Nunchaku

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Nunchaku
Nunchaku (2) .jpg
Information
Weapon type: Percussion weapon
Use: Weapon, civil weapon
Creation time: approx. 17th century
Working time: til today
Region of origin /
author: 		Okinawa
Distribution: Japan , China , today worldwide
Overall length: approx. 70-75 cm
Handle: Metal, wood, hard rubber
Lists on the subject

The nunchaku ( Japanese. ヌ ン チ ャ ク / 双節 棍 nunchaku ; IPA nɯɴ.tɕa.kɯ listen ? / I ), in Germany, especially in a legal context, sometimes also called "choking wood", is one of the traditional peasant weapons in Kobudō and was based on Okinawa ( Japan ) originally used as a flail . The Sansetsukon has a similar structure, but consists of three equally sized parts and differs significantly from the two-part nunchaku in terms of handling and size. Audio file / audio sample

He became known in the western world through the handling of Bruce Lee .

etymology

The Japanese word nunchaku can be written with the same characters as in Chinese雙節 棍 / 双节 棍Pinyin shuāngjiégùn, which is what is known as ateji ; Etymologically, the word nunchaku comes from a completely different origin, namely the Ryukyu languages , a sub-branch of the Japanese language family with its origin on the Ryūkyū Islands . In China, the corresponding weapon is alternatively referred to as 兩 節 棍  /  兩 节 棍 , liǎngjiégùn or 二 節 棍  /  二 节 棍 , èrjiégùn  - "two-part stick or two-part stick". An alternative name for nunchaku that is seldom found in Japan is 梢 子 棍 , shōshikon , in German "Schiffersstock".

construction

The nunchaku usually consists of two pieces of wood of equal length that are connected with a chain ( jap. 鎖 , kusari ) or a string ( jap. 紐 , himo ). As a rule, the woods have a length of 30 cm, with handmade pieces being adapted to the length of the user's forearm. The cord or chain usually has a length of 10-15 cm.

The nunchaku is divided into:

  • himo or kusari = cord or chain
  • account = top end
  • jōkonbu = upper third
  • chūkonbu = middle third
  • kikonbu = lower third
  • kontei = base / end

variants

There are many varieties of nunchaku , with the two-part being the most popular. But there are also:

  • Sansetsukon nunchaku : Consists of three pieces of wood of equal length.
  • Sosetsukon nunchaku : Nunchaku made from a long and a short wood. Usually the long part is three times the size of the short one.
  • Yonsetsukon nunchaku : A nunchaku that consists of four woods, the two long ones on the left and right on the outside and the two short ones on the inside.

In the following, however, unless otherwise mentioned, reference is made to the better-known two-part nunchaku .

Apart from that, nunchaku are differentiated according to the profile of the woods:

  • Hakakukei nunchaku : A nunchaku with two octagonal woods
  • Rokakukei nunchaku : Two hexagonal timbers
  • Marugata nunchaku : two cylindrical pieces of wood

These are the types of nunchaku that have been known for hundreds of years. But even today there are still changes and further developments.

Modern advancements

  • Ball bearings: A modern further development is the ball bearing , which is located at the upper end (Kontoh). Thus, the chain is not attached directly to the wood, which the vertebrae with the nunchucks facilitated because the chain can not sleeving. The disadvantage of this, however, is that the small mechanical parts of the ball bearing are more sensitive than a rigid attachment and therefore cannot be as reliable. These nunchucks are rarely found in the sporting sector .
  • Soft nunchaku: These are mostly made of thin wooden or plastic rods that are covered with a soft material. They are used by beginners and partner exercises, as the risk of injury is significantly reduced compared to nunchakus made from harder materials. However, with "soft nunchakus" it is nowhere near as high a speed as with "nunchakus" made of solid materials.
  • Sports nunchaku: These nunchakus have been specially developed for competition purposes (sports nunchaku-do). Similar to the soft nunchakus , they consist of thin plastic rods that are covered with a foam and connected with a nylon cord. However, they are optimized for competitive sports. In addition, some models have a predetermined breaking point that is intended to prevent abuse (choking).
  • Artistic nunchaku or freestyle nunchaku: These are relatively small and particularly light and balanced nunchakus, which promises very good handling and, due to the low mass, also high speed. They are mainly used by experienced athletes for demonstration purposes , for example on budo galas.
  • Luminous nunchaku: This nunchaku is also specially designed for demonstrations and usually consists of two acrylic glass tubes into which glow sticks are inserted. However, other constructions are also possible, for example with LEDs . Other names are glowstick nunchaku or glowstick twisters .
  • Lissajous nunchaku: These differ from other nunchakus mainly in that they have longer sticks and a very short string, which should promise increased control. They are also known as penchaku.

