Dangpa


Dangpa is the Korean name for a Ranseur first described in the Muyejebo, a Korean martial arts manual of the Joseon Dynasty.

Types

There were several types of dangpa, such as the iron and the wooden . The two outer teeth of the would be slightly curved outward. The teeth of the were made of wood, but covered with iron.
The middle tine would always be slightly longer than the two other tips. This design was intended to lessen the chance of the weapon becoming stuck in an opponent's body. Common variations were bladed along the outer prongs for cutting power, while others were more similar to traditional western style as spearpoints
At the other end of the pole would be a sharp tip as well, in case two-handed combat with the dangpa became necessary in battle - this way soldiers fighting with the dangpa had fighting tips on both ends of the weapon.

Usage

The dangpa is a defensive close combat weapon used to trap an enemy's sword between two of the three prongs.

Techniques

In the Muyedobotongji one set of techniques is given. This form of 22 movements is called accompanied by a diagram to explain the same form called .