Chinese martial arts armour techniques?

[kal]

Hi,

I imagine that in the old days, Chinese military arts -- like their Japanese counterparts -- would have included methods for fighting in and against someone in armour. By this, I mean ways of grappling in armour and also ways of fighting with weapons like swords and spears in order to attack the armour's weak points.

Have any of these methods survived in any present-day kung fu systems?

Although very rare, a few of these Japanese Yoroi Kumiuchi systems have still been preserved. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcfvGoYV44s

Is there anything similar in CMA?

[laugarkuen]

Nah, we just use iron shirt ;)

Seriously though, i've not come across any.

[GeneChing]

In our 1996 January issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=514), cover master Peter Chema (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=53) sported some specially designed sparring gear that echoed traditional armor. There was never any follow up that I'm aware.

There's some historic stuff, more archaeological than anything else. It's not really like martial arts practice as in grappling and such, more like general battlefield tactics. I've seen some material concerning this like with the Xian dig.

These are the closest things I can come up with off the top of my head. I've not seen anything that's akin to say, SCA or the like, with traditional Chinese armor, or nothing like kendo, where the bogu (armor) has a very traditional root.

[Li Ma-Keh]

Yes',...the only other thing that I've seen that even comes close is Chinese 'portable' armour. The many variations of the round, oblong or pointed 'shields'. Plus, the always present wrist gaunlets and studded-belts. Li Ma-Keh