The Dagger-Axe (Ge)

[DrNgor]

The dagger-axe is a polearm that was developed at about the time of the Erlitou Culture, which flourished in the Yellow River valley a couple of hundred years before the Shang Dynasty was established. It characterized by a long shaft with a knife-like blade fixed perpendicularly to one end. As the centuries passed, a spear head was added, allowing it to be used for jabbing and stabbing, in addition to swinging. This variation is known as the ji. The ji started off by having two different blades for the spear and dagger heads; later versions consolidated them into a single metal piece. It was eventually replaced by the halberd.

This weapon shows up on some lists as one of the 18 traditional weapons of kung fu, including the Water Margin list and the opening scene of The Odd Couple.

Movies set during the Zhou and Qin Dynasties, including those in the Warring States period, generally feature the dagger-axe. Most of the time, they are seen in military formations, like in Hero and Confucius (2010). The dagger-axe does get a nice workout during some of the battle sequences in Red Cliff.

 

(watch the video at about the 3-minute mark to see the weapon in action)