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Thread: The nunchaku: why is this weapon absent from wuxia fiction?

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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Default The nunchaku: why is this weapon absent from wuxia fiction?

    Bruce Lee popularized the use of nunchakus in martial arts films during the 1970s, but for some reason, this weapon never shows up in wuxia fiction. We see all kinds of weapons in wuxia fiction...ranging from your common swords and spears to ironclad folding fans, large scissors, and ink pen brushes. I can't remember a single instance of a wuxia character using the nunchakus, however.

    This might be because the nunchaku is more of a Japanese martial arts weapon than a Chinese one. Even so, I believe that Shaolin has a three-stick variation of the nunchakus as part of its weapons set.

    So why no nunchakus in wuxia fiction?

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    Senior Member Yeung Gor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng
    Bruce Lee popularized the use of nunchakus in martial arts films during the 1970s, but for some reason, this weapon never shows up in wuxia fiction. We see all kinds of weapons in wuxia fiction...ranging from your common swords and spears to ironclad folding fans, large scissors, and ink pen brushes. I can't remember a single instance of a wuxia character using the nunchakus, however.

    This might be because the nunchaku is more of a Japanese martial arts weapon than a Chinese one. Even so, I believe that Shaolin has a three-stick variation of the nunchakus as part of its weapons set.

    So why no nunchakus in wuxia fiction?

    Perhaps, nunchakus was not invented back then.

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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yeung Gor
    Perhaps, nunchakus was not invented back then.
    It's just two sticks fastened together with a chain. That could be accomplished with ancient and medieval technology. It's hard to imagine that nobody figured out how to do that until the 20th Century.

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    Senior Member Yeung Gor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng
    It's just two sticks fastened together with a chain. That could be accomplished with ancient and medieval technology. It's hard to imagine that nobody figured out how to do that until the 20th Century.
    Well, if you think about it. Two short sticks connected by a chain that is hard to use and could injure the user themselves vs a long sword that can kill you with one strike. I think even if someone conjure up the idea, it would immediately be discarded in favor of a sword or spear.
    Last edited by Yeung Gor; 09-02-05 at 02:43 AM.

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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yeung Gor
    Well, if you think about it. Two short sticks connected by a chain that is hard to use and could injure the user themselves vs a long sword that can kill you with one strike. I think even if someone conjure up the idea, it would immediately be discarded in favor of a sword or spear.
    It's no more awkward than fighting with a sleeve, I imagine.

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    That's a good one.

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    Senior Member Yeung Gor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng
    It's no more awkward than fighting with a sleeve, I imagine.
    Yes and because of their awkward nature, not just anyone can use such weapons effectively. Bruce Lee made the nunchuks a great weapon, YG made the sleeve a great weapon.

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    i think there is such a weapon. as what you say, we can see them in shaolin shows. but the weapon may not be popular then. it's like it is the chinese who invented gunpower, we see it but it only become popular when the western use it.

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    Senior Member i_fotted's Avatar
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    There are no nunchucks but im sure there are very similar weapons. ie, a dual spike blunt connect by a chain.

    also in Hero from Shaolin, Bac Sai Phan used a dual sword connected by a chain.

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    Senior Member Temujin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng
    This might be because the nunchaku is more of a Japanese martial arts weapon than a Chinese one. Even so, I believe that Shaolin has a three-stick variation of the nunchakus as part of its weapons set.

    So why no nunchakus in wuxia fiction?
    Yes, the Nunchaku is a Japanese weapon, a Chinese version of Three-Stick weapon. I recalled there was a TV adaptation starring Adam Cheng, called The Hawk, back in th 80s and he was using the the three-stick weapon.

    I am not sure whether The Hawk is based on a Wuxia novel or not.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Temujin
    Yes, the Nunchaku is a Japanese weapon, a Chinese version of Three-Stick weapon. I recalled there was a TV adaptation starring Adam Cheng, called The Hawk, back in th 80s and he was using the the three-stick weapon.

    I am not sure whether The Hawk is based on a Wuxia novel or not.
    Hey I remember that show.

    But the best example of sectioned staff was in the "Shaolin Temple" film starring Jet Li. There was the 3-section staff that you have seen and also a 2-section staff. Think of a staff with the end chopped off and attached to the main staff with a chain; a hard and soft weapon in one - the end section could "whip" around blades or other long weapons; it was also "effective" at deflecting arrows.

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    Senior Member Temujin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CFT
    Hey I remember that show.

