The three-section staff, triple staff, three-part staff, originally sanjiegun (, or ) or sansetsukon in Japanese, is a Chinese
flail
A flail is an agricultural tool used for threshing, the process of separating grains from their husks.
It is usually made from two or more large sticks attached by a short chain; one stick is held and swung, causing the other (the swipple) to st ...
weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. The weapon is also known as 蟠龍棍 ''panlong gun'', "coiling dragon staff". A more complicated version of the
two section staff, the staves can be spun to gather momentum resulting in a powerful strike, or their articulation can be used to strike over or around a
shield
A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of a ...
or other defense.
History and use
Although there is no historical evidence to support it, a popular modern-day legend states the weapon was made famous by
Zhao Kuangyin
Emperor Taizu of Song (21 March 927 – 14 November 976), personal name Zhao Kuangyin, courtesy name Yuanlang, was the founder and first emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 960 until his death in 976. Formerly a distinguish ...
, the first Emperor of the
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
(960 AD).
Historically made of
white oak
The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera '' ...
,
waxwood
''Ligustrum lucidum'', the broad-leaf privet,[Weed profile: Privet](_blank)
New So ...
, or
Chinese red maple, modern staves are constructed from rattan, bamboo, various hardwoods or aluminum. For optimum fit, each of the three sticks should be about the length of the combatant's arm and have a combined diameter that easily fits in the hand . These are connected by chains of rings ; modern versions use ball-and-socket joints.
The total length of the weapon is about the same as the Chinese staff (the
gùn), and greater than that of the single staff (known in Japanese as a
bō). The larger size of a three-section staff allows for an increased reach compared to the staff. Some of the techniques are similar to that of the staff, so spinning moves over the head and behind the back, such as helicopter spins and neck rolls, can be practised with a regular staff. Other weapon techniques the three-section staff makes use of are similar to that of the pair of sticks used in
escrima
Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima/Escrima, is the national martial art of the Philippines. The three are roughly interchangeable umbrella terms for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines (" Filipino Martial Arts", or FMA), which ...
, a simple short chain, a whip, or the two-section staff. It is therefore advantageous for the user to have some familiarity with these weapons. The three-section staff has the advantage of being usable as a long-range (whip), mid-range (flail or two section staff) or a short-range (pair of escrima) weapon. Acting as an extension of the user's arms, the three-section staff can strike, flail, block, choke, trap, disarm and whip, often with different sections of the staff acting at the same time. The chains or binding ropes of the staff are used to entangle an opponent and their weapons. While it has three ranges, the three-section staff is best used as a short range weapon against longer-ranged weapons. In this configuration, a skilled practitioner can nearly simultaneously block an opponent's strike, trap his or her weapon, and disarm them while executing their own strike with the free end of the staff.
While some martial artists have held that the three-section staff was used on the battlefield to entangle horses' legs or to strike around shields, the complexity of the weapon and the length, difficulty of use, lack of sharp tips or edges and other advantages of such traditional battlefield weapons as
spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fasten ...
s,
polearms
A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly ...
(such as the ''
yan yue dao''),
swords
A sword is a cutting and/or thrusting weapon.
Sword, Swords, or The Sword may also refer to:
Places
* Swords, Dublin, a large suburban town in the Irish capital
* Swords, Georgia, a community in the United States
* Sword Beach, code name for ...
and so forth meant that the triple staff was more likely restricted to personal self-defense.
One significant weakness of chained weapons in general is a lack of control. At long and intermediate ranges, the strike of one ends not upon impact but on recoil; even the greatest martial arts masters must use valuable time regaining control of their weapon. Due to the length of the staff sections relative to the length of joining chains, the weapon suffers less from a lack of control than other more flexible chain weapons. In short range mode there are no control issues because the end sections are firmly in hand, and the middle section is unable to move independently. Training with the three-section staff is particularly difficult because it is a multi-mode complex weapon, and is not recommended for beginners. Foam covered versions are now sold to aid in training, but the blows received from the ends on recoil are a relatively rare risk. Instead, the greater danger is the painful impact of the chains or metal parts of the staff that the chains are anchored to upon the hands of the user. This occurs when the staff is improperly used in short range mode and the relative positions of staff sections are rapidly changed, serving as a strong deterrent to casual users. However, motivated self teachers will find the three-section staff and other flexible weapons to be the easiest to learn effectively. This is because flexible weapons provide instant feedback to the user. When used improperly, flexible weapons will either impact upon targets other than those desired, put the user off balance, injure the user, or otherwise be obviously out of control.
