Page 22 - Martial Science Magazine DIG#29

are similar. Piercing Needle Staff has its trays its fighting emphasis. This is a
own combative objectives. series of moves where the wandering
practitioner uses the tip of his staff to
The reason this pattern is called Six and launch a series of tapping strikes at the
Half Staff is because it consisted of six opponent’s feet or toes to fracture them
main strategies of self preservation. The and destroy the balance. These moves

other half strategy reflects the least can be combined with the first part of
important but still necessary part in its the series alternately to confuse the ad-
fighting repertoire. The moves are short versary.
and divided into seven parts or segments
with colourful names typical of Chinese The fourth part called “ Sweeping the
martial arts. These fighting movements Leaves ॾೡઋွ “ . Quite often, when
can also be applied onto a spear. two armed adversaries face each oth-
er, their weapons will come into contact
The first part is called “ Ten Thousand repeatedly. Bearing this circumstance

Needles Piercing the Sky ຣᆌԬ฿ “. It in mind, the practitioner momentarily
consisted of a series of multiple straight sticks onto the opponent’s weapon and
strikes to the various parts of an oppo- then flicks or diverts it away. This act
nent’s exposed body. As the Single Head- opens up the opponent’s body and ex-
ed Staff focused on the tapered end, it pose a vulnerable part for a quick finish-
is definitely of the utmost importance ing strike.
that piercing straight stabs to the body
is emphasised first. Repeated practices “ Fierce Tiger Coming Out From The Cave
on this segment also develop balance, ૒޷ԛ׳Ḥ“ comes next. In this segment,
arm and body strength, the wandering practitioner ‘abandons’
his weapon at close range and launches

The second segment in the pattern is out with his Tiger Claw while applying
named “ Blocking the Wind, Sheltering the strategies taught in the unarmed
from the Rain ֓ڄᅻ჏ “. Here, the wan- forms. This act teaches the practitioner
derer places the staff in a slanting po- not to over rely on the long pole all the
sition in front of him. The purposes is to time. The abandonment depends on the
expose a small part of his upper body to situations at hand especially when a
lure the opponent to strike at him from good opportunity arises where close
above. As an attack is launched, the combat scenarios may happen at any
practitioner ducked and strike upwards time.

with the far end of the staff before fol-
lowing up with other counters. The sixth part of this pattern is given the
name “ Principle of a Hundred Chang-
“Blind Man Finding the Way 盲人揾路 “ es of the Body Ϥэദم “. These are a
is the third part. The name already be- series of moves where the staff fight-

22 MARTIALSCIENCEMAGAZINE.COM