    But the best example of sectioned staff was in the "Shaolin Temple" film starring Jet Li. There was the 3-section staff that you have seen and also a 2-section staff. Think of a staff with the end chopped off and attached to the main staff with a chain; a hard and soft weapon in one - the end section could "whip" around blades or other long weapons; it was also "effective" at deflecting arrows.
    But Shaolin Temple is not a Wuxia show/movie, it's a martial arts movie, but not a martial arts fantasy, which is what wuxia is, as stated in this thread 'The nunchaku: why is this weapon absent from wuxia fiction?
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yeung Gor
    Yes and because of their awkward nature, not just anyone can use such weapons effectively. Bruce Lee made the nunchuks a great weapon, YG made the sleeve a great weapon.
    Its parent weapon the sweeper, unconsciously invented by the first Song emperor (yes, the one who developed Taizu Long Fist), was used in an entirely different way. In that, it's characterized by its sweeping motion, which was comparatively easier to learn. It was only until some people found it very inconvenient to carry due to the length of the weapon, did they decide to shorten it so that it can be easily tucked under their clothing. The shortened weapon was called a small sweeper; from there, the Japanese used their own pronunciation of the Chinese characters 雙節棍 (two-sectional staff), to name it the all-familiar nunchaku. This weapon was known to be less effective than the big sweeper, and has always been very unpopular in Chinese kung fu. That is until The Dragon came along…

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    Member BeeDreamer's Avatar
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    Well, the wuxia female fighters have been known to use silk bands with a spear or sharp object attached on both ends. It might not be two sticks linked by a chain but its the same idea, isn't it?

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    Senior Member Ian Liew's Avatar
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    Oops - sorry, double post.
    Last edited by Ian Liew; 09-03-05 at 02:01 PM.

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    Senior Member Ian Liew's Avatar
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    The three-sectioned staff looks similar to the nunchaku, but they are used in very different ways. The Nunchaku has very short sections, and is mainly used like a blackjack to bludgeon (with a chain in the middle to confuse opponents). The three-sectioned staff is way too long to use with any nunchaku strokes, and is normally held as twin poles in each hand with the ends facing outward and the chain-linked middle portion facing you rather than facing out. It's almost an ambidextrous skill, requiring you to use each stave like you would two swords (with the middle pole used for defence against anyone slicing down the middle, probably). Perhaps a really proficient user might be able to lash out with the full length for a surprise reach in a similar style to the nine-linked whip, but that's just my imagination... It also doesn't seem anywhere near as fast as the nunchaku.

    I think apart from the common theme of having a chain connecting sticks together, both weapons actually have very different origins, and quite little in common. I'd really love to see a three-sectioned staff in action, though. Apart from Gordon Liu using it in the 36 Chambers of Shaolin, I haven't seen it used properly anywhere else. One of the Wen elders in Crimson Sabre 2000 used it, but he sort of waved it menacingly, and never really showed any real skill with it. It was also used in One Sword, but the way the chap was using it he probably wasn't really trained with it at all.

    On a side note, I find it ironic that despite all of the hype behind Bruce Lee's origin, in how he was inspired into becoming such a great fighter by the desire to defend his country against the Japanese during the war, that would popularise a Japanese weapon beyond any other Chinese weapon he might have, and beyond anyone's effort with that said weapon.

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    Bruce Lee doesn't believe there's such a thing as races, he believes that there should be only one thing that exists...human beings.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ian Liew

    On a side note, I find it ironic that despite all of the hype behind Bruce Lee's origin, in how he was inspired into becoming such a great fighter by the desire to defend his country against the Japanese during the war...
    Maybe some of the characters that Bruce depicted in his movies did. Bruce was a U.S. Citizen (by birth, not naturalization)...and during his lifetime, Japan and China were not at war.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hanky Panky
    Bruce Lee doesn't believe there's such a thing as races, he believes that there should be only one thing that exists...human beings.
    [Yoda voice] A wise man, Master Bruce was.[/Yoda voice]

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    Senior Member Ian Liew's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng
    Maybe some of the characters that Bruce depicted in his movies did. Bruce was a U.S. Citizen (by birth, not naturalization)...and during his lifetime, Japan and China were not at war.
    I remember a documentary somewhere when a very very young Bruce Lee was walking with some old man and saw a Japanese plane flying overhead. There was some discussion about the Japanese and then he supposedly vowed to show them that the Chinese were not weak or something.. something like Chen Zhen. Oh well, it was probably something concocted by the Hollywood fiction...

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