By Lloyd K. Coleman:
The 3 section staff has been a weapon of mystery and misunderstaning with centuries of battle tested techniques that was used in various situations throughout history. The sanjiegun, or three-section staff (三節棍 , sān jié gùn, shawm jeet gwam), is a Chinese flail weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. The weapon is also known as a sansetsukon (三節棍) in Japanese.
A more complicated version of the Two Section Staff, the staves can be spun to gather momentum resulting in a powerful strike, or their articulation can be used to strike over or around a shield or other defensive blocks. Historically made of white oak or Chinese red maple, modern staves are constructed from rattan, bamboo, various hardwoods or aluminum. For optimum fit, each of the three sticks should be about the length of the combatant’s arm and have a combined diameter that easily fits in the hand.
A sanjiegun is typically constructed from three wooden staves with a diameter of convert|1.25|in|mm. These are connected by chains of rings, usually of five inches (127 mm) ; modern versions use ball-and-socket joints. The total length of the weapon is about the same as the Chinese staff, the gùn and greater than that of the single staff known in Japanese as a bō; Its larger size allows for a increased reach compared to the Japanese weapon.
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