Dating back 3000 years, the Chinese Hook Swords would have originated from an axe with a long, sharpened head and spear-tip.  Sharpened blades and claw-like hooks were later included, and during the Ming Dynasty the double-ended crescent knife guards and sharpened hilts were added.

The vast array of the Chinese arsenal contains numerous weapons, including the hook swords that are strictly indigenous to China and have no real counterparts anywhere in the world. 

Choy Li Fut, like all traditional Shaolin systems of kung fu, contains an extensive array of weaponry plus accompanying sets.  The weaponry of Choy Li Fut can be divided into 5 distinct categories. Long, short, flexible, throwing and double weapons, and there are supplementary categories that include benches, fans, shovels and other varied equipment.

Double weapons are mostly very complex and require a high degree of training. Intense study is common to the Chinese martial systems, and this enables these complex but effective weapons to impressively produce great martial technique.  The doubling of a weapon also adds to the effectiveness but also magnifies the difficulty in learning them, and the hook swords are no exception due to the versatile nature, and the multiple options of defence and attack. Hook sword techniques take a great deal of practice to learn and many years of instruction under the guidance of an established instructor.

In ancient times, double hooks swords were used by military men carrying forth the battle on foot.  These exotic weapons have now featured in popular modern day culture, and have become action toys, movies and video games such as Mortal Kombat.

Description

Often referred to as the Double Tiger Hook Swords, they are composed of a gim blade (straight sword) with the sharp end curved into a hook, and not dissimilar to the crook of a cane.  The swords are mainly used to hook and trap weapons, opponent’s limbs, and also one sword can be connected to the other to create a single whipping weapon.

Both edges of the blades are sharpened, and the butt ends which would usually be a pommel on a straight sword, are sharpened spear points that makes up for the less effective thrusting ability of the hooked tips.

An additional razor sharp defensive guard with a curved outward facing blades and sharpened points also enables the weapon to cut and thrust in various directions.

The Hand Grips

As all edges are sharp, the hand grip section is the only safe place to have contact with.  It is covered by cloth or tape that can be tailored to the user's personal specifications.  Coloured tassles may also be attached to the ends to create balance and distract the opponent's vision.

The Hooks

The Hook Swords are an effective tool in combat.  The hooks can be used either defensively or offensively, and their sharpened edges can cause severe damage to any opponent's wrist.  They can also be used in a low sweeping attack to the ankles or the tendons behind the knee.

The hook adds another dimension to the defensive capability of the sword. It can catch, sweep and trip over an opponent.  With the twist of the wrist, it can also trap an opponent's sword or spear in its claw-like hook.

The two swords, when interlocked by the hooks can also be swung as a single unit in large arcing cuts and act as a long-range flexible weapon, which adds a new and totally unexpected dimension in sword attack angles.

The Cresent Guards

The crescent knife guard is not only superior to the gim's normal small guard in blocking ability and protecting the hands, but has the added benefit of executing close-range strikes. The double points can also be thrusted in up or downwards directions, and act as a trapping and locking mechanism against other weapons. In addition, the razor-sharp forward-facing curved blade can be used to block or slice and punch with devastating effects.

The Link

The linked swords provide one additional feature that cannot be performed by any other weapon.  This is because when the hooks are interlocked the sword’s reach is significantly extended, giving them an approximate additional six feet.  As the wielder swings the connected swords the hilt daggers make contact and slash through the target effectively.

This technique can also be used to redirect an attack from a heavy weapon such as a kwan dao or two-handed broadsword. When locked together, the hook swords create a much stronger and longer blocking surface, which can defend against mass weapons like axes and hammers too.


The Blades

The hook swords double sided sharpened blades were originally designed for slaying the enemy in the most expedient and efficient manner possible.  They are primarily designed for double and single cutting, thrusting and slicing actions.  When skillfully combined with the other features of this weapon, a multitude of defensive and attacking techniques are effectively performed.


Hilt Daggers

The spear pointed hilts are sharpened into daggers, and this allows the practitioner to produce a reverse strike and attack with the backside of the weapon.

They can be used in the same motion as a hammer fist strike for deep penetrating thrusts, replacing the need for the tip of a standard gim straight sword.  

An additional feature of a blocking surface (not feasible with a standard gim) is created at the lower end of the sword.  The sharpened spear points also produce an extremely effective close range attack, not normally effective with the standard pommel-equipped sword.

 

Double Hook Swords techniques in Choy Li Fut

These weapons have many unique features that can be employed with Choy Li Fut weapons techniques, and alone or in conjunction with the straight bladed area on top for cutting and slashing.  No part of the weapon is devoid of purpose, as even the lower ends of the hooks work well due to their resemblance of daggers. 

Since the outwardly facing crescent shaped hooked guards are also sharp, they can be used for slicing or for thrusting against an opponent.  Utilized together hooks have the ability to literally tear apart anything they get their hooks into!  Choy Li Fut techniques can double the power of these weapons by using one sword to block at the same time the other cuts or slices (one blade is defensive and the other offensive).  Whilst one blade can attack in an upward direction the other one cuts down.  Even the Choy Li Fut flowering maneuvers, apart from being aesthetically pleasing, are used for blocking and as a safe guard, since nothing can touch the sword wielder with out getting hurt.

There is no end to the multitude of Choy Li Fut techniques that can be executed with this versatile weapon.  They include upward and downward stabbing attacks, diagonal sweeping, vertical chopping motions, forward thrusts, vertical slicing and can be combined with kicks and leg sweeps.

Listed below are brief descriptions and names of some of the fundamental techniques:

Pek-do

This downward chopping motion can be aimed to the head with one sword, or performed with both swords to the clavicle with the gim blades.

Lau-do

A double or single uppercut strike using the hooks or the gim blades, that can be used to slice, cut, or trap an opponent or their weapon.

Tsop-do

A double or single thrust with the cresent blade swords.  This can be used to block a horizontal weapons attack, attack an opponent, or disarm by striking the wrists for example.

Teut-do

A double sword technique where the front sword cuts downward to block or strike low, and the rear sword counter balances to the upper rear.

Tong-do

A thrust forwards with one or both blades to cut open the mid-section.

Wang-sow

A horizontal sweeping strike aimed at slicing through the ribs with the gim blades, or a horizontal poke or tear with the tip/hooks of the weapon to the kidney.

Dik-soy

Single or interlocked swords held overhead at a 45 degree angle to the ground.  Dik-soy is used to block a strike to the back of the head, and when pressed to the side, dik soy can be used to block a horizontal strike to the head or body.

Suit-fa koi-ding

An overhead flower performed with both swords.  Not only is it a demonstration of expert handling of these twin weapons, it can be used as an effective overhead attack, or a block to incoming mid-long range weapons.

Na-do

Lower left block or cutting strike to knee or lower body.

Pah-do

Lower right block or cutting strike to knee or lower body.

Gum Jin

A forked position where the swords cross in an upward or downward block, and can follow through by slicing with the blades, and trapping the opponents weapon, arms or legs with the hooks.

Gort

A slice by pulling backwards downwards or horizontally, and used to disarm an opponent by striking to the wrist.

By Sifu Jo Hardy