I got into this topic by explaining the '18 weapons' to MengTzu. There were probably far more types of maces in Chinese military history than in Europe or India. Here are some main ones:

1. Shu 殳: the original Chinese mace, used in the Spring-Autumn period, Warring States and Qin. They were mainly used by charioteers, and had long shafts like pole-arms and round or cylindrical heads of bronze or iron. Many shu had ridged, spiked and/or pointed heads to increase their lethal effect. By Han times, the shu had become a purely ceremonial object carried by guards of honour.



2. Chui 椎/锤/鎚: the hammer-mace, similar to European maces, with a head shaped like a melon, a bulb of garlic, or a mallet head. The head often has spikes. There are long-shafted two-hand varieties, or short single-hand ones used in a pair. Many of these originated from nomadic armies where they were known as guduo. A spiked mace with a larger, elongated head was known as a langya bang (wolf's tooth stick).



3. Jian 锏: the sword-mace. Shaped like a sword with a blunt point, but without sharp edges. The 'blade' is thick and heavy and generally has a square cross-section. Both the weight and the square edges can be used to inflict impact wounds.



4. Bian 鞭: the whip-mace. Shaped like a horse whip but made entirely of iron, often with ridges like a stick of bamboo. Not to be confused with the many-jointed whip (duojie bian), which is not strictly a mace.



Many-jointed whip:


5. Zhua 挝/撾: the fist-mace. A mace with the head shaped like a fist, holding either a nail or a pen that can be used to inflict slashing or stabbing wounds.




Feel free to correct any errors, or add on types that I missed out!

Nice posting Yun. Thanks for the info and pics.

Cheers

modern depictions of the Song-Liao-Jin-Xi Xia military seem to show that maces were extremely popular in the armies of these dynasties. I would assume this was the result of the double layered lamellar armor made arrows and sharp swords difficult to penetrate while a huge blunt weapon had little trouble injuring and killing someone wearing these types of armor

comments

The mace was also a symbol of rank and authority in many steppe cultures.

However most warriors seem to have had a wide choice of weapons to suppliment the standard selection of "bow sword and spear" (every set of regulation weapons would require a 'golf trolley' to hold them all!)

iirc there is a poem by the founder of the Song mentioning his iron mace

There are also staves used by the Zhongshan (of the Xianyu tribe of the White Di). It is an adoption of a tool used in shepharding but had solid bronze heads decorated with triangular patterns.

I have pictures of the remains...have to be scanned but not possible in the lab...