Posted 2017/7/31
In the bronze script, “矛”（mao, spear）is a pictographic character with the top part as a sharp spearhead and the lower part as a handgrip. So, the original meaning of “矛” is a long weapon for thrust with a long handgrip and blade. This character is beautified in small seal script on the base of that in bronze script, so the original shape can no longer be easily found out. “矛” is also a radical in Chinese character. All the Chinese characters in connection with “矛”have the meaning relating to spear or cutting and killing, such as “矜”（qin, handgrip of a spear）.
In the primitive society, people used animal horns, bamboo slices and sharp stones to thrust animals, and later handgrips were added and thus spear appeared; then, bronze and iron are used to make spears; there are also few spears made of jade, which are used as ritual vessels for the guard of honor. Spears are the longest-used weapon in the history of ancient Chinese weapons. From the stone spear in primitive society to the spear and red-tasselled spear in the Great Revolution, spears have witnessed a long history of war and played a very important and unfailing role. In the times of Cold Weapon, spears were always one of the major weapons in army equipment.
