew]

The stick which Hong 7 Gong passed to Huang Rong was the same physical stick which Yang Kang stole in the Qu residence, and the same one which Yang Kang displayed to oohs and aahs at the Beggar Clan meeting, so it should have been the real thing, unless Hong 7 Gong carried two sticks. Or she dug it up from a secret pace once they got back from the sea.

[Candide]

What are you talking about, Ken? HQG always used the real deal. It's only after he gave it to Huang Rong that he started using his own normal stick.

As for Xiao Feng, he's just too manly to use a toothpick for combat. I can imagine him wielding a gigantic staff like Lu Zhishen's, but not a bamboo stick.