Gripping the Guandao

In this video, I discuss a unique polearm grip that is often used for Guandao.

I had a nasty cold/cough when I filmed this, so that’s why my voice was off and I had to edit out a lot of coughs. It might have been covid…

Secretly Transmitted Methods of the Guandao is my series for discussing all things Guandao. The Guandao is a weapon that has been used in Chinese martial arts for several centuries. It is a pole weapon with a large crescent blade at one end and a spike at the other end. I examine the Guandao from the perspectives of traditional and historical martial arts, history, performance, and religion.

References/links:

Here’s Matt Easton’s (Schola Gladiatoria) video on the European Poleaxe:
   • Medieval Weapons: The Pollaxe (AKA Poleaxe)  
He talks about leading with the butt end at around 15:50.

Cheng Zi Yi 程子頤. Wubei yaolüe 武備要畧. 1632.
Available at Wikimedia commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...
The Guandao form is from juan 8.14-21.

Zheng Dayu 鄭大郁. Jing guo xiong lüe 經國雄略 (Ambitious Strategies of Statecraft). Longwu tanyang wang jiejue guan she, 1645.
Available from the Curiosity Collections of Harvard Library:
https://curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/chi...
The physical specs of guandao are on seq. 1725 (p.5.7a of 武備攷); the guandao form is on seq. 1684 – 1691 (p.4.1-8 of 武備攷)
This text is also available from Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/item/2012402644/ (Guandao is starting Image 1 of Volume 43 https://www.loc.gov/resource/lcnclscd... )