because they expected that martial arts training in the spear would be fairly
extensive. We don’t know why this was the case, or how Ming military
training compared to earlier periods. There are two likely reasons for deeper
training. First, extensive training in even one weapon would improve the
overallfighting capabilities of a soldier. Second, soldiers were expected to
fight in more open formations and in a greater variety of circumstances that
would require a broader range of spear skills. Particularly for southern
Chinese soldiers, who did not have to contend with cavalry, dense forma-
tions of spearmen would not have been as necessary or useful.
Outside of the military, spearfighting was widely practiced as well. The
nuance and elaboration of the recorded styles shows a deep attachment to
the spear. While we are accustomed to seeing cultures fetishize archery or
fencing, spearfighting is rare. Men like the late Ming Dynasty martial artist
Wu Shu spent three decades studying spearfighting, including Shi Family
Spear Technique, Shaolin Spear Technique, Ma Family Spear Technique,
Yang Family Spear Technique, Sha Family Spear Technique, and Emei
Spear Technique. Wu was not alone in his obsessions, and the very fact
that he could travel around the empire studying different forms of spear
fighting shows how separate traditions had evolved and taken root. His
deep knowledge of the subject he wrote about is also a salutary admonition
to those who would do research on the martial arts that they should
practice what they study.
The spear was a ubiquitous weapon in Ming China, more important on
the battlefield than the sword and at least equal, if not greater, in impor-
tance to missile weapons. When the Ming army faced the Japanese in
Korea, it was southern troops with their infantry trained in spearfighting
that were effective against the Japanese army. Northern Chinese troops
with their emphasis on cavalry failed badly. Among the general populace
the spear was also widely used. It was a simple and effective weapon that
was available everywhere. Not only soldiers but also farmers and villagers
called upon to defend their communities would have been armed with and
trained to use spears. There was a deep reservoir of spearfighting martial
arts throughout the empire. This was reflected infictional heroes who
spoke of being skilled in“spears and staves,”and the aesthetics of the
spear in theater performances.
Staff Fighting
Spearfighting and stafffighting techniques had many similarities, to the
point that some martial artists felt they were virtually identical. Staffs were
Staff Fighting 181