# 3 section staff historical use?



## jaime_lion (Nov 11, 2019)

So I am curious does anyone have any historical texts or stories ect where the 3 section staff was used? I have tried searching historical use and have come up with very little. I know the "stories" about how a staff was chained together when it broke. But beyond that I have not found much. So I am asking if you guys have any info on the historical use?


Thanks


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## jobo (Nov 11, 2019)

jaime_lion said:


> So I am curious does anyone have any historical texts or stories ect where the 3 section staff was used? I have tried searching historical use and have come up with very little. I know the "stories" about how a staff was chained together when it broke. But beyond that I have not found much. So I am asking if you guys have any info on the historical use?
> 
> 
> Thanks


id always assumed it was for convivence of carry, other wise its just a silly idea


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## jaime_lion (Nov 11, 2019)

jobo said:


> id always assumed it was for convivence of carry, other wise its just a silly idea



I see do you have any historial texts or anything talking about the 3 section staff?


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## Flying Crane (Nov 11, 2019)

I’ve never heard of a story of someone chaining the pieces together when a staff broke.  That is an idea that simply does not stand up to scrutiny.

First, the easier thing to do when a staff is broken would be to find a replacement.  Much easier than chaining the pieces together.  The splintered ends would need to be cleaned up, then a chain or rope needs to be securely affixed to the ends, which would take some additional modification and tools and materials.  It would be far from an easy and quick and obvious fix.  Instead, walk into the woods and cut yourself another staff.  Done.

Second, the use of a flexible weapon is very different from the use of a staff.  So chaining the pieces together changes how it is used on a fundamental level.  The one does not simply translate into the other.

What are you looking for in terms of documentation?  Are you questioning the historical place of the weapon in Chinese martial arts?  Do you suspect it is a modern invention?  The weapon exists in numerous Chinese martial systems.  That does suggest that it has been around for some time.


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## jobo (Nov 11, 2019)

jobo said:


> id always assumed it was for convivence of carry, other wise its just a silly idea


 i don't have any historical text about anything MA related, 1) for the fairly obvious reason that it would be in chinese, 2) its authenticity would be impossible to verify £ it would give no insight at all if a weapon was useful or not.

however from an engineering standpoint, there no reason at all to articulate a weapon if that articulation makes it less effective as a weapon, Other than 1) its to facilitate carry or transportation or hidding, much as a pocket knife has a hinge to make it easier to carry, even though its use as a weapon is reduced or 2) that its some common farm implement that people may have available that they decided to weaponize, much as rice flails were weaponised, which also have the advantage of easy carry over a straight club.

As its a really bad weapon if you have any choice at all in which weapon you can choose its probably best to put it down as anachronism, and not waste to much time wondering why they choose such an inefficient weapon to practice with and certainly not waste time learning it yourself, that would be foolish.


as a pointed out to my instructor when he wanted to teach me how to use a bo staff, what possible use could that ever be to me, it would be better to take up knitting as at least i could get the needles in a lift or a toilet cubical


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## jaime_lion (Nov 11, 2019)

Flying Crane said:


> I’ve never heard of a story of someone chaining the pieces together when a staff broke.  That is an idea that simply does not stand up to scrutiny.
> 
> First, the easier thing to do when a staff is broken would be to find a replacement.  Much easier than chaining the pieces together.  The splintered ends would need to be cleaned up, then a chain or rope needs to be securely affixed to the ends, which would take some additional modification and tools and materials.  It would be far from an easy and quick and obvious fix.  Instead, walk into the woods and cut yourself another staff.  Done.
> 
> ...



Any and all historical documentation. Manuscripts or court documents or other things. Verifiable evidence of this being used in fights outside of routines and shows and such. I dont really know what to think at the moment because I know so very little about the weapon itself.

As I tried to show by my use of quotes the story of the staff being linked together is probably just that a story. 



jobo said:


> i don't have any historical text about anything MA related, 1) for the fairly obvious reason that it would be in chinese, 2) its authenticity would be impossible to verify £ it would give no insight at all if a weapon was useful or not.
> 
> however from an engineering standpoint, there no reason at all to articulate a weapon if that articulation makes it less effective as a weapon, Other than 1) its to facilitate carry or transportation or hidding, much as a pocket knife has a hinge to make it easier to carry, even though its use as a weapon is reduced or 2) that its some common farm implement that people may have available that they decided to weaponize, much as rice flails were weaponised, which also have the advantage of easy carry over a straight club.
> 
> ...



I pretty much agree with what you said. I still want to do some research. I believe I ave said this before but I feel the same way about most martial arts weapons they are not practical in today's world.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Nov 11, 2019)

The 3 section staff may come from the 2 section staff. The solid steel 2 section staff was use in the ancient battle field to against shield. You hold the long portion of the staff to hit on your enemy's shield, the shorter part then bend over above the shield and hit his head.


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## Flying Crane (Nov 11, 2019)

Well, likely the weapons you might find documented in the way you hope to find will be those commonly used in military actions.  So, swords, Spears, pole arms, bows, etc.

Those that fall outside of these categories, like the three-section staff, rope darts, meteor hammers, etc. will be less likely to have the same level of documentation.

In a lot of cases, martial methods were folk skills, passed down from generation to generation within a village or family.  Things weren’t documented in the same way, there was no need for it and these people could have been mostly illiterate peasants. 

So don’t write it off just because you don’t find the documentation you are looking for.  Kinda like, if you don’t find it on YouTube, that does not automatically mean it didn’t happen.

Most of what happens in the world never gets documented.


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