Issue 37 - Tse Qigong Centre

ShaolinDamoStaff“Staff strikes in a whole piece and the spear hitsin a straight line”This poem describes the principle of the staffand the spear. The spear and the staff are the kings ofthe long weapons, although other weapons like the swordand the broadsword are more popular. This is becausetheir use is more varied covering different distances.However, today the staff is a more convenient weapon.Just carrying one to and fromclass is easier as hardly anyonewill look at you and most would not even notice you werecarrying it, but if you were carrying a sword, then thepolice would definitely look at you and will ask you whyyou are carrying it.Although it is a long weapon, the staff is shortcompared to a pole. However in Chinese a staff and a poleare both called ‘Kwun’, short or long are both the same. A shorterkwun is sometimes called a “Two Head Kwun”, this is because youcan use both ends to attack and defend. It is also called an “EyebrowHigh Kwun”. Thus its length is the same distance from your feet toyour eyebrows. They can sometimes be a little shorter or a littlelonger, though it should not be higher than your head or shorterthan your mouth. If it were, it would not be right for the way it isused.A long Kwun (pole) is usually about seven, eight even ninefeet long. This is called a “Single Head Kwun” because you only useone end. You cannot use the other end as it is too long. To use a longkwun you need more energy. Sometimes you only use it on one sidethe left or the right, you cannot change round as it would be toodangerous. Therefore the applications of the long pole are differentto those of the shorter staff. For the pole you need to be very strongand grounded with strong legs. For the staff you need to be more“Doing thto correct baparticularlyand spine.”Qi Magazine 46