Dangpa


Dangpa, or dang pa, 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 cheolpa and the wooden mokpa. The two outer teeth of the cheolpa would be slightly crooked. The teeth of the mokpa were made of wood, but covered with iron.
The middle tip 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.
At the other end of the pole would be a sharp tip as well, in the event that two-handed combat with the dangpa became necessary in battle - this way soldiers fighting with the dangpa had fighting edges 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 dangpa chongbo accompanied by a diagram to explain the same form called dangpa chongdo.