Origin / legend

The Chinese nunchaku

According to an old Chinese legend , the Emperor Chao K'ung-Yin / Zhao Kuangyin ( Taizu ) invented the forerunner of nunchaku during the Northern Song Dynasty , founded around 960 AD . The emperor's favorite weapon, who was previously a general, is said to have been the spear , and with this he also competed against one of his officers. The officer broke the emperor's spear in three pieces with his sword . The emperor is said to have connected these three parts with a chain, and the weapon was named Sanjiegun (three- link staff ) ( okinaw. Sansetsukon ). It later proved more effective to use only two woods. When he mastered his weapon, he challenged the officer again and defeated him. The variant of the emperor consisted of a long wood (approx. 1 m) and a short one (approx. 30 cm), ( Shaogun , two-link stick , flail), but there are also some with a chain with wooden sticks of equal length ( Shuangjiegun ) are connected. It was this original form of nunchaku that found its way to Okinawa around 1300 .

The Okinawan nunchaku

On the island of Okinawa , the nunchaku underwent some changes. They used wood of the same length and experimented with squared timbers such as eight / hexagon and changed the length of the chain / cord. Likewise, a weapon and the associated technology were only developed from the nunchaku on Okinawa . Originally the nunchaku was used as a handicraft tool by farmers. Back then, the farmers thrashed their rice with the double wood and thus separated it from the husks, comparable to the flail .

After the Japanese Satsuma invasion of 1609, the residents had to surrender all weapons. The nunchaku was overlooked, as no one expected that the primitive tool could be turned into a deadly weapon. In the following decades the inconspicuously carried weapon gained popularity; she could also armed Satsuma - Samurai are dangerous. The traditional Japanese nunchaku is generally tied with a string rather than a chain.

Application and techniques

A nunchaku handle

The nunchaku is relatively small compared to other similarly effective striking weapons in this category (with the exception of telescopic weapons ). Therefore it can easily be carried concealed. The effect on impact causes considerable damage. However, the nunchaku without training can pose a significant risk to the user himself.

The nunchaku reveals a variety of different techniques to the user:

Bump

It is possible to strike with the nunchaku in close combat , holding both pieces of wood in your hand and ramming the slightly more pointed ends (Kontoh) into the nerve exit points (assuming appropriate anatomical knowledge).

Whirl

Another possibility is whirling, where you hold one of the pieces of wood by the middle part (Chukon-Bu) and swing the piece dangling from the chain. You don't hit the area aimlessly with it, but rather "paint" figures in the air, such as the figure eight. The figure eight is a simple figure that looks like a figure eight lying on its side, with the freely swinging piece of wood swinging from top left to bottom right and from top right to bottom left. The whole thing happens so quickly with experienced people that you can hardly see the nunchaku , but hear it and feel the breeze. By rotating around its own axis, even opponents from different directions can be kept at bay.

Swing

When swinging, part of the nunchaku is held and slammed with the other. The whole thing can be a sweeping blow, from left to right or from top left to bottom right and vice versa. After the swing you catch the end again. It is caught by braking the nunchaku on your own body, your free hand or your armpits. If the target is missed, the nunchaku is often caught with the free hand. This allows you to change hands if necessary, which can also confuse your opponent.

