Staff

The prop staff is commonly used in filming, notably in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) and Once Upon a Time in China II (1992). The head comes in various designs to serve different purposes as required by the martial arts choreography. Staffs of southern China are divided into single- or double-head. A single-head staff is about 8 to 9 feet long and is tapered at one end. A double-head staff has a uniform thickness throughout. About the height of a standing man up to his eyebrows, it is thus nicknamed ‘The Eyebrow-level Staff’.

Long pole broadsword (top) and staff (bottom)
This prop staff is designed to be shorter and lighter than the real weapon for ease of use and the safety of the actors.

Sharing the Same Origin

Before craftsmanship was commonplace, ancient humans defended themselves with whatever came to hand – tree branches and wooden sticks, the precursor of the staff. Later, adding stones and other metals to the staff, an array of weapons was born. Hence, the staff is known as the ‘Origin of All Weapons’. A spear is a staff with sharp instruments at its end. Both weapons share many commonalities in appearance and usage. In The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984), director Lau Kar Leung showcases their commonalities while highlighting their differences, providing an excellent footnote to both weapons.