Typically there is the YeCha Gun, Its 7-8 feet long, sharpened end. Used like a short spear, thrust and parry, many retreating movements. Its techniques survive in Shaolins many short spear forms. Though there are many techniques, they are all secondary to the thrust.
Then there is the MeiQi Gun. It is shorter than your body (up to eyebrows or there abouts). Since it is shorter than you the whipping techniques (hold with one hand at the end and use it a bit like a broadsword) and the hitting techniques (hold the staff like a samurai sword and cut) become as effective as the thrust.
Then there is somewhere in between. A standard walking staff may be a bit taller than you. With such a staff you can use either method where appropriate, as such these forms have many colourful techniques.
Any staff can be used with the Yin Hand strategy, typically if the opponents weapon is longer (or much heavier) than yours you may want to use the powerful (yet imprecise) yin hand grip to parry and to get in close.
There are also other special staffs.
Staff forms are a maze of different strategies making the staff hard to understand in its current state. I always suggest focusing on the short spear first, then it is easier to understand staff technique. The staff can transform itself into any other weapon pretty much, so it is both a beginner and an expert weapon.
Almost all staffs are either tapered or have a weight at the base. This way you can hold the heavy end and thrust with one hand easily, or you can use the base like a hammer.
Last edited by RenDaHai; 11-12-2014 at 03:13 AM.
問「武」。曰:「克。」未達。曰:「勝己之私之謂克。」