I just couldn't wait!!!

[josh stout]

I think you are very lucky to have found something like that. I have seen a few sets of temple pole arms like the (Vietnamese?) ones displayed earlier in this thread. Those examples are quite good for the type, and they generally go down in quality from there. Yours has the same feel in the decoration, but is much nicer. The heaviness, good balance, and sharp blade all indicate a training weapon.

My feeling is that it was custom made for a local master by village artisans. Despite the overall high quality, the fullers in one photo look wavy and shallow as is often seen in village work. The brass work is very sophisticated so it must have been a larger town with multiple craftsmen not just a village smith. The blade itself and "stars" are nice enough that I wonder if an assistant cut the fullers. As you mention, the owner must have been relatively wealthy to afford it, so I imagine it belonging to a fairly successful school as a training tool/display item. The style is similar to SEA Chinese Diaspora styles, but I think it is purely Chinese. My guess is it is from the South of China and was made by the same Fukienese/Hakka Chinese who made up much of the Diaspora.

The missing eyes were most likely separate pieces of brass on thin stalks designed to bobble around. I will look around to see if there are examples with gems or other decoration as well.
Josh