A significant caveat to this characterization of early Shang formations is
the discovery in an early Shang tomb in Hebei of aji, a weapon that had
both a spearhead and a dagger-axe. Before thisfind in 1973 , thejiwas
believed to be a Western Zhou weapon. No such combined weapon has
been found at Anyang or in any other high-ranking tombs, so the predom-
inance of dagger-axes in the early Shang, and their continuing importance
into the late Shang, still seems to hold.
Dagger-axes continued to be the most widely used close combat
weapon through the Western Zhou, thoughjiwere now becoming more
widespread. Thejiwould push out the dagger-axe entirely in the Warring
States period and become a standard infantry weapon in the Han dynasty
(202 bce–220 ce). Spears were still not used in great numbers in the Shang,
Western Zhou, or Spring and Autumn period. In terms of martial arts, the
conservatism in weapon design and manufacture alerts us to a similar
conservatism in combat skills. Century after century, despite other kinds
of weapons being available, combat in China was limited to archery and
dagger-axefighting.
illustration 1.Axe head, Shang Dynasty, Laufer Collection. Courtesy of the
Field Museum and Ernest Caldwell. Photo by Ernest Caldwell.
The Dagger-Axe (Ge), Axe, and Spear 19