San Jian Liang Ren Dao (三尖兩刃刀)

San Jian Liang Ren Dao of the Ming period, private collection.

The San Jian Liang Ren Dao (三尖兩刃刀, lit. 'Three-pointed double-edged blade'), also known as Er Lang Dao (二郎刀, lit. 'Erlang's blade') due to its association with Chinese war deity Er Lang Shen (二郎神), was a versatile but underrepresented Chinese polearm.

Like its namesake, the San Jian Liang Ren Dao had three points and two long, slightly flared cutting edges. The three points allowed the weapon to parry or even bind an opponent's weapon effectively while retaining the ability to deliver powerful stabs, whereas its forward-weighted cutting edges rendered it a devastating chopping weapon.

Being symmetrical, the San Jian Liang Ren Dao was also better balanced than other multipurpose polearms, such as the halberd.

Read more

Gou Lian Qiang (鈎鐮鎗)

Song Jiang (宋江) employs hooked spears to counter the chained cataphracts of Huyan Zhuo (呼延灼). From a Ming period print of Water Margin.

Gou Lian Qiang (鈎鐮鎗, lit. 'Hook sickle spear') was a famous Chinese polearm that combined a spearhead with a single sharpened hook. It should not be confused with Gou Qiang (鈎鎗) or Tie Gou Qiang (鐵鈎鎗).

Read more

Gou Lian Dao (鈎鐮刀)

Drawing of a Gou Lian Dao, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Gou Lian Dao (鈎鐮刀, lit. 'Hook sickle glaive') was a Chinese polearm that resembled, but distinct from, Yan Yue Dao (偃月刀). Instead of a forward-pointing protrusion like that of Yan Yue Dao, Gou Lian Dao had a sharpened hook on the back of its blade pointing downwards.

Read more