To experience the versatility of both single-staff and three-section staff, some manufactures have created a combination weapon made out of metal. The three sections, linked by chains as customary for this type of weapon, screw together to form one single staff. The transition to full staff to sectioned staff can be done in mid-combat with a few twists. Against an opponent, the transition is often masked, adding an element of surprise to the following attacks.
The ends of three-section staffs sometimes break, but can be replaced with pieces of similar weight and thickness to the other parts.
The three-section staff was brought to
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
from
Fujian Province
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its cap ...
by
Shinko Matayoshi
was one of the best-known Masters of Okinawa Kobudo Matayoshi Kobudo.
Born in 1888 in Naha-shi at Senburu, he studied the bo, eku, kama and sai under the direction of Master Shokuho Agena. He later studied the tonfa and nunchaku with Master ...
, who incorporated it in
Matayoshi Kobudo with two ''
kata
''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practised ...
'' (''sansetsukon dai ichi'', ''sansetsukon dai ni'') after 1935. Kobudo sansetsukon typically have shorter (usually 50–60 cm.) yet thicker (about 4–5 cm. in diameter) staffs. The sansetsukon is not to be confused with ''san bon
nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person wh ...
'' (三本ヌンチャク).
Three-section flails
*Lian Zhu Shuang Tie Bian (連珠雙鐵鞭, lit. 'Linked bead double iron whip') is a variant of
two-section staff
The two-section staff or Changxiaobang () is a versatile weapon which originated in China from the ancient Shaolin temple and Shaolin martial arts. It is a flail-type weapon which consists of a long staff with a shorter rod attached by a chain, t ...
(Tie Lian Jia Bang 鐵鏈夾棒, lit. 'Iron chain with clubs') flail that has two connected striking ends. It could be an early predecessor of the three-section staff.
*Double-headed Flail (連珠棍 Lang Ya Lien , Langyalian) has long center staff and a shorter flail head on each end.
In popular culture
*
San Te San Te or San-De (Chinese: 三德) monk was a Shaolin martial arts disciple who trained under monk Zhi Shan. The title San-De means "Three Harmonies" or "Three Virtues". He lived in the early 18th century and resided at the Xichan Monastery after l ...
, character played by
Gordon Liu
Gordon Liu (Lau Kar-fai ); born Sin Kam-hei () August 22, 1951) is a Chinese martial arts film actor and martial artist. He played the lead role of San Te in ''The 36th Chamber of Shaolin'' (1978) and its sequels, and later played two roles in Qu ...
invents the three-section staff in ''
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
''The 36th Chamber of Shaolin'', also known as ''The Master Killer'', ''Shaolin Master Killer'' and ''Shao Lin San Shi Liu Fang'', is a 1978 Hong Kong kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung and produced by Shaw Brothers, starring Gordon Liu. T ...
''.
*The three-section staff is one of
Ling Tong
Ling Tong () (189–217), courtesy name Gongji, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He started his service under Sun Quan when he was still a teenager and, throughout his ...
's primary weapons from the ''
Dynasty Warriors
is a series of Japanese hack and slash action video games created by Omega Force and Koei (now is Koei Tecmo). The series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' series, based upon the Chinese novel of ...
'' series.
*
Hideyoshi Toyotomi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
uses the three-section staff as his main weapon in the ''
Samurai Warriors
is the first title in the series of hack and slash video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based closely around the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of Japanese history and it is a sister series of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' series, rele ...
