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WABUKAN Arsenal · Spears and polearms · China

Guandao

A heavy blade on a long pole, named after the general Guan Yu. Historians think it appeared centuries after him; it was also used to test soldiers' strength.

Guandao
Guandao WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

關刀 · guān dāo; yanyue dao (crescent-moon blade)

Origin and history

The guandao is named after the general Guan Yu (3rd c.), whose weapon in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a crescent-blade glaive. Historically, heavy guandao were used from the Song dynasty and, in the Qing period, also for strength tests in the military examinations.

Martial arts that use it

Kung Fu Hung Gar Wushu Taolu

Construction

A heavy, curved blade on a long shaft (about 1.8–2.2 m), often with a back spike and a counterweight at the butt. Training versions for forms are lighter.

Basic techniques

Training

Polearm training begins with handling: sliding the hands along the shaft, turning the weapon end to end and keeping distance. Thrusts, sweeps and blocks are drilled solo, then in prearranged forms with a partner using wooden versions with padded or blunt tips.

Safety

Long weapons need room: check the ceiling and the space behind you, and warn partners before turning the weapon. Inspect wooden shafts for cracks and splinters and replace them rather than repair them.

Legality (general information)

Swords, knives and other edged weapons are regulated very differently from country to country (and sometimes from region to region): owning one at home is often allowed, while carrying it in public, buying it under a certain age or importing it may be restricted or banned. Practitioners usually transport them cased, out of reach and straight between home and dojo. This is general information, not legal advice: check the law where you live.

Did you know?

Guan Yu is honoured as a god of loyalty and war, and his statue with the guandao is found in temples, police stations and restaurants.

More weapons

Monk’s spade Ge (dagger-axe) Halberd Taiaha Naginata Yari

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Guandao
  2. Wikipedia — Guan Yu