As far back as 3000 B.C., the staff and the long pole were used in hunting as well as in battle. The staff is a stick between four and nine feet in length, both ends can be the same diameter or tapered at the end. The long pole can be as long as 13 feet, with one end tapered. These weapons were easy to construct and were very popular in ancient days.

With the discovery of bronze and iron, the staff and long pole were modified into weapons such as spears, Kwan Dao (big choppers), and various versions of the long stick with metal casting at the end.

The use of the staff and long pole was also popular among the Shaolin monks during the early Sung Dynasty (A.D. 960-1279). During that time the monks were involved in helping the first emperor, Sung, establish his kingdom. The staff and long pole were used extensively by the monks, who, because of their religion, did not like sharp edged weapons that would inflict undue injury to their enemies.

Even after the Sung Dynasty, the Shaolin monks continued to favour the use of the staff and long pole. In the Manchu Dynasty (1644-1911), the monks used these weapons to defend themselves from the Manchu Government's siege on the Shaolin Temple.