'' series.
*In the webcomic ''
Homestuck
''Homestuck'' is an Internet fiction series created by American author and artist Andrew Hussie in the first half of the 2010s. The fourth and best-known of Hussie's four ''MS Paint Adventures'', it originally ran from April 13, 2009 to April 1 ...
'', the character Terezi at one point uses this as a weapon of choice, the alternative title of "Dragon Staff" referring to the character's recurring theme of the aforementioned mythological creature.
*In ''
Bleach
Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color (whitening) from a fabric or fiber or to clean or to remove stains in a process called bleaching. It often refers specifically, to ...
'', Ikkaku Madarame's sword has the supernatural ability to transform into either a spear or a bladed three-section staff and rapidly switch between these forms.
* The
2003 version of ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' features three-section staffs; one used by one of the Triceraton All-Stars, one by a warrior on the Battle Nexus Tournament, and a mystical one used by
Mikey
Mikey is a masculine given name, often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Michael. It may also refer to:
People
* Mikey Ambrose (born 1993), American Major League Soccer player
* Mikey Arroyo (born 1969), Filipino actor and politician, son of Phil ...
during the war with the Tengu
Shredder.
*The
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
TV series ''
Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
'' on the
CW features the use of this weapon on episodes 2 ("The Candidate") and 10 ("Blood Debts") of its 4th season. The weapon was used by villain
Anarky during fight sequences against the
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
and
Speedy
Speedy refers to something or someone moving at high speed.
Speedy may refer to:
Ships
* HMS ''Speedy'', nine ships of the Royal Navy
* ''Speedy''-class brig, a class of naval ship
* ''Speedy'' (1779), a whaler and convict ship despatched i ...
.
* In the manga ''
The Seven Deadly Sins The seven deadly sins is a classification of vices used in Christian teachings.
Seven deadly sins may also refer to:
Art
* ''The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things'', a 1485 painting by Hieronymus Bosch
* '' The Seven Deadly Sins of Moder ...
,'' the character Ban uses a 3 sectioned staff to fight although his preferred (but lost) weapon is a 4 sectioned staff.
* In ''
Suikoden II
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation video game console and the second installment of the ''Suikoden'' video game series. It was released in late 1998 in Japan, 1999 in North America, and in 2000 in E ...
'', Nanami fights with a sansetsukon.
* In ''
Suikoden V
is a role-playing video game developed by Konami and Hudson Soft and published by Konami for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console and the fifth and final main installment of the ''Suikoden'' video game series. It was released in 2006, and h ...
'', the hero Freyjadour Falenas fights with a hybrid weapon, which can instantly become a long staff or a sansetsukon.
* In ''
Saiyuki may refer to:
*''Saiyūki'', the Japanese language title of the Chinese classic ''Journey to the West''
*''Saiyūki'', a 1960 anime film based on Osamu Tezuka's manga adaptation of ''Journey to the West'' titled ''Boku no Son Goku'', released in En ...
'', Son Goku can have his Nyoibo (magic staff) become a sansetsukon, which he uses on rare occasions.
* In ''
Shin Megami Tensei
''Megami Tensei'', marketed internationally as ''Shin Megami Tensei'' (formerly ''Revelations''), is a Japanese media franchise created by Aya Nishitani, Kouji "Cozy" Okada, Ginichiro Suzuki, and Kazunari Suzuki. Primarily developed and publishe ...
,'' the Sansetsukon can be bought quite early in the story. Its low attack is compensated by its accuracy and its ability to strike three times in a row.
* In the 2006 movie ''
Fearless
Fearless or The Fearless may refer to:
Psychology
* Lack of fear
* Courage or bravery
Film, television and audio Film
* ''Fearless'' (1978 film), an Italian film directed by Stelvio Massi
* ''Fearless'' (1993 film), an American drama directed ...
,'' the protagonist Huo Yuanjia wields a three-section staff against the Japanese champion Tanaka, who wields a
katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
.
