Fuchen (Horsetail Whisk) - Taoist Genuine Horsehair

The Fúchén (Fu-chen, Fu Chen, Fochen)

- Taoist Fuchen for really serious practitioners
- Superbly turned and varnished Jujubewood Handles
- Genuine horsehair
- Hand-made with woven band
- Horsehair woven into base
- Weight is approximately 200 grams

Dark Handled Fuchen
Handle length - 42cm
Hair length - 72cm

Light Handled Fuchen
Handle length - 44cm
Hair length - 74cm

Why is there no Basket?

The basket is used to keep the whisk moving in the "same" direction when practising your form. If you are a serious practitioner, the lack of basket focuses your movements for Taoist mind-body cultivation. In traditonal practice, you should be able to move the Fuchen with "The speed of a steel whip". If you are moving the weapon with speed and agility there is no need for the basket.

This is definitely a Fuchen for an experienced and/or dedicated practitioner.

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.

For more information about the Fuchen as a martial arts weapon CLICK HERE.