Chinese Movie Sword

Queequeg · 20th October 2009, 08:48 PM

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.

Lew · 20th October 2009, 09:02 PM

Looks like a big kama gusari to me? Notice the cord attachment at the end of the handle.

Queequeg · 20th October 2009, 09:05 PM

Yep. They use grappling hooks on the other ends of the ropes. But they don't have the 90deg angle shape of the kama.

KuKulzA28 · 21st October 2009, 03:21 AM

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

fearn · 21st October 2009, 06:34 AM

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

Best,

F

Bill M · 21st October 2009, 06:11 PM

Sort of looks like an Ethiopian Shotel.

fearn · 21st October 2009, 11:44 PM

Check out this old thread for something similar.

20th October 2009, 08:48 PM	#1
Queequeg Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Detroit (New Mayapan) Posts: 96	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 09:04 PM.

20th October 2009, 09:02 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Looks like a big kama gusari to me? Notice the cord attachment at the end of the handle.

20th October 2009, 09:05 PM	#3
Queequeg Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Detroit (New Mayapan) Posts: 96	Yep. They use grappling hooks on the other ends of the ropes. But they don't have the 90deg angle shape of the kama.

21st October 2009, 03:21 AM	#4
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	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

21st October 2009, 06:34 AM	#5
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Off-hand, I don't know any real weapons that precisely resemble that weapon. The falx is sort of vaguely equivalent. Best, F

21st October 2009, 06:11 PM	#6
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Sort of looks like an Ethiopian Shotel.

21st October 2009, 11:44 PM	#7
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Check out this old thread for something similar.