* In ''
Power Rangers Jungle Fury
''Power Rangers Jungle Fury'' is the sixteenth season of the American television series ''Power Rangers'', and is an adaptation of ''Juken Sentai Gekiranger'', the thirty-first Japanese Super Sentai, ''Super Sentai'' series.
The season premiered ...
'' and its Japanese counterpart ''
Gekiranger'', a three-section staff is employed by the Jungle Pride Megazord.
* In the ''
Fatal Fury
''Fatal Fury'', known as in Japan, is a fighting game series developed by SNK for the Neo Geo system.
Games
Canon
* ''Fatal Fury'' – The first game of the ''Fatal Fury'' series allowed players to select one of three characters, Terry B ...
'' and ''
The King of Fighters
''The King of Fighters'' (''KOF'') is a series of fighting games by SNK that began with the release of ''The King of Fighters '94'' in 1994. The series was developed originally for SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade hardware. This served as the main plat ...
'' series,
Billy Kane
is a player character, video game character created by SNK. He makes first appearance in the fighting game ''Fatal Fury: King of Fighters'' as the sub-boss from the game. In the ''Fatal Fury'' series Billy is the right-hand man from Geese Howard, ...
wields a bō that can become a sansetsukon.
* In the arcade game ''
Martial Champion
is a 1993 fighting game released for the arcades by Konami. It was Konami's third fighting game after the 1985 releases '' Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' and '' Galactic Warriors'' and the 1986 release '' Yie Ar Kung-Fu II'', and their first release that ca ...
'', Goldor wields a three-section staff.
* The Libra cloth in ''
Saint Seiya
, also known as ''Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac'' or simply ''Knights of the Zodiac'' (translated from the French title ''Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque''), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. It ...
'' features amongst its weapons a pair of sansetsukon.
* In the manga ''
B't X
and stylized as B'T X, is a manga series, written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. It was serialized in '' Shōnen Ace'' from 1994 to 2000. The series is set in a fictional universe where science has progressed to the creation of mech ...
,'' the character Karen uses a sansetsukon as weapon.
*In ''
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening'', Cerberus transforms into the three-section staff with an ice magic type. In ''
Devil May Cry 5
is a 2019 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It is the sixth installment overall and the fifth mainline installment in the ''Devil May Cry'' series. Capcom released it for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on 8 March 201 ...
'', defeating King Cerberus rewards Dante with an largely upgraded replacement of the original Cerberus weapon. King Cerberus comes with three different magic types which decides a different form (i.e., Fire shifts into a bo staff, Ice maintains its three stick sanhokon nunchakuform by default, and Lightning magically changes into a three-section staff.
* In the
otome game
An , is a story-based video game that is targeted towards women. Generally one of the goals, besides the main idea/goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the female player/main character and one of the second-lead male characters.
His ...
''Shall We Date?: Ninja Shadow'', Tsubaki Kusunoki's preferred weapon is a ''sansetsukon''. The characters note how unpredictable this makes him in the battlefield.
*In ''
Final Fantasy XIII
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles and later for the Microsoft Windows operating system. Released in Japan in December 2009 and international in March 2010, it is the ...
'' and ''
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII'', the character Oerba Yun Fang wields dual-bladed spears that transform into three-section staffs.
*In ''
Jackie Chan Adventures
''Jackie Chan Adventures'' is an American animated television series, created by John Rogers, Duane Capizzi and Jeff Kline, and produced by Sony Pictures Television (originally as Columbia TriStar Television for the first three seasons). The car ...
'', Gan, one of Daolon Wong's Dark Chi Warriors, uses a three section staff. Because they share the same chi, Gan can manipulate the weapon, able to telekinetically return it to his hand.
*In ''
Jujutsu Kaisen
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. It has been serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' since March 2018, with its chapters collected and published in 21 ''tankōbon'' vo ...
'' a three section staff named "Playful Cloud" was utilized to fight one of the antagonists in episodes 19 and 20.
References
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Three-Section Staff
Chinese melee weapons
Flail weapons
Polearms