Gunshu

棍术

Gunshu is a wushu game, which is practiced and performed by using sticks as weapons. It comes from the hunting of the ancient people.

棍术是以棍棒为器械进行训练和表演的一种武术项目，源于远古人类的狩猎活动。

In Chinese wushu gunshu and quanshu are considered as the essential skills. It is thought if people master them they can be aptly in learning other skills. 在中国武术中，棍和拳被视为武术的基本功夫，认为只要学好了

棍术和拳术，再学其他武功就可一蹴而就。

Because the wushu masters realize the importance of gunshu, they value gunshu highly and sum up many sets of gunshu.

正是因为认识到棍术的重要性，中国历史上的武术名家，对棍术均极为重视，并总结出了很多棍术套路，

The famous sets of gunshu of them are Zhao-Taizu-flying-snake gunshu, Yu-Dayou gunshu, Shaolin gunshu, Qingtian gunshu and Baimei gunshu etc.

其中著名的有赵太祖腾蛇棒、俞大猷棍、少林棍、青田棍、白眉棍等等。

In order to reach a better training effect, special requirements are stressed on the materials and shapes of the sticks in gunshu.

为了使棍术训练收到较好的效果，棍术中对棍的制作材料、形状也有特定的要求。

There are various cudgels, of which are the big cudgel, qimei cudgel, three section cudgel and dashaozi cudgel etc.

棍有大棍、齐眉棍、三节棍、大梢子棍等多种。

The big cudgel is more than eight chi long and only the strong man can play it freely. Qimei cudgel means a cudgel is high enough to the brows of a person when it sets up on the end and it is easy to be played. The three-section cudgel is made of three sections of stick joined with the iron chains.

其中大棍长八尺多需体力强健者才可自如地舞动，齐眉棍即立起来高与人眉齐的棍，舞动时较为灵活，三节棍即用三节短棍，中间以铁环相连，

It can be long or short while played and portable. The dashaozi cudgel is made of a longer section and a shorter one of sticks joined with the iron chain.

舞动时可长可短，且便于携带；大梢子棍则由一长一短两根棍中间以铁环相连而成。

The basic skills in the practice of gunshu are cut, thrust, cut with the arm swing and sweep etc.

棍术演练的基本方法有劈、戳、抡、扫等，

It has active effect in training the harmony of the body and strengthening the power of the muscle.

它对于训练身体的协调性，增强肌肉的力量，均有极佳的效果。

Thus since 1991 gunshu has been decided as an official competition in the World Wushu Championship.

因此，自1991年起，棍术被列为世界武术锦标赛的正式比赛项目。