Fuchen (Horsetail Whisk) - Performance Genuine Horsehair

The Fúchén (Fu-chen, Fu Chen, Fochen)

- A Fuchen for performance and demonstration where appearance is paramount
-Traditionally hand-bound wooden handle
- Genuine horsehair
- Superbly crafted Black basket
- Non-fray tassels
- A Fuchen you will have for a lifetime

Handle length - 45cm
Hair length - 75cm
Overall weight - 150 grams approx.

Fuchen Tassels

The tasseled Fuchen are usually used where performance and art become an important part of your practice. The tassels follow the flow of the hair, making dramatic swirls of colour and movement. Quite often, this style of Fuchen is mass-produced meaning that the quality is lacking, therefore compromising your ability to use the weapon with power and control. The old saying that “A workman is only as good as his tools” applies in this case. If you want to create drama, power and impact, you need to have a weapon that will work for and with you.

More about the Fuchen

The Fúchén (Fu-chen, Fu Chen, Fochen) is essentially a whisk or brush made by binding the hair from a horse’s tail to a long wooden handle. Throughout Chinese history the Fúchén has come in many guises from being as simple as palm fibres bound to Smilax root, through to the use of a variety of animal hairs including Yak, being bound with hemp onto a wooden shaft. The most luxurious and expensive were of course the whisks combining unusually coloured horse hair with handles made from things such as Cinnabar, Ivory, Mahogany, Sandalwood and Ebony.

Today however, many of the whisks are made from synthetic fibres made to look like horse hair. The prevailing view is that, while they are not natural nor as beautiful, they fall in line with the Daoist and Buddhist philosophical principles of not causing harm to other living things. An interesting reflection when the vast majority of the whisks are bought today for use by martial artists. Although to be fair, there wouldn’t be too many wushu practitioners now who would choose to use a fúchén in a “real fight” situation.

The Fuchen (Horsetail Whisk) is an unorthodox weapon that truly combines the Yin and Yang with a hard handle and soft, whip-like tail that can be used to aim for pressure points and strike, block, deflect, attack, and more importantly, snatch an opponent's weapon then counter-attack. This is often a surprise to the opponent(s) in a fight or competition.

Traditionally, the Horsetail Whisk was used as an instrument for Taoist and Buddhist monks to symbolise cleansing of stress, evil thoughts and energy. They were sent out into the wilderness with the Fuchen and nothing else, to remind them of their vows and to use the tool to remove evil influences. However, over time many of the day-to-day objects that were found in monastic life also doubled as weapons. The horsetail whisk was no exception, being employed to protect both individuals and the monastery from attack using techniques taken from broadsword, straight sword, whip and dart.

More information about the Fuchen as a martial arts weapon.