But my way belongs to the tradition of North West China -- the briangan or biangun (鞭杆). This is a small staff, armpit height or shorter, which is also known as whip staff.
The 'whip' refers to its usage in herding livestock, as well as the flicking or whipping action employed when striking with it.
The bearded gent in the image below is my BianGun inspiration. His style hijacked my appreciation immediately.
He is probably an Uyghur -- an ethnic minority based around Xinjiang -- known today for being persecuted and who are historically primarily Moslem.
While the Uyghurs didn't invent a whipping stick, it was used for transit purposes of defence along the old Silk Road. This means that the 'style' and form of BianGun is less sullied by Taoism and the temple culture of many kung fu styles.
So, to my mind, it's more 'real' and far less ethereal than the martial arts forms practised further east and south.
Ultimately, you have to ask of the stick: what's the best way to hit someone with it?
Not that that's what I do.
So that's the thing -- there are many angles of attack (and defence) with a wooden stick. Given that there is so many stick forms in the world there is a huge variety of permutations. A stick, afterall, is your basic weapon.
So basic, that it is so very hard to fall victim to pretentiousness with a stick in your hand.
Hit someone with a stick, and it's gonna hurt. Wield a stick and they'll keep their distance. Strike with a stick and your limbs have more force. Lookout hither and yon! -- a stick can come at you from all angles.
'The way of the stick' -- Jōdō -- is also all about the martial artz tick boxes of focus, concentration, movement awareness and meditation. You can invest a whole lifestyle into wielding it.
Or in going bush hiking with it in your hand.