Clamps

The pieces of wood connected by a chain or rope are pressed together in a cross shape. This method is common on the opponent's wrist or weapon, such as a stick or baseball bat . This way, the opponent can be easily disarmed.

choke

The last option would be choking, which is less common in self-defense or combat. There is a risk or intent to kill the enemy in the process. Ultimately, this possible application results in a general ban on the weapon in Germany.

Sports equipment

As a piece of sports equipment, the nunchaku primarily trains coordination and concentration of the person exercising. In addition, the nunchaku techniques can be combined well with a variety of exercises from karate , kung fu or jiu jitsu .

In contrast to Switzerland, where the cantons can issue special permits for sporting activities, the general ban in Germany also excludes its use as sports equipment. As a result, some martial arts systems and forms can no longer be learned and trained completely.

Legal situation in the German-speaking area

Germany

In the Federal Republic of Germany, the acquisition, possession, transfer, carrying, transferring, taking, manufacturing, processing, repairing or trading, in short the handling of the nunchaku and other weapons, " depends on their nature and handling are intended to be harmful to health by throttling ”.

According to the decision of the BKA , the ban also applies to all variants and so-called "soft nunchaku" and became effective on April 24, 2006 through a ruling by the Wiesbaden Administrative Court.

Austria

Nunchaku are no longer generally regarded as killers in Austria . The Federal Ministry of the Interior, General Directorate for Public Security, announced the following in its decree of September 24, 1981, Z. 59.30 / 29-II / 13/81:

  1. The unconditional classification of the nunchaku firearm as a forbidden weapon (manslaughter) is not upheld.
  2. The qualification of an object as a manslaughter within the meaning of Section 17, Paragraph 1, Item 6 of the Weapons Act 1996 must be checked on a case-by-case basis, although devices with two round pieces of wood connected by a link chain do not qualify.
  3. The non-classification of an object as a manslaughter does not automatically mean that the qualification as a weapon within the meaning of § 1 WaffG 1996 is lost.

Switzerland

Nunchaku are considered forbidden weapons in terms of Swiss gun law. Cantons can grant exemptions from the prohibition of acquisition, possession and exercise. How far this ban goes beyond that is controversial; After a ruling by the Zurich District Court on April 16, 2014, the owner of a shop that sells nunchucks was acquitted of the violation of the gun legislation.

Nunchaku for training purposes whose striking part is made of plastic or a similar material and which are equipped with a shock-absorbing coating (soft nunchaku) are not considered a weapon and are therefore allowed. Future changes are possible as the Swiss Weapons Act is adapted to the Schengen Directive 91/477 and subject to a national revision.

Picture gallery

  • Parts of the nunchaku

  • Nunchaku

  • Nunchaku

  • Nunchaku

  • Nunchaku

  • Safety nunchaku

  • Improvised nunchaku two with Cord connected, in Germany legally (2019) kubotan

literature

Web links

Commons : Nunchaku  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Albrecht Pflüger : Nunchaku. Weapon, sport, self defense. 2nd Edition. Falken-Verlag , Niedernhausen 1981, ISBN 3-8068-0373-0 , p. .
  2. ↑ Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection : § 1 Definitions, Paragraph 3. In: Weapons Act (WaffG) . Retrieved August 27, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection : Appendix 2 (to Section 2 Paragraphs 2 to 4) List of weapons. In: Weapons Act (WaffG) . Retrieved on August 27, 2019 (Section 1, Item 1.3.8).
  4. ↑ Federal , notice of assessment of 5 February 2004, Az. KT21 / ZV 5-5164.02-Z-23/2004
  5. ↑ Wiesbaden Administrative Court, judgment of April 24, 2006, Az. 6 E 1621/04
  6. ↑ WG / LA: Art. 4 al. 1 letter d; 5 al. 1 lit. c; 33; 34
  7. ^ District Court of Zurich , 4th Division, individual court, business no. GG130292