Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 20th October 2009, 07:48 PM   #1
Queequeg
Member
 
Queequeg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Detroit (New Mayapan)
Posts: 96
Default Chinese Movie Sword

I just finished watching "The Curse of the Golden Flower", which stars Chow Yun Fat (who plays a Tang Dynasty Emperor) and Gong Li (the Empress).

A group of assassins makes a few appearances in the film, and they specialize in a kind of battle sickle that reminds me of a khopesh or a large arit.

Does this weapon have any historical authenticity in China, or is solely a film prop?

Here are some screenshots. I apologize in advance for the quality.
Attached Images
      

Last edited by Queequeg; 20th October 2009 at 08:04 PM.
Queequeg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th October 2009, 08:02 PM   #2
Lew
(deceased)
 
Lew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
Default

Looks like a big kama gusari to me? Notice the cord attachment at the end of the handle.
Lew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th October 2009, 08:05 PM   #3
Queequeg
Member
 
Queequeg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Detroit (New Mayapan)
Posts: 96
Default

Yep. They use grappling hooks on the other ends of the ropes. But they don't have the 90deg angle shape of the kama.
Queequeg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2009, 02:21 AM   #4
KuKulzA28
Member
 
KuKulzA28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: between work and sleep
Posts: 731
Default

In Southern China, various fighters and pirates used a hook-blade type sword. However it was said to resemble a billhook of sorts, kinda like the kai-shan-dao (machete equivalent) of today's Fujian and Taiwan. Therefore it would have been a shorter but hefty chopping blade for lobbing off limbs and heads... its size making it very useful when fighting on boats, in heavily forested areas, or in the dirty alleyways of Fujian and Taiwan....

The hook blade there looks kinda fantasy to me
KuKulzA28 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2009, 05:34 AM   #5
fearn
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,247
Default

Off-hand, I don't know any real weapons that precisely resemble that weapon. The falx is sort of vaguely equivalent.

Best,

F
fearn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2009, 05:11 PM   #6
Bill M
Member
 
Bill M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA Georgia
Posts: 1,599
Default

Sort of looks like an Ethiopian Shotel.
Bill M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st October 2009, 10:44 PM   #7
fearn
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,247
Default

Check out this old thread for something similar.
fearn is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